What was Tolstoy's attitude toward war?

Many wonder how Tolstoy's attitude toward the war was. To understand this is quite simple. You just need to read the novel "War and Peace". In the process it will become quite clear that Tolstoy hated the war. The writer believed that the murder - this is the most vile of all possible crimes, and it can not be justified.

Cohesion of the people

Not noticeable in the work and enthusiastic attitude to military exploits. Although there is one exception - an excerpt about the Battle of Shenggraben and Tushin's act. While depicting the Patriotic War, the author admires the unity of the people. People had to unite in order to jointly fight against the enemy.

The people are forced to defend themselves

What did Tolstoy think about the war? Let's understand. Looking through materials in which the events of 1812 were reflected, the writer realized that, despite the criminality of the war with its numerous deaths, rivers of blood, dirt, betrayal, sometimes people are forced to fight. Perhaps this people would not have harmed the fly in other times and the fly, but if a jackal is attacked on it, he, defending himself, will finish him off. However, during the murder he does not feel any pleasure from this and does not think that this act is worthy of admiration. The author shows how much the soldiers loved their homeland, forced to fight with the enemy.

Negative characters in the novel

Tolstoy's attitude toward war, of course, is interesting, but even more curious is that he spoke of our enemies. The writer neglects the French, who are more concerned about their own "I" than about the nation - they are not distinguished by special patriotism. And Russian people, according to Tolstoy, inherent nobility and self-sacrifice in the name of saving the motherland. Negative heroes in the work are also those people who completely do not think about the fate of Russia (guests of Helen Kuragina) and people who hide their indifference behind pathetic patriotism (most of the nobles, not counting some worthy personalities: Andrei Bolkonsky, Rostov, Kutuzov, Bezukhov). In addition, the writer frankly treats those who enjoy the war - Napoleon and Dolokhov. So it should not be, it's unnatural. The war in Tolstoy's image is so terrible that it's amazing how these people can enjoy the battles. How cruel you need to be for this.

Noble people and humane deeds in the novel

The writer likes those people who, realizing that war is disgusting, mean, but sometimes inevitably, without any pathos, stand up for the protection of their country and do not get any pleasure, killing their opponents. This Denisov, Bolkonsky, Kutuzov and many other faces depicted in the episodes. Hence Tolstoy's attitude toward war becomes clear. With special trepidation, the author writes about the truce, when the Russians show compassion for the crippled Frenchmen, the humane attitude towards the prisoners (Kutuzov's order to the soldiers at the end of the bloodshed - to regret the defeated opponents who received frostbite). Also, scenes in which enemies show humanity in relation to Russians are similar to the writer (Bezukhov's interrogation with Marshal Davout). Do not forget about the main idea of the work - the cohesion of people. When the world reigns, the people, figuratively speaking, unite in one family, and during the war there is disunity. The novel also has an idea of patriotism. In addition, the author extols the world and negatively speaks about bloodshed. Tolstoy's attitude toward the war is sharply negative. As you know, the writer was a pacifist.

A crime that has no justification

What does Tolstoy say about the Patriotic War? He claims that this is a crime. The writer does not share the soldiers on defenders and attackers. Countless people repaired so many atrocities as at some other time would not have accumulated over several centuries, and what is most terrible, no one in this period regarded this as something unacceptable.

This was the war in Tolstoy's understanding: blood, filth (both literally and figuratively) and outrages, terrifying any conscious person. But the writer understood that bloodshed was inevitable. Wars have been throughout the history of mankind and will be until the very end of its existence, there is nothing to be done about it. But our duty is to try not to allow atrocities and bloodshed so that we, ourselves, and our families live in a world that, however, is so fragile. It must be protected with all means.