Tolstoy's War & Peace


Discussion topics and questions:


Class 1

June 3, 2020

Volume 1, Part 1 (pages 3-111)


1. Instead of Introduction: Is “War and Peace” a novel at all? Critical approaches to Tolstoy’s War and Peace.


2. The novel’s events start in 1805. What do we learn from the first chapters about the central historical events of that year? 


3. What languages do we hear in Anna Sherer’s salon? What is the role of this linguistic variety in the narrative?


4. What characters do we meet in the first 5 chapters of Part I? Who are they? What do they pursue at Anna Sherer’s gathering?


5. What do we learn from the introductory chapters (P. 1, Ch. 2) about Pierre and Prince Andrei? What are their interests and aspirations?


6. Chapter VII takes us to the house of Count Rostov in Moscow. How are the Rostovs presented? In which way are the Rostovs different from other representatives of St. Petersburg’s high society, namely the salon of Anna Sherer?


7. By the time Pierre enters the house of his dying father we have seen him in several different settings. Yet it is the first time that he is so disoriented, fatalistic and overall lost. (end of chapter XIX) Is it the same Pierre? Why is he shown in this light? 


8. What did Pierre see in his dying father’s gaze? Why does Tolstoy include in the narrative this episode (and this experience of his character)? (end of chapter XX)


9. Is the old Prince Bolkonsky a likable character? What are his virtues?


10. What do different characters think about Princess Maria? Who, in your opinion, knows and understands her the best?


11. In the 1st part of the 1st volume of “War & Peace” Tolstoy introduces a large number of characters. Who, in your opinion, is the novel’s main character?


 

Class 2, June 10, 2020

Volume 1, Part 2 (pp. 112-200)

1. In the 2nd part of Volume 1 we are invited to observe inner worlds of several key characters, including Prince Andrei and Nikolai Rostov. What are their thoughts, aspirations and concerns? Are they content with their military experiences?


2. What kind of person is Tushin? Why is this character introduced into the narrative?


3. In Part 2 several army and nation leaders appear side by side with other characters. What role do they play in the narrative?


4. Tolstoy shows Prince Andrei’s and Nikolai Rostov’s experiences in the battle near Gollabrun (between Vienna and Tsneim). How are these experiences described? Are there any similarities between them? Is Nikolai’s experience unique? (Vol. 1, P. 2, XIV-XIX)

Volume 1, Part 3 (201-294)

1. Why did Pierre marry Helen Kuragin? What details does Tolstoy employ to explain their personalities and the nature of their relationship? 


2. In which ways (if at all) is Pierre different in the 3rd part of Vol. 1? How does the society see and treat him? What are his thoughts, dreams and aspirations?


3. Having arranged his daughter’s marriage to a rich man, Prince Vasilii attempts to marry off his younger son Anatol. Is this match-making any different from the one that led to Helen’s marriage to Pierre? Why does Prince Vasilii’s plan fall through? 


4. Why does Tolstoy show both Princess Marya’s and M-lle Bourienne’s as contenders for Anatol Kuragin’s affection?


5. What do we learn in this part (Vol. 1, P. 3) about Nicholai Rostov? In which way did he change? What causes a clash between Nikolai Rostov and Prince Andrei?


6. What kind of a leader is Kutuzov? Why is he against the idea of attacking the French Army near Austerlitz? 


7. What does Prince Andrei dream about before the battle? What do his dreams tell us about him?


8. On the battlefield of Austerlitz, when Prince Andrei turns the Russian troupes around, he runs forward with the banner and cries “Forward, lads!” As Tolstoy describes this heroic inspired act, he specifies that Prince Andrei’s voice is “childishly shrill.” (280) Why does he use these words to describe such a moment? 


9. What is the outcome of the Austerlitz battle for Prince Andrei, Alexander I, Napoleon, Nikolai Rostov and Kutuzov?


Class 3

Volume 2, Part 1 (297-346)

1. In the 1st part of Volume 2 Tolstoy shows Nikolai from many angles. We learn about Nikolai’s new life and position in Moscow, about his new habits, aspirations and infatuations. What kind of a young man is Nikolai now? Did he change?

2. Tolstoy offers us several views of the duel between Pierre and Dolokhov. Dolokhov’s mother, Pierre’s wife Helene, Pierre himself, Nesvitskii, Nikolai and Natasha all comment on this event. How does this event contribute to our understanding of Pierre? Does it in any way propel this character’s development?

3. What kind of person is Dolokhov? Why is Nikolai attracted to him? Why does their friendship come to an end?

6. What do we learn in this part about Natasha? What are her views on romantic love? 

Volume 2, Part 2

1. What makes Nikolai happy back at the front with his hussar regiment? How does Tolstoy depict in this part the hardships of war, its plights and rewards, its law and order? What are the consequences of Denisov’s illegal actions? What are Nikolai’s discoveries about people who once were close to him (Denisov and Boris)? What does he learn about war and military life, his friends and his beloved tsar? 

2. On his way to St. Petersburg, in the Torzhok station, Pierre meets a mysterious stranger (later he learns his name, Bazdeev) with whom he has a long and important for him conversation. What is the significance of this encounter for Pierre?

3. What does the new encounter between Pierre and Prince Andrei reveal about the new circumstances of their lives, quests and plights? What is the outcome of this conversation?

4. In the 2nd part of Volume 2 Tolstoy shows side by side Pierre’s and Princess Maria’s religious quests. Do their spiritual quests make Pierre and Princess Maria happy?

5. Why is the old Prince Bolkonsky getting even more frustrated and upset about his daughter Maria?

Volume 2, Part 3 (418-487)

1. What are the new developments in Prince Andrei’s life? What, if anything, does he achieve working at his estates and at the state service in Petersburg?

2. When and how did Prince Andrei’s and Natasha’s romance begin? Natasha claims that her infatuation with Prince Andrei started when she first saw him during his visit to her family’s estate, Otradnoe. Was it so? Why does she say and believe it?

4. Why were neither Princess Maria, nor the old Prince happy to learn about Prince Andrei’s intention to marry Natasha? Why did both he and Natasha accept the old Prince Bolkonskii’s conditions?

Class 4

Volume 2, Part 4 (488-534)

1. What role does the hunt scene play in the novel? In which ways is it an important episode? 

2. What do we learn from this part about the Rostov family and about Natasha and Nikolai in particular?

Volume 2, Part 5 (535-600)

1. In which ways did Freemasonry change Pierre’s life? Did it provide a solution to his problems? Did it bring him contentment?

2. Why was Princess Maria’s meeting with Natasha Rostova such a disappointment? 

3. In this part of the novel Natasha re-enters Moscow high society and becomes acquainted with a number of new people some of whom she likes and admires and some of whom she distastes. What does she base her likes and dislikes on? Can she succeed in the big world?

4. Why did Natasha decide to abandon everything she had and loved in her life and elope with Anatole Kuragin?

Class 5

Volume 3, Part 1 (603-681)

1. Whom does the narrator regard the initiator of and holds responsible for the war of 1812?

2. How do the heads of the opposing states, tsar Alexander I and Napoleon, perceive and explain the reasons for this war? What goals do they pursue? 

3. What does Russian General and Tsar’s messenger, Balashov, see and experience in the French camp?

4. How do the novel’s main characters see this war? Why does Prince Andrei decide to join the army and to go to the western front?

5. What kind of a man and leader is Napoleon? How do other people see him (Balashov, Prince Andrei Bolkonskii, Pierre, as well as French, Russian and Polish officers)? 

6. At different times Prince Andrei, Pierre, Boris and other characters admire Napoleon. Do they continue regarding him a genius? 

7. Old Prince Bolkonskii’s mistreatment of Princess Maria escalates, yet when Prince Andrei speaks up in her defense, it becomes clear that she does not want his protection. Why not? And why does he challenge his father at this point?

 Volume 3, Part 2

1. Is Nikolai Rostov a hero? Why is he not proud but rather disappointed when he receives military honors?

2. What are the symptoms of, and remedies for Natasha’s illness?

3. How do Natasha’s new religious experiences change her?

4. How does an underage Petia Rostov manage to enroll in the army?

5. Why does the old Prince Bolkonski refuse to recognize the significance and the very fact of the war with Napoleon?

6. What impact does the old Prince’s death have on his daughter?

8. Consumed by her grief, Princess Maria refuses to leave the Bald Hills. Yet then she changes her mind and decides to go to Moscow without delay. What prompted Princess Maria’s change of heart? 

9. Why do her peasants refuse first to supply and then to harness the horses?

10. How is Kutuzov portrayed in this part? What kind of person and leader is he? 

11. What significance, according to Tolstoy, did Borodino battle have for the outcome of the French-Russian war of 1812?

12. What are Prince Andrei’s thoughts before the Borodino battle? (chapter XXIV)

13. Under what circumstances was Prince Andrei wounded? Could this wound be helped? (chapter XXXVI)

14. What does Prince Andrei learn and reveal to us about himself right after he is wounded and then in the hospital tent? (chapters XXXVI-XXXVII)

15. What are the circumstances of Prince Andrei’s encounter with his long-sought foe, Anatole Kuragin? Is this encounter of importance?

16. Who won the Borodino battle? (XXXVIII)

17. Why does Pierre come to Borodino? What does he see? What are his experiences and thoughts on the battle-field?

 

Class 6 

Volume 3, Part 3 (821-932)

1. What is the significance of Pierre’s dream after the Borodino battle? (IX)

2. What does Pierre attempt to achieve by remaining in Moscow? (XVIII) 

3. What role does Pierre’s encounter and conversation with captain Ramball play in the narrative? (XXIX)

4. How does Pierre’s stay in Moscow impact his life and his quest for self-knowledge?

5. The Rostovs, just like many other Moscow families of Russian nobility decide to depart from Moscow. Yet the circumstances of their departure are drastically different from those of others. Does their decision to leave behind their belongings and give the carriages to the wounded come as a surprise? (XVI)

6. What are other, minor, characters preoccupied with as they leave Moscow? (Berg, Countess Helen Bezukhov, Julie Drubetskoi (maiden name Karagina), Count Rastopchin)?

7. What are Napoleon’s thoughts before the Borodino battle (Part 2, XXIX), at the very end of it (Part 2, XXXVIII) and at the time of his entrance to Moscow (XIX)?

8. How do his thoughts compare to those of Prince Andrei, Pierre and Kutuzov?

9. How do Natasha and Prince Andrei meet in Mytyshchi? What is the setting? How do they look? What do they experience/feel?

10. When Prince Andrei sees Natasha he tells her that he loves her better than before. What does he mean? (XXXII)

Volume 4, Part 1

1. Tolstoy offers a detailed discussion of Russia’s people response to the events of the 1812 war. What are those responses? What does he have to say about the nobility, people, the tsar? Why, at the same time, does he claim that “in reality the personal interests of the day are so much more significant than the general interests that as a result the general interests are never felt (or even noticed at all) (Vol. IV, Part 1, IV p. 944)?

2. What does Nikolai Rostov value in Princess Maria? How does she compare with Sonya?

3. Having met Princess Maria, Natasha tells her that “he’s too good” and that “he can’t live.” What does she mean? When and through what indicators did Princess Maria realize Prince Andrei’s transformation? What kind of transformation is it? What are the signs of his approaching death? Why doesn’t Andrei Bolkonskii have any fear of death? 

 

Class 7

Volume 4, Part 1

3. In Volume IV Tolstoy continues portraying the course of the war through Pierre’s eyes. Why does he choose Pierre for this role? What effect does the author achieve by means of this portrayal? 

4. Why does Pierre refuse to identify himself to his captors?

5. What happens to Pierre in captivity? What are Pierre’s insights and revelations?

6. What attracted Pierre to Platon Karataev? How does he see Platon Karataev?

7. Why, when Karataev’s death was imminent and he signaled Pierre to approach, Pierre pretended that he did not see his signs? (Vol. 4 Part 3, XIV p. 1063-4)

8. What happened to Petia? How does Tolstoy portray his extraordinary musical experience? Is it comparable to Prince Andrei’s and Pierre’s insights and/or revelations?

 

Class 8

Volume 4, Part 4, Epilogues 1 & 2

1. What are the consequences of Petia’s death? What impact does it have on the old countess? On Natasha? What is Petia’s role in the novel?

2. In what way did Natasha change after Prince Andrei’s death? Is she believable as a mature woman? 

3. In which way is the Pierre of the end of the novel different from the Pierre we knew before?

4. War & Peace follows love stories, romances, courtships and marriages. Is this novel about love and relationships? How would you define its main concerns?

5. What event(s), if any, can be considered the novel’s climax?

6. The novel ends with two engagements and marriages of the four protagonists. Are these matches and marriages believable?

7. How do Tolstoy’s characters develop? Are they autonomous or are they interdependent? To what extent do they participate in each other’s development? How important are they to the evolvement and growth of their mates?

8. What makes War & Peace an enjoyable and entertaining book?

 
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