How to read "War and Peace": tips writer Dmitry Bykov

Leo Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace" is included in most of the world rankings of the best books: Newsweek put it on the firstNEWSWEEK'S TOP 100 BOOKS. place, BBC - on the 20thThe Big Read. TOP 100 books.And the Norwegian Book Club includedThe top 100 books of all time. novel in the list of the most significant works of all times.

In Russia, one third"War and Peace" - the main book for schoolchildren. residents said, "War and Peace" of the work, which forms the "outlook, crimping the nation." At the same time, the president of the Russian Academy of Education Ludmila Verbitskaya stated that 70%President RW: more than 70% of school teachers of literature is not read "War and Peace". school teachers have not read "War and Peace". Statistics for the rest of the Russians there, but most likely, it is more pitiable.

Bykov says that even teachers understand not everything that is written in the book, not to mention the schoolchildren. "I think that he and Leo Tolstoy did not understand everything, did not realize what a huge force drove his hand", - he added.

Why read "War and Peace"

According to Bykov, each nation must have its own "Iliad" and "Odyssey." "Odyssey" - a novel about travels. He explains how to construct the country. In Russia, it is "Dead Souls" by Nikolai Gogol.

"War and Peace" - a domestic "Iliad." It tells how to behave in the country to survive.

Artwork Tolstoy need to read in order to understand how to win in Russian.

Dmitry Bykov

What "War and Peace"

As the main theme of Tolstoy takes the most irrational period in Russian history - the Patriotic War of 1812. Bykov said that Napoleon Bonaparte sold all their problems: went to Moscow, he has not lost a pitched battle, but won with the Russian.

Russia - a country where success is not identical with the victory, a win-win irrational. Just about this novel.

Dmitry Bykov

A key episode of the book, according to Bykov, not the battle of Borodino, and the duel Pierre Pierre and Fedor Dolokhov. On the side of Dolokhov all the advantages: it supports the company, he is a good shooter. Pierre keeps a gun for the second time in my life, but it was his bullet hits the opponent. It is irrational to win. And just wins Kutuzov.

Dolokhov - unambiguously negative character, but not everyone understands why. Despite its advantages, it is the evil that himself realizes lyubuyuscheesya a "narcissistic snake." As Napoleon.

Tolstoy shows the mechanism of Russian victory: winning the one who gives more than who is more willing to sacrifice who trust fate. To survive, you need to:

• do not be afraid;
• do not count;
• not to admire him.

How to read "War and Peace"

According to Bykov, this novel is written irrational rationalist, so it has a rigid structure. Familiarity with it and makes reading fun.

The action of "War and Peace" comes in four planes simultaneously. In each plane there is a character who performs a role, endowed with special qualities and has proper destiny.

* The life of Russian nobility - household plan dramas, relationship, suffering.

** macrohistorical plan - events "big history", the state level.

*** The people - the key to understanding the scene of the novel (by Bykov opinion).

**** Metaphysical plan - an expression of what is happening through nature: the sky of Austerlitz, oak.

Moving along the lines of the table, you can see which characters correspond to the same plan. The columns show the stand-ins on different levels. For example, growth - is the line of good, fertile Russian family. Their strength lies in the irrationality. They - the soul of the novel.

On the national plane it corresponds to the same simple-minded captain Tushin on the metaphysical - earth elements, solid and fertile. At the state level there is no soul, no kindness, and therefore there is no correspondence.

Bolkonsky and everyone who is with them in the same column - is intelligence. Pierre Pierre embodies the very irrational and ready for the winner of the victims, and Fedor Dolokhov - "Narcissistic vermin": he is the one character who is no forgiveness, as he puts himself above the rest, thinks itself superman.

Armed with table Bykov, it is possible not only to better understand the idea of ​​the novel, but also easier to read, making it an exciting game to find matches.

See also:

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• Tolstoy reading list: books that impress at different ages →
• How to read books, to which previously did not reach the hands →