I

In 1808, Emperor Alexander traveled to Erfurt for a new meeting with Emperor Napoleon, and in high society in St. Petersburg there was a lot of talk about the greatness of this solemn meeting. In 1809, the closeness of the two rulers of the world, as Napoleon and Alexander were called, reached the point that when Napoleon declared war on Austria that year, the Russian corps went abroad to assist their former enemy, Bonaparte, against their former ally, the Austrian Emperor, to the point that in high society they talked about the possibility of a marriage between Napoleon and one of the sisters of Emperor Alexander. But, in addition to external political considerations, at this time the attention of Russian society was especially keenly drawn to the internal transformations that were being carried out at that time in all parts of public administration. Life, meanwhile, the real life of people with their essential interests of health, illness, work, rest, with their interests of thought, science, poetry, music, love, friendship, hatred, passions, went on, as always, independently and without political affinity or enmity with Napoleon Bonaparte and beyond all possible transformations. Prince Andrei lived in the village for two years without a break. All those enterprises on estates that Pierre started and did not bring to any result, constantly moving from one thing to another, all these enterprises, without expressing them to anyone and without noticeable labor, were carried out by Prince Andrei. He had, to a high degree, that practical tenacity that Pierre lacked, which, without scope or effort on his part, set things in motion. One of his estates of three hundred peasant souls was transferred to free cultivators (this was one of the first examples in Russia); in others, corvee was replaced by quitrent. In Bogucharovo, a learned grandmother was written out to his account to help mothers in labor, and for a salary the priest taught the children of peasants and courtyard servants to read and write. Prince Andrei spent one half of his time in Bald Mountains with his father and son, who was still with the nannies; the other half of the time in the Bogucharov monastery, as his father called his village. Despite the indifference he showed Pierre to all external events of the world, he diligently followed them, received many books and, to his surprise, noticed when fresh people came to him or his father from St. Petersburg, from the very whirlpool of life, that these people in knowledge of everything that is happening in foreign and domestic policy, they are far behind him, who sits in the village all the time. In addition to classes on names, in addition to general reading of a wide variety of books, Prince Andrei was at this time engaged in a critical analysis of our last two unfortunate campaigns and drawing up a project to change our military regulations and regulations. In the spring of 1809, Prince Andrei went to the Ryazan estates of his son, of whom he was the guardian. Warmed by the spring sun, he sat in the stroller, looking at the first grass, the first birch leaves and the first clouds of white spring clouds scattering across the bright blue sky. He didn’t think about anything, but looked around cheerfully and meaninglessly. We passed the carriage on which he had spoken with Pierre a year ago. We drove through a dirty village, threshing floors, greenery, a descent with remaining snow near the bridge, an ascent through washed-out clay, stripes of stubble and green bushes here and there, and entered a birch forest on both sides of the road. It was almost hot in the forest; you couldn’t hear the wind. The birch, all covered with green sticky leaves, did not move, and from under last year’s leaves, lifting them, the first grass and purple flowers crawled out, turning green. The small spruce trees scattered here and there throughout the birch forest, with their coarse, eternal greenness, were an unpleasant reminder of winter. The horses snorted as they entered the forest and began to fog up. Lackey Peter said something to the coachman, the coachman answered in the affirmative. But, apparently, the coachman’s sympathy was not enough for Peter: he turned on the box to the master. - Your Excellency, how easy it is! - he said, smiling respectfully.- What? - Easy, your Excellency. "What he says? - thought Prince Andrei. “Yes, that’s right about spring,” he thought, looking around. - And then, everything is already green... how soon! And the birch, and the bird cherry, and the alder are already starting... But the oak is unnoticeable. Yes, here it is, the oak tree.” There was an oak tree on the edge of the road. Probably ten times older than the birches that made up the forest, it was ten times thicker, and twice as tall as each birch. It was a huge oak tree, twice the girth, with branches that had apparently been broken off for a long time and with broken bark overgrown with old sores. With his huge, clumsily, asymmetrically splayed, gnarled arms and fingers, he stood like an old, angry and contemptuous freak between the smiling birch trees. Only he alone did not want to submit to the charm of spring and did not want to see either spring or the sun. “Spring, and love, and happiness! - it was as if this oak tree was speaking. - And how can you not get tired of the same stupid, senseless deception! Everything is the same, and everything is a lie! There is no spring, no sun, no happiness. Look, there are the crushed dead spruce trees sitting, always the same, and there I am, spreading out my broken, skinned fingers, wherever they grew - from the back, from the sides. As I grew up, I still stand, and I don’t believe your hopes and deceptions.” Prince Andrei looked back at this oak tree several times while driving through the forest, as if he was expecting something from it. There were flowers and grass under the oak tree, but he still stood in the midst of them, frowning, motionless, ugly and stubborn. “Yes, he is right, this oak tree is right a thousand times,” thought Prince Andrei, “let others, young people, again succumb to this deception, but we know life, our life is over!” A whole new series of hopeless, but sadly pleasant thoughts in connection with this oak tree arose in the soul of Prince Andrei. During this journey, he seemed to think about his whole life again and came to the same old, reassuring and hopeless conclusion that he didn’t need to start anything, that he should live out his life without doing evil, without worrying and without wanting anything. .

Sky of Austerlitz
What is this? I'm falling! My legs are giving way,” he thought and fell on his back. He opened his eyes, hoping to see how the fight between the French and the artillerymen ended, and wanting to know whether the red-haired artilleryman was killed or not, whether the guns were taken or saved. But he didn't see anything. There was nothing above him anymore except the sky—a high sky, not clear, but still immeasurably high, with gray clouds quietly creeping across it. “How quiet, calm and solemn, not at all like how I ran,” thought Prince Andrei, “not like how we ran, shouted and fought; It’s not at all like how the Frenchman and the artilleryman pulled each other’s banners with embittered and frightened faces - not at all like how the clouds crawl across this high endless sky. How come I haven’t seen this high sky before? And how happy I am that I finally recognized him. Yes! everything is empty, everything is deception, except this endless sky. There is nothing, nothing, except him. But even that is not there, there is nothing but silence, calm. And thank God!.. "

Description of oak
There was an oak tree on the edge of the road. Probably ten times older than the birches that made up the forest, it was ten times thicker and twice as tall as each birch. It was a huge oak tree, two girths wide, with branches that had been broken off for a long time and with broken bark overgrown with old sores. With his huge clumsy, asymmetrically splayed, gnarled hands and fingers, he stood like an old, angry and contemptuous freak between the smiling birch trees. Only he alone did not want to submit to the charm of spring and did not want to see either spring or the sun.

"Spring, and love, and happiness!" - it was as if this oak tree was speaking. - And how can you not get tired of the same stupid and senseless deception? Everything is the same, and everything is a lie! There is no spring, no sun, no happiness. Look, the crushed dead spruce trees are sitting, always alone, and there I am, spreading out my broken, peeled fingers, wherever they grew - from the back, from the sides; As we grew up, I still stand, and I don’t believe your hopes and deceptions.”

Prince Andrei looked back at this oak tree several times while driving through the forest, as if he was expecting something from it. There were flowers and grass under the oak tree, but he still stood in the midst of them, frowning, motionless, ugly and stubborn.

“Yes, he is right, this oak tree is right a thousand times,” thought Prince Andrei, let others, young people, again succumb to this deception, but we know life, “our life is over!” A whole new series of hopeless, but sadly pleasant thoughts in connection with this oak tree arose in the soul of Prince Andrei. During this journey, he seemed to think over his whole life again, and came to the same old reassuring and hopeless conclusion that he did not need to start anything, that he should live out his life without doing evil, without worrying and without wanting anything.

An old oak (Volume II, Part III, Chapter 3)

“Yes, here, in this forest, there was this oak tree, with which we agreed,” thought Prince Andrei. “But where is it,” thought Prince Andrei again, looking at the left side of the road and, without knowing it, without recognizing him , admired the oak tree he was looking for. The old oak tree, completely transformed, spread out like a tent of lush, dark greenery, swayed slightly, swaying slightly in the rays of the evening sun. No gnarled fingers, no sores, no old mistrust and grief - nothing was visible. Juicy, young leaves broke through the tough, hundred-year-old bark without knots, so it was impossible to believe that this old man had produced them. “Yes, this is the same oak tree,” thought Prince Andrei, and suddenly an unreasonable spring feeling of joy and renewal came over him. All the best moments of his life suddenly came back to him at the same time. And Austerlitz with the high sky, and the dead, reproachful face of his wife, and Pierre on the ferry, and the girl excited by the beauty of the night, and this night, and the moon - and all this suddenly came to his mind.

“No, life is not over at the age of 31,” Prince Andrei suddenly finally, unchangeably decided. Not only do I know everything that is in me, it is necessary for everyone to know it: both Pierre and this girl who wanted to fly into the sky, it is necessary for everyone to know me, so that my life does not go on for me alone, so that they do not live so independently of my life, so that it is reflected on everyone and so that they all live with me!”

Natasha's dance

Natasha threw off the scarf that was draped over her, ran ahead of her uncle and, putting her hands on her hips, made a movement with her shoulders and stood.

Where, how, when did this Countess, raised by a French emigrant, suck into herself from that Russian air that she breathed, this spirit, where did she get these techniques that dancing with a shawl should have long ago supplanted? But the spirit and techniques were the same, inimitable, unstudied, Russian, which her uncle expected from her. As soon as she stood up, smiled solemnly, proudly and slyly and cheerfully, the first fear that gripped Nikolai and everyone present, the fear that she would do the wrong thing, passed, and they were already admiring her.

She did the same thing and did it so precisely, so completely precisely that Anisia Fedorovna, who immediately handed her the scarf necessary for her business, burst into tears through laughter, looking at this thin, graceful, so alien to her, well-bred countess in silk and velvet. , who knew how to understand everything that was in Anisya, and in Anisya’s father, and in her aunt, and in her mother, and in every Russian person.

There was an oak tree on the edge of the road. Probably ten times older than the birches that made up the forest, it was ten times thicker, and twice as tall as each birch. It was a huge oak tree, twice the girth, with branches that had apparently been broken off for a long time and with broken bark overgrown with old sores. With his huge, clumsily, asymmetrically splayed, gnarled arms and fingers, he stood like an old, angry and contemptuous freak between the smiling birch trees. Only he alone did not want to submit to the charm of spring and did not want to see either spring or the sun.
“Spring, and love, and happiness! - it was as if this oak tree was speaking. - And how can you not get tired of the same stupid, senseless deception! Everything is the same, and everything is a lie! There is no spring, no sun, no happiness. Look, there are the crushed dead spruce trees sitting, always the same, and there I am, spreading out my broken, skinned fingers, wherever they grew - from the back, from the sides. As I grew up, I still stand, and I don’t believe your hopes and deceptions.”
Prince Andrei looked back at this oak tree several times while driving through the forest, as if he was expecting something from it. There were flowers and grass under the oak tree, but he still stood in the midst of them, frowning, motionless, ugly and stubborn.
“Yes, he is right, this oak tree is right a thousand times,” thought Prince Andrei, “let others, young people, again succumb to this deception, but we know life, our life is over!” A whole new series of hopeless, but sadly pleasant thoughts in connection with this oak tree arose in the soul of Prince Andrei. During this journey, he seemed to think about his whole life again and came to the same old, reassuring and hopeless conclusion that he didn’t need to start anything, that he should live out his life without doing evil, without worrying and without wanting anything. . On the side of the road stood an oak. Probably ten times as old birches that formed the forest, he was ten times as thick and twice as each birch. It was a huge, two girth oak, with broken long ago, it is clear and females with broken bark overgrown old sores. With its huge clumsy asymmetrically splayed gnarled hands and fingers, he was old, angry and scornful monster stood between the smiling birches. Only he did not want to obey the charm of spring and did not want to see no spring, no sun.
"Spring, love and happiness! - As if to say that oak. - And it does not bother you all the same stupid meaningless hype! All the same, and all the hype! There is no spring, no sun, no happiness. Vaughn see, sit crushed dead spruce, always the same, and there I spread out my broken off, skinned fingers, where neither they grew - from the back, from the sides As grown - so I stand, and I do not believe your hopes. and deceptions.
Prince Andrew looked several times at this oak, passing through the woods, as if he were waiting for something from him. Flowers and grass were under an oak tree, but he was still frowning, still, ugly and hard, stood among them.
"Yes, he"s right, a thousand times right this oak - thought Prince Andrew - let other young again lend themselves to this deception, and we know life - our life is over!" A whole new range of bad thoughts, but sadly - pleasing in connection with the oak originated in the soul of Prince Andrew. During this journey he seemed once again thought about all his life and came to the same still, soothing and hopelessness, the conclusion that it was nothing to start it is not necessary that he should live out their lives without doing evil, not worrying and wanting nothing.

What meaning did L.N. Tolstoy put into the episode “The Meeting of Prince Andrei with the Old Oak Tree”?

The episode of Prince Andrei Bolkonsky’s meeting with the old oak tree is one of the turning points in the novel: it is a transition to a new stage of life, a complete change in the hero’s worldview. The meeting with the oak tree is a turning point in his old life and the discovery of a new, joyful one, in unity with all the people.

The oak is a symbolic image of the psychological state of Prince Andrei, an image of the large-scale and rapid changes that took place in his soul. At Andrei’s first meeting with an oak tree, he met him with a gloomy tree that did not obey the rest of the (forest) world: “With his huge clumsily, asymmetrically splayed clumsy arms and fingers, he stood like an old, angry, contemptuous freak between the smiling birches. Only he was not the only one I wanted to submit to the charm of spring and did not want to see either spring or the sun." We see the same contrast in the company of A.P. Scherer between the prince and the rest of the guests of this salon. He is not interested in talking about Bonaparte, who was the center of discussions with Anna Pavlovna, and, “apparently, everyone in the living room was not only familiar, but was so boring to him that he found it very boring to look at them and listen to them.” We see the same apathy in the appearance of the oak tree, standing wildly and alone among a green birch grove.

But at their second meeting, Andrei finds the oak renewed, full of vitality and love for the world around him: “The old oak, completely transformed, spread out like a tent of lush, dark greenery, was thrilled, slightly swaying in the rays of the evening sun. No gnarled fingers, no sores, no old grief and mistrust - nothing was visible. Juicy, young leaves broke through the hundred-year-old hard bark without knots, so it was impossible to believe that it was the old man who produced them.” How did this change in the oak happen so unexpectedly and quickly? It happened because inside, in the veins of this mighty tree, there was already a source of change that had not yet manifested itself during the first meeting with Andrei Bolkonsky. But we said that the oak is a symbolic image of Prince Andrei. So what was the potential hidden in Prince Andrei before their second meeting?

This “potential” came from the best moments of his life. The first was the battle of Austerlitz, and “there was nothing above it except the sky - a high sky, not clear, but still immeasurably high, with gray clouds quietly creeping across it.” The second moment is the meeting with Pierre on the ferry, where Pierre told Andrei about Freemasonry, about eternal life, about God: “The meeting with Pierre was for Prince Andrei an era from which, although in appearance it was the same, but in the inner world his new life". The third is an overheard conversation of a girl, excited by the beauty of the night and wanting to fly into the sky (Natasha Rostova), which aroused in him long-extinguished feelings of joy and happiness.

But he was also pushed to these changes by the many disappointments he experienced. Firstly, this is the “fall” in his eyes of the idol of many members of high Russian society, including Prince Andrey, Napoleon, after meeting him: “It was Napoleon - his hero, but at that moment Napoleon seemed so small to him , an insignificant person,” “all the interests that occupied Napoleon seemed so insignificant to him, his hero himself seemed so petty to him, with this petty vanity and joy of victory.” Secondly, this is the unexpected death of Lisa: “You see a creature dear to you, who is connected with you, before whom you were guilty and hoped to justify yourself, and suddenly this creature suffers, is tormented and ceases to be...”.

All these events that have occurred, overlapping each other, are looking for a way out and a single optimal solution, and there is only one way out of the circle of repeating and depressing events that tormented Prince Andrei: another life with new ideals and aspirations. Analyzing his entire past life, Andrei understands that he lived only for himself (for example, dreaming of a personal feat, of his “toulon” that would glorify him). This is what led to frequent disappointments in life. And seeing the transformed oak, Prince Andrei fully appreciated the incorrectness of his previous goals and principles, seeing the oak in front of him as a reflection of himself. The transformation of the oak is an internal transformation of Prince Andrey himself, it is a complete re-awareness and renewal of all the foundations of his life.

Therefore, Andrei Bolkonsky’s meeting with the oak tree is of great importance. This is the hero’s transition from an egoistic, proud life to life “for others,” in unity with all the people: “... so that my life does not go for me alone, so that it is reflected on everyone and so that they all live with me together!”

3 The healing power of nature.

The image of an oak tree in L.N. Tolstoy’s novel “War and Peace.” In his work, L.N. Tolstoy turns to different facets of personality in order to create its most complete portrait. These may be subtle facial movements: a smile or the sparkle of the eyes. When describing the internal state of the hero, it is important not only emotions, but also their external manifestations. Tolstoy finds other features that can show us his “dialectics of the soul,” a term that N. G. Chernyshevsky used to characterize the works of the great writer. In my essay, I will focus on the image of an oak tree from the novel “War and Peace,” which helps us reveal the mental state of Prince Andrei Bolkonsky.

Andrey encounters this tree on his way before he gets to the Rostovs’ estate, Otradnoe. The prince may have a short life behind him, but a life rich in content. He saw all the facets of what the writer addresses in his work: peace and war. From such a journey, Bolkonsky came away with the firm conviction that life was over. “Yes, he is right, this oak tree is right a thousand times,” thought Prince Andrei, “let others, young people, again succumb to this deception, but we know life, our life is over!” The tree he sees makes Bolkonsky look again at the path he has traveled. But the memories do not change his attitude towards himself. The beauty of spring does not resurrect beautiful moments in him and does not give a fresh breath of new life.

However, the writer, referring to the trip that Bolkonsky started in Bogucharovo on his son’s business, shows that it is this oak tree that becomes a kind of turning point in the fate of one of the main characters. Prince Andrei does not understand why his coachman Peter can be so happy. And the only one he finds as an ally is an old oak tree, which is “probably ten times older than birches.” It was he who further confirmed Bolkonsky’s opinion that “he didn’t need to start anything, that he should live out his life without doing evil, without worrying and without wanting anything.”

The very description of the tree that the writer gives in the work helps us understand why Prince Andrei perceived it as the only ally in this beauty of the spring fairy forest. “It was a huge oak tree, two girths wide, with branches that had been broken off for a long time and with broken bark overgrown with old sores. With his huge, clumsy, asymmetrically splayed, gnarled hands and fingers, he stood like an old, angry and contemptuous freak between the smiling birch trees. Only he alone did not want to submit to the charm of spring and did not want to see either spring or the sun.” From this description it follows that the oak tree has also seen a lot in life. And from such a difficult struggle, he suffered not only disappointment, but also wounds, which are indicated by sores on his bark. When describing this picture, Tolstoy cleverly uses one technique. The writer shows that two kindred spirits met and were able to withstand the general fun. However, they still remain alone: ​​the oak in this forest, Andrey in life. The fact that two kindred souls have closed themselves off from the light and others will not change anything. After all, life goes on... It brings new events and impressions that gradually overshadow any sadness. Natasha Rostova becomes such a creature for Prince Andrei Bolkonsky. He is amazed by her sincere joy and admiration

we eat with what surrounds us in life. She so directly and without guile rejoices at an ordinary night. “No, look what a moon it is!.. Oh, what a beauty!.. If only I could squat down, like this, grab myself under the knees - tighter, as tight as possible - you have to strain. Like this!"

In this case, the girl becomes not an ally, but, one might say, an enemy of Prince Andrei. And it has its effect. Bolkonsky begins to think about the fact that even everyday, inconspicuous things can bring joy to a person. He understands that simple objects and natural phenomena, such as the moon, can inspire. Maybe it is at this moment that Prince Andrei understands why Natasha was so happy all day. “Suddenly such an unexpected confusion of young thoughts and hopes, contradicting his whole life, arose in his soul that he, feeling unable to understand his condition, immediately fell asleep.”

When he returns, travels from Otradny, he begins to pay attention to what surrounds him. This is no longer enthusiasm and a kind of spring awakening of nature. Spring has long come into its own, and summer is just around the corner. And at this moment, Prince Andrei cannot find the one with whom he was recently so alone in the kingdom of awakening nature.

The image of oak plays a big role in the work. After all, it is through the eyes of Bolkonsky that this tree is shown. In him he finds an ally of his soul and thoughts, his past life. The author uses this image in order to reveal the character’s inner world not through remarks. Prince Andrei is such a hero who does not speak about his worries and fears directly. Only with Pierre can he afford to be a little frank. At this turning point, when a friend was not around, it was through the description of the tree that we understood what was happening and what drastic changes took place in Bolkonsky’s soul. He, like this oak tree, came to life under the warm sun and could enjoy the summer days, like those birches that again met him on the way.

Natasha, with her admiration at the window, only gave impetus to the spark that flared up in Prince Andrei. But the hero became stronger in his opinion only at the moment when he again saw that gnarled and “sad” oak tree. The tree itself seemed to rejoice at the life that spring had opened before it, and Andrei “without knowing it, without recognizing it, admired the oak tree that he was looking for. The old oak tree, completely transformed, spread out like a tent of lush, dark greenery, swayed slightly, swaying slightly in the rays of the evening sun.” New foliage hid the sores and wounds. So Bolkonsky probably thought that his spiritual wounds could also heal. Therefore, he will be able not only to transform like this oak tree, but also to start life with a new leaf. The tree seemed to show by example that grief and mistrust can be overcome, as he himself did.

With a sequential description of the oak tree, the author seems to show the stages of the hero’s rebirth. Firstly, it is worth letting in the new things that surround us. This will not only hide external flaws, but also convince yourself that grief will be left behind. Secondly, the most important thing is that you yourself can make everything around you move and come to life: “Through the tough, hundred-year-old bark, juicy, young leaves broke through without knots, so it was impossible to believe that this old man produced them.”

And Bolkonsky goes through all these stages together with oak. ““Yes, this is the same oak,” thought Prince Andrei, and suddenly an unreasonable, spring feeling of joy and renewal came over him. All the best moments of his life suddenly came back to him at the same time.” And in the memory of the young man, because Andrei was only thirty-one years old, only pleasant moments of his life began to emerge, which seemed to indicate that he could move forward and at the same time rely not only on dark and gloomy, but also bright moments. Bolkonsky seems to understand that it is renewal and admiration for life that allows you to boldly move forward to new heights, and not hide your youth and talent behind a “bark with sores.” He must live not only for himself, but also for others so that they, too, can see in him the best that has been hidden for a long time, “... so that everyone knows me, so that my life does not go for me alone, so that they do not live like this.” regardless of my life, so that it is reflected on everyone and so that they all live with me!”

So the meeting with the oak tree became the turning point that showed and confirmed the main character’s opinion that it is possible to start life from scratch. And those around him may help him with this, since during his awakening he remembers Pierre, the girl and now this resurrected oak tree.

So the image of the oak tree plays several roles in the story. He not only lifts the veil of secrecy over the hero’s inner world, but is also a character who finds his way to revive Prince Andrei Bolkonsky to a wonderful new life. At the same time, the image of an oak tree allows the author to show us those qualities of the hero that could not be shown through a description of appearance.