War and peace

War and Peace is a novel by Russian writer Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy, also his masterpiece, written in 1863-1869.

Centered on the Great Patriotic War of 1812, the work reflects major historical events from 1805 to 1820. Based on the experiences of the four nobles of Balcons, Bezukhov, Rostov and Kulagin, numerous events and characters are connected in the alternating depictions of war and peace. [1]

The author crosses the two lives and two threads of "war" and "peace" to form an encyclopedic and magnificent epic. [2] The basic theme of War and Peace is to affirm the righteous resistance of the Russian people in this war and to praise the patriotic enthusiasm and heroism shown by the Russian people in the war. But the tone of the work is religious benevolence and humanitarianism, and the writer opposes the war, and gives deep sympathy to the suffering of all parties to the war.

In 1805, after Napoleon led his army to conquer Europe, there was also a war between France and Russia. However, in the Russian upper class, people's lives were still quiet and leisurely, and social dances were held as usual. After the young Duke Andrei Borconsky handed over his pregnant wife to his father and sister Maria, who had retired to the territory of "Bald Mountain", he served as an aide-de-camp to General Kutuzov and set out for the front, hoping that the war would bring glory and glory to him.

André's friend Pierre Bezukhov, who has just returned from studying abroad, is one of the best capitalists in Moscow and a darling of the social world. The ill-intentioned guardian, Duke Kurakin, saw this and attempted to marry his beautiful but misbehaving daughter Ellen, and the plot was successful, but the marriage was unfortunate. In November of the same year, Andrey's Russian army was defeated at the Battle of Austerlitz. Andre returned to Bald Mountain after all kinds of hardships. One night, his wife, Lisa, gave birth to a baby boy, but she died in childbirth. Andre fell into loneliness and despair, he felt that his life was over, and he made up his mind to grow old in the territory. On the other hand, shortly after his marriage, Pierre discovered that his wife Ellen had an ambiguous relationship with his friend Dobherv, and in order to protect his reputation, he dueled with Dobherv. After luckily knocking out the other party, Pierre separated from his wife, and he was also caught up in the problems of good and evil and life and death. Soon Pierre joined Freemasonry and came up with a philosophy of life. With a magnanimous heart, he took back his wife.

In February 1807, the Russian-Austrian forces engaged in a brutal battle with the French at Elrao, with heavy losses on both sides. In June Napoleon signed a peace treaty with the Tsar, and a temporary life of peace began. In the spring of 1809, Andrey went to the Duke of Rostov for the matter of the Noble Congregation. At the Duke's house, he was immediately attracted to the life-filled and beautiful Duke's daughter, Natasha, who agreed to his marriage proposal. But the old Duke of Bald Hill objected to her, believing that she was not rich enough and too young. The two parties eventually met for a year and married. Soon, Andrei went abroad. Natasha sadly agrees to wait a year, but she can't stand the loneliness. She became acquainted with Ellen's brother Anatole. Tempted by him, the two decided to elope. At this point, her marriage contract with Andre was invalidated. This was an extremely heavy blow to Andrey's proud character, and he suffered for it. However, due to the military affairs, he gradually forgot about this matter.

In 1812, Napoleon took the lead in tearing up the original peace agreement, commanding the army to cross the Neman River, Russia and France again fought, the elderly General Kutuzov was determined to prevent the French army from continuing to advance, but due to tactical errors and other reasons, the Russian army did not complete the battle. The battle was ongoing, with heavy losses on both sides. Finally, the Russian and French armies engaged in an unusually fierce battle at Borodino. Obviously, this was the worst battle the Russians had ever fought. Kutuzov had to bitterly declare that the army was powerless to defend Moscow, and Napoleon entered another empty city as a victor. André was seriously wounded at the Battle of Borodino. The Rostov family sent the wagons that had been used to carry the family property to transport the wounded soldiers. Natasha accidentally finds the dying Andre among the wounded. She apologized to him and took good care of him. They have old feelings for each other, but it is too late. Andre's wounds worsened and he died shortly after in his sleep.

Pierre stayed in Moscow and decided to be a national hero. Disguised as a farmer, he tried to assassinate Napoleon, but was captured while rescuing a Russian woman who had been humiliated by French soldiers. Pierre's wife, Ellen, still struggled to restrain her debauchery during the war, and eventually died of accidentally taking abortion pills. Napoleon's army was completely disintegrated in the empty city of Moscow, and he waited wearily, hoping that the Tsar would ask him to sign a peace agreement. But this day was delayed, and he had to abandon Moscow and return to France. On the way to Smososk, the French army completely disintegrated, becoming a ragtag group of fleeing and plundering. Under the constant harassment of the Cossacks, a large number of Russian prisoners of war were liberated and Pierre was freed. Russia finally won the war.

Pierre returned to Moscow and resumed his friendship with Rostov and the Paulkonsky family. Natasha attracts him, and he suddenly realizes that Natasha has grown up. So when the time came, he asked her parents to agree to their marriage. Meanwhile, Natasha's brother Nikolai is considering marrying Maria, Andrea's sister. Pierre and Natasha are married and live happily ever after. The once simple and frivolous woman became a hard-working and capable wife. After 8 years of marriage, they raised 4 cute and intelligent children. Natasha gave everything she had to her husband and children. They find each other's lives fulfilling their past dreams. Although Nikolai could not fully affirm his love for Maria, he understood that the marriage was wise and appropriate. They adopted Andrea's son, Nigulushka, and lived a very happy life.