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Introduction War and Peace

Summary novel by Tolstoy
Historical context
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Writing War and Peace

References & Edit History Also known as: “Voyna i mir”

Written by Kate Lohnes
Related Topics Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Last Updated: Feb 20, 2024 • Article History
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War and Peace, historical novel by Leo Tolstoy, originally published as Voyna i mir
The Literary World (Famous in 1865–69. This panoramic study of early 19th-century Russian society, noted for its
Novels)
mastery of realistic detail and variety of psychological analysis, is generally regarded as
Famous Novels, First Lines
Quiz a masterwork of Russian literature and one of the world’s greatest novels.
Famous Novels, Last Lines
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Summary
Related Questions War and Peace begins in the Russian city of St. Petersburg in 1805, as fear of
Why were the Napoleonic Wars Napoleon’s ongoing war making begins to set in. Most of the characters are introduced
important? at a party, including Pierre Bezukhov, Andrey Bolkonsky, and the Kuragin and Rostov
How did the Napoleonic Wars end? families. Much of the novel focuses on the interactions between the Bezukhovs,

What did the Napoleonic Wars have

Bolkonskys, and the Rostovs. After their introduction, Andrey Bolkonsky and Nikolay
to do with the Era of Good Feelings Rostov go to the Austrian front under General Kutuzov, a fictional representation of
in the United States?
Mikhail Kutuzov, to engage with Napoleon’s troops. Andrey is then injured at the
Why is Leo Tolstoy significant? Battle of Austerlitz and presumed dead, until he arrives home to his wife, Lise, who
What was Leo Tolstoy’s childhood dies during childbirth soon after. Pierre, meanwhile, has married Helene Kuragina.
like?
She is unfaithful to him, and Pierre duels with the other man, almost killing him. He
soon becomes overwhelmed by his marriage and leaves Helene. He joins the
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Freemasons, which influences his personal and business fortunes greatly. In the
Britannica’s Book Bingo meantime Nikolay has racked up a large amount of gambling debt, which causes the
Rostov family to lose most of their fortune. He is encouraged to marry a wealthy
12 Novels Considered the
“Greatest Book Ever Written” heiress, despite promising to marry Sonya, his cousin. Nikolay eventually witnesses the
10 Captivating Contemporary peace between Tsar Alexander I and Napoleon (Treaties of Tilsit, signed in 1807).
Novels Set in the British Isles
Andrey soon becomes involved with Natasha Rostov only to be told by his father that
8 of History’s Most Famous he must wait a year before marrying her. After some time away, Andrey discovers that
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Natasha has been unfaithful. He rejects her, and Pierre consoles her, eventually falling
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Battle of Waterloo in love with her.

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World

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Between a Solstice and an In 1812 Napoleon invades Russia, forcing Alexander to declare war. Andrey returns to
Equinox?
service, and Pierre is driven to believe he must personally assassinate Napoleon. As the
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Didn’t Start the Fire,” French advance, Mary, Andrey’s sister, is forced to leave her house. Nikolay finds her
Explained in the streets, and the two reconnect. Pierre, still crazed by his imaginary duty, is
10 Unusual Sports apprehended by French forces and witnesses a number of executions, which deeply
affect him. During his imprisonment, he befriends Platon Karatev, a wise peasant. He
7 Women Warriors
is later freed from the French and promptly falls ill. After recovering, he marries
7 of the World’s Most Natasha, and they have four children together. Nikolay weds Mary, and the two enjoy a
Dangerous Lizards and happy married life.
Turtles

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Historical context
War and Peace is known for its realism, something Tolstoy achieved through intensive
research. He visited battlefields, read history books on the Napoleonic Wars, and drew
on real historical events to create a novel of living history. Tolstoy had originally
planned to write a novel centring on the Decembrists, whose revolution in 1825 against
the tsar attempted to end autocratic rule in Russia. The Decembrists failed, however,
 and those who were spared execution were sent to Siberia. Tolstoy wanted to depict a
Decembrist, now old, returning from exile. As Tolstoy wrote and revised, however, the
novel evolved into the War and Peace known today—a novel that takes place more
than a decade before the Decembrist movement. The novel’s primary historical setting
is the French invasion of Russia in 1812, which was a turning point in the Napoleonic
Wars and a period of patriotic significance to Russia. Some historians argue that this
invasion was the event that metamorphosed into the Decembrist movement years
later.

Many of the family names used in War and Peace are slight alterations of real names
Tolstoy had encountered in his life—a deliberate strategy intended to make the novel
feel familiar to the Russians who read it. Bolkonsky, for example, is a manipulated
version of Tolstoy’s mother’s family name, Volkonsky. Tolstoy also created the majority
of his characters with his own family members in mind; for example, his sister-in-law,
Tanya, was the inspiration behind Natasha. Tolstoy’s firsthand knowledge of war
likewise influenced War and Peace. When he was 26 years old, he fought in the
Crimean War, which he also wrote about in three sketches describing, graphically, his
experiences during the Siege of Sevastopol (published 1855–56).

Writing War and Peace

Tolstoy wrote War and Peace over the course of six years. The novel was originally
serialized by the Russian periodical Russkiy Vestnik under the title 1805 starting in
1865, but its somewhat indifferent reception and Tolstoy’s compulsion to revise
spurred him and his wife, Sofya, to decide to stop the serialization and instead focus on
publishing the novel in volumes. Tolstoy continued to write, and he also hired the
prominent artist Mikhail Bashilov to illustrate the novel. By 1868 three volumes had
been released and were selling rapidly. Tolstoy finished three more volumes between
1868 and 1869. Sofya had copied several drafts, all by hand. All told, War and Peace
filled more than 1,200 pages when first published.

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For a discussion of War and Peace in the context of Tolstoy’s life and work, see Leo
Tolstoy: The period of the great novels (1863–77).

Kate Lohnes

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Rostov family keyboard_arrow_left Home keyboard_arrow_right Literature keyboard_arrow_right Fictional Characters

Table of Contents Arts & Culture

Introduction Rostov family

References & Edit History fictional characters
Related Topics
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Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Article History
The Literary World
(Characters Quiz)
Rostov family, fictional characters, members of one of the central families in the epic
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novel War and Peace (1865–69) by Leo Tolstoy.

The Rostov family is headed by the Count, a well-meaning but ineffectual nobleman
Related Questions
who manages his business affairs poorly. The Countess, who arranges advantageous
Why is Leo Tolstoy significant? marriages for her children, is pretentious and shallow. The eldest daughter, Vera, is
What was Leo Tolstoy’s childhood rigid and formal. By contrast, her sister, Natasha, is a beautiful young woman of great
like? personal charm. The older son, Nikolay, is a handsome and principled man who loves
How did Leo Tolstoy die? his impoverished cousin Sonya but accedes to pressure to find a wealthy, titled bride.
 What are Leo Tolstoy’s The romantic younger son, Petya, is swept away by patriotic fervour and dies a
achievements?
pointless death in an unnecessary military encounter.

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