War and Peace: Volume II, Part II
Leo Tolstoy's Masterpiece on Russian Society in the Time of Napoleon
Pierre converts to Masonry, Andrei lives an isolated life at Bald Hills, and Nicholas begins to see the flaws in the military system.
Pierre’s Religious Conversion
After leaving Helene, Pierre is on his way to St. Petersburg when he meets an elderly man in the train station. The man is wearing a Masonic ring and senses Pierre’s dark mood. He has heard about Pierre’s recent difficulties and suggests that Pierre change his worldly approach to life. Pierre does not believe in God, but sees the old man as somebody who has wisdom that he needs. The man gives Pierre a contact in the Freemason community in St. Petersburg.
In Petersburg, Pierre undergoes a series of spiritual tests and rituals, in which mystery and human remains create an eerie atmosphere. He declares that he believes in God and that his worst sin is his lust for women. The masons tell him that he must control this sin and wait to meet the one woman for him. Pierre feels that he has found the right spiritual path, and donates money to the Brotherhood.
Pierre’s newly strengthened will soon becomes clear; Prince Vassily comes to visit Pierre and tells him to forget the ‘mistake’ he made of leaving Helene. Pierre quickly throws Vassily out of his house.
Pierre attempts to apply the morals of Masonry to the management of his property. He devises programs to improve the lives and education of his peasants and orders his serfs to be freed (an almost unheard of act at this time). His manager convinces Pierre that it is not in the interest of the serfs to be free and abuses his trust, taking money for himself and misleading Pierre to believe that the lives of the peasants have improved.
Meanwhile, Boris meets Helene at one of Anna Pavlovna’s parties and they presumably begin an affair.
Prince Andrei and Pierre Talk Philosophy at Bald Hills
Prince Andrei is ensconced in his estate and working under his father. He reads letters from the front and is even ordered to depart for military work but refuses, knowing that his son is the only thing that matters anymore. Andrei feels that his life is effectively over.
Pierre stops to visit Andrei, and the old friends reunite after years of separation. Pierre is upset to hear the dejection in Andrei’s voice and his cynical words about the futility of striving to improve the world and the lives of the peasants. The newly converted Pierre attempts to convince Andrei of the veracity of his Masonic beliefs. Though Andrei is not convinced, he does begin to emerge from his depression.
Andrei and Pierre go to visit Princess Marya, who is in the company of poor religious ‘wanderers.’ The two men poke fun at Pelageya, an uneducated woman who tells the story of her religious experience in Kiev’s cave monastery. Pierre feels guilty for mocking the woman and Marya feels affectionate towards him.
Nicholas Sees Flaws in the Military System
Nicholas continues to love military life and has decided to live a spendthrift life in order to repay his debt to his father. However, his regiment has been hard hit by the lack of clothes, food, and basic medicine. When Denisov steals food beyond the regiment’s rations to keep his men from starving he discovers that Telyanin has been distributing food with a bias against their regiment. Denisov’s violent anger gets him court-martialed, but he ends up in a military hospital due to a wound.
Nicholas visits Denisov in the hospital and is shocked by the conditions there. The hospital, it seems, is where military men are sent to die rather than to get better. The wounded often go untreated and the dead are left rotting next to the living. Nicholas convinces Denisov to sign a document asking the tsar for a pardon, despite Denisov’s seeming apathy for his own situation.
Nicholas tries to deliver the letter to the tsar in Tilsit. He meets Boris, who treats Nicholas disdainfully and is unwilling to help. Despite his inappropriate dress, Nicholas attempts to address the tsar. The tsar says that he can do nothing for Denisov because the law is stronger than he is.
Following this encounter, Nicholas watches the tsar give an important military honor to an undeserving man at random. The inequity of this situation and of Denisov’s plight makes Nicholas question his absolute respect for the military system.
Previous Article: War and Peace: Volume II, Part I
Next Article: War and Peace: Volume II, Part III
Tolstoy, Leo, trans. Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky. War and Peace. New York: Knopf, 2007. ISBN 978-0-307-26693-4.
