Sonya Rostova
Encyclopedia
Sonya Rostova is a character in Leo Tolstoy
's 1869 novel War and Peace
, and in Sergey Prokofiev's 1955 opera War and Peace
based on it. She is the orphaned niece of Count and Countess Rostov.
At the start of the novel, 15-year-old Sonya is in love with her cousin, Nikolai Rostov
, who initially reciprocates her feelings. Sonya has no independent means of support and Nikolai's mother opposes the match; she and Nikolai swear eternal love before he leaves to fight in the war.
Nikolai returns home on leave with Dolokhov, a fellow soldier. Dolokhov is charmed by Sonya and proposes marriage. Countess encourages her to accept, but Sonya refuses. Natasha asks Nikolai to try to change her mind but she does not. She knows Nikolai no longer reciprocates her affection yet gives her own love freely and unconditionally.
Nikolai and Sonya rekindle their love when he returns from the war and they become engaged, much to the displeasure of the countess, who desires her son to marry a rich heiress. The countess accuses Sonya of ingratitude. Sonya is torn between her desire to be happy and her desire to sacrifice herself. Sonya is dependent on the Rostov family and devotes herself to them.
When Sonya hears that Nikolai has fallen in love with Princess Maria Bolkonsky, she is deeply hurt, though she believes the countess is correct in thinking that the only solution to the family's financial troubles is Nikolai's marriage to the wealthy Princess Maria. Sonya hopes that Nikolai's pride will prevent the marriage; however, she eventually accepts it.
She is offered a place in Nikolai's new home where she takes care of his children. Nikolai and Maria accept Sonya although they feel guilty. Maria admits to Natasha that she is unfair to Sonya and Natasha explains that Sonya is "a sterile flower" and that although she had wished for Nikolai to marry her, she had a presentiment it would not happen. Natasha admits she is sorry for Sonya, but that Sonya is the kind of person who chooses to lose and is content in that role.
Leo Tolstoy
Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy was a Russian writer who primarily wrote novels and short stories. Later in life, he also wrote plays and essays. His two most famous works, the novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina, are acknowledged as two of the greatest novels of all time and a pinnacle of realist...
's 1869 novel War and Peace
War and Peace
War and Peace is a novel by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy, first published in 1869. The work is epic in scale and is regarded as one of the most important works of world literature...
, and in Sergey Prokofiev's 1955 opera War and Peace
War and Peace (Prokofiev)
War and Peace is an opera in two parts , sometimes arranged as five acts, by Sergei Prokofiev to a Russian libretto by the composer and Mira Mendelson, based on the novel War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy...
based on it. She is the orphaned niece of Count and Countess Rostov.
At the start of the novel, 15-year-old Sonya is in love with her cousin, Nikolai Rostov
Nikolai Rostov
Count Nikolai Ilyitch Rostov is a character in Leo Tolstoy's novel War and Peace.-Brief background:...
, who initially reciprocates her feelings. Sonya has no independent means of support and Nikolai's mother opposes the match; she and Nikolai swear eternal love before he leaves to fight in the war.
Nikolai returns home on leave with Dolokhov, a fellow soldier. Dolokhov is charmed by Sonya and proposes marriage. Countess encourages her to accept, but Sonya refuses. Natasha asks Nikolai to try to change her mind but she does not. She knows Nikolai no longer reciprocates her affection yet gives her own love freely and unconditionally.
Nikolai and Sonya rekindle their love when he returns from the war and they become engaged, much to the displeasure of the countess, who desires her son to marry a rich heiress. The countess accuses Sonya of ingratitude. Sonya is torn between her desire to be happy and her desire to sacrifice herself. Sonya is dependent on the Rostov family and devotes herself to them.
When Sonya hears that Nikolai has fallen in love with Princess Maria Bolkonsky, she is deeply hurt, though she believes the countess is correct in thinking that the only solution to the family's financial troubles is Nikolai's marriage to the wealthy Princess Maria. Sonya hopes that Nikolai's pride will prevent the marriage; however, she eventually accepts it.
She is offered a place in Nikolai's new home where she takes care of his children. Nikolai and Maria accept Sonya although they feel guilty. Maria admits to Natasha that she is unfair to Sonya and Natasha explains that Sonya is "a sterile flower" and that although she had wished for Nikolai to marry her, she had a presentiment it would not happen. Natasha admits she is sorry for Sonya, but that Sonya is the kind of person who chooses to lose and is content in that role.
External links
- A Sterile Flower - Essay on Sonya
- "Sonia Rostova (Character) from Voyna i mir (1967)," The Internet Movie Database