War and Peace

Gavin Mullis block 2A

Author: Leo Tolstoy

1869

ProtagonistsPierre Bezuhov

Pierre Bezuhov is a tall, stout young man looked down upon because of his awkward manner and his birth: He is the illegitimate

son of a Russian count in Moscow. But unlike so many other St. Petersburg party-goers, he speaks his mind directly and honestly.

One of his opinions that is certainly not a popular one is that Napoleon is a great man. One reason Pierre admires Napoleon,

apparently, is that the great military leader is so sure of himself; he knows who he is and what his destiny is, and he acts decisively to

fulfill that destiny. Pierre, on the other hand, is not at all sure of himself, for his illegitimacy has provided him no identity and no

clear destiny. Even his own father has treated him like an outsider. Consequently, Pierre is a man in search of himself, a man who thirsts to learn all he can about life and, in so doing, discover himself. He roves for meaning in the same way that Napoleon

roves for the spoils of war.

Pierre

Conflict

The main conflict in this riveting novel is the invasion of Russia by none other than the great Napoleon Bonaparte. With the combined

pressure of financial disruption, fracturing family ties, and the greatest general the world has ever known on the borders of

Russia, will she be able not only to thwart the armies of France, but sustain civil order?

Characters

As the novel begins we are introduced to four Russian families of nobility.

The Bolkonsky Family,

The Bezuhov Family,

The Rostov Family,

And The Kuragin Family

The Bolkonsky familyPrince Nikolay Andreivitch Bolkonsky- An old man, who clings more and more to the values of an outdated feudal society.

Princess Marya Bolkonsky- A young woman who sustains her lonely life by clinging to her christian faith

Princess Liza Bolkonsky- Andrey's wife, a silly, chattering society girl who never grows up

Nikolushka- Prince Andrey's son

Prince Andrey Bolkonsky- Prince Nikolay Andreivitch Bolkonsky's son and heir, an intellectual young man who seeks to be one with the world

The Bezuhov family

Count Kirill Vladmirovitch Bezuhov- An old man, once a grandee in Catherine's court, who dies early in the novel after legitimizing his

oldest son, to whom he leaves vast wealth.

Pierre Bezuhov- The old count's son, whose spiritual development is the best expression of Tolstoy's philosophy.

The Rostov familyCount Ilya Rostov- a family man whose interest in maintaining his

family's pleasures contributes to his financial ruination.

Countess Natalya Rostov- The Counts wife, a typical noblewoman

Natasha Rostov- A bewitching young girl whom Tolstoy regards as the creature-manifestation of love, nature, and femininity.

Nikolay Rostov- The oldest son, he is an unimaginative young man who believes that doing one's duty is the highest virtue of the

individual.

Vera Rostov- The eldest child

Petya Rostov- The youngest child, whose vivacity is closest to that of Natasha

The Kuragin familyPrince Vassily- A well-practiced courtier whose life is a series of political and social maneuvers to maintain prestige.

Ippolit Kuragin- His dull-witted son, who would like to compromise Andrey's wife, Liza.

Anatole Kuragin- an avowed hedonist whose handsomeness attracts both Princess Marya, whom he would like to marry for her

fortune, and Natasha, whom he all but seduces.

Ellen Kuragin (Countess Bezuhov)- A beautiful sensualist who becomes a celebrated salonniere.

The Kuragin familyPrince Vassily- A well-practiced courtier whose life is a series of political and social maneuvers to maintain prestige.

Ippolit Kuragin- His dull-witted son, who would like to compromise Andrey's wife, Liza.

Anatole Kuragin- an avowed hedonist whose handsomeness attracts both Princess Marya, whom he would like to marry for her

fortune, and Natasha, whom he all but seduces.

Ellen Kuragin (Countess Bezuhov)- A beautiful sensualist who becomes a celebrated salonniere.

Critics

There is no record of a critics review on War and Peace, due to the fact it was published in 1869.

My take on the novel

● I think that War and Peace was a good book, because it provides insight to the lives of Russian aristocrats, and it has a lot of historical information about the Napoleonic wars and the diplomacy, conflicts, and alliances between the nations of the time. I recommend this book, but only to those who are seriously devoted to reading, or have a lot of spare time. An extensive vocabulary would be helpful too(those Russian names are tricky!)

Introduction to War and Peace

War and Peace opens in the Russian city of St. Petersburg in 1805, as Napoleon’s Brutal conquest of Europe is beginning to stir fears within the

Russian Nobility. After much discussion and strategic decision, the mighty armies of Russia unite with those of Austria to resist the worlds

greatest army. The year is now 1812, 7 years after the realization of the threat to her borders, Russia is swiftly taken under siege by the forces of

Napoleon Bonaparte, but with growing debt, family tragedies, and troubles within the personal lives of her rulers, will Russia prevail against

this onslaught?