summarization of – according to critics – the greatest classic of our time, L.N. Tolstoy’s

War and Peace. Themes of dedication to one’s homeland, war strategies, fate, bravery,

rebirth, religion and love are portrayed in the novel as seen both through the eyes of the

The theme that carries throughout the entire novel is the coming together of the

classes to protect their motherland. “There were some that adopted all the army

procedures and had infantry, artillery, a staff, and the conveniences of life; some

consisted only of Cossack cavalry; others were scratch groups of foot and horse, of

landowners and peasants, and remained unknown. A deacon commanded such a band,

which captured several hundreds prisoners in the course of a month. There was also

Vasilisa, the wife of a village elder, who slew hundreds of the French.” All mingled, rich

and poor, those who were armed and those who were not properly equipped fought with

A rising of the nation in such a manner, a merging into an indivisible strength and

appearing at Yasnaya Polyana, disciples whom Tolstoy’s wife, Sonya, called “the dark

to exercise all the virtues that the brotherhood preached. “It seemed to him that he had

from herself, from her regrets, desires, remorse, hopes, and sins.”

Some topics in this essay:
Peace Themes, Prince Andrei, War Peace, Life Tolstoy, Nikolai Rostov, JJ Rousseau, Yasnaya Polyana, Tolstoy Tolstoy’s, Peace Pierre, Pierre Natasha, war peace, prince andrei, “ …, life tolstoy, religion significant theme, fell love, novel theme, tolstoy brings, tolstoy’s own, peasants counts, tolstoy’s portrayal,