Traditions of studying the novel “War and Peace” by L. N. Tolstoy in the methodology of teaching literature of the first half of the XX century

The article presents the experience of studying the novel “War and Peace” by L. N. Tolstoy in the national school of the first half of the twentieth century. An analysis of the works published during this period allows us to trace the formation of methodological traditions in the study of the epic novel. The author focuses on the approaches, methods and techniques of studying the novel, based on the methodological systems of well-known language teachers (M. A. Rybnikova, V. V. Golubkov, etc.) and widely used in the practice of literature teachers. Particular attention is paid to the work of T. G. Brajet’s “Holistic study of the epic work” (1964, reprinted in 2000), which determined the method of school study of the novel for several decades. Based on the analysis of pedagogical experience, separate concepts, approaches and techniques for studying the novel “War and Peace» by L. N. Tolstoy are clarified.