Dolokhov and the Anti-Hero Figure: An Early Appearance of a Modern Type in War and Peace

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Lev Tolstoy’s novel War and Peace (1869) is not only an epic account of historical events but also one of the pioneering examples of character development in the modern novel. Fyodor Dolokhov , one of the novel’s remarkable secondary characters, seriously challenges the traditional hero typology with his moral ambiguity, propensity for violence, and actions prioritizing self-interest.

1. The Concept of the Anti-Hero: A Theoretical Framework

The anti-hero, in contrast to the virtuous, morally upright, and socially idealized hero figure in classic epic and romantic narratives,

  • morally contradictory,
  • individual desires are prioritized
  • It often
    refers to a character type that displays violence, self-interest, and ethical indifference (Frye, 1957).

In modern literature, the narrator in Dostoevsky’s Notes from Underground , Stendhal’s Julien Sorel, or Camus’ Meursault are prominent examples of this typology. However, before the emergence of these figures, Tolstoy’s Dolokhov character exhibits similar characteristics in an earlier historical context.

2. Dolokhov’s Character Profile

Dolokhov, in the novel:

  • those who engage in duels
  • gamblers
  • those who do not hesitate to manipulate the lives of others,
  • In war, however, he is presented as an extremely effective and courageous
    figure (Tolstoy, 1869/2007).

What distinguishes him from an ordinary “bad character” is that he is not reduced to moral one-dimensionality . Tolstoy neither completely demonizes nor romanticizes Dolokhov. His deep devotion to his mother, in particular, makes the character’s internal contradiction visible. This clearly reflects the ethical inconsistency that is one of the fundamental characteristics of an anti-hero (Bakhtin, 1981).

3. Dolokhov and the Dissolution of the Heroic Myth

Tolstoy’s philosophy of history is fundamentally critical of myths of individual heroism. Just as the figure of Napoleon is an ironic revelation of the “great man” narrative, Dolokhov represents the rupture of the link between individual courage and moral value .

Dolokhov:

  • He is brave but not virtuous.
  • It is effective, but it is not emulated.
  • He survives, but he doesn’t achieve a moral victory.

In this respect, it disrupts the “virtue = success” equation found in classical heroic narratives. According to Lukács, the modern novel is shaped precisely through this rupture; the hero is no longer “in harmony with the world,” but in conflict with it (Lukács, 1971). Dolokhov is an early example of this conflict.

4. Dolokhov as an Anti-Hero

The main elements that allow Dolokhov to be considered an anti-hero are as follows:

  1. Moral Ambiguity: Their actions are not consistent with an ethical system.
  2. Social Discord: Not accepted within the aristocracy, yet unable to break away from it.
  3. Normalization of Violence: This involves using violence not for ideological or moral reasons, but as a practical tool.
  4. Inner Depth: It’s not entirely caricatured; it has psychological layers.

These characteristics make Dolokhov a precursor to the modern anti-hero type. However, in Tolstoy’s narrative, Dolokhov is still not the central narrator. Therefore, he can be considered not a fully modernist anti-hero , but rather a preliminary form of this type .

In summary

Dolokhov is one of the most striking figures in War and Peace , representing the disintegration of the classical concept of heroism. His moral inconsistency, his instrumental relationship with violence, and his self-serving behavior make him an early example of the anti-hero type that would become widespread in modern literature . Through Dolokhov, Tolstoy not only creates a character but also makes visible, on a literary level , the ethical fragility of modern man .

Source

  • Bakhtin, M. (1981). The Dialogic Imagination . University of Texas Press.
  • Frye, N. (1957). Anatomy of Criticism . Princeton University Press.
  • Lukács, G. (1971). The Theory of the Novel . MIT Press.
  • Tolstoy, L. (2007). War and Peace (Trans. R. Edmonds). Penguin Classics. (Original work 1869)