War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

First published:Voyna i mir, 1865–69 (English translation, 1886)

Type of work: Novel

Type of plot: Historical

Time of plot: 1805–13

Locale: Russia

Principal Characters

• Pierre Bezuhov, the illegitimate son of a wealthy count
• Natasha Rostova, the beautiful daughter of a well-to-do Moscow family
• Nikolay Rostov, Natasha’s older brother
• Andrey Bolkonsky, a wealthy Russian prince
• Hélène Kuragina Bezuhova, Pierre’s beautiful and immoral wife
• Anatole Kuragin, Hélène’s brother
• Princess Marya Bolkonskaya, Andrey’s sister
• Old Prince Bolkonsky, Andrey’s tyrannical father
• Kutuzov, commander in chief of the Russian army, appointed in August 1812
• Napoleon Bonaparte, emperor of the French

The Story

In 1805, it is evident to most well-informed Russians that war with Napoleon is inevitable. Austria and Russia join forces at the Battle of Austerlitz, where they are soundly defeated by the French. In the highest Russian society, however, life goes on as though nothing of tremendous import were impending. After all, it is really only by a political formality that Russia has joined with Austria. The fact that one day Napoleon might threaten the gates of Russia seems ridiculous. Soirees and balls are held, old women gossip, and young women fall in love. War, though inevitable, is being waged on foreign soil and is, therefore, of little importance.

The attraction that military service holds for the young noblemen of Russia is understandable enough, for the Russian army has always offered excellent opportunities for ambitious, politically inclined young men. The army provides a wholesome release for their energies. Young Nikolay Rostov, for example, joins the hussars simply because he feels drawn to that way of life. His family idolizes him because of his loyalty to the czar, because of his courage, and because he is so handsome in his uniform. Natasha, his sister, weeps over him, and Sonya, his cousin, promptly falls in love with him.

By contrast, Pierre Bezuhov, a friend of the Rostov family, is looked upon as somewhat of a boor. He has just returned from Paris, where he studied at the university, and he has not yet made up his mind what to do with his life. He will not join the army, for he sees no sense in a military career. His father gives him a liberal allowance, and he spends it frivolously at gambling. In truth, he seems like a lost man. He starts long arguments, shouting loudly in quiet drawing rooms, and then suddenly lapses into sullen silence. He is barely tolerated at soirees until his father dies and leaves him a fortune; then, suddenly, he becomes popular. He attributes his rise to some new personality development of his own, and he is no longer sullen; rather, he loves everyone, and it is quite clear that everyone loves him. His most dogged follower is Prince Vassily Kuragin, the father of a beautiful, unmarried daughter, Hélène, who is recognized everywhere as a prospective leader of St. Petersburg society. Pierre is forced into marrying her by the crafty prince, who knows a good catch when he sees one. The marriage, however, is not a success.

Pierre Bezuhov’s closest friend is Prince Andrey Bolkonsky, an arrogant, somewhat cynical man who despises his wife, Lise. The “Little Princess,” as Lise is called, is pregnant, but Prince Andrey can endure the bondage of domesticity no longer. When he receives a commission in the army, he leaves Lise at the family estate, Bleak Hills, in the care of his sister Marya and his tyrannical old father and goes off to war. During his absence, Princess Lise gives birth to a son but dies during childbirth. Prince Andrey returns after the Battle of Austerlitz to find himself free once more, but he enjoys no feeling of satisfaction in his freedom. He seeks out Pierre and turns to his friend for answers to some of the eternal questions of loneliness and despair that torture him.

Pierre has joined the brotherhood of freemasons and, through his association with the group, has arrived at a philosophy of life that he sincerely believes to be the only true philosophy. Had Pierre realized that the order initiated him solely because of his wealth, he would never have adopted the members’ ideals. Pierre restores some of Prince Andrey’s lost courage, however, by means of his wild if unreasoning enthusiasm. In the belief that he is now an unselfish, free individual, Pierre frees his peasants and sets about improving his estate; having absolutely no sense of business administration, he loses a great deal of money. Finally, with his affairs in hopeless disorder, he leaves an overseer in charge and retires to Bleak Hills and Prince Andrey’s sane company.

Nikolay Rostov is in the thick of the fighting. Napoleon overcame the Prussian forces at Jena and reached Berlin in October, 1806. The Russians once more go to the assistance of their neighbors, and the two opposing armies meet in a terrible battle at Eylau in February, 1807. In June, Nikolay enters the campaign at Friedland, and when the Russians are beaten, he naïvely thinks the war is over. Napoleon and Czar Alexander sign the Peace of Tilsit, and Napoleon, who possesses a remarkable gift for flattery, promises, with no intention of keeping his word, that Russia will be given a free hand with Turkey and Finland. For two years, Nikolay enjoys all the privileges of his post in the army without having to endure any of the risks. Napoleon has gone to Spain.

After having served in minor skirmishes as an adjutant under General Kutuzov, leader of the Russian forces, Prince Andrey returns to the country. He has some business affairs to straighten out with Count Rostov, marshal of his district, and so he goes to the Rostov estate at Otradnoe. There Andrey almost immediately falls under the spell of Count Rostov’s lovely young daughter, Natasha. He fancies himself in love as he has never loved before. Once again, he turns to Pierre for advice. Pierre, however, has experienced an unfortunate quarrel with his wife, Hélène. They are now separated, and Pierre has fought a senseless duel with an innocent man because he suspected his wife of being unfaithful. At the sight of Prince Andrey so hopelessly in love, Pierre’s great heart is touched. He has always been fond of Natasha, whom he has known since childhood, and the match seems to him ideal. With love once more flowing through his heart, he takes his wife back, feeling very virtuous at his own generosity, and he encourages Prince Andrey in his suit.

Natasha has ignored previous offers of marriage, but when the dashing and wealthy Prince Andrey comes on the scene, she loses her heart to him instantly. He asks her parents for her hand, and they immediately consent to the match, an excellent one from their point of view. When Prince Andrey breaks the news to his quarrelsome and dictatorial old father, however, the ancient prince says that he will not give his blessing until a year has elapsed. He feels that Natasha has too little money and is much too young to take charge of Prince Andrey’s home and his son. Marya, Prince Andrey’s sister, also disapproves of the match, for she is jealous of her brother’s fiancé.

Natasha is heartbroken but agrees to wait a year; Prince Andrey keeps their betrothal a secret, in order, as he says, to let her have complete freedom. Natasha goes to Moscow to visit a family friend, and there her freedom is too complete. One night she attends the opera with Pierre’s wife, Hélène, who is now recognized as an important social leader; there she meets Hélène’s disreputable brother, Anatole. Unknown to Natasha, Anatole had been forced to marry a peasant girl whom he had ruined. The young rake now determines to conquer Natasha. Aided by his unscrupulous sister, he forces his suit, and Natasha becomes confused. She loves Prince Andrey, but he has joined the army again and she never sees him; she also loves Anatole, who is becoming more insistent every day. At last, she agrees to run away with Anatole and marry him. Anatole arranges with a defrocked priest to have a mock ceremony performed. On the night set for the elopement, however, Natasha’s host discovers the plan, and Natasha is confined to her room. Unfortunately, she has already written to Prince Andrey’s sister to ask to be relieved of her betrothal vows.

When Pierre hears of the scandal, he forces Anatole to leave town. He then goes to see Natasha. Strangely, he is the only person whom she trusts and to whom she can speak freely. She looks upon him as if he were an older uncle, and she is charmed with his gruff friendliness. Pierre feels attracted to Natasha in a way he knows he should not be, as he is not free, but he manages to let her know that he will be a friend to her, and she is pleased by his attentions. She soon begins to recover from her misfortune, but she will never again be the lively, frivolous girl whom Prince Andrey had loved.

Natasha’s actions have dealt Prince Andrey a terrible blow to his pride, but in the army there are many engrossing matters to take his attention away from himself. By 1810, the Franco-Russian alliance has gradually dissolved. When France threatens to free Russia of responsibility for Poland, the czar finally understands that Napoleon’s promises meant little. The dapper little French emperor has forsaken Russia in favor of Austria as the center of his European domination. He marries Marie Louise, and, in 1812, with his eyes unmistakably fixed on Moscow, he crosses the Nieman River. From June to August, Napoleon enjoys an almost uninterrupted march to Smolensk.

In Smolensk, Napoleon finds burned and wrecked houses. The city is deserted. This marks the beginning of fierce opposition. Old General Kutuzov, former leader of the army of the East and now in complete charge of the Russian forces, is determined to halt the French advance. His tactics, however, are the very reason the Russians fail to win a decisive victory. Instead of attempting to halt the French, he might have succeeded by drawing them deeper and deeper into the country, lengthening their lines of communication and cutting them off in the rear. It is odd, too, that Napoleon, in attempting to complete his march, also lessens his chances for victory.

Battle succeeds battle, with heavy losses on both sides, before Napoleon finally leads his forces to Borodino. There the most senseless battle in the whole campaign is fought. The Russians, determined to hold Moscow, which is only a short distance away, lose nearly their whole army. The French forces dwindle in proportion, but it is clear that the Russians have gotten the worst of the battle. General Kutuzov, bitter and war-weary, decides, against his will, that the army cannot hold Moscow. Again a triumphant Napoleon marches into a deserted city.

Prince Andrey has been gravely wounded at Borodino. The Rostovs are already abandoning their estate to move into the interior when many wagons loaded with wounded soldiers are brought to the house for shelter. Among these is Prince Andrey himself. Natasha nurses him and sends for Marya, his sister, and his son, Nikolushka. Old Prince Bolkonsky, suffering from the shock of having French soldiers almost upon his doorstep, dies of a stroke. Nikolay manages to move Marya and the boy to safer quarters. Although Prince Andrey welcomes his sister, it is evident that he no longer expects to recover. Natasha nurses him tenderly, and they once more declare their love for each other. When his wound festers, Prince Andrey knows that the end is near; soon after, he dies in his sleep. United in tragedy, Marya and Natasha become close friends; young Nikolay finds Prince Andrey’s sister attractive.

Pierre Bezuhov decides to remain in Moscow. Fired with thoughts of becoming a national hero, he hits upon the plan of assassinating Napoleon. He is captured as a prisoner of war, however, when he attempts to rescue a Russian woman who is being molested by French soldiers.

Napoleon’s army completely disintegrates in Moscow. After waiting in vain for peace terms from the czar, Napoleon decides to abandon Moscow and head back to France. His soldiers—a ragged, irresponsible, pillaging group, once part of the most powerful army in the world—gather up their booty, throw away their supplies, and start off on the road back to Smolensk as winter comes on, taking prisoners with them. Pierre Bezuhov, luckily, is at the outset robust and healthy. Traveling with the other prisoners, he learns from experience that happiness can consist of merely being warm and having enough to eat. His privations age and mature him. He learns responsibility and gains courage, and he develops a sense of humor at the irony of his plight. His simplicity and even temperament make him a favorite with the French and the Russians alike.

On the road to Smolensk, the French forces become completely demoralized. Cossacks charge out of the forests and cut the lines, taking countless French prisoners and rescuing the Russian captives. Many Frenchmen desert; others fall ill and die on the road. Pierre is freed at last, and he returns to Orel, where he falls ill with fever. Later he learns of the deaths of Prince Andrey and his own wife. Hélène had died in St. Petersburg after a short illness. These shocks, coupled with the news of the defeat of the French, seem to deprive him of all feeling. When he finally recovers, he is overwhelmed with a joyous sense of freedom of soul, a sense that he has at last found himself, that he knows himself for what he really is. He knows the sheer joy of being alive, and he is humble and grateful. He has discovered a faith in God that he never knew before.

Pierre returns to Moscow and renews his friendships with Marya Bolkonskaya and the Rostovs. Once more Natasha charms him, and Pierre suddenly realizes that she is no longer a child. He loves her now, as always, and so when the opportunity presents itself, he dutifully asks Natasha’s parents for her hand in marriage. The two marry and go on to be very happy together. Natasha is an efficient wife who dominates her husband, much to the amusement of their friends; Pierre loves her and respects her because she knows how to take charge of everything. She manages his estates as well as their household.

Nikolay, though not entirely sure that he loves Marya, knows that to marry her would be a wise thing. The Rostovs are poor now, and the old count has left his affairs in a deplorable state. At the insistence of his mother, Nikolay finally proposes to Marya, and the two families are joined. The union proves happier than Nikolay had expected, and he and Marya adopt Prince Andrey’s son, Nikolushka.

Pierre and Natasha eventually have four fine children of whom they are very proud. Although society thinks that Natasha carries her devotion to her husband and children to an extreme, Natasha and Pierre are happier than they have ever been before, and they find their life together to be a fulfillment of all their dreams.

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