Class Conflict
While the novel doesn't prominently showcase overt conflicts between social classes, there is a subtle tension simmering beneath the surface. Older characters like Countess Rostova and Prince Nicholas Bolkonsky often speak disparagingly of the peasants under their authority. They patronizingly suggest that these peasants would be incapable of surviving without their leadership. In contrast, characters such as Platon Karataev, who is impoverished, live simple yet fulfilling lives.
The novel comes closest to depicting an open class conflict when Mary is confronted by peasants at Bogucharovo, near her family's estate, as she prepares to evacuate before the French advance. Tolstoy illustrates that the peasants' actions are not driven by resentment of Mary's social advantages but by fear due to their lack of leadership. Despite their hunger, they refuse the grain Mary offers because they are afraid of provoking the French. The most significant threat they pose to her is blocking her horse as she attempts to leave. When Nicholas arrives, the peasants promptly obey him, acknowledging his superior breeding and intelligence. He commands the leaders of the uprising to be restrained, and several men in the crowd willingly offer their belts for this purpose. "How can one talk to the masters like that?" a drunken peasant remarks to his former leader as he is led away. "What were you thinking of, you fool?"
Duty and Responsibility
In this novel, the noble families are primarily driven by their obligation to care for the serfs under their supervision. The aristocracy sees it as their duty to look after the serfs, much like one would care for children. This belief stems from the notion that serfs lack the intelligence to survive without guidance. Fulfilling this duty is a vital part of their honor code, and any nobleman who violates this trust faces recognition and punishment from his peers.
This code of conduct influences nearly every facet of upper-class life. It dictates the appropriate behavior for a gentleman in any situation, and straying from it results in peer disapproval. For instance, when drunken partygoers at a poker gathering throw a policeman into a canal, the action is criticized as unbecoming of gentlemen of good breeding:
And to think it is Count Vladomirovich Bezukhov's son engaging in such a sensible pastime. He was thought to be so educated and intelligent. That is all his foreign education has achieved for him.
Subsequently, Bezukhov undergoes several transformations that enhance his sense of social responsibility. He joins the Freemasons with the goal of working within the societal elite to aid the poor. He visits the army during the Battle of Borodino and tours the battlefield; in a half-crazed state, he decides he should acquire a gun and shoot Napoleon. During peacetime, he collaborates with a secret organization to reform the social structure and free the serfs from their oppression.
Art and Experience
Historical novels, like War and Peace, often raise questions about the connection between fiction and reality. The battle scenes in this book are renowned for their authenticity. However, Tolstoy did not witness these battles firsthand. Instead, he crafted them through thorough research on the war with France and drew from his own experiences in the Crimean War. At the end of the novel, Tolstoy steps away from the fictional story entirely to speak directly to the reader about the influence of historians on history. Tolstoy contends that reality is too complex and expansive for humans to fully comprehend, making it impossible for historians to capture every aspect of historical events.
Success and Failure
One of Tolstoy's main inspirations for writing the novel was his challenge to conventional historical perspectives on the war. Today, Napoleon is often...
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regarded as a masterful military leader, despite his defeat in Russia, while the Russian commander, Kutuzov, is frequently labeled as incompetent. Tolstoy believed that critics who blamed the Russians for not completely destroying Napoleon's forces ignored the army's weakened condition. Similarly, those who lauded Napoleon's tactics failed to acknowledge his favorable circumstances. Ultimately, Tolstoy emphasizes the impact of luck in life and the often thin line separating triumph from defeat.
Structure
Since its initial release, the ambiguous structure of War and Peace has sparked debate among critics. Some suggest that Tolstoy crafted the novel impulsively, capturing ideas as they surfaced, with any structural coherence being purely accidental. They cite the concluding chapters as proof, implying that Tolstoy's focus drifted, leading him to pursue personal interests rather than adhering to what the novel needed for completion. These critics argue that the novel's fluid structure effectively serves Tolstoy's exploration of free will, commending him for employing a format that reconciles necessity with randomness.
Conversely, other critics discern a distinct pattern throughout the book: the alternating focus on war and peace; the symmetry and repetition in the narratives of marching to and from Moscow; the juxtaposition of high society scenes with those of existential despair; and the contrast between love and death. Whether Tolstoy deliberately designed these patterns or they emerged by chance is a topic that will continue to be discussed through the ages.
Setting
In the early 1800s, Russia underwent a time of considerable change and turmoil. The longstanding feudal system was declining, and traditional concepts of honor were being replaced by pragmatic Enlightenment ideas. Military victories were frequently credited to fortune. Tolstoy recognized these unique circumstances and used them to craft his sweeping story of love, war, and shifting political and social beliefs. It took remarkable insight to perceive the potential of this setting and employ it effectively, but the era's abundant possibilities significantly strengthened his philosophical argument.
Hero
Prince Andrew is the epitome of a classic hero: he overcomes his initial fear in battle and courageously confronts the enemy, while a beautiful woman eagerly awaits his return at home. Despite this, he has qualities that are not typically heroic, such as his hesitance to commit. He easily agrees to his father's suggestion to postpone his marriage for a year. During this time, Natasha becomes enamored with another man, Anatole, who almost tarnishes her reputation. In the end, Andrew retains his status as an idealized hero by dying a soldier's death after reuniting with his true love.
On the other hand, Pierre is a representation of a more modern hero. He is not a fighter but a thinker, wrestling with his conscience after unexpectedly coming into a large inheritance. He is not conventionally handsome and keeps his love for Natasha to himself rather than openly declaring it. Yet, ultimately, he is the one who captures her heart.
Narrator
As the story approaches its conclusion, Tolstoy increasingly engages with the reader directly, stepping away from the third-person narrator who has been sharing the characters' stories. Throughout the novel, there are pauses from the main storyline where the theoretical aspects of war are examined. Sometimes these sections resemble textbooks, detailing troop movements; other times, key war figures are portrayed as characters, complete with descriptions of their specific actions and thoughts. By the end, the narration addresses the reader directly, presenting ideas from a first-person perspective, seemingly leaving behind the traditional narrative structure to explore philosophical concepts. The narrator transforms into a character who dominates the novel by the second and final epilogue, offering lectures to the audience on his theories of historical truth.
