War and Peace (Tolstoy)
Short summary
Russia, 1805-1820. As Napoleon's forces threatened Europe, Russian high society gathered in Petersburg salons. Pierre Bezúkhov unexpectedly inherited a vast fortune from his father, transforming him from an illegitimate son into one of Russia's wealthiest men.
Prince Andréy Bolkónski, disillusioned with society and his marriage, sought glory in war against Napoleon.
At the Battle of Austerlitz, Andréy was severely wounded. Meanwhile, young Natásha Rostóva grew from a spirited thirteen-year-old into a captivating young woman.
Pierre married the beautiful but unfaithful Hélène, while Andréy fell deeply in love with Natásha and proposed. However, Natásha was seduced by the rake Anatole Kurágin, breaking her engagement. Pierre, after dueling with his wife's lover and separating from Hélène, realized his profound love for Natásha. Before he could act, war erupted again. At the Battle of Borodinó in 1812, Andréy was mortally wounded. He reflected on life's meaning:
Love hinders death. Love is life. All, everything that I understand, I understand only because I love. Everything is, everything exists, only because I love. Love is God.
Pierre was captured by the French but survived their retreat. After Andréy's death and Hélène's demise, Pierre and Natásha married, finding happiness in family life.
Detailed summary by books and parts
Part titles are editorial.
Book 1. Petersburg society and the beginning of war: 1805
Part 1. Petersburg salons, Pierres inheritance, and Prince Andreys departure for war
In July 1805, Anna Pávlovna Schérer hosted an evening reception in Petersburg, where high society gathered to discuss the looming war with Napoleon. Among the guests was the awkward, illegitimate son of Count Bezúkhov, who made his social debut and drew attention with his intellectual curiosity and unconventional behavior.
At the same gathering, a young officer arrived, showing disdain for the superficial society and his pregnant wife, though he warmed to Pierre.
The officer advised Pierre against marriage, lamenting his own unhappy union, and departed for war seeking glory and escape from domestic life. Meanwhile, Count Bezúkhov suffered a fatal stroke, triggering a struggle over his will between his legitimate heirs and Pierre. Through the intervention of Princess Drubetskáya, Pierre inherited the vast fortune, transforming him into one of Russia's wealthiest men. Prince Vasíli Kurágin then manipulated Pierre into marrying his beautiful but shallow daughter, despite Pierre's profound reluctance.
Part 2. The Russian army in Austria under Kutuzov
The Russian army, led by the elderly commander-in-chief, prepared for inspection in Austria.
Among the troops was a young hussar officer who witnessed the chaotic retreat from Smolénsk and participated in burning a bridge to delay French forces.
The officer joined Prince Andréy at headquarters, where they learned of the catastrophic Austrian defeat at Ulm. The Russian army faced Napoleon's advancing forces, engaging in skirmishes and strategic retreats. During one battle, the officer experienced his first taste of combat, confronting fear and mortality as his squadron burned a bridge under enemy fire.
Part 3. Battle of Austerlitz and Prince Andreys wounding
The Russian army advanced toward Austerlitz despite Kutúzov's skepticism. Prince Andréy, serving on the staff, fantasized about achieving glory in the upcoming battle. On the battlefield, confusion and fog led to disaster. As French forces attacked, Prince Andréy attempted to rally fleeing soldiers by seizing the regimental standard but was severely wounded. As he lay on the ground, he found profound peace contemplating the infinite sky above.
How quiet, peaceful, and solemn; not at all as I ran... not as we ran, shouting and fighting... how differently do those clouds glide across that lofty infinite sky!
The Emperor visited the wounded, and Prince Andréy's near-death experience led to profound existential reflections. The battle ended in catastrophic defeat for the Russians, with massive casualties and a chaotic retreat.
Book 2. Peace: family life, personal transformations, and new love: 1806-1811
Part 1. Moscow life, Pierres duel, and Prince Andreys wife dies in childbirth
The hussar officer returned to Moscow on leave, reuniting joyfully with his family. His sister, a vivacious young girl, shared her dreams and spoke of her cousin's noble sacrifice regarding their past engagement.
Pierre, tormented by suspicions of his wife's affair, challenged her lover to a duel and wounded him. Afterward, Pierre granted his wife control of his estates and left for Petersburg. Meanwhile, Prince Andréy's wife died in childbirth, leaving him grief-stricken and burdened with guilt as he embraced his newborn son.
Part 2. Pierre becomes a Freemason, meets Prince Andrey, and the Treaty of Tilsit
Stranded at a post station, Pierre encountered a mysterious Freemason who confronted him about his unhappiness and lack of faith, urging inner purification and belief in God. Deeply moved, Pierre underwent initiation into the Masonic Lodge, experiencing a profound transformation. He then traveled to his estates to implement reforms, though his efforts were largely thwarted by his cunning steward. Pierre visited Prince Andréy, finding him changed and cynical, and passionately shared his newfound faith in Freemasonry. Their conversation led Prince Andréy to a profound spiritual awakening about life beyond the physical world.
The highest wisdom has but one science—the science of the whole—the science explaining the whole creation and man's place in it. To receive that science it is necessary to purify one's inner self.
Part 3. Prince Andrey meets Natasha, his spiritual renewal, and their engagement
Prince Andréy, managing his estates, encountered an ancient oak tree that crystallized his cynical view of life. However, after meeting the spirited young Natásha at Count Rostóv's estate and overhearing her passionate appreciation for moonlight, he experienced a profound renewal of spirit. The rejuvenated oak he later encountered symbolized his transformation, leading him to embrace life actively and return to Petersburg. Prince Andréy became captivated by Natásha at a grand ball, where they danced exquisitely, and he contemplated marrying her. After pursuing her openly, he proposed, but his father demanded a year's postponement. Their engagement was marked by deep joy tempered by the required waiting period.
Part 4. Rostov family life, hunting, and Christmas celebrations at Otradnoe
The hussar officer returned home to confront his family's financial ruin, violently confronting the steward over mismanagement. He then organized a grand wolf hunt with his family, culminating in a triumphant capture. The family stayed overnight at his uncle's house, enjoying simple hospitality, folk music, and dancing. During Christmas week, the young people disguised themselves as mummers and embarked on a festive sleigh ride, where the officer reaffirmed his love for his cousin during a magical moonlit journey, despite his mother's opposition to their union due to financial troubles.
Part 5. Natashas crisis with Anatole Kuragin and broken engagement to Prince Andrey
Natásha traveled to Moscow with her family, where she visited Prince Andréy's father and sister, but the meeting was fraught with tension and mutual dislike. At the opera, she encountered a charming young man who immediately captivated her with his persistent attention.
Despite her engagement to Prince Andréy, Natásha fell under the young man's spell, and he planned to abduct her. The elopement was intercepted, and Pierre revealed to Natásha that the young man was already married. Devastated, Natásha attempted suicide. Prince Andréy returned, learned of her infidelity, and refused forgiveness, giving Pierre her letters and portrait. Pierre visited the distraught Natásha, who pleaded for forgiveness from Prince Andréy. Filled with pity and love, Pierre comforted her, offering his friendship and declaring his own love if he were free.
Book 3. Napoleons invasion of Russia and the Battle of Borodino: 1812
Part 1. Napoleon crosses into Russia and the Russian army prepares for battle
The French Emperor led his army eastward, crossing the Niemen River into Russia despite diplomatic efforts for peace.
Prince Andréy traveled to confront the young man who had dishonored Natásha but failed to meet him. He clashed with his father over his sister and left for the army, driven by an unyielding desire for vengeance. Pierre, intending to assassinate Napoleon in Moscow, found the city ablaze. He encountered a distraught woman whose daughter was trapped in a burning house and rescued the terrified girl. When French soldiers assaulted an Armenian family, Pierre fought them in a fit of rage and was arrested, mistaken for an incendiary.
Part 2. Fall of Smolensk, Battle of Borodino, and Prince Andrey mortally wounded
Pierre traveled to the Borodinó battlefield, struggling to comprehend the military layout. He witnessed a solemn church procession and observed the Russian positions. On the day of battle, Pierre infiltrated the front lines, experiencing the chaos firsthand at Raévski's Redoubt. He witnessed soldiers fall, offered to get ammunition, and was thrown to the ground by an explosion. Kutúzov directed the battle by sensing the army's spirit rather than issuing precise orders, asserting victory despite reports of setbacks. Prince Andréy's regiment endured heavy artillery fire while inactive. He was severely wounded by a shell, experiencing profound love for life before collapsing. At the field hospital, he underwent a painful operation and recognized his nemesis among the wounded, sparking a profound realization of love and compassion.
To die... to be killed tomorrow... That I should not exist... That all this should still be, but no me... And all at once it grew light in his soul and the veil was lifted from his spiritual vision.
The battle ended in a moral victory for the Russians, though costly, ultimately dooming the French invasion. Neither side could muster a decisive final push, and both exhausted armies questioned the purpose of the fighting.
Part 3. Moscow evacuated and burned, Pierre taken prisoner, French retreat begins
Kutúzov faced the grim reality that Moscow could not be defended and ordered a strategic retreat. The abandonment and burning of Moscow were inevitable, driven by deep Russian patriotism. The Rostóv family remained until the eve of occupation, with Natásha's mother consumed by anxiety for her sons at war. Natásha discovered wounded soldiers and impulsively invited them into their home. The household frantically packed, and the severely wounded Prince Andréy was brought to the Rostovs' house. Despite public honors, the Count's daughter sacrificed family possessions to transport the wounded from Moscow. During their departure, Natásha spotted Pierre disguised as a coachman, seemingly distraught after battle. Napoleon entered deserted Moscow expecting a formal deputation but found the city empty. The French army quickly devolved into marauders, and Moscow's subsequent burning was attributed to the inherent flammability of a wooden city abandoned by its inhabitants.
Book 4. French retreat and the liberation of Russia: 1812
Part 1. Pierre as prisoner, execution scene, and meeting Platon Karataev
Pierre faced a French tribunal accused of incendiarism. During an intense interrogation, a moment of shared humanity arose with Marshal Davout, but Pierre was dismissed. He and other prisoners were led to an execution site where French soldiers shot them. Pierre witnessed the executions with horror and was forced to watch the fifth prisoner executed, deeply traumatizing him. In the prisoner barracks, a kind peasant soldier offered him food and comfort.
The peasant soldier shared his simple, fatalistic philosophy and life story, gradually helping Pierre find new meaning and peace amidst the chaos, leaving a profound impression as a symbol of natural truth.
Part 2. French occupation of Moscow fails and retreat from the city begins
Part 3. Partisan warfare, Petya killed in action, and Pierre rescued
Part 4. Pierres recovery and spiritual transformation, reunion with Natasha
Epilogue. Seven years later and reflections on history: 1813-1820
Part 1. Marriages and domestic life of the main characters seven years later
Seven years after the war, the main characters found new lives. The hussar officer married Prince Andréy's sister and became a passionate, practical farmer, diligently paying off debts and managing his serfs effectively.
Pierre married Natásha, who became a devoted mother of four, sacrificing her former vibrant self for her family. She intuitively governed her household by fulfilling Pierre's unspoken desires. Pierre underwent a profound internal transformation, gaining inner peace and clarity, positively influencing those around him despite financial ruin.
Part 2. Philosophical reflections on history, free will, and historical causation
The narrative concluded with philosophical reflections challenging conventional historical explanations. It argued that historical events stem from the collective will of all participants rather than individual leaders' genius or chance.
The sum of human wills produced the Revolution and Napoleon, and only the sum of those wills first tolerated and then destroyed them.
The work explored the interplay of free will and inevitability through a historical lens, proposing that history must abandon the search for individual causes and instead focus on discovering laws governing the collective elements of free will.
If we admit that human life can be ruled by reason, the possibility of life is destroyed.