2008-08-25 The force that moves nations

(contains spoilers)

There are two themes in War and Peace: one is "What is the force that moves nations", in other words what causes historical events to take place, the motivation that drives all humans; and the second is the particular focussing on a small number of families and their circle.

The sections of the book that deal with warfare and Napoleon are naturally biased towards the Russian viewpoint, with Tolstoy sarcastically referring to "that genius Napoleon." Rules of warfare and theories of battle are expounded and are (surprisingly to me) engrossing. The statistics of this war are staggering: although Moscow was taken by the French, the French army of 600,000 virtually ceased to exist as they struggled to leave Russia.

Tolstoy points out how extraordinary it is, that a country's army, though a tiny percentage of the population, brings about the subjugation of millions if they triumph in battle.

The human element of the novel focuses on a huge cast of characters. People claim they mix up the Russian names; but this edition didn't pose any problems. I loved the picture of Russian life, one of socialising, balls, hunting, serfs, peasants, Cossacks...during a war, life goes on elsewhere in that country as normal. A valued hunting dog is purchased for "three families of house serfs" and one of my favourite chapters describes a wolf hunt with 130 dogs

Pierre and Prince Andrei are tormented by their search for happiness in life, an objective, an aim. It is described as a torment that can never be satisfied. Tolstoy perceives man's restlessness as being a result of the Fall - as a result we can't be idle without feeling guilty. "A secret voice warns that for us idleness is sin". These two men strive against their baser nature, towards "the infinite, the eternal and the absolute".

These two upright, decent men contrast with Anatole, with his moral vacuum, self aggrandisement, vanity and pride. He is a rake, a "male Magdalen" who believes: "all will be forgiven him because he enjoyed himself so much"

Prince Andrei comes to the conclusion that we must have sympathy, love of our brothers, "a happiness beyond the reach of material forces, of the soul alone, the happiness of loving".

Pierre, who was captured by the French and endured dreadful privations, achieved peace and inner harmony through living through the horrors of death, and realising that his wealth had caused such a superfluity of the comforts of life that it had destroyed all the joy in gratifying his needs and choosing his occupations.

Women are central, essential to the male characters, but very much in the Miltonic mould: "he for God only, she for God in him." Initially Prince Andrei advised Pierre against women: "tie yourself up with a woman and like a convict in irons you lose all freedom....selfish, vain, humdrum, trivial in everything". Women such as Helene seem "as it were, covered with the hard polish left by the thousands of eyes that had scanned her person".

Natasha, who loves Prince Andrei but is spurned by him and becomes Pierre's devoted wife, receives one of literature's most romantic declarations: "if I were not myself, but the handsomest, cleverest, best man in the world, and if I were free, I would be on my knees this minute to beg for your hand and your love."

War and Peace is one of those remarkable books where the reader is surprised with the pleasure of recognition of the human situation. The old countess "evinced to a remarkable degree a trait noticeable in the very young and the very old. Her existence had no manifest aim...but was merely...occupied by the need to exercise her various functions."

One of a handful of books to regularly re-read.