Duty of a nobleman
The whole life of Nikolai Bolkonsky was determined by his civil status and the responsibility it imposed. Peter I defined the duties of a true nobleman as follows:
- Duty to the Fatherland, society;
- Duty to one's serfs;
- Duty to yourself and your family.
How does Prince Bolkonsky understand the last of these points? He is no less strict with himself than with others. Every minute of his day should be devoted to some useful work. He works on a lathe because physical skills must be developed in a person as well as mental ones. He writes his “Notes” to share his experiences with the next generation. He understands duty to himself as continuous self-improvement.
The only weakness of his father that Prince Andrei laughs at is his excessive pride in his pedigree. The hall in the Bolkonsky mansion is decorated with a huge image of a family tree. But this is not empty boasting. Being a worthy successor to a glorious family is very important for Bolkonsky Sr.
Essay about Nikolai Bolkonsky
In my essay I would like to try to reveal the image of Nikolai Bolkonsky. Consider it through the prism of ideas, concepts, lifestyle. Of course, this hero does not carry such a colossal semantic load as Natasha Rostova or Prince Andrei, but one cannot minimize his significance and not try to focus attention on his person, especially since the author himself really likes this hero. The fact is that the prototype of Nikolai Bolkonsky was Tolstoy’s own grandfather, whom he probably treated very well and warmly.
So, Prince Nikolai Bolkonsky is the father of Andrei Bolkonsky and Marya. To identify some features of his appearance, let us turn directly to the novel. Tolstoy writes about him: “an old man” who “aroused in all his guests a feeling of respectful respect”, “a short figure of an old man with small dry hands and gray drooping eyebrows...”.
As for his character, he was a decent, active person. Despite the fact that he lives in the village, he hates idleness and an idle lifestyle. Under Paul the First, he was exiled to the village. He spends most of his time on his beloved daughter. He is also writing memoirs.
He is quite demanding of his daughter, sometimes finds fault with little things, although he loves her dearly; towards Prince Andrei he is rather restrained in expressing his feelings. It is obvious that the prince behaves this way not at all because he is indifferent to the fate of his children, but because he wants them to grow up into worthy, honest people who consider their main task to be to live honestly and with dignity. He also cares about family honor and dignity.
Nikolai Bolkonsky is interested in what is happening in the country, all military actions and events are known to him. He has his own point of view on everything.
Family
In the Bolkonsky house there is not a trace of that uninhibited freedom that characterizes the Rostov family. Princess Marya, even as a child, could not, like Natasha, run into the room where her parents received guests. The poor thing, even outside her father’s office, took a few seconds to muster up the courage to knock on the door. The daughter's daily routine is once and for all scheduled by the hour. Her mail is checked, her habits, affections, appearance are criticized. Marya constantly feels that her father is dissatisfied with her, and this gives rise to fear in her. The eternal fear in which she lives makes the princess slow-witted in her studies, unnatural, and awkward in her behavior.
Does Nikolai Andreevich love his children? Certainly. It is love that is the reason for his excessive demands. Most of all, he fears that his family will be humiliated or bring shame to the family. “If they kill you,” he says to his son, seeing him off to the army, “it will hurt me, an old man... And if I find out that you did not behave like the son of Nikolai Bolkonsky, I will be... ashamed!”
Fear of humiliation also explains his ridiculous and cruel behavior during Kuragin's matchmaking. He orders the road to the mansion cleared for guests to be covered with snow. In front of guests, he speaks very harshly about his daughter’s new hairstyle, which brings her to tears. He realizes the princess’s humiliating position in this situation. She understands that she is too inexperienced and naive to discern the true essence of the Kuragins, and in her own way tries to protect her from making a mistake. But he does it in an undeservedly rude manner.
Usually the Bolkonsky family is contrasted with the Rostovs. This is right. But the paradox is that it was in these completely different families that the most decent, sincere, intelligent characters in War and Peace grew up. It is no coincidence that Andrei and Natasha fell in love with each other and Nikolai Rostov and Princess Marya became a happy married couple.
Family of Nikolai Bolkonsky
Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky is the father of two central characters in the novel “War and Peace” - Prince Andrei and Princess Maria. He treats his children differently, although they are both brought up in strictness. Accustomed to living according to a schedule, Prince Nikolai, who did not like to spend his time idly, demands the same punctuality and efficiency from his children, whom he loves very much.
Attitude towards daughter
Paying especially attention to the training and upbringing of his daughter, Prince Nikolai shows excessive severity towards her, getting irritated by superstitions, finding fault with every little thing, as they say, “going too far.”
Of course, he understands that he is not doing exactly the right thing, but he cannot do anything with his difficult character, which manifests itself with every, in his opinion, wrong deed and actions of Mary.
The reason for unnecessary prohibitions and nagging towards a girl is the desire to raise her daughter well.
The prince does not want her to be like cutesy young ladies who are only interested in gossip and intrigue. . Despite the constant nagging of Prince Nicholas, the God-fearing girl endures all insults and humiliation with humility and meekness. She loves her father, trying to live according to God's commandments.
Attitude towards son
Diligently raising a real man in his son, the prince, nevertheless, did not want to allow him to advance up the career ladder, and Andrei is forced to achieve everything through his own efforts. But this is precisely what did not break his son, but taught him to defend his point of view.
Dear readers! We invite you to familiarize yourself with the fifth part of the third volume of the novel “War and Peace” by L. Tolstoy, chapter by chapter
Prince Nikolai showed particular persistence when Andrei announced his desire to marry Natalya Rostova. After listening to his son, the irritated father ordered the wedding to be postponed for a year, and it was impossible to reverse this decision. “I ask you, postpone the matter for a year, go abroad, get treatment, find, as you want, a German for Prince Nicholas, and then, if love, passion, stubbornness, whatever you want, are so great, then get married. And this is my last word, you know, my last...” he asserted.
When Andrei Bolkonsky goes to war, the father does not hug his son, no parting words come from his lips, he only silently looks at him. “The old man’s quick eyes were directly fixed on his son’s eyes. Something trembled in the lower part of the old prince’s face.” Valuing his family honor, Nikolai Bolkonsky tells his son: “If they kill you, it will hurt me, an old man... And if I find out that you did not behave like the son of Nikolai Bolkonsky, I will be... ashamed!”
Landowner's debt
The old man's eccentricity and the unpredictability of his actions do not prevent him from being a wonderful master. His serfs live in prosperity, he strictly monitors the state of affairs in his domains, and opens schools and hospitals in the villages. If the Rostov managers steal, then Bolkonsky appoints truly honest people with business acumen to these posts. The only thing he can’t stand in people working for him is laziness and deceit. Unlike the completely bankrupt Ilya Rostov, the prince leaves his children a huge fortune and beautifully equipped estates.
Nikolai Bolkonsky and Andrei Bolkonsky
The father of the family was also not gentle and affectionate with his son, but in honor of Andrei’s arrival, he makes an exception in his well-established daily routine and joyfully greets him. When he sees the old man, the son’s gaze is filled with warmth, which shows that his father’s weaknesses “do not prevent him from respecting and loving him.” The old prince makes fun of Andrei and his desire to fight, but with a heavy heart he says goodbye to him. His voice gives him away again: he squeals, the lower part of his face trembles. Having received news of the possible death of his son, Nikolai Bolkonsky grew weaker every day and tried to come to terms with the death of his only heir, and this made the war seem to him a senseless and cruel act, a “puppet comedy.”
Duty to society
Prince Andrei is sincerely surprised to discover that his father, who lives in the wilderness, is perfectly familiar with the situation in the world and the country. The old man receives newspapers, subscribes to books, and reads in several languages. He is alarmed by the unnecessary and ruinous war for Russia for foreign interests. “Killed in a battle in which they ordered the best Russian people and Russian glory to be killed,” he says about the death of his son, thinking that Prince Andrei was killed in 1805 at the Battle of Austerlitz. He does not separate personal tragedy from the misfortune of the Motherland.
When war in his own Fatherland became on the agenda, Prince Bolkonsky assumed responsibility for organizing the militia. He fulfills them with such zeal that his son has to protect those who have committed fines from the stern old man. “If I had been two hours late... he would have hanged the protocol officer in Yukhnov,” Andrei shares with Pierre. And also: “My father is one of the most remarkable people of his century. But... he is too active. He is terrible because of his habit of unlimited power.” Prince Andrei accurately identified the main flaw in the character of Bolkonsky Sr. One has only to add that it does not occur to him to use the power that he once possessed and which he voluntarily gave up, his high position in society for selfish purposes or to please his own pride.
Nikolai Bolkonsky
“War and Peace” is the epic of Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy, which raises many topics and describes many characters and vivid images. One of the important secondary characters is Nikolai Bolkonsky, who is the father of the two central characters of the novel. It is he, being not just a parent, but a true father, who instills in Andrei and Marya the necessary and correct human values.
- Hero's appearance
- The character of Nikolai Bolkonsky
- Attitude towards children
Bonus
- useful links
- Work test
Conclusion
At the dawn of the 19th century, Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky may look like a kind of anachronism, a fragment of the last century. But it cannot be denied that, despite his excessive adherence to principles, inappropriate rigidity and categoricalness in his assessments, throughout the entire novel he is a kind of standard of morality for those around him. The image of Nikolai Bolkonsky in the novel is necessary as the personification of merciless truth, an honest, without a drop of hypocrisy attitude towards both war and peace.
Characteristics of the image of Nikolai Bolkonsky can be useful when writing essays and for preparing literature lessons.
Death of Nikolai Bolkonsky
The hero was a retired general-in-chief, although he no longer had any significance in the affairs of the country, not a single state news passed him by.
This was a man who knew military affairs very well and was passionate about it. Although he had lived in the village for many years, he knew very well all the intricacies of the situation in Europe. He reduced all conversations to the war and criticism of Bonaparte's mistakes. He knew the position of the troops and the plan of the upcoming battles no worse than his son going to the front. “Service comes first,” he says, saying goodbye to Andrey. All this reveals in him a true patriot who does not recognize the imaginary greatness of Napoleon. That is why the French invasion of Russia in 1812 was very painful for him. Pride and stubbornness did not allow him to retreat and leave his native estate. The old man's heart cannot stand it when he finally realizes the proximity of the enemy. “My soul hurts,” he says shortly before his death. This pain and repentance are great: they contain both love for children, which was hidden in the depths of the soul, and grief for the ruined Russia. Nikolai Bolkonsky, whose death was already close, leaves this world, but his memory will live in the hearts of his relatives, who adopted so much light from their father. Return to list
