Volume 1: Book 4 - Chapter 16

Characters Present:

Nicholas Rostóv

Count Ilya Rostóv

Countess Natalya Rostova

Natasha Rostova

Vaska Denísov

Location:

The Rostov House

Count Ilya Rostóv arrives home, and Nicholas at first haughtily asks for the 43,000 rubles to pay back to Dólokhov, and then starts to beg and sob as his father starts to leave the room.  

In the meantime, Denísov accidentally proposes to Natasha, who runs off to ask advice from her mother, Countess Natalya Rostova.  The countess does not take it seriously at all, since Natasha is still so young and tells Denísov so, after both she and Natasha reject him.

Count Rostóv eventually raises the funds to pay his son's gambling debts to Dólokhov and Nicholas leaves to rejoin his regiment in Poland.

End of book 4

Volume 1: Book 4 - Chapter 15

Characters Present:

Nicholas Rostóv

Sonya Rostova

Natasha Rostova

Vaska Denísov

Location:

The Rostov House 

Nicholas returns home to find everyone in good spirits - Denísov is playing piano, and Natasha is looking at him adoringly. 

Sonya notes what a terrible mood Nicholas is in.  They are all concerned for about a minute, and then return to their gaiety. Natasha starts to sing.

Nicholas paces the room, waiting for his father to get home so he can ask for money, and wonders how anyone could be happy at such a time as this.

Volume 1: Book 4 - Chapter 14

Characters Present:

Nicholas Rostóv
Fedor Ivanovich Dólokhov

Location:

The English Club

Rostóv and Dólokhov continue to play cards, and Dólokhov decides to take Rostóv's losings up to 43,000 rubles, which is the combined age of he and Sonya.

Dólokhov is successful in his endeavors, and asks Rostóv when he will hand the money over.  Rostóv asks for an IOU and Dólokhov remarks bitterly that Sonya is in love with Rostóv. 

Rostóv gets cranky and tells Dólokhov to leave his cousin out of it and says that he will pay the outstanding sum on the morrow.

Volume 1: Book 4 - Chapter 13

Characters Present: 

Nicholas Rostóv

Fedor Ivanovich Dólokhov

20 friends of Dólokhov

Location:

The English Club, Moscow

Nicholas Rostóv has been trying to get in touch with Fedor Ivanovich Dólokhov for some days, though Dólokhov has been avoiding him. Rostóv finally gets a note from Dólokhov, requesting his company at the English Club that evening.

Rostóv goes, and Dólokhov looks at him coldly and says that now that Sonya has rejected him, he will leave to rejoin his regiment

They play cards, and Dólokhov snidely taunts Rostóv into betting more than he can afford - 800 rubles of his 2000 ruble allowance, which he is supposed to use over the whole season.  Rostóv loses it.

Volume 1: Book 4 - Chapter 12

Characters Present:

Nicholas Rostóv

Natasha Rostova

Sonya Rostova

Vaska Denísov

Iogel - a dance instructor and ball-arranger

Location: 

One of Iogel's balls in the ballroom at the Berzúkhov house (Moscow)

Nicholas, Natasha, Sonya and Vaska all attend a ball, thrown by Iogel, who by all accounts, hosts the best balls in Moscow. 

Vaska notes to Nicholas that his sister, Natasha, is quite beautiful as he watches her dancing.

A Polish dance called the "mazurka" starts, and Nicholas encourages Natasha to ask Vaska to dance, as he is famous for his execution of it.

Natasha and Vaska dance and he is so good at it  that Natasha looks at him in awe when it is over.  They spend the rest of the evening sitting together.

Volume 1: Book 4 - Chapter 11

Characters Present:

Nicholas Rostóv

Sonya Rostova

Natasha Rostova

Fedor Ivanovich Dólokhov,

Location:

The Rostóv Home

Nicholas is to return to his regiment in under two weeks and has been out and about around Moscow.

 
He returns home for dinner to find an amorous tension over the house.  He finds out off Natasha that Dólokhov has asked Sonya to marry him and that she has refused him.

Nicholas goes to speak with Sonya and says that she shouldn't wait for him, for while he loves her now, he probably won't later, as there are many women he is likely to fall in love with.

Volume 1: Book 4 - Chapter 10

Characters Present:

Nicholas Rostóv 

Sonya Rostova

Natasha Rostova

Fedor Ivanovich Dólokhov

Location: 

Moscow

Dólokhov recovers from being shot by Pierre , as does his mother from being deathly ill.

Dólokhov and Nicholas Rostóv end up becoming good friends, and Dólokhov starts going to a lot of events that the Rostóvs are going to be in attendance at, as he seems to have fallen in love with Sonya Rostova. 

Nicholas tries to convince his sister Natasha Rostova that Dólokhov is not a bad person, but she cannot be convinced.

Volume 1: Book 4 - Chapter 9

Characters Present:

Princess Lisa Bolkónskaya

Prince Andrew Bolkónski

Midwife Mary Bogdánovna  
A doctor from Moscow  
Prince Nicholas Andréevich
 

Location:

Bald Hill Estate

Prince Andrew goes into see his wife Princess Lisa between contractions and he is nicer to her than he has ever been. 

Prince Andrew leaves as some new contractions begin and he hears terrible animal moans, a scream and eventually the wail of a baby come from the other side of the door.  The nurse rushes out of the room without making eye-contact with him, and the doctor looks ashen-faced.  Princess Mary died in the final moments of birth. 

The funeral happens, and then the baptism for the baby, who is called "Prince Nicholas Andréevich".

Volume 1: Book 4 - Chapter 8

Characters Present:

Princess Lisa Bolkónskaya
Princess Mary Bolkónskaya
Midwife Mary Bogdánovna
A doctor from Moscow

Location:

Bald Hill Estate

Princess Lisa goes into labour in the morning and Princess Mary runs for the midwife.  Princess Lisa stays in labour all day and well into the night.  

Much to everyone's delight, a male voice inquiring after his father is heard from downstairs late in the evening - Prince Andrew has finally returned home.

Volume 1: Book 4 - Chapter 7

Characters Present:

Princess Mary Bolkónskaya
Princess Lisa Bolkónskaya
Old Prince Nicholas Bolkónski

Location:

Bald Hills Estate

 
Prince Nicholas Bolkónski receives a letter from General Kutúzov outlining his son's demise.  Nicholas Bolkónski tells his daughter Mary, who asks to weep with him.   He won't allow it and gets bad tempered about good Russian men dying for Russian glory. 

Mary wants to tell her sister-in-law, Lisa, about her husbands death, but cannot bring herself to, and asks her father to keep it quiet until Lisa comes out of her "confinement" in a few days time.

Volume 1: Book 4 - Chapter 6

Characters Present:

Count Pierre Bezukhov
Héléne Kuragina (now Countess)


Location:

The Bezukhov house, Moscow

Pierre returns home and goes straight to his deceased fathers bedroom, where he considers how much he dislikes his wife; how beautiful she is; and how bad it will look to her that he shot her lover.

He falls asleep eventually, and is woken the next morning by his footman and Héléne.  Hélène mocks Pierre over the duel and says that she wasn't having an affair with Dolókhov, but just spends so much time with him because he is wittier and smarter than Pierre.  Pierre says that they should separate and she scoffs and says that she will take most of his fortune.

The following week Pierre packs his things, gives control of a great deal of his estate to Hélène then goes to his other home in Petersburg.

Volume 1: Book 4 - Chapter 5

Characters Present:

Count Pierre Bezukhov
Fedor Ivanovich Dólokhov
Nicholas Rostóv
Vaska Denísov


Location:

24.384 metres or 80 feet off a roadside

Fedor Ivanich Dólokhov shouts through the mist to Pierre to begin.  They pace towards each other, though Dólokhov has not yet raised his pistol.  Pierre fires, and Dólokhov falls over.  He has the right to fire back through, so Pierre stands still while Dólokhov shoots and misses.

In the carriage on the way back to town, the wounded Dólokhov takes Rostóv by the hand and beseeches him to go ahead and prepare his mother for the news that he may be dying. 

Volume 1: Book 4 - Chapter 4

Characters Present:

Count Pierre Bezukhov
Fedor Ivanovich Dólokhov
Nicholas Rostóv
Prince Nesvítski

Location:

The English Club Moscow/24.384 metres or 80 feet off a roadside

Still at the dinner at the English Club, Pierre is sitting across the table from Fedor Ivanovich Dólokhov and Nicholas Rostóv.  

Pierre is unhappy because he received a letter from his cousin earlier stating that Pierre's new wife, Hélène is having an affair with Dólokhov, which serves to confirm the rumours already flying about town.  Berzúkhov is especially insulted as he previously helped Dólokhov out by giving him money and accommodation in his home.

Eventually Pierre snaps, calls Dólokhov a scoundrel and challenges him to a duel the following morning.

The next morning arrives and pistols are handed to Dólokhov and Pierre, who has to ask how the trigger works, as he has never fired a gun before.

Volume 1: Book 4 - Chapter 3

Characters Present:

Count Ilya Rostóv

General Bagratión

Nicholas Rostóv

Vaska Denísov

Prince Dolgorúkov

Pierre Bezukhov
300 other men

Location:

The English Club, Moscow

The pre-dinner drinks go on, and we learn that Pierre  doesn't fit in properly with young men or old men, because of his wealth and youth, respectively.

Count Ilya Rostóv introduces his son, Nicholas Rostóv to General Bagratión, who has had his moustache trimmed.  Nicholas behaves awkwardly.

Dinner is served.

Volume 1: Book 4 - Chapter 2

Characters Present:

Nicholas Rostóv

Vaska Denisóv

Count Ilya Rostóv

General Bagratión

Location:

Moscow

Rostóv, pleased to be home, has a new outfit and is showing it off in Moscow society.  He is no longer interested in a relationship with Sonja and has instead been doing manly things, such as going to brothels; going on sprees with Denisóv; and to a place called the English Club.

His father, Count Ilya Rostóv organsises a dinner for General Bagratión at the English Club and all of the main figures from the war are there.  Various events of the war are discussed, and it comes to pass that nobody realises that Prince Andrew Bolkónski has been captured by the French, and is still alive.

Volume 1: Book 4 - Chapter 1

Characters Present:

Count Ilya Rostóv

Countess Natalya Rostova

Natalya Rostova

Natasha Rostova

Sonya Rostova

Nicholas Rostóv

Vaska Denísov,

Location:

 The Rostóv house near Moscow

It is now 1806 and Nicholas Rostov and Vaska Denísov are on leave.  Nicholas convinces Denísov to travel with him, and both end up at the Rostóv's house late in the evening.

Nicholas's family is woken by their servants and are overjoyed to see him. 

In the morning, Nicholas has a conversation with his sister Natasha, who says that Sonya has decided to set him free, for she as much as she loves him, she wouldn't want to trap him.

At breakfast, Countess Natalya Rostova notices a new distance between her son Nicholas and his cousin, Sonya, and is concerned.

Volume 1: Book 3 - Chapter 19

Characters Present:

Prince Andrew Bolkónski
Prince Repnín
Lieutenant Sukhételen
Napoleon Bonaparte

Location: 

Pratzen

Prince Andrew Bolkónski keeps slipping in and out of consciousness, while still holding the standard, and finally wakes to find Napoleon Bonaparte standing above him, commenting on what a brave kind of death he had experienced.

Napoleon notices that Bolkónski is not dead, after he wiggles a bit, and gets his men to take him to camp to be treated by medics.  

Bolkónski wakes and finds Prince Repnín, the commander of a horse regiment, and Lieutenant Sukhételen with him.  Napoleon comes to review the captured men, and speaks with each of them, though Bolkónski is now having an existential crisis and does not reply. 

Napoleon requests that the three soldiers be taken to his tent to be seen to by his personal doctor, and the French troops who are present return a gold necklace that Bolkónski's sister had given to him, which they had had stolen earlier, due to his being in apparent favour with the emperor.

Volume 1: Book 3 - Chapter 18

Characters Present:

Nicholas Rostóv
Tsar Alexander

Location:

Pratzen 

The battle goes on and Nicholas Rostóv is still looking for the emperor or General Kutúzov.  He hears all sorts of rumours -  that they'd been wounded and taken off the field; that Kutúzov was killed by a canon-ball in the stomach; and that the Emperor had ridden off quickly as soon as things started to go badly.

Rostóv, feeling despondent, rides into an area that everyone tells him not to, lest he be killed.  He comes across Tsar Alexander, standing alone and looking dazed, but rather than going to speak to him and ask for instructions, feels awkward and star-struck and rides away in search of Kutúzov.  Rostóv looks back over his shoulder and finds that another soldier is now comforting the emperor, and Rostóv is struck down by severe regret.

Volume 1: Book 3 - Chapter 17

Characters Present:

General Bagratión

Nicholas Rostóv

Prince Dolgurúkov

General Kutúzov

Location:

Pratzen 

Nicholas Rostóv is under the command of General Bagratión in the right flank of the army, who are yet to start fighting.

Bagratión disagrees with Prince Dolgurúkov's demand that they join the battle and sends Rostóv on a six mile trek, on which he will probably die, to ask General Kutúzov whether they should join or not.

Rostóv asks if he can ask the emperor if he runs into him first, which Bagratión agrees to.  Rostóv rides off happily, but upon reaching the other side of the army, realises that the Austrians and Germans are firing at each other, and that they are completely flanked by the French.

Volume 1: Book 3 - Chapter 16

Characters Present:

Prince Andrew Bolkónski

Location:

Pratzen

The allies have been surprised by the French army, who were much closer than expected.  

Chaos ensues with bullets whizzing all around.  Prince Andrew grabs a standard, and starts waving it to alert battalions further back that the fighting has started.  

Prince Andrew, having roused a good deal of the army, feels a pain in his head and wonders why his legs will no longer support him.  He falls to the ground and muses that he feels peaceful.

Volume 1: Book 3 - Chapter 15

Characters Present:

General Kutúzov

Prince Andrew Bolkónski

Tsar Alexander

Tsar Alexander's entourage

Location:

Pratzen

The army is still marching into Pratzen.   Prince Andrew Bolkónski is unusually excited - he feels that today is the day that he leads the army to victory. General Kutúzov is going about looking grumpy, until he runs into Prince Andrew, who he asks to go an organise some sharp-shooters.

Tsar Alexander rides onto the field with his nicely dressed entourage and impatiently asks Kutúzov why nothing has begun.  Kutúzov says that not everyone has arrived yet and Tsar Alexander expresses his unhappiness.  Kutúzov says that he will do as Tsar Alexander pleases.

Volume 1: Book 3 - Chapter 14

Characters Present:

None specifically

Location: 

The army camp at Olmütz then Pratzen 

This chapter just outlines the movement of the Russian and German armies as they march into battle.

It is super foggy and the Russians are blaming the Germans for being slowed while marching.  The whole army is actually held up by the cavalry who moved forward too quickly and now has to circle back, which is holding up the infantry.  

Napoleon watches the army marching from a hill, and is pleased with the apparent disorganisation of the allies.  He will strike soon.

Volume 1: Book 3 - Chapter 13

Characters Present:

Nicholas Rostóv

General Bagratión

Prince Dolgorúkov,

Location:

The army camp in Olmütz

It is the evening of the day that the council of war took place, and Nicholas Rostóv is on watch, riding around the area that his platoon are camped in. 

Rostóv is so tired that he keeps dropping off to sleep, and wakes up to the sound of a gunshot coming from where the French were supposed to have retreated from.

He finds General Bagratión and Prince Dolgorúkov discussing the gunshots and he volunteers to go back over.  The French fire at Rostóv again, and he gallops back to the General and the Prince, who find out he is actually the young Count Rostóv, and tell him to stay with them.  Rostóv hopes that this will provide an opportunity to hand-deliver a letter to the Emperor in the morning.

Volume 1: Book 3 - Chapter 12

Characters Present:

Prince Andrew Bolkónski

General Kutúzov

General Weyrother (moved into the position of the now deceased General Schmidt)

Other high ranking officers

Location:

A nobleman's castle near Austerlitz

General Weyrother goes to a war council at a nobleman's castle that General Kutúzov has appropriated to give a presentation on battle strategies for the following day.

Kutúzov sleeps noisily through the whole presentation, and the other officers cannot agree as to whether the strategies will be effective or not.  Weyrother notes that the battle should be a doddle, because Napoleon only has 40,000 men left.

Prince Andrew Bolkónski tries give his opinion but everyone ignores him.  After the meeting, he spends some time contemplating his mortality, and we learn that he did love his wife, at first.

Volume 1: Book 3 - Chapter 11

Characters Present:

Sketch Map II of Austerlitz [1]

Tsar Alexander

Napoleon Bonaparte

Prince Andrew Bolkónski

Prince Dolgorúkov 

Bilíbin

General Kutúzov

Location: 

Wischau/Austerlitz 

Tsar Alexander sends Prince Dolgorúkov, as a slight, to meet with Napoleon, who has requested a truce. 

The army march for two days and 180,000 men (French and allies combined) fight the Battle of Austerlitz. 

Prince Andrew and Prince Dolorúkov gossip about Napoleon's character, and argue about what the next strategic move should be, and Bilíbin tells them that they are both wrong because of several people and their locations, which he lists.  

General Kutúzov comes out of a meeting first with Count Tolstóy, and when asked by Prince Bolkónski what tomorrows battle will look like, replies that Count Tolstóy had responded to the same question with "My dear General, I am engaged with rice and cutlets, look after military matters yourself."

[1] Tolstoy L, 1993, War and Peace, Wordsworth Editions Ltd, Hertfordshire, p.205

Volume 1: Book 3 - Chapter 10

Characters Present:

Nicholas Rostóv

Tsar Alexander

Vaska Denísov

Location:

Wischau (Germany)

Nicholas Rostóv is sulking because his squadron was kept in reserve while others defeated a French cavalry squadron and took the small town of Wischau.

Rostóv goes to buy one of the captured French horses and is pleasantly shocked to see the Emperor ride around in his general area. He later sees the Emperor shed a tear over a wounded soldier in town and becomes further enamored.  

Rostóv and Vaska Denísov share drinks later with some other soldiers, and Rostóv goes on a bit too much about the Emperor, and Denísov teases him for being in love.

Volume 1: Book 3 - Chapter 9

Characters Present:

Boris Drubetskóy

Prince Dolgorúkov - an adjutant-general [1]

Prince Adam Czartoryski (Minister of Foreign Affairs)

Prince Andrew Bolkónski

Location:

Olmütz

Boris travels from the military camp to Olmütz with the intention of speaking to Prince Andrew Bolkónski about being promoted to an adjutant.

Boris gets to see Prince Andrew on his second attempt, who throws his weight around and pauses a meeting with a general to speak with Boris, who is only a lieutenant.  Prince Andrew takes him to see Prince Dolgorúkov, who holds greater sway in such matters.

Prince Dolgorúkov gossips happily for a while but is called away just as Prince Andrew starts to ask for the promotion on behalf of Boris.  Prince Dolgorúkov agrees to do anything to help Prince Andrew and Boris, before greeting Prince Adam Czatoryski, who we learn Prince Andrew simultaneously admires and dislikes.

[1] An adjutant is a staff officer who helps a commanding officer with administrative affairs

Volume 1: Book 3 - Chapter 8

Characters Present:

Tsar Alexander

Nicholas Rostóv

Location:

10 miles from Olmütz

Eighty-thousand allied troops are lined up, ready for inspection by the Austrian and Russian Emperors.

Tsar Alexander seems to be super charismatic, and the feeling of unity and fighting spirit falls over the men.

Rostóv gets star-struck when the Tsar rides close to him, and decides that he would jump through fiery hoops for him.

Volume 1: Book 3 - Chapter 7

Characters Present:

Nicholas Rostóv
Boris Drubetskóy
Prince Andrew Bolkónski

Location:

A camp 10 miles from Olmütz

Boris arrives at the camp to deliver a letter, some money from his family, and a letter of recommendation to General Bagratíon from Rostóvs family and Princess Anna Mikháylovna Drubetskáya.

Rostóv casts the letter of recommendation on to the floor, saying he doesn't want to be an adjutant, and Boris says that it would be better than being on the front line. 

Nicholas recounts the epic story of how he was wounded, leaving out the bit about falling of his horse and running away from the French.  

Halfway through the story, Prince Andrew comes in, and rolls his eyes in response to all of the bragging, and says he will come back later to talk to Boris.  Nicholas takes great offense, and the two have a heated exchange of words, ending with Bolkónski saying that he didn't take offense, as Nicholas is young and his rudeness was of not matter to him.

Book 3 - Chapter 6

Characters Present/Discussed:

Count Ilya Rostóv
Countess Natalya Rostova
Natasha Rostova
Nicholas Rostóv
Sonya Rostova
Princess Anna Mikháylovna Drubetskáya (still staying with the Rostóv family, though her circumstances have improved)

Location:

The Rostóv house

Count Ilya Rostóv receives a letter from his son, Nicholas, saying that though he had been wounded in the battle, he had been promoted to an officer.

Princess Anna Mikháylovna Drubetskáya goes about giving hints about the letter to Countess Natalya Rostova, who is of such a fragile disposition that the letter, if announced suddenly, would upset her terribly.

Natasha and Sonya both gossip about the letter and Sonya is still in love with Nicholas.

Eventually the countess is told and she cries, and then proudly reads the letter to everyone who visits.

Book 3 - Chapter 5

Characters Present:

Prince Nicholas Bolkónski
Princess Mary Bolkónskaya
Mademoiselle Bourienne
Prince Anatole Kurágin

Location:

Bald Hill Estate

Everybody has gone to bed and Prince Nicholas, Princess Mary and Mademoiselle Bourienne are all having trouble sleeping.

When Princess Mary goes to her father for her morning lessons, he shouts at her to take an hour to decide whether she is to become Prince Anatole's wife.  On her way out of his study, she catches Prince Anatole and Mademoiselle Bourienne in a passionate embrace. 

Princess Mary later declines the offer of marriage made by Prince Vasíle for his son and Prince Nicholas is delighted.

Princess Mary goes to comfort Mademoiselle Bourienne and makes the decision to help her marry Prince Anatole, and give her money if this will help her.

Book 3 - Chapter 4

Characters Present:

Old Prince Nicholas Bolkónski
Princess Mary Bolkónskaya (Prince Nicholas's daughter)
Princess Lisa Bolkónskaya (Prince Nicholas's pregnant daughter-in-law)
Prince Vasíli Kurágin
Prince Anatole Kurágin (Prince Vasíli's son)
Mademoiselle Bourienne

Location:

Bald Hill Estate. 

Prince Nicholas is taking his time to get dressed, as he is cranky that Prince Vasíli and his son have arrived, and he is also considering whether he wants to give his daughter, Princess Mary, over to marriage. 

Prince Nicholas joins the others and mildly interrogates Anatole, before taking Prince Vasíli off to shout at him, and says that if Anatole is to marry Mary, that he is to prove himself worthy.

Meanwhile, the three women - Princess Mary in particular - are enchanted by Prince Anatole, though he is described as good looking but without much to say.

Prince Antatole fails to find Princess Mary attractive but is falling for Mademoiselle Bourienne's charms.  Mary mistakes Mademoiselle Bourienne's intentions, and the scene is set for heartbreak and disappointment.

Book 3 - Chapter 3

Characters Present:

Old Prince Nicholas Bolkónski
Princess Mary Bolkónskaya (daughter of Prince Nicholas)
Prince Vasíli Kuragin
Anatole Kuragin (Vasíli's son)
Mademoiselle Bourienne (Mary's companion)
Princes Lisa Bolkónskaya (Prince Andrew Bolkónski's pregnant wife)

Location: 

Bald Hill Estate

Old Prince Nicholas receives a letter from Prince Vasíli, stating his intention to visit with his son in a fortnight.  It seems that Vasíli is to bring his son, Anatole, to meet Princess Mary with the intention of marrying them off.

Prince Nicholas dislikes Prince Vasíli and goes out of the house on the morning of their arrival to shout at the guards for clearing the driveway of snow, and orders them to replace it. 

Princess Mary is a bit nervous about the arrival of their guests and things are made worse when Princess Lisa and Mademoiselle Bourienne try to make her look attractive.  They go overboard, and Princess Mary ends up looking worse than before, and tells them to leave her alone.