The story was written by L.N. Tolstoy in 1903 and published only after the writer's death in 1911. The story is based on the events that happened to his brother Sergei Nikolaevich.
The main characters of the story "After the Ball":
Ivan Vasilievich- narrator. First of all, draws attention to his sensitivity and impressionability. Even having lived his life, he did not become coarse, did not become different. A person who knew how to tell with enthusiasm, and even forgetting about the reason for which he began his story. By the beginning of the story, the hero was an attractive young student who liked to dance at balls. Once he was invited to a ball at the provincial leader. There he saw Varenka dancing with her father. He was in love with Varenka and everything that surrounded her. He admired Varenka's father. Returning home, young Ivan Vasilyevich was so happy that he could not sleep. Then he got dressed and went outside. It was light. His feet carried him in the direction where, as he knew, Varenka lived. What he saw there struck an impressionable soul.
Varenka B- by the time of the story, the mother of adult married daughters, a beautiful woman. In her youth, she was a tall, slender girl who carried herself gracefully and majestically. She had an affectionate, kind smile and lovely eyes.
Petr Vladislavovich- Varenka's father, Colonel. Military chief of the type of an old campaigner of the Nikolaev bearing. It was a handsome, stately elderly man with a mustache curled in the style of à la Nicolas I. He danced with his daughter, and for his age, he behaved quite well. It was clear that he had once been a good dancer. At the ball, he was a charming man, the father of a family. In the service, he turned out to be a cruel man. On his orders, a man was driven through the ranks, a Tatar for escaping. The punishment was merciless. One of the soldiers hit weakly. Whether out of impotence, or out of pity. So the colonel beat this soldier in the face with his own hand.
The story of Leo Tolstoy "After the Ball" depicts Russian reality. Beautiful, luxurious balls, for which money collected from unfortunate serfs was spent, the army with its drill and, worst of all, with its corporal punishment. Relationships between people, having witnessed how Varenka's father drives people through the ranks and beats soldiers, Ivan Vasilyevich cooled off in his feelings for the girl. Whenever he thought of her, the menacing figure of her father would rise up behind her and beat the soldier in the face.
At the heart of the storyline of the story L.N. Tolstoy's "After the Ball" is a life story that happened to an eyewitness to the events. The image and characterization of the Colonel at the ball and after the ball will reveal the duplicity of the main character, revealing his true essence. The characterization of Colonel B occurs through the prism of his perception by Ivan Vasilyevich. He focuses on how strikingly different the appearance and actions of the colonel at the ball and after it.
Colonel B - Peter Vladislavovich B. The central character of the story. Varenka's father.
A family
His family is wife and daughter Varenka. They lived in a provincial town, in a good house. The colonel did not have a soul in his daughter. All the money went to her. Balls, expensive clothes required considerable financial investments. Denying himself everything, he tried to ensure that his daughter did not need anything. An exemplary father and family man. He seemed to be a role model, causing involuntary envy.
Appearance
Tall, aged man. Ruddy face with curled mustache. Neat sideburns. There was always a kind smile on his face. Glittering eyes are open. The gait is firm and confident. He disposed to himself, causing involuntary respect and reverence.
clothing
Peter Vladislavovich always wore a uniform. It is very rare to see him in civilian clothes. The colonel's uniform is impeccable. Boots are good, but have long gone out of fashion. Knocked down, no heels. With pointed, square toes. On her hands are black suede gloves.
At the ball
At the next ball, where the colonel brought his daughter, he, as always, was gallant and courteous. It was clear what kind of trusting relationship they had with their daughter. He seemed sincere, with all his behavior and appearance showing love for Varenka. As they circled the hall, their eyes were fixed on them. It was a pleasure to watch this couple.
The Colonel liked to dance. Despite his advanced age, he tried not to miss such events. Ivan Vasilyevich, the narrator, at the first meeting with the brave military man, was fascinated by him, like others. Everything changed when he had to see the colonel during the service. This meeting took place after the ball.
After the ball
The holiday is over. The guests dispersed. There was no sleep after the ball. Emotions overwhelmed Ivan Vasilyevich. He went to Varenka's house and involuntarily became a witness to an unsightly spectacle in which the main role was assigned to the colonel. This time, already without a dress uniform, he performed his immediate duties.
The changes were dramatic. He has changed not only externally, but also internally. There was nothing human left in him. A soldier who tried to escape was punished. The colonel remained deaf and dumb to his pleas for mercy. He felt like he wasn't punished enough. His anger turned to his subordinates. He yelled at them, humiliated them, forcing them to inflict even more pain on the guilty soldier.
Seeing Ivan Vasilyevich, the colonel pretended not to recognize him. He turned away and continued his dirty work. It is hard to imagine that until recently he twittered tenderly with his daughter, was gallant with the ladies, joked and laughed, enjoying life. Removing the mask from his face, he took on the true form, which he carefully concealed.
Who is to blame for what happened
What kind of person is a colonel really? Sadist or victim of circumstances? Pyotr Vladislavovich did not consider himself guilty. He did his job. At that time cane discipline for the army was the norm. So it was accepted. The character of this man was shaped by the society that surrounded him. The cruel age with its morals crippled the souls of people, turning them into moral invalids.
Characterization of three heroes in the work after the ball (Tolstoy L.N.) and received the best answer
Answer from CARAMELKA[guru]
From love for her, I.V. "was happy, blessed, ... was ... some kind of unearthly creature that knows no evil and is capable of good only." The hero feels that he loves all people. They are all so wonderful: the hospitable leader and his wife, and the plump-shouldered lady, and Varenka's father, who danced with his daughter so touchingly and caringly. The young people spent the whole evening together.
After that, under the influence of impressions, IV goes to wander around the city. In the morning, on the first day of Great Lent, I.V. comes across a terrible picture. He sees the punishment of the fugitive Tatar. He is passed through the ranks of soldiers, each of whom cuts the bare back of the Tatar with gauntlets. The back of the Tatar turned into a mess: “variegated, wet, red.” The unfortunate Tatar begs the soldiers for mercy: "Brothers, have mercy." But Colonel B., Varenka's father, strictly followed so that "the brothers would not show mercy." He walked with a "firm, trembling gait" paired with a Tatar. One of the soldiers “smears”, weakens the blow, for which Colonel B. hits him in the face. IV was horrified by what he saw. He thought that the colonel probably knew something that allowed him to behave like that both at the ball and on the parade ground. But the hero himself is not capable of such hypocrisy. He refuses military service and from marrying Varenka.
Source: who else do you need?
Answer from Inna Pantelova[newbie]
Answer from Ѐuslan Shikhaliev[newbie]
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Answer from Lyolya Pitel[newbie]
Pyotr Vladislavovich is a military commander of the type of an old campaigner of the Nikolaev bearing, handsome, stately, tall. He has a ruddy face, a white mustache and sideburns, "an affectionate joyful smile ... in sparkling eyes and lips."
Answer from Igor Veselko[newbie]
Ivan Vasilyevich is the main character of the story. The story is told from his perspective.
The story takes place in a provincial town in the 1840s. At that time I. V. was a student and lived enjoying his youth. At Shrovetide, the hero was invited to a ball to the provincial marshal. The “lady of his heart” was also present - Varenka B.
From love for her, I.V. “was happy, blessed, ... was ... some kind of unearthly creature that knows no evil and is capable of only good.” The hero feels that he loves all people. They are all so wonderful: the hospitable leader and his wife, and the plump-shouldered lady, and Varenka's father, who danced with his daughter so touchingly and caringly. The young people spent the whole evening together.
After that, under the influence of impressions, IV goes to wander around the city. In the morning, on the first day of Great Lent, I.V. comes across a terrible picture. He sees the punishment of the fugitive Tatar. He is passed through the ranks of soldiers, each of whom cuts the bare back of the Tatar with gauntlets. The back of the Tatar turned into a mess: "variegated, wet, red." The unfortunate Tatar begs the soldiers for mercy: "Brothers, have mercy." But Colonel B., Varenka's father, strictly followed so that "the brothers would not show mercy." He walked with a "firm, trembling gait" paired with a Tatar. One of the soldiers “smears”, weakens the blow, for which Colonel B. hits him in the face. IV was horrified by what he saw. He thought that the colonel probably knew something that allowed him to behave like that both at the ball and on the parade ground. But the hero himself is not capable of such hypocrisy. He refuses military service and from marrying Varenka.
Pyotr Vladislavovich (Colonel B.) is the father of Varenka, Ivan Vasilyevich's lover. He is "a military commander of the type of an old campaigner of the Nikolaev bearing." P.V. is handsome, stately, tall. He has a ruddy face, a white mustache and sideburns, "an affectionate joyful smile ... in sparkling eyes and lips."
P. V. was accustomed both in the service and in society to do everything “according to the law.” Dancing with his daughter, the colonel observes all the rules of etiquette. On the parade ground, he, with skill, controls the execution of a fugitive Tatar. Holding a suede-gloved hand on the daughter's waist and hitting a soldier's face with the same suede-gloved hand does not make much difference to P.V. In Ivan Vasilyevich's imagination, the image of Colonel B. splits into two: the angelic features of the hero (his appearance at the ball) begin to intertwine with demonic features (the scene of the punishment of the Tatar), showing the true appearance of P.V.
Answer from Keraneko[newbie]
Pyotr Vladislavovich (Colonel B.) is the father of Varenka, Ivan Vasilyevich's lover. He is "a military commander of the type of an old campaigner of the Nikolaev bearing." P.V. is handsome, stately, tall. He has a ruddy face, a white mustache and sideburns, "an affectionate joyful smile ... in sparkling eyes and lips."
P. V. was accustomed both in the service and in society to do everything “according to the law.” Dancing with his daughter, the colonel observes all the rules of etiquette. On the parade ground, he, with skill, controls the execution of a fugitive Tatar. Holding a suede-gloved hand on the daughter's waist and hitting a soldier's face with the same suede-gloved hand does not make much difference to P.V. In Ivan Vasilyevich's imagination, the image of Colonel B. splits into two: the angelic features of the hero (his appearance at the ball) begin to intertwine with demonic features (the scene of the punishment of the Tatar), showing the true appearance of P.V.
"After the ball" the main characters of the story are representatives of the 19th century.
"After the ball" the main characters
Ivan Vasilievich- the story is being told on his behalf, the main character. A young man from a wealthy family, impressionable and enthusiastic, faced with terrible injustice, dramatically changed his life, abandoning a military career.
Varenka- the girl with whom Ivan Vasilyevich was in love. She had a thin body, but at the same time the girl had a regal appearance, always kept herself majestically. When she smiled, her eyes smiled too. She had plenty of admirers, but she only liked Ivan Vasilyevich.
"tall, slender,rational, in a white dress with a pink belt, in white kid gloves, in white satin shoes, a radiant face, affectionate, sweet eyes.
Petr Vladislavovich- Varenka's father. Served as military leader.
The colonel was a very handsome, stately, tall and strong man of about fifty. Affectionate, unhurried speech emphasized his aristocratic essence and aroused even more admiration. He was so sweet and amiable that he won over everyone, including the main character of the story.
In the dance he was graceful and when he danced with his daughter, everyone could not take their eyes off them. He was courteous, attentive. He was shod in old boots, as he saved for himself so that his daughter would buy more new dresses.
After the ball, in the scene of the punishment of the soldier, not a single sweet, good-natured line remained on the face of the colonel. There was nothing left of the person who was at the ball, but a new one, formidable and cruel, appeared.
The transformation of a tenderly loving father and a good-natured colonel into a cruel and ruthless tormentor shocked Ivan Vasilyevich so much that his feelings for Varenka quickly cooled down, "love from that day began to wane."
The writing
Ivan Vasilyevich is the main character of the story "After the Ball" by Leo Tolstoy. In the image of the main character, the author depicted a portrait of a man who was typical for that era. Ivan Vasilyevich was a man who lived very modestly, he was indifferent to big things. Such a person was like everyone else, not standing out in any way from the crowd. But, the seemingly outwardly “ordinary” nature of this person is not his complete characteristic. By the character of the protagonist, the author showed how an honest and decent person should relate to what is happening in society. Tolstoy managed to depict the shortcomings that were inherent in the time described in the story in a very accessible and understandable way. Ivan Vasilyevich is an experienced person who knows life. He teaches young people and is respected by them. Ivan Vasilievich tells the younger generation about "the affairs of bygone days." Probably, in order to show how similar the past tense is to the present. But, it all started with the fact that in the forties of the nineteenth century, Ivan Vasilyevich was "a cheerful and lively fellow, and even rich."
At that time he was a student studying at the university. In addition to studying, which was given a certain time, the main character had fun, attended balls, at which he amazed those present with his ability to dance. He was successful among women. Ivan Vasilyevich lived a life that many other young people of that era lived. He did not think about any moral categories, important matters. As is typical of all young people, Ivan Vasilyevich fell in love. He fell in love with a girl named Varenka, who was the daughter of Colonel B. The girl was beautiful and not without the attention of many young people. Once, Ivan Vasilyevich found himself at a ball with a wealthy chamberlain, who was the provincial marshal of the nobility. Ivan Vasilyevich's beloved was also at this chic ball. With whom he danced almost the entire evening. At that moment, Tvan Vasilyevich felt like a happy person. He did not know? whether the girl reciprocates, but her smile, her look made him happy. Ivan Vasilyevich was intoxicated with his feeling, everything around him seemed beautiful. Ivan Vasilyevich was also greatly impressed by Varenka's father: "a stately, tall and fresh old man." "He was a military leader of the type of an old campaigner of the Nikolaev bearing." The father, dancing with his daughter, looked dignified, graceful, graceful. His whole appearance, the presence of many orders, aroused respect from Ivan Vasilyevich. Ivan Vasilyevich drew attention to the boots of the old colonel: they were old-fashioned. But the Colonel's lack of new boots, people said, was due to a desire to better dress his daughter. Such care for his daughter caused Ivan Vasilievich admiration and respect.
After the ball, being under the impression of this chic action, Ivan Vasilievich cannot fall asleep. And the young man decides to go to the house of Colonel B. to see his beloved Varenka once again. In the wasteland, in front of the colonel's house, Ivan Vasilievich saw how the soldiers were leading another Tatar soldier, who was tied to butts. This soldier was punished for escaping and passing through the line, he was subjected to severe blows from other soldiers. Next to this formation, Ivan Vasilyevich saw the father of his beloved, who beat a soldier in the face, who, in the opinion of the colonel, did not beat the punished one hard enough. This scene made Ivan Vasilievich think: how can a person act so cruelly, who at the ball was so cheerful, caring towards his daughter? What he saw in front of the colonel's house influenced Ivan Vasilyevich. He changed his mind about being a soldier. This picture even cooled Ivan Vasilyevich's feelings for Varenka. Ivan Vasilyevich understood that, probably. the colonel did what was necessary, as was customary. But, there must be a moral side of actions. Beating a defenseless person is immoral. Thus, Leo Nikolayevich Tolstoy showed that a person (in this case, Ivan Vasilievich) does not dare to openly express his protest against what is happening, and what happened was a product of the existing order in the state, lawlessness. But, inside Ivan Vasilyevich, a protest is seething against the existing system, against the laws and foundations by which contemporary society lives.