A study of “War and Peace”, a great novel of world literature

By Narayan Giri

“War and Peace” is a huge novel by world famous Russian writer Leo Tolstoy. “War and Peace” is such a fictional work, which shocked many people in the world. This work managed to reach the top of the discussion in the world. The book is extensive. Perhaps this must be the greatest of the world’s fictional works. The number of characters in the novel is very high. More than 500 characters are found in the count, but it becomes very difficult to identify the characters whose names are not mentioned and other types of characters. It is also difficult to calculate the character of the characters. Various characters have been included in the novel. The novel ‘War and Peace’ is a novel but it should not be any different from a kind of great document of war. Again, it is definitely not the only explanation of war. In ‘War and Peace’, Leo Tolstoy has described the social phenomena and trends of the entire society in a very interesting manner. Not only that, it shows Russian war and warriors full of patriotism or national love. Before reading a novel, many people may feel lazy, some may even feel bored. Because this book is very big. It seems that studying it in English requires more time, effort and concentration. Published by Wordsworth Classics, the book is now available in the market, with about 1000 pages in extremely fine print. So for us, it seems that the book translated into Hindi, published by Russia’s Raduga Publishing House, Moscow, would be easier than that. The book in Hindi language is divided into 17 parts including epilogue in four parts. It is about 2200 pages. Therefore, it seems that one should be freed from laziness as well as acquiring proficiency in Hindi language just to read the book. Those who understand English have done well. After reading 4 volume 17 parts or 2200 pages of the Hindi version, if you read continuously for a whole day, you can finish it in 12 days. Its themes will be intriguing at the beginning, but as the book progresses, it becomes difficult to leave the readers until the end of the novel. In the novel, the events are worded in such an interesting manner that any reader cannot help but be surprised. It is no exaggeration that the novel contains the entire history of Russian and French society from 1805 to 1815. In the novel, each event is explained with dates and chronology, so some people understand it as a history of war. In the novel, the characters change in such a way that the readers are very eager to find out. Linguistic interest has brought the novel to its peak. Philosophical aspects are also abundantly included in the novel.

Before we understand the novel, we need to get some information about its author. People from many parts of the world have heard the name and work of Leo Tolstoy. Works have been read. Leo Tolstoy (Lev Tolstoy) was born on August 28, 1828 in a high and prosperous aristocratic family in Moscow. After his mother died when he was 2 years old and his father died when he was 9 years old, his uncle provided him with upbringing and education. His father-in-law and brother-in-law also served in the military. Moreover, the father participated in the Great Patriotic War of 1812 (which is mentioned in the novel). After completing his university studies, he studied for some time at Kazan University. From a young age, he used to search and study various works of philosophers and writers of the world. While studying at the university, he also joined the army along with his brother and participated in many battles. Which helped him a lot in preparing his literary works. After returning from the war, he started writing novels like childhood, adolescence, etc. Then wrote family happiness. He also got married at the age of 34. After that he started writing his comprehensive novel War and Peace. After continuous hard work from June 1863 to 1868, he completed it. He then wrote several epic novels, short stories and plays, including Anna Karenina (1873 to 1877), The Tale of the Horse (1885), The Death of Ivan Ilyich (1886), The Power of Darkness (1886), Father Sergei (1890) and Resurrection (1899). And he died in 1910 at the age of 82.

In this way, he wrote not only war and peace. But as much as the War and Peace novel gained world fame, no other work could achieve it. But Anna Karenina is also one of his world famous novels, which ends in a very tragic incident.

Thus, by working hard for 6 consecutive years, he prepared war and peace. The surprising thing is that there are so many incidents in the War and Peace novel, all of them have been arranged by the author, it seems that it is a very complicated work. Along with the events, art, literature, philosophy and science are also presented in a very interesting manner in the novel. This is also a very abstract work. Perhaps that is why Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, the great leader of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (Bolshevik) and the leader of the great October Revolution, portrayed Leo Tolstoy as a mirror of the Russian Revolution.

There are about 28 main characters in the War and Peace novel. But there are hundreds of other characters, who appear and disappear during the war and with other events. Among these characters, Prince Andrei and his family, Pierre and his family, Rostov and his family, Natasha, Princess Maria and Ellen played important roles. During the war, Napoleon, Alexander and Kutuzov also played an important role. Other characters have also played very interesting roles in their respective places. When you pay attention to the activity of the characters in the novel, sometimes it becomes serious, sometimes it is funny and sometimes it does not take long even to cry. The novel begins with peace and almost ends with peace. Terrible battles happen in the middle of the novel.

In the novel, there are not only scenes of war, but also very happy moments. It is also mentioned that there is a single grave of one lakh and family strength, love, social harmony, social environment and restrictions and scenarios can also be read in the same place. The artistry of the war description cannot help but surprise the reader. And, from the war lecture there, some people think that there has never been a bigger battle in history and more people have not died than here. The epic battle or war from 1805 to 1812, which is depicted in the novel about Napoleon Bonaparte of France and the Russian Tsar Alexander or the fierce war between the Russians and the French. While studying it, he gets a feeling that he is also sitting in a corner watching the terrible scene of war. It is not shown that there is only continuous war. In the meantime, in the year 1807, an agreement or treaty was also made between Napoleon and Alexander in a strange way between both parties. There is also mention of such closeness between Napoleon and Alexander as late as 1809. It is hard to imagine, but unfortunately, during 1811, the Russians and the French again fought so fiercely and fatally that perhaps even one who only observes the illustration People can’t resist. The novel describes the fact that the French under the leadership of Napoleon were destroying many Russian troops with cannons, shells and spears during the 2-year war from 1805 to 1807. In the novel, there is also an eerie lecture in which forests, riverbanks and deserts are filled with corpses of horses and soldiers. It is surprising to see that the Russian army did not retreat even after suffering such losses. At the end of the period of the first war from 1805 to 1807, all the Russian wounded were picked up by the French and taken to treatment in the novel.

After the treaty, all the Russian warriors returned home with wounded bodies and the pleasant relationship with the family after the family meeting is very artistically explained in the novel. Meanwhile, the social scenario, events, love, affection and family contents have been explained in detail.

In this way, while the society was in a happy moment, suddenly the French came across the big rivers with great difficulty and attacked the Russians suddenly, and all the Russian forces gathered and faced it heroically. At the same time, the most terrible battle in the novel, the battle of Borodino, is explained so terribly that no one can remain bowed down while reading it. Complex scenes have been presented where more than one lakh corpses fell in one place, blood flowed, the trees and plants around were not devoid of blood, many warriors were lying with their head and hooves scattered everywhere. Even so, it is also said that the Russian troops, full of patriotism, are resolutely facing the French. Later, the Russian army was forced to pass through Moscow and the French retreated towards the mountains and occupied Moscow. The Muscovites fled from Moscow because they created terror and looting. The Russian wounded were taken away under protection. Similarly, there is a vignette of the Muscovites burning food instead of giving it to the French, the French dying day after day without food and unable to cope with the snow, and the army running out. Surprisingly, on this occasion, the Russian army, who had retreated, planned to attack the French from all sides, from which the French, including Napoleon, left everything, were chased by the Russian troops, and many died while fleeing, etc. The events mentioned in the novel are While reading the novel, the reader feels that sometimes he is chasing a Frenchman with a Russian and sometimes he is running away as a Frenchman. From the cover to the middle of the novel, pictures of war and other activities, including various war materials, have become easier to understand. It is not possible to explain the entire plot of the novel.

Section 1 of the novel begins with the diverse culture and dance of the Russians. In which there are all the characters including Natasha, Pierre, Andrei, Maria, Liza, Volkonsky, Rostov. In the beginning, the war recruitment campaign is also shown. As the events progress, Prince Volkonsky’s son, Prince Andrei, prepares to go to the Patriotic War. The emotional moment of his father, wife and sister saying goodbye to him is presented. This is followed immediately by the narrative of the war, where Prince Andrei plays an important role. While the commander of the Russian forces is Kutuzov, the commander of the French is Napoleon himself. Later, there is a fierce battle, many Russians die, Prince Andrei is also wounded and lying on the banks of the river, and the treaty is also explained here.

In the second part of the novel, it is mentioned that after the treaty, the warriors returned home and enjoyed family happiness. In which Denisov, Rostov, Pierre, etc. met with their family members and indulged in courtship. There the news of Prince Andrei’s death came to his house. His father and sister are completely confused by this. But he does not tell this to his wife Liza. Because Liza had already withered when Andrei went to the army. She was pregnant, later she died in the hospital and only the son survived. Thus, there is almost no description of the war in section 2. Instead, scenes full of entertainment such as hunting, dancing and spending time in festivals and ceremonies are explained. Later, Prince Andrei came, his wife died, and the son was born. Behind that, there is also love between Andrei, Natasha and others. Later, Andrei went back to military service, his father died in the meantime, etc.

In section 3, the entire description of the final battle is found. There is almost no peace there. War is also seen as horrible and terrible. It is explained here that Napoleon came to attack the Russians by sea with his army, and that the Russians were all united and facing the attack. The battle of Borodino, where millions of Russians had a single grave, blood was shed, the French were advancing in a demonic manner and the Russians were overflowing with patriotism, and the reality is mentioned there. Horses, cannons, spears and some guns as well as the cries of the people have also been spelled out. Meanwhile, Andrei falls from the cannon, his intestines and stomach are visible, but he is alive and unconscious. Many other warriors are also injured and turned into corpses. If the Russians retreat with the wounded after some lack of skill, the French pursue and occupy Moscow and conquer it. The Russians are resting on a snowy slope. Villagers and some doctors from the army are treating and protecting the injured. Prince Andrei faints many times. Doctors say he will not survive. His older sister and girlfriend, Maria and Natasha, respectively, meet them and cry in agony. While Pierre was in the army, he was engaged in religion, he was very angry with Napoleon. So he makes a plan to kill Napoleon and goes to Moscow with a knife on his waist and reaches Moscow to kill Napoleon. He sees Moscow burning, where a mother who is about to lose a child is crying into the flames. He jumps into the fire and pulls out the child with difficulty. Then he was surrounded by the French and imprisoned as a spy. On the other hand, Andrei dies.

In Section 4, the French are dying of hunger and cold. Taking that opportunity, Kutuzov and other Russian forces planned and attacked the French. Then, unable to invade Russia, Napoleon fled with the French army. Weapons are thrown around in a chaotic manner, which is seized by all the Russians. The Russians chase the French. Many soldiers on both sides die in between due to snow and hunger. After all, Napoleon’s army is not found and the Russians also return. Thus the war ends mysteriously. After that, there is a description of the Russian society tormented by the war in the novel. Pierre has also been released from captivity. And, he takes to the village. Natasha and Maria are completely emotionless after Andrei’s death. Maria feels that she has no one in the world except her little nephew. They neither sleep nor eat. This pain also bothers Natasa’s mother. She wants to die. Later Natasha stops her. Rostov is the same. Now in this way, the novel goes forward revealing social peace. Almost at the last stage, Natasha gets married to Pierre and Princess Maria gets married to Rostov. And, they are not involved in family gatherings. After that, the wounds of the war will heal. This is how the novel ends.

Thus, after finishing the novel, the author has written two parts as an epilogue. There he has explained various aspects of war in a philosophical manner. He has explained the philosophical aspects of necessity and freedom in a vivid manner, closely related to life. He mentions the way of life of people and human society from the history, bringing forward the points of various old and new philosophers who look at life and the world. Thus, the novel War and Peace does not seem to represent only war and peace. The novel also carries the entire history of the society at that time. Various topics including history, philosophy, art, literature, science, culture and geography have been included, explained and analyzed in a very intelligent manner in the novel.