Pierre Bezukhov in a secret society with quotes. The life quest of Pierre Bezukhov - essay
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Pierre Bezukhov is the hero of the epic novel by L.N. Tolstoy "War and Peace" (1863-1869). The prototypes of the image of Pierre Bezukhov were the Decembrists who returned from Siberia, whose lives provided Tolstoy with material for his initial plan, which gradually transformed into an epic about Patriotic War 1812. A character similar to Pierre Bezukhov is already present in the original plan of the story about the Decembrist who returned from Siberia, Pyotr Ivanovich Labazov. While working on the drafts and early edition of the novel, Tolstoy changed many names for the future Pierre Bezukhov (Kushnev, Arkady Bezukhy, Pyotr Ivanovich Medynsky). Almost unchanged (compared to the concept of the novel) the main story line hero: from youthful carelessness to mature wisdom.
Pyotr Kirillovich Bezukhov is the illegitimate son of a rich and noble Catherine’s nobleman, recognized as the legal heir only after the death of his father. Until the age of 20, he was brought up abroad; when he appeared in society, he attracted attention with the absurdity of his behavior and at the same time with the naturalness that distinguished him from his environment. Like his friend, Andrei Bolkonsky, Pierre Bezukhov worships Napoleon, considering him a truly great figure of his time.
Pierre Bezukhov is an addicted person, a man endowed with a soft and weak character, kindness and trustfulness, but at the same time subject to violent outbursts of anger (episodes of quarrels and explanations with Helen after the duel; explanations with Anatol Kuragin after his attempt to take Natasha away). Good and reasonable intentions constantly come into conflict with the passions that overcome Pierre Bezukhov, and often lead to great trouble, as in the case of a revelry in the company of Dolokhov and Kuragin, after which he was expelled from St. Petersburg.
Having become, after the death of his father, one of the richest people, the heir to the title, Pierre Bezukhov is again subjected to the most serious trials and temptations, as a result of the intrigues of Prince Vasily, having married his daughter Helen, a social beauty, a stupid and dissolute woman. This marriage makes the hero deeply unhappy, leading to a duel with Dolokhov and a break with his wife. A penchant for philosophical reasoning brings Bezukhov together with the prominent freemason Bazdeev and contributes to his passion for Freemasonry. Pierre Bezukhov begins to believe in the possibility of achieving perfection, in brotherly love between people. He tries, under the influence of new thoughts for him, to improve the life of his peasants, seeing the happiness of life in caring for others. However, due to its impracticality, it fails, becoming disillusioned with the very idea of restructuring peasant life.
The ability of Bezukhov’s psyche to transform thoughts that have not yet been sufficiently understood by him into dream images is quite explainable by the emotional state of the hero, as well as his susceptibility (under the influence of Freemasonry) to philosophical and mystical moods. So, for example, Pierre Bezukhov, who decided to kill Napoleon, calculates the mystical number of his and his names.
In 1808, Pierre Bezukhov became the head of St. Petersburg Freemasonry and gradually, realizing the falsity of this movement, came to be disappointed in its ideals and participants. The most intense period of the hero's life was on the eve and during the War of 1812. Through the eyes of Pierre Bezukhov, readers of the novel observe the famous comet of the 12th year, which foreshadowed unusual and terrible events, according to the general belief. The eve of war is complicated for the hero by his clearly realized feeling of deep love for Natasha Rostova, in a conversation with whom he lets slip about his feeling.
Having taken the events of the war to heart, having become disillusioned with his former idol Napoleon, Pierre Bezukhov goes to the Borodino field to observe the battle. He sees the unity of the defenders of Moscow, who want to “pounce” on the enemy “with all the people.” There, Pierre Bezukhov witnesses a general prayer service in front of the icon of the Smolensk Mother of God. Bezukhov’s final meeting with Prince Andrei takes place near Borodin, who expresses to him the cherished thought that the true understanding of life is where “they” are, ordinary Russian soldiers. It is on the Borodino field that Pierre Bezukhov first experiences a feeling of unity with those around him, helping them during the battle. In a deserted and burning Moscow, where the hero remains to kill his and humanity's worst enemy, Napoleon, he witnesses many of the horrors of war; trying to help people as much as possible (protects a woman, saves a child from a fire), he is captured as an “arsonist” and there experiences terrible moments of waiting for death, watching the execution of prisoners.
In captivity for Pierre Bezukhov opens new world and a new meaning of existence: at first he realizes the impossibility of capturing not the body, but the living, immortal soul of a person. There, the hero meets Platon Karataev, as a result of communication with whom he comprehends, first intuitively and then rationally, the people's worldview: love of life, awareness of oneself as part of the whole world. The hero's real rapprochement with the people occurs precisely in captivity, when he least thinks about it, but finds himself placed by fate in a common position with all the people. The formation of an unclear sensation into a clear thought also occurs in Pierre Bezukhov in a dream (about the world - a living ball covered with drops of water), after awakening, from which he is freed from captivity, and he again joins the general flow folk life as its active participant. Under the impression of his meeting with Karataev, Bezukhov, who previously “did not see the eternal and infinite in anything,” learned to “see the eternal and infinite in everything. And this eternal and infinite was God.”
After the end of the war and the death of Helen, Pierre Bezukhov meets Natasha again and marries her. In the epilogue he is depicted as a happy father of a family, a beloved and loving husband; a person who has found his place and purpose in life. The general direction of development of the image of Pierre Bezukhov is a movement towards rapprochement with the people's worldview, which occurs for the hero on the basis of a complex synthesis of intuitive, emotional and rational principles. That is why Pierre Bezukhov is the only hero of the epic novel who turns out to be equally close to Andrei Bolkonsky, Natasha Rostova and Platon Karataev, each of whom represents only one of these principles. The combination of the emotional and rational in the perception of life was especially close to Tolstoy himself, which is why Pierre Bezukhov is one of the author’s favorite heroes.
Among other characters, many of whom go back to the prototypes of the Tolstoy-Volkonsky “family chronicle,” Pierre Bezukhov, at first glance, is not marked by easily recognizable or autobiographical features. However, he, like Tolstoy himself, is characterized by a passion for Rousseau, a desire for rapprochement with the people, his internal development takes place in the struggle of the spiritual and intellectual principles with the sensual, passionate. Thus, our hero may well be placed among the writer’s other heroes, distinguished by an analytical mindset and having biographical parallels with their creator.
Many features of Pierre Bezukhov allowed contemporaries, as well as later researchers, to see in the hero a character “snatched from life”, distinguished by his “Russian traits”, characteristic of people of the 10-20s of the 19th century (passion for Rousseauism, Freemasonry, French revolution, Decembrist ideas), and the type of person of the 60s of the 19th century who seems “wiser” than the people of that generation. This view is also confirmed by a certain proximity spiritual development Pierre Bezukhov to the philosophical and ethical quest of the author himself, the complexity of the hero’s intellectual and emotional life, the possibility of his correlation with the characters of Russian literature of the 1860s (for example, Raskolnikov from “Crime and Punishment” by F.M. Dostoevsky), the meaning of whose images is in that or to some other degree is aimed at denying Napoleonism not only as villainy, but also as individualism to the highest degree of manifestation.
According to the degree of embodiment in the hero of the main principles of life, reflection of the patterns of historical reality of the last century, the ability to “pair” the emotional with the rational, the degree of closeness of the hero-nobleman with the common people, active participation in national life during the period of historical turning point, the truthfulness of the reflection of the main direction of the spiritual development of himself author, correlation with the characters of other works of the writer and Russian literature of the 19th century century, Pierre Bezukhov can be considered one of the most important heroes of L.N. Tolstoy.
It seems that S.F. came closest to understanding and successfully implementing the ideas embodied in the image of Pierre Bezukhov. Bondarchuk in his cinematic interpretation of the epic novel by L.N. Tolstoy (1966-1967).
What brought Pierre Bezukhov to the Masonic Society? Why was he disappointed there? and got the best answer
Answer from Alexey Khoroshev[guru]
In his epic novel War and Peace, Tolstoy, using the example of P. Bezukhov’s meeting with the Freemasons, showed the danger of this phenomenon for Russia.
After breaking up with Helen, the search for the meaning of life and answers to the questions “What is bad? What well? What should you love, what should you hate? Why live, and what am I…” they bring Pierre Bezukhov to the society of Freemasons. He is attracted to the ideas of “love, equality and brotherhood.” Pierre struggles to bring these ideas to life. He wants to make the life of peasants easier, build schools, shelters and hospitals on every estate. But while doing good deeds, Pierre Bezukhov is faced with misunderstanding and outright deception:
“...he did not know that due to the fact that, on his orders, they stopped sending children - women with babies to corvee labor, these same children carried out the most difficult work in their half. He did not know that the priest, who met him with a cross, was burdening the men with their exactions and that the students gathered to him with tears were given to him and were bought off by their parents for a lot of money. He did not know that the stone buildings, according to the plan, were erected by their own workers and increased the corvee of the peasants, reduced only on paper ... "
As a result, Pierre becomes disappointed with Freemasonry.
Pierre's entry into Freemasonry is one of highlights novel. L. Tolstoy very ironically described Bezukhov’s initiation into the lodge; showing Pierre the small and large world looks comical. How he was ready to give all his fortune to the Masons, but did not give it away, only for fear of seeming immodest, how during the initiation Pierre blushed to the point of tears, as children blush. Bezukhov himself began to think: “Are they laughing at me? Will I be ashamed to remember this?” How he was ready to throw himself on the swords and they were hastily pulled away from him. Pierre, entering Freemasonry, thought that the brothers would help change the world for the better, but in fact they needed him because of money (his repeated donations) and connections in high society.
Gradually, “Pierre feels that the swamp in which he has found himself is drawing him in more and more.” It seems to him: “that Freemasonry is based on appearance alone.” He sees that people (like Boris Drubetskoy) are joining Freemasonry, pursuing one goal - to get closer to famous and influential people. Tolstoy brilliantly showed that the Freemasons are the same circle of Madame Scherer, only for the elite. It seems to Pierre that Russian Freemasonry is following the wrong path, deviating from its source. He goes abroad to comprehend the highest secrets of the order. At the meeting, Bezukhov makes a speech, calls on his brothers to speak out against violence in the world, and calls on them to preach the ideals of goodness and justice. Masons should look for "worthy" ones (not scoundrels) and promote their entry into the order. Pierre's speech causes a stormy protest in the box, and his proposal is rejected.
The tragedy of Russia at that time was that the children of the Widow tried to impose their ideals on Russian society, to crush our culture, and then the whole country. Tolstoy tried to convey this to us.
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Answer from Agnes[active]
The desire to change his life for the better leads him to the Freemasons, a secret organization whose members hope to appoint their like-minded “brothers” to key government positions, gain power over the world and begin to implement the ideals of goodness.
Retelling.
After an explanation with his wife, Pierre goes to St. Petersburg and at one of the stations he meets one of the famous masons, Osip Alekseevich Bazdeev. He saw Freemasonry as a brotherhood of people united with the goal of supporting each other on the path of virtue. Pierre decided to take the path of renewal and joined the Masonic lodge.
The goal is to preserve and pass on to posterity some important sacrament; the second goal is to correct the hearts of the members of the lodge and the third is to correct the entire membership. Virtues corresponding to the seven steps of the Temple of Solomon, which every Mason must cultivate:
1) modesty, respect for the secrecy of the order;
2) obedience to the highest ranks of the order;
3) good morals;
4) love for humanity;
5) courage;
6) generosity;
7) love of death.
The Masons were most occupied with their own advancement to power. It seemed to him that Russian Freemasonry had gone down the wrong path. All brothers were divided into 4 categories:
occupied with the mysteries of science, the mystical side; seekers, hesitant, like himself; seeing nothing but the outer form; entered Freemasonry to get closer to rich and well-connected brothers.
After a trip abroad, he issued a call to action and was accused of vehemence.
Lesson No. 6
Pierre in Freemasonry.
Goals:
educational:
formationthe ability to correctly and convincingly substantiate your point of view;
nurturing the moral worldview of students;
educational:
understanding the complexity and inconsistency of the behavior and quests of the heroes of the novel;
formation of ideas about the brotherhood of Freemasons;
developing:
improving skills in working with text, the ability to analyze what you read;
providing opportunities to unleash the creative potential of students;
development of mental and speech activity, the ability to analyze, compare, and logically correctly express thoughts.
Lesson type: lesson to improve knowledge, skills and abilities.
Lesson type: workshop lesson.
Methodical techniques: conversation on issues, retelling the text, expressive reading of the text, watching episodes from feature film, student messages.
Predicted result:
knowliterary text, history of Freemasonry;
be able toindependently find material on the topic and systematize it.
Equipment: notebooks, literary text, computer, multimedia, presentation, feature film.
During the classes
I. Organizational stage.
II. Motivation for learning activities. Goal setting.
The teacher's word.
Among the “blank spots” of our history, the mysteries covered in legends, Freemasonry occupies a special place. For a long time this topic was closed for study: there was no literature. Now more and more new publications about Freemasonry are appearing, books that were published in Russia even before the revolution are being published. Today in the lesson we will turn to a topic that is closely related to the formation of the worldview of people of past eras and the present. But there are many myths, misconceptions and speculations around Freemasonry both today and in the past. The theme of Freemasonry is reflected in fiction, therefore, the task of the lesson is to get acquainted with the basics of the teachings of the Masons, to find out who they are. What is the role of the Freemasons in the destinies of the heroes of the novel "War and Peace".
Discussion of the topic and objectives of the lesson.
III . Improving knowledge, skills and abilities.
The teacher's word.
A. Radishchev, N. Karamzin, A. Griboedov, A. Pushkin, M. Speransky, Pavel I, Alexander I, A. Suvorov, M. Kutuzov are names known to everyone. But worldwide fame is not the only thing that unites them. All of them belonged to one of the most mysterious, little-studied philosophical movements in the history of Russia - Freemasonry.
Who are the Masons? Why do disputes about Freemasonry continue today? Why did it attract great people? What are the moral aspects of the philosophy of Freemasonry and its influence on the formation of the worldview of people of past eras and the present? To answer these questions, it is necessary to turn to the history of Freemasonry.
Student message. History of Freemasonry.
The real history of Freemasonry begins with the construction of St. Paul's Cathedral in London under the direction of the architect Sir Christopher Wren. The cathedral took a long time to build, from 1675 to 1710. It was then that a wonderful idea was born: to attract public attention to this long-term construction and to raise additional funds, to found “artels” of masons who would “build” the cathedral without lifting a single brick, but only thinking about it. This is how “speculative” Freemasonry was born in England. The word "mason" translated from English and French means "mason", and with the definition "franc" - free mason. The symbols of Freemasonry were the mason's tools: a trowel, a plumb line, a compass, a square. The cathedral was finally built, but the Masonic artels - lodges - did not disappear, there were more of them. At the head of each lodge was a Master, a Venerable. The manager of an entire union of lodges was called a grandmaster or Great Master. The first theorists of Freemasonry also appeared: Andersen and Daugulier, who provided a philosophical basis for Freemasonry and began to create its theory and structure. On June 24, 1717, representatives of the first Masonic lodges gathered in a beer hall and established the “Grand Lodge of England” - a union of all existing lodges. This is the first and only reliable date for the birth of Freemasonry as an organized movement. Soon, Freemasonry spread to France and flourished, traditions and new symbolism appeared, the Freemasons came up with a solid history for themselves, dating back to the construction of Solomon’s Temple. The chief builder of this temple was Adoniram, who was killed for not revealing the magic word spoken to him by King Solomon. This name of God is "Jehovah". This legend of Adoniram is the basis of initiation into the degree of master in Masonic lodges. In Russia, the first lodges appeared in the 30s of the 18th century. Peter I was a “free mason”, Paul I was brought up by Freemasons and surrounded himself with them, Alexander I at the beginning of his reign was a Freemason, and in 1822 he banned Freemasonry, as a result of which this ban contributed to the development of secret societies of the Decembrists, among whom there were also many Freemasons ( Muravyov-Apostol, Pestel, Ryleev, Bestuzhev). Among the Freemasons there were many famous people in Russia.
At the beginning of the 20th century, interest in the Freemasons intensified. By 1910, there were more than 100 people in Russian political Freemasonry. Their composition was mostly cadets, Mensheviks, Socialist Revolutionaries, Trudoviks (Kerensky, Chkheidze, Konovalov, Nekrasov, Tereshchenko). Even before the 1917 revolution, a campaign against the Freemasons began. Two arguments were used:
1) Freemasons have Jews in their ranks, therefore they are enemies of Orthodoxy and autocracy;
2) the Freemasons have socialists in their ranks, which means they are connected with the “International”.
The main moral and philosophical ideas of Freemasonry were the following:
The unacceptability of a monarchical government system.
The Masonic ideal is a democratic republic
All members of society are brothers. And neither language, nor rank, nor fortune, nor wealth makes a distinction between them.
The goal of Freemasonry is destruction Christian culture and its replacement by the Masonic world.
Humanity is higher than the fatherland. Freemasonry must cross out the past of peoples. It must create an international movement, the consequence of which will be the ideals of freedom, equality and fraternity among peoples.
Ideas of national revolutions that will destroy historically established states and lead to the creation of a Masonic superstate.
The main thing in the philosophy of the Masons was and is man, his spiritual state and harmonious development. Mutual assistance among members of the order over time turned into a system of charity. Masons build and maintain hospitals, clinics, and research centers. Philanthropic funds exist thanks to voluntary contributions from fraternity members and various donations. In pre-revolutionary Russia, almshouses, schools, and orphanages were opened on the initiative of the Freemasons. But charity is only part of the order’s activities aimed at the benefit of humanity.
The progress of society is possible only in the absence of wars between and within states. Therefore, free masons oppose resolving conflicts by force. Each of the brothers can and should benefit by awakening the most best qualities. Masons of all directions believe that the acquisition of knowledge in the natural and human sciences, long and patient self-training will help them create an equal and just social system, a kind of temple of freedom, equality and fraternity.
The teacher's word.
There were some moments in the activities of the Freemasons of the Alexander era that impressed Tolstoy, and the writer speaks about them very warmly and sympathetically. These are, first of all, issues of moral self-improvement. The bearer of these ideas is Osip Aleksandrovich Bazdeev, who made a strong impression on Pierre with his passionate preaching.
The image of Pierre's "benefactor", who convinced him to take the path of orthodox Freemasonry, was painted from a real person - Joseph Alekseevich Pozdeev, who was popular among Moscow Freemasons.
4. Working with the text of the novel "War and Peace".
At what point in Pierre's life does he meet the freemason Bazdeev?
Pierre Bezukhov's entry into the Masonic society occurred during a difficult period of his life, associated with his marriage to Helen Kuragina. He suffers, realizing that he was not only deceived, but also deceived others. He considered himself guilty for marrying without love - this plunges Pierre into a deep crisis. “What's wrong? What well? What should you love, what should you hate? Why do you need to live and what am I? What is life, what is death? What force controls everything? - he asks himself. These reflections on the meaning of life are characteristic of goodies Tolstoy. Pierreis experiencing a mental crisis: this is a strong dissatisfaction with oneself and the associated desire to change one’s life, to build it on good principles.
Pierre's coming to Freemasonry was an important event, as it would help him find a way out of his inner turmoil. He “thought and thought and thought and thought,” the author reports. But the more he thought, the “darker, more confusing and more hopeless the past, future and, most importantly, the present seemed to him.”
During such reflections, when Pierre was immersed “in the highest mindset that a person can achieve,” at that moment a stranger entered the room. It was the old Mason Bazdeev, who came to Pierre to convert him. He immediately started talking about Freemasonry and suggested introducing Pierre to the “brotherhood of free masons,” where he would find peace. In the penetrating gaze of the freemason, Pierre “felt hope and reassurance.” A week later, Bezukhov’s reception was scheduled “at the St. Petersburg Northern Lights Lodge.” Pierre was accepted into the lodge in compliance with all rituals. New life instilled new strength in Pierre, and after initiation into the Freemasons he was “cheerful and restrained, as if making fun of the whole world, knowing the truth.”
Was Pierre's meeting with the freemason Bazdeev by chance?
Watching an episode from a feature film or retelling the episode “Pierre's Entry into Freemasonry.”
For what purpose does Pierre join the Masonic Society?
Pierre finds the meaning of life in the philosophy of moral self-improvement as a means of eliminating evil in oneself and the world. Why does Pierre, being an atheist and considering religion “unfair,” join the Masonic society? Because I was attracted by the formulation of the goals of this society: by purifying and correcting the heart and mind of individual members of society, thereby correcting the human race and “confronting the evil that reigns in the world.” And he sincerely accepted the new teaching and believed in it. Pierre perceived Freemasonry not as a religious sect with its external ritualism, but as “the best single expression of the best, eternal sides of humanity.” This decision gave him for a time the illusion of a way out of the impasse caused by the feeling of the purposelessness of existence. It opened the way for him to the activity for which he yearned. He had so many doubts and hesitations that he reached out to those who had faith and conviction in something: “Pierre, with a sinking heart... experienced a joyful feeling of calm, renewal and return to life.” So, the desire to find something stable, a goal in life for himself, leads Pierre to Freemasonry.
What was most dear to Pierre in Masonic teaching?
“...With all our might, resist the evil that reigns in the world.”
What caused Pierre to doubt?
The ritual side of Freemasonry. - How did Pierre feel when he was accepted into the Masons? - “Where am I, what am I doing? Are they laughing at me? Will I be ashamed to remember this? Pierre has a sense of truth. He talked about his love for Helen and at the same time felt something false, unclean, which pushed him away from this woman. He accepted Freemasonry, but already upon initiation into the Freemasons, doubt arose in him about the truth and necessity of what he was doing.
Who did Pierre see among the Masons?
Those whom he knew from St. Petersburg society and who never aroused his sympathy.
What does Pierre Bezukhov do after joining Freemasonry?
“A week later, Pierre, having said goodbye to his new friends, the Freemasons, and leaving them large sums of alms, left for his estate. His new friends gave him letters to Kyiv and Odessa, to the Freemasons there, and promised to write to him and guide him in his new activities.”
Tell us what specific steps Pierre Bezukhov took to confirm the moral calls of the Freemasons with practical deeds?
“Pierre unwittingly became the head of St. Petersburg Freemasonry. He set up lodges, recruited new members, took care of uniting various lodges... He gave his money for the construction of churches and replenished, as far as he could, alms collections, for which most members were stingy and careless. He almost alone, at his own expense, supported the home of the poor, established by the order in St. Petersburg...”, Tolstoy narrates.
Pierre, after the Masons revealed the truth to him, decides that he must confront the evil that reigns in the world. He strives to “immediately” take “measures for the complete liberation of the peasants from serfdom.”
How does Tolstoy explain Pierre's failure to alleviate the situation of the peasants?
“Pierre did not have that practical tenacity that would give him the opportunity to directly get down to business, so he did not like him and only tried to pretend to the manager that he was busy with business.”
Did the peasants on Pierre's estates really become happy?
Tell us how the life of the peasants changed as a result of Pierre’s “activities.”
The situation of the peasants not only did not improve, but in some respects worsened; in any case, “the peasants continued to give with work and money everything that they give from others, that is, everything that they can give.”
Did Pierre realize that he had failed?
No, he returned from his “journey” “in the happiest state of mind.” This is the only time in Pierre's life when he did not feel the falsehood of his position.
With Andrei Bolkonsky.
What change in Prince Andrei struck Pierre?
“The words were affectionate, a smile was on the lips and face of Prince Andrei, but his gaze was extinguished, dead.” If we look closely at the development of Prince Andrei and Pierre, we will notice that the development of one, with some delay, duplicates the development of the other. Both pass in different time the same circles of hell
How did Prince Andrei react to Pierre’s thoughts about improving the lives of the peasants?
He refutes them. It now seems to Prince Andrei that simply existing, without tormenting himself with questions, is easier, better than thinking about the meaning of life, and he envies the man living an animal life. Why do people need schools? To the physical torment they will add moral torment. - Well, Prince Andrei is against the liberation of the peasants? - No, he is for the liberation of the peasants, but not for them, but for... the nobles, who, being “raised in... the traditions of unlimited power , become cruel, rude,” become more and more “unhappy and unhappy.” It is interesting that Prince Andrei’s gaze “became more animated the more hopeless his judgments were.”
Arguing with Pierre, with his conviction of the need to serve his neighbor, Prince Andrei becomes animated, focusing on this issue, and in some way internally agrees with Pierre.
What significance did this meeting with Pierre have for Prince Andrei?
“The meeting with Pierre was for Prince Andrei the era from which his new life began.
Reading an excerpt from chapter XII of the second part - “Pierre and Andrey on the ferry.”
Look how Tolstoy draws the influence of nature on Prince Andrei. - “Ferry! has long been stuck, and only waves of current with a weak sound! hit the bottom of the ferry. It seemed to Prince Andrei that this rinsing of the waves was saying to Pierre’s words: “True, believe it.” And how did Prince Andrei’s face change? - “Prince Andrey sighed and radiantly,children's looked with a gentle gaze into... Pierre’s face.” - The theme of a bright and pure childhood almost automatically evokes the theme of heaven in Tolstoy. Prince Andrei, “coming off the ferry,... looked at the sky,... and for the first time after Austerlitz he saw that high, eternal sky that he had seen while lying on the Field of Austerlitz, and something that had long fallen asleep, something better “What was in him suddenly woke up joyfully and youthfully in his soul.” Prince Andrei could not remain passive for long. This is typical Tolstoy positive character, always making mistakes and searching
Pierre manages to convince Prince Andrei that although lies reign on earth, they are transitory, and the truth is eternal. The world of truth, goodness and justice, the vast world of higher humanity becomes the world of Pierre and Prince Andrei. Their search for reason and the difficult experience of life led them to this world.
What feeling did Pierre begin to experience after a year of his participation in the Masonic lodge?
Previously, “he experienced the feeling of a person trustingly placing his foot on the flat surface of a swamp.” But “having put his foot down, he failed. To be completely sure of the solidity of the soil on which he stood, he put his other foot down and sank even further, got stuck and involuntarily walked knee-deep in the swamp.” Freemasonry turned out to be a dirty swamp. We saw that Pierre immediately noticed something false in Freemasonry. Now, as is typical for both Pierre and Andrey, the mind “caught up” with the initial sensations. The feeling did not deceive.
What pushed Pierre away from the Freemasons?
Pierre is convinced that many Masons entered the society in order to acquire connections with strong and wealthy people, of whom there were many. “From under the Masonic aprons and signs, he saw on them the uniforms and crosses that they sought in life.” Pierre saw that many representatives high society who had no less wealth than he, and who had taken a Masonic oath to give all their property for their neighbor, shied away from giving even a penny alms, and doubts began to creep into his soul. “In the midst of his studies and hobbies, Pierre, however, after a year began to feel how the ground of Freemasonry on which he stood was increasingly slipping away from under his feet, the more firmly he tried to stand on it.” Pierre began to feel dissatisfied with his activities. He did not doubt Freemasonry, but suspected that “Russian Freemasonry had taken the wrong path and deviated from its source.”
Did he try to influence the Masons?
To understand everything, he goes abroad. There he gains the trust of many high-ranking officials, penetrates into many secrets, is elevated to the highest degree, and brings the plan of the order to Russia. This entire plan was based on “to form strong, virtuous people, bound by the unity of conviction, which consists in persecuting vice and stupidity everywhere and with all their might and patronizing talents and virtue.” In St. Petersburg, he spoke to the “brothers”, spoke for a long time, but his speech made not so much a strong impression as excitement and was received coldly. His proposals were not accepted
And Pierre felt that he was not on the same path with the Freemasons. “The melancholy that he was so afraid of came over Pierre again.”
5. The teacher's word.
Today in Europe, America, and Asia there are a large number of Masonic lodges. A significant part of them are united in an international organization. But there is no unity in the ranks of the Freemasons. The Masons themselves deny their connection with politics less and less, but, as before, they consider humanistic ideals and ensuring human rights to be the main ones. Several Masonic lodges operate legally in Russia. One of them - the "Grand Lodge of Russia" - has its own official website on the Internet. Great master, a certain Gregory D., in his address to readers of the site, reports that his lodge avoids getting involved in politics. When asked whether among modern Masons famous people from the world of business and politics, answers: “I believe they can.” What will Freemasonry be like in the future? Will it be an influential force or will it attract people with its involvement in ancient secrets and mysterious rituals? The future will provide answers to these questions.
IV . Information about homework.
1. Social activity Bolkonsky.
What does Prince Andrey do after Austerlitz?
Dispute with Pierre in Bogucharovo.
The role of nature in the life of the prince.
What brought Bolkonsky to life?
2. Report about Speransky.
V . Summarizing.
VI . Reflection.
Pierre does not find a place for himself even after receiving a huge inheritance. On the contrary, this event connects him even more with a secular lifestyle and forces him to marry the brilliant beauty with a cold heart, Helen Kuragina. Perhaps the most striking character trait of Pierre is his boundless kindness. At the beginning of the novel, he is unusually simple-minded and trusting, like a child; he is not yet tempted by life. He lives at the behest of his heart, not his mind, hence his impulsiveness and ardor, characteristic of youth, the enormous generosity of his soul and ardent love. Helen's betrayal and the duel with Dolokhov become Pierre's first trials in life. They plunge him into a spiritual crisis from which he sees no way out. Having experienced disappointment in the real life around him, he joins the Masonic lodge, where he is attracted by the idea of the universal brotherhood of people, the improvement of the soul, and the inner world of man. Mason Bazdeev, who opened this path for him, seems to him to be a most interesting person and mentor. Attending meetings of the Masonic fraternity, donating money, keeping a diary in which he analyzes what is happening, Pierre gradually comes to the conclusion that such a path is useless. Disappointment in ideals does not stop Pierre. He strives to find the meaning of life, gain his own view of the world, and become useful to it. Freemasonry is a movement that arose in the 18th century as a closed organization. The ethics and philosophy of Freemasonry are based on monotheistic religions. A penchant for philosophical reasoning brings Bezukhov together with the prominent freemason Bazdeev and contributes to his passion for Freemasonry. Pierre Bezukhov begins to believe in the possibility of achieving perfection, in brotherly love between people. He tries, under the influence of new thoughts for him, to improve the life of his peasants, seeing the happiness of life in caring for others. However, due to its impracticality, it fails, becoming disillusioned with the very idea of restructuring peasant life. Under the impression of his meeting with Karataev, Bezukhov, who previously “did not see the eternal and infinite in anything,” learned to “see the eternal and infinite in everything. And this eternal and infinite was God"
30. Culture hero in Pushkin’s tragedy “The Stone Guest”
"The Stone Guest" is devoted to the analysis of passion; here it is love passion, the fate of a person who has made the satisfaction of love passion the main content of his life. Don Guan is a complex, contradictory personality. He combines responsiveness, indestructible love of life and absolute fearlessness in the face of death. He himself characterizes his life as “instantaneous.” But every moment for him is all life, all happiness. He is a poet in everything, including his passion. For him, love is a musical element, a triumphant, victorious song. Don Juan seeks the fullness of victory, the fullness of triumph, but he conquers not only bodies, but also hearts, so the psychological appearance of his beloved remains in his memory. For him, it is important to find the limit of human capabilities and thereby determine the price of a person. Don Guan continuously plays a love game on the verge of life and death, a game in which many have died, and he himself has put it on the line more than once own life. He is extremely honest in this game, just as he is extremely sincere with all his women. He is different every minute - and every minute he is true to himself. The leading theme of the tragedy is the inevitability of fair retribution for what has been done. The image of a revived statue, which passed into Pushkin’s drama from legend, was also interpreted by him in his own way. There is no trace of religious or moral content in it. This is not a messenger from an angry sky, punishing an atheist and a libertine. There is no hint of this idea in the words of the statue. For Pushkin, the statue is an inexorable, unyielding “fate” that destroys Don Juan at the moment when he is close to happiness. Remembering the entire traditional biography of Don Guan, it is easy to decipher the meaning of the image of the statue of the Commander, as a symbol of Don Guan’s entire past, his entire frivolous, unaccountable life, all the evil he committed, which weighs on his “tired conscience”: the grief of abandoned women, the resentment of deceived husbands, blood killed in duels between opponents... No matter how Don Guan is “reborn” under the influence of love for Donna Anna, the past cannot be destroyed, it is indestructible, like a stone statue, and at the hour when happiness seems to have finally been achieved, this past comes to life and becomes between Don Juan and his happiness.
This thought and the resulting call to seriousness, careful attitude to one’s actions, which sooner or later will have one or another influence on a person’s fate, and this, one might think, is the idea that Pushkin put into his interpretation of the traditional plot.
Ticket No. 16
31. Metamorphosis of Porfiry Golovlev
Porfiry Vladimirovich Golovlev is one of the members of a large family, one of the “monsters” as his mother, Arina Petrovna, called her sons. “Porfiry Vladimirovich was known in the family under three names: Judas, blood drinker and frank boy,” - this exhaustive description is given by the author already in the first chapter of the novel. The episodes that describe Judushka's childhood show us how the character of this hypocritical man was formed: Porfisha, in the hope of encouragement, became an affectionate son, ingratiated himself with his mother, gossiped, fawned, in a word, became “all obedient and devoted.” “But Arina Petrovna, even then, was somewhat suspicious of these filial ingratiations,” subconsciously guessing an insidious intent in them. But still, unable to resist the deceitful charm, she was looking for “the best piece on the platter” for Porfisha. Pretense, as one of the ways to achieve what you want, became a fundamental character trait of Judas. If in childhood, ostentatious “filial devotion” helped him get the “best pieces,” then later he received the “best part” for this when dividing the estate. Judas first became the sovereign owner of the Golovlev estate, then of the estate of his brother Pavel. Having taken possession of all the wealth of his mother, he doomed this previously formidable and powerful woman to a lonely death in an abandoned house. This insignificant person in all respects dominates those around him, destroys them, relying on serf morality, on the law, on religion, sincerely considering himself a champion of the truth. Revealing the image of Judas - a “blood drinker” protected by the dogmas of religion and the laws of power, Shchedrin exposed the social, political and moral principles of serfdom. Having shown in the last chapter of the novel the “awakening of the wild conscience” of Judas, Shchedrin warns his contemporaries that sometimes this can happen too late.