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The name romain rolland, a French progressive writer and a world-famous anti-war fighter, always shines like a star. This famous French writer and expert in music history has influenced the history of world literature with his lofty ideals in his literary works and his sympathy and love for truth when describing different types of characters. In the field of world literature, romain rolland occupies a decisive position. Romain rolland was born in 1866 in Krams, a small town in central France. The greatest achievement in his life is that he has written many world-famous works, including Christopher john cleese, Mother and Son, Biography of Beethoven and so on. 19 15 was awarded Nobel Prize in Literature. At the beginning of the 20th century, romain rolland felt that the world was becoming increasingly decadent, pinned his hope of changing reality on the power of "heroes" and wrote biographies of famous people, such as Beethoven, Michelangelo, Tolstoy and Gandhi, which were generally called "biographies of celebrities". In these biographies, the author strongly praises their spirit of daring to face up to the dark reality, lashing decadent society, yearning for freedom and upholding justice, and their iron will to benefit mankind, to persist in truth and belief and to pursue "real art". However, he exaggerated the power of personality and mistakenly regarded Tolstoy's fraternity and Gandhi's non-resistance as the only way to save the people of the world and treat society.

The Biography of Beethoven is romain rolland's masterpiece and has always been regarded as a classic in the field of literature. Since its first publication, its unique value has made "people seem to find a new support point", so it has been rated as one of the "30 best books in human history". The Biography of Beethoven mainly tells the extraordinary life of the great musician Beethoven. The author described Beethoven's road to success with a high artistic summary and passionate words. ...

Beethoven is regarded as the greatest musician in the world. The reason why he has such a lofty honor lies in his works and their unique shocking power. Beethoven was unlucky since he was a child. His father is a cruel alcoholic. He deprived young Beethoven of time to study, rest and entertain, but forced his young son to practice piano and violin endlessly, hoping that he would become his own cash cow in the future. Beethoven spent a cold childhood. From 65438 to 0878, Beethoven went to Vienna to visit his idol Mozart, his teacher. Mozart was very surprised after listening to his impromptu performance, and said to others on the spot: Please pay attention, this boy will shock the world. Unfortunately, his study time in Vienna was soon interrupted because his mother was seriously ill and died soon. Beethoven lost his only relative in his heart and was heartbroken. Excessive grief made him suffer from several serious illnesses, one of which was smallpox, which ruined his appearance forever. After the French Revolution broke out, the revolutionary spirit spread all over Europe and occupied Beethoven's heart. Beethoven's personal experience and the growing process of Confucianism determine the formation of his world outlook. As we all know, Beethoven is not only short and ugly, but also has been seriously ill and later developed into deafness. But this self-respecting musician still believes that "no one can beat me, and I will hold my destiny by the throat." In the tragic days, Beethoven was engaged in the cause of "Who sings happiness". Only music can make him overcome his pain and pull him back from the brink of death again and again. In Beethoven's creative career, overcoming bad fate and human mediocrity has always been his theme. The Ninth Symphony is the most profound and magnificent of all Beethoven's works, and it also embodies the musician's life's hard work. /kloc-one day in 0/924, the ninth symphony was performed for the first time in Vienna, and Bedo conducted it himself. This is the last time he appeared in front of a large audience, and the performance was very successful. The scene was so intense that it was almost indescribable. At the end of the performance, Beethoven could not hear thunderous applause because of his deafness. Female singer Weng Ge ran up to hold his hand in tears and helped him turn around to face the audience. It is said that in Austria, even if the emperor appears, he can only enjoy three applause according to the usual practice, but this time, Beethoven was welcomed by five applause. This time, it was the happiest peak of Beethoven's life. Because he personally returned happiness to others and took a big step to overcome human mediocrity.

Beethoven lived in the same era as Haydn and Mozart, but the lofty realm of his music made people feel as if they were living in another completely different era. Of course, he also learned a lot of nutrition from his predecessors, and only after digestion, absorption and improvement did he succeed. He not only integrated the achievements of Vienna classical music, but also comprehensively inherited and developed the essence of music since the Baroque period, so he became Prometheus in music and a universally recognized figure in the history of European music. Beethoven's creative path lasted for 35 years, and in order to achieve perfection, he constantly struggled. When he entered the final stage of his career, he said, "I feel as if I have only written a few songs." A true artist must be modest. Beethoven once wrote dance music for Goethe's famous play Egmont, but Beethoven didn't like Goethe's groveling in front of the nobles, although he was still full of reverence for Goethe. However, the arrogant Goethe can never forgive Beethoven for always being cold and even heartless to Beethoven and Goethe when facing his criticism. Once, Beethoven happened to live in poverty in his later years, so he wrote to Goethe for help, hoping that he could get the Duke of Weimar to book the Solemn Mass he had worked so hard to write in exchange for the payment, but he could not get a reply from Goethe. ...

Beethoven was an unfortunate man, poor, disabled and lonely. The world didn't give him joy, but he created joy for the world! He used suffering to shape happiness, just as he vowed: "Pain brings joy."

Roland's biographies of Beethoven, Michelangelo and Tolstoy were incorporated into a huge plan of a whole set of biographies. This plan is published every two weeks. Roland also intends to write biographies for Mazzini, garibaldi, Schiller, French revolutionary general Osh, American revolutionary activist Thomas Paine,17th century famous French military engineer Waben, etc. He also planned to publish the French version of Miller published in Britain, but later he changed his mind because (according to some hints in his letter) he was not satisfied with the work. What caused Roland to give up writing a whole set of biographies he had promised? Roland answered this question in a letter to American literary theorist Luo Wilson in 1936. When studying the lives of great people, he gradually proved that they are not always seen or worthy of emulation in all aspects, and each of them has mistakes and weaknesses.

He saw this very clearly when he was engaged in the creation of Michelangelo's biography. This is even clearer when studying Schiller's life. ("I don't like the real Schiller at all. He is full of ideals, thus concealing his true character. In my opinion, compared with Goethe's character, his character lacks sincerity, frankness and courage ... ") Roland felt the same disappointment when he was engaged in other biographies he had considered. In addition, there are other difficulties: the heirs of Osh, Waben and Mazzini refused to read clan documents, while Roland tried to be correct and reliable, relying on real documents. "If they allow me to read while writing Beethoven's biography, then I can write biographies of these three activists with enthusiasm. However, it is too late. I am strict with myself, just like a historian. So after the book Beethoven Biography was completed, the story of Christophe and Angel de Villefort became my real hero biography.

Roland's biography has its extraordinary originality in writing skills. What is this?-An academic work or an artistic work? Actually, both. In every work, Roland uses a lot of real materials that are new to readers in many ways. Almost every page has footnotes, quotations and other detailed information. While eagerly expecting his works to serve real life, Roland still follows the historical truth meticulously. In order to fight against the author of the so-called "Romanized Biography", Roland avoided fiction and even allowed a little fiction. In biographical novels, with the help of the intuitive appearance of fictional plots, Roland is completely obtained by other means, that is, making full use of his protagonist's original poems, contemporary proofs and documents of the times. He needs such a document, not because he can mechanically copy dogma and stick to details, but only to make the portrait of every great man appear in front of readers with his whole unique true face.

Roland made a separate interpretation of Michelangelo's works, and published a series of well-known books "The Master of Art" in the form of a small monograph. As for Beethoven's music, he later wrote a voluminous academic work, which spent the last twenty years of his life. The two books before us, Miller and Tolstoy, are mostly close-ups. But in any case, Roland puts the content of heroism and the morality of great men in the first place everywhere. Does this mean that Roland tried to restore the classical concept of ideal heroes in the twentieth century? Or did he avoid the characters of those great men and the complexity of their real environment, and describe the brilliance of their romantic special status? In any case! In the creation of Who's Who, Roland overcame those literary traditions that once led to rigid and straightforward narration and excited hallucinations, especially the practice of carefully adjusting the contradiction between life and life. He also overcame some literary traditions that required outstanding figures to oppose other ordinary people. Roland is critical of the heritage of classical writers, mainly because he can't tolerate the imitators of "Gao Naiyi style" in his time. At the same time? Roland never wants to restore romanticism in his biographies, that is, to idealize some outstanding figures and blameless figures, when he is completely inclined to Hugo.

Roland thinks that great artists are the expression of "collective strength" and the great passion of the masses, nations and human beings, because he thinks that "collective strength" is a spontaneous and completely incomprehensible thing. The greatness of talented artists includes the greatness of all geniuses. According to Roland's point of view, it is by no means that he has some superhuman and extraordinary power. On the contrary, an outstanding person; Genius, in particular, should be more closely integrated with real life than ordinary people. He understood the essence of life more deeply than others, and he foresaw that the great changes in history were approaching earlier than others.

As early as the beginning of this century, Roland came close to understanding the role of outstanding figures in this way, and this understanding is reflected in his biographical characteristics. With the deepening of his research on Beethoven and Michelangelo's life, especially with the increasing collection of other biographies that have not yet been written, he became more and more aware of the complexity of the inner world of these great men. He originally intended to describe these great men as models of determination and strong character. This prevented him from continuing the planned series of books, but it did not shake his aesthetic position in dealing with the selected topics. Great men all have shortcomings, and they have wavered and made mistakes along the way. However, their greatness lies in that they are sometimes good at overcoming weaknesses and vacillations at the expense of painful internal struggles.

Roland wrote in the preface of the biography of Michelangelo: "I didn't build a monument for those unattainable heroes." I hate idealism because it timidly avoids the pain and spiritual weakness in life. However, those who are too easily deceived by some rhetoric should remember that all lies about heroism are born of timidity! Heroism is to see the world as it is and love it. "This idea is repeated at the end of the book:" Should I just describe the heroism of heroes like many others and throw them into the abyss of pain with a piece of cloth, but I can't! "Truth is above everything else! I can't promise happiness to my friends with lies! I must do it at all costs. I can only promise to give them the truth, and even promise to give them the truth at the expense of happiness, give them brave truth, and carve immortal hearts with the knife of truth. " This portrait was painted by Roland in Beethoven's biography at the beginning of this century. In addition, he revised and re-examined his early work and made criticism. 1936, when he was writing his third book, Song of Resurrection, he wrote: "We have been studying Beethoven for 30 years. During this period, we not only learned more about Beethoven's life, but also learned about a person's life ... Now, for a piece of bread, we can't regard Beethoven as an imaginary hero, nor can we regard him as a stubborn hero made of stainless steel. He-like everyone, even heroes, has experienced a boring life and is a battlefield between people with different identities and people with different positions. " Living conditions and the pressure of harsh environment make people unable to get rid of their inner struggles. "This makes his heroism more valuable, because as we all know, he has made great efforts." Even Beethoven could not completely get rid of his inner contradictions. Although he is independent and unruly, he sometimes flatters the strong. Although he is an unselfish man, he is extremely stubborn and resolute in some negotiations with publishers and theater managers about money. Although he is full of Republican passion, he is still very proud of his aristocratic status. How do you explain all this? Roland himself answered. "Let great artists strive to become Daedalus, put wings on themselves, fly to ... and tie them to their feet? The weight of the world left him on the earth-this weight is economic slavery, so he fell into the common trap again and again. There, he fought tenaciously with others for a piece of bread and hateful poverty. "

Many of Beethoven's personal weaknesses are caused by this to some extent. For him, having money means relatively less dependence, so he can stubbornly bargain for a copper coin. For him, aristocratic status is a tool to avoid being despised by others, at least to some extent, because people who don't respect Beethoven as a composer respect Beethoven's aristocratic status, so when someone questions the authenticity of his aristocratic status, he will be furious. The imperial police knew his revolutionary beliefs like the back of his hand. This kept him in constant fear of persecution. Therefore, in order to avoid persecution, he sometimes restrained his dislike of flattery and said many compliments in front of his untalented student and patron, Archduke Rudolf. When describing all this, Roland repeatedly said: "These mistakes and failures of genius should not cover our eyes, so that we can't see his greatness. This is only an inevitable concession to the times. Indeed, Roland's new viewpoint on Beethoven's personality here is not contradictory to his original idea of "who is who", but only a more explicit revision of this idea. We can see the depth of the artist's pain more clearly, and at the same time we can see the greatness of the artist's morality, because artists are good at protecting their inner humanity at all costs, thus protecting their creative genius from harmful influences.

We can't help but admire Michelangelo: he created many works-despite many obstacles. In these works, "strong vitality as fierce as a hurricane" is embodied. The appeal of Roland's heroic biography is not to affirm the pain, but to overcome the pain and overcome the pain. It is not easy for Roland himself to win this victory. Later, he wrote in the introduction of Companion: "... in the preface of my biography of Michelangelo, I used pain to protest against Christian pessimism." I am well aware of this pessimism in myself and others? Because it led to the denial of human progress, the reactionary forces formed an alliance with it. Whoever opposes the reactionary forces will oppose pessimism; I am also struggling with it in my heart, so it is by no means an extremely easy thing! The trace of this struggle is obvious in Who's Who. The contradiction in Roland's thought is not so much that he puts the protagonist's suffering in the first place, but rather that he has demonstrated this kind of suffering abstractly and historically in many places (especially in Michelangelo's biography) and explained it as the influence of irrational enthusiasm that human beings have and are independent of human will. But in Who's Who, it is more convincing and powerful to look at people realistically and historically. Every hero in Roland's biography is finally described as the product of his own nation and his own time. The painful experience of each of them, to a great extent, is not caused by the influence of accidental events and the inherent temperament of human nature, but by the cruel laws of society. In such a society, an artist, like most people, is in a subordinate position and in a enslaved crowd. A great artist, as the victim of injustice and the object of social oppression, has experienced many artistic processes of Roland, which is also reflected in his heroic biography.

"I serve the Pope, but I have to," Michelangelo said. "One pope died and another pope succeeded to the throne." Michelangelo, a free Michelangelo, can only change one yoke to another and another master in his life. Julius II, Giovanni di Lorenzo de' Medici, Clemente VII, Paolo III and Paolo IV-they all dominated Michelangelo's talent successively ... The most sacred and noble master played tricks on Michelangelo with all kinds of strange ideas, gave him some work that did not meet his wishes, and forced him to draw all the large-scale new works that had not been completed before; Defame him, conspire around him, and try to alienate him from Leonardo and Raphael at the same level; Torture him with all kinds of picky and threats and set obstacles for him everywhere. He had to admit more than once: "He spent a lot of energy, talent and happy inspiration, and all in vain!" This is the main source of the spiritual tragedy that tortured him, not the human nature since ancient times! Roland also revealed the other side of this tragedy. In the book about Michelangelo, the author's highly spontaneous historical determinism is shown. He saw what had been recorded in human history books during the Renaissance-liberated and inspiring things; But he also saw the inner contradiction of Zeus during the Renaissance. Roland and thomas mann echo each other to some extent, and Roland reproduces the Italian atmosphere in that historical period. He emphasized the kindness of the characters, described Michelangelo's charitable activities, and reported Beethoven's touching concern for his dissolute nephew (orphan)-all of which seem naive and sentimental today. However, Roland believes that kindness is an indispensable quality of great artists-not only in lofty aspirations and feelings, but also in their usual behavior. In an era when many European intellectuals think that being good at surpassing ordinary people and standing on the other side of good and evil is an artist's noble virtue, Roland quoted Beethoven's words: "I don't know any higher criterion except kindness." Roland chose these great men as his heroes, that is, Roland can oppose the great men of vulgar art around him by praising their powerful, thoughtful, anxious and enthusiastic creations. In Beethoven's and Michelangelo's tragic views, to some extent, Roland wants to make a sharp contrast between these geniuses in adversity and those prosperous businessmen, complacent craftsmen and cunning people in European bourgeois literary and art circles. In this respect, the close relationship between Who's Who and John Christophe is particularly easy to understand. This contradiction, especially the social and historical basis of these contradictions can not be understood.

"A great soul is like a mountain peak. I don't say that ordinary human beings can survive on the mountain peak. But once a year, they should go up and bow. There, they can change the breathing in the lungs and the blood flow in blood vessels. There, they will feel closer to eternity. Later, they will return to the wasteland of life and be full of courage in their daily battles "-romain rolland. "

Just as sometimes we hear a song that we have sung in the past will bring back many memories, sometimes we will be inexplicably moved when we see a book that we have read in the past. When I think of those great and noble souls in Who's Who, I can't help but feel the passion of life colliding in me. Although maybe I really can't understand this thin but heavy little book. However, I believe that everyone who comes into contact with it will more or less experience the compelling passion in the book, the enrichment and lofty pursuit of life. In the stormy waves of life, there is always a book to accompany you. When you are depressed, when you face setbacks, when you doubt that you have lost the direction of life, find it and read it. It will comfort you, inspire you, let you wash away your fatigue, erase your sadness and get on the road again. To me, this book is who's who! I am the source of spirit and strength. The Biography of Who Is Who was written by the famous French writer romain rolland. The works of Beethoven, Michelangelo and Tolstoy were all written in the early 20th century, which had a wide influence at that time and later. In these three biographies, romain rolland did not make any boastful narration about the life of celebrities, nor did he trace back the creative process of celebrities like most biographers. Instead, we firmly grasp the common ground of these three great artists and focus on depicting their long-term suffering and pursuit of truth, goodness and beauty. Romain rolland called them "heroes" and wrote with touching pen and ink their lofty courage to fight against fate and great feelings to bear the suffering of all mankind, which can be said to be a great song of fate for us.

"My physical strength and intelligence have increased than ever before ... my youth, yes, I feel that my youth has just begun. I have vaguely seen the goal ahead, although it is not clear, but it is getting closer every day ... ah! If I can get rid of this disease, I will embrace the whole world! ..... I didn't know there was rest besides sleeping. Unfortunately, I have to spend more time sleeping. I hope I can get rid of the disease, even if it is half! ..... no, I can't stand it. I will hold my destiny by the throat, and it will never make me completely yield. Oh, if only I could live thousands of times! " -"The Biography of Beethoven"

Only pain, there is joy! -Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven, the greatest musician of German classicism, is such an unfortunate and strong man: he began to be deaf in his youth. What could be more unfortunate for a person who lives by music? Who can imagine his feelings and pain in the long torture? God is cruel. He gave Beethoven the best music, but deprived him of the right to enjoy it. He can't hear his own music. While people are enjoying the happiness brought by his music, he has to endure the silent torture alone! It is this man who wrote so much music, and it is often joyful music-the joy that emanates from the sky and reaches people's hearts! He grasped the fate by the throat. Every work of his is the result of hard struggle and a symbol of victory. An unfortunate person, caused by poverty, disability, loneliness and pain, created joy for the world instead of joy for him! He created happiness with suffering, as if he had interpreted it with that brave sentence, which can sum up his life and become the motto of all heroes: "Only suffering can make you happy!" " "

"He is very lonely. -He hates people and is hated by others. He does, but nobody loves him. People respect and fear him. Finally, he aroused people's religious reverence. He is ahead of his time. So, he calmed down a little. He looks at people from above, and people look at him from below. He is always single. He never rests, and he can't taste the gentleness that even the meanest person can enjoy. He has never slept in another person's gentle arms for a minute in his life. He has never been loved by a woman. In this desert-like world, only Victoria Colona's friendship has ever shone with pure and cold stars. It was dark around, and only his fiery thoughts-his desires and crazy dreams-flew by. Beethoven had never experienced such a dark night. Because this night is in Michelangelo's heart. Beethoven's grief and indignation is the fault of society, but he was born happy and longed for happiness. Michelangelo, on the other hand, is melancholy and frightening, which makes people instinctively avoid him. He created a blank around himself. " -Biography of Michelangelo

David uses his slingshot, and I use my bow and arrow. Michelangelo

Beethoven's pain comes from pain, and Michelangelo's pain comes from his contradictory soul: he is neither disabled nor poor. He comes from a noble family, a noble family in Florence. He received a good education from an early age and has a high cultural accomplishment and artistic foundation. However, his motherland was devastated, foreign enemies invaded, people were enslaved, and his hard work was destroyed again and again by war. He is rich, and every time he finishes a work, he will get a large reward, but he lives like a pauper, eating only bread and drinking only a few hours' sleep every day. He lived an amazing life, longed for love all his life, and wrote a lot of fiery and pure sonnets, but he was unmarried and lonely all his life. His family never gave him any warmth, and always squeezed his money again and again, using his reputation to show off everywhere, but his deep-rooted family concept and the idea of glorifying his ancestors made him generous; He is arrogant. He insisted on his own independent viewpoint in art and even fell out with the Pope, but he was weak and ridiculous. He always chooses to compromise and surrender at critical moments, and makes all kinds of absurd actions that are inconsistent with his reputation. His artistic talent is amazing and ambitious, and he has created amazing masterpieces such as David, Slave and Moses, but he still has to work hard for the Pope. The task was not completed yet, and a new task was urging him, so the greatest work he planned was abandoned halfway. He has been overworked all his life, and at the same time he has to endure inner condemnation for those unfinished works; In his later years, he became the last master of art in the Renaissance. People respect him like they respect God. No one dares to challenge his authority, but he is more and more pious and nervous before God.

Despite Michelangelo's shortcomings, he failed to realize his greatest plan, but no one can deny that his art represents the great humanistic spirit of the Renaissance. From David, we can see people's ideals, dignity and will. From "Moses and Slaves", we can see the struggle between man and fate ... Michelangelo created gods, but he showed people's distress and feelings in reality!

"His face has a fixed feature that will be engraved in human memory forever. There are two slightly curved wrinkles on the broad forehead, white eyebrows are unusually thick, and a beard of loyal elders reminds people of the statue of Moses in Dijon. The old face became calm and gentle, leaving traces of illness, sadness and kindness. How much he has changed from being rough and bold at the age of twenty to being cautious and serious when he joined the army! But the bright eyes are still sharp and deep, straightforward and straightforward, but smart and discerning. " -Tolstoy Biography

I cry, I suffer, I just want to know the truth-lev tolstoy.

The situation in lev tolstoy is completely different. He comes from a well-known family, enjoys a superior position and is well-fed and well-fed. He is healthy, happily married and has a loving wife and children. His literary talent is very high, and every work has received rave reviews. He is a towering literary peak. He not only showed readers a broad picture of modern Russian history, but also wrote a wonderful book about the soul of the Russian nation. He created vivid characters, each of which made people nod and say, "Yes, Russians are like this." In a word, he is a man who seems to have everything, but his pain is just born from this. He is kind by nature and compassionate to others. He feels calm about the miserable situation of the urban poor, numb and miserable about the poor life of farmers, guilty about his material wealth and rich life, and distressed that he can't bear to get rid of the shackles of his family and live an ascetic life ... In short, his spirit of fraternity makes him unable to stand the pain of others. He longs for world harmony and people's prosperity. He hopes that all people can live a happy and peaceful life. In order to realize his ideal, he first changed his living condition and let himself live and work with farmers. He carried out reforms in his own manor, liberated serfs and distributed land to tenant farmers. He preached "religion of love", advocated "no violence against violence" and even suggested that "the enemy hits you in the left face and sticks out the right face". In his later years, his thoughts even intensified, and he even planned to.

Roman Roland said: Life is harsh. For those who are uneasy about mediocrity, life is an endless struggle, often without honor or happiness, and it is a sad struggle silently in loneliness. This is probably the best explanation for Tolstoy's behavior.

At the beginning of Who's Who, romain rolland shouted, "Open the window! Let the free air come back! Take a breath of the hero. " The hero he said is not a person dominated by ideas or strength, but a person with great heart. The Biography of Who Well confirms a famous saying of China native Su Shi: People who have made great achievements in ancient and modern times not only have talent, but also have persistent determination. Beethoven's Seeking Shelter in Sorrow and Patience