"The sky of Austerlitz" - a complete change in the views of Prince Andrei

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

The episode "The Sky of Austerlitz", which occupies relatively little space in the novel "War and Peace", is nevertheless one of the central ones, as it shows the profound changes that occurred with Prince Andrei on the battlefield. Everything that shaped the prince's worldview and debunked his idea of the war and its heroes is important in it.

The life of Prince Andrei, which preceded the war

He is a we althy socialite who is deeply unhappy. To some extent, his image is created by the author as an "extra person". One of the first mentions of "superfluous people" appears in A. S. Pushkin in the draft version of the 8th chapter of “Eugene Onegin”: “… he hardly speaks to anyone. One is lost and forgotten, among young aristocrats, among useful diplomats, for everyone he seems to be a stranger.”

What is generally understood in Russian literature as "an extra person"? Usually this is a certain socio-psychological type. Its main features can be reconstructed by yourself. On the one hand, these are significant abilities, brightpersonality, and on the other hand, alienation from society. On the one hand, a sense of intellectual and moral superiority over his environment, and on the other hand, a certain spiritual fatigue, skepticism, which makes him a black sheep. Extra people often bring misfortune not only to themselves, but also to young women who love them.

This all applies to the image of Prince Andrei, created by the hand of the great master.

Head life

In general, work at Kutuzov's headquarters satisfied Prince Andrei. He was interested. But he stood out from the general mass of officers in that everything was important and significant for him. Especially the general course of the war, and not just the victory of the Russian army. Long before the battle during the retreat to Olmutz, he understood how petty and vile the war was going on. And he was waiting, impatiently waiting for his Toulon. The sky of Austerlitz was still far away.

Dreams of fame and recognition

In the battle of Toulon against the supporters of the king in the south of France, the unknown young Bonaparte, with a sharp intervention of his column, brought victory to the Republicans. It was his first victory. Prince Andrey, who served in the headquarters of Kutuzov, does not let go of the thought of glory for a minute. Therefore, "Toulon" constantly coexists with his name as the first step towards it. Napoleon became an idol for the prince. Before the battle, the hero's internal dialogue with himself goes on all night long, which no one can interrupt.

He doesn't need a father, a sister, a wife expecting a baby. On a foggy night before the battle, he was clearly aware of the extent to which he was indifferent to all those close to him. On skyHe did not look at Austerlitz, only immersed in his own thoughts. All night before the battle he could not sleep. The prince, reconsidering his life, has not yet changed dramatically: the love of strangers, people unknown to him was necessary, like air, although the possible death already worries him.

Napoleon

It was a gray drizzling morning. But, oddly enough, the clear blue sky of Austerlitz shone over Napoleon, as if foreshadowing his victory. A golden sun floated above. And when it lit up everything around Napoleon, he signaled the attack, removing the glove from his beautiful hand.

Fight

Kutuzov immediately assumed that it would be lost. Prince Andrew hoped by his intervention to turn the tide of the battle. And then the opportunity presented itself to show personal heroism, when the mass flight of soldiers from the position began. He picked up the banner and ran forward, ignoring the bullets flying past. And the soldiers followed him. But, wounded, he falls, and then for the first time notices the sky of Austerlitz. It is in an extraordinary distance. In the sky, unlike the earth, everything is calm.

There is no noise, no uproar, no screams, no explosions, no violent movement, no anger, no fights. Up there, there is silence. The clouds are moving quietly. They are calm and solemn. Prince Andrei is amazed to see the sky of Austerlitz. The passage about the sky shows how the prince's gaze changes - yes, everything is a deception that seduced him. An antithesis is used - there is a contrast between a hot battle and peace, silence. There is only sky. "And thank God!" So the whole tone of the story changed. With the help of epithets and repetitionsthe rhythm of phrases slows down. And slowly floating clouds show slow but constant changes in the thoughts of the prince.

Transformation

The prince fell into oblivion, bleeding. Only in the evening he woke up, and his first thought was this: where is the sky of Austerlitz (“War and Peace”)? The excerpt shows how Prince Andrei's thoughts rush from the high sky to suffering, which he had previously been unaware of. He again saw the sky with clouds through which infinity shone blue. Stopping next to him, Napoleon - his hero and idol - seemed to the prince insignificant, small, petty and conceited, buzzing something like a fly. Prince Andrew rejects him. His soul communicates only with the high sky. But he wants to live: life seems both valuable and beautiful, because he understands what is happening differently.

Only having tasted death, only having been within a hair's breadth of it, did Prince Andrei feel with his whole being, looking into the boundless sky, the pettiness of his ambitious aspirations. He realized his feat, but realized that the main thing is completely different. A sky that is a mystery and a peace that can only be found at home in the Bald Mountains.

War is horror, dirt and pain. There is no romance in it. So, looking at the sky, Prince Andrei completely reconsiders his position in life.