War and Peace

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1867

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Book 4, Part 3Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-12 Summary

The narrator believes that the French invasion of Russia in 1812 violates the normal rules of history. Historical theory holds that invaders conquer nations by winning the most battles and seizing the capital. In this case, however, though the French won numerous battles against the Russians and then occupied and burned down Moscow, the French lost 600,000 men while fleeing Russia during the winter. This demonstrates that victories in battle do not necessarily result in conquest. The spirit of its army saves Russia: Russians fight desperately and use every means necessary to defend their homeland. During the French retreat, the Russians practice guerilla warfare, they harrying and grinding down the departing French with numerous small-scale attacks. This strategy upends 19th-century rules of warfare and history—pockets of scattered troops overcome a large army.

Dolokhov and Denisov are both part of these guerilla units. They combine their units to attack a French transport, but a general sends them a message by courier—Petya Rostov, who has been promoted. Petya is eager to be involved in a battle and begs Denisov to allow him to take part in the attack rather than return to the general. Petya’s desperate desire to be a hero has already almost killed him during an earlier battle, but Petya pleads to be included, keen to fight alongside the famously courageous and cruel Dolokhov. Petya finds a French prisoner in Denisov’s camp. The soldier is cold and hungry, so Petya offers him warm food. Dolokhov wants to shoot the prisoner, but Denisov refuses to entertain the idea. Petya and Dolokhov disguise themselves in French uniforms and venture out to spy behind enemy lines. Much to Denisov’s relief, Petya returns safely. The young teenager is so excited to be involved in the war that he can hardly sleep.

The next day, Dolokhov and Denisov plan to attack the French. The Russians charge at their enemy, and Petya eagerly rides his horse alongside them. However, the French open fire from a hidden position. The ambush shocks the Russians. Petya is shot and killed, though the Russian troops quickly overcome their enemy and rescue a group of Russian prisoners. Pierre is among the rescued men.

Chapters 13-14 Summary

For the last three weeks, Pierre has marched through the Russian winter in terrible conditions. The conditions have killed more than half of his fellow prisoners, but the experience has taught Pierre that there is nothing in the world for him to fear. He now thinks that people are created to be happy and their happiness lies in their existence. The superfluous aspects of life hide the beautiful reality of living and keep people prisoner. Pierre believes that freedom exists at the limits of suffering; soothing memories can help relieve even the worst pain. Every human being can feel and endure, Pierre believes.

During the long march, Pierre avoids Platon Karataev, who increasingly weakens. One night, Pierre tells a story he has told many times before. An innocent man is exiled to Siberia for a murder he did not commit. The man arrives in Siberia, only to find that the actual murderer is among his cellmates. The murderer begs for forgiveness. By the time the tsar pardons the wrongly imprisoned man, he is already dead. The end of the story leaves a delighted expression on Karataev’s face. Pierre is happy to see that the old man feels such a surge of emotion. The next day, Karataev is too sick to go on. The French soldiers execute him. Pierre stands by, exchanging a final glance with Karataev, and then looking away as the soldiers pull the trigger. He never looks back at his dead friend.

Chapters 15-19 Summary

That night Pierre dreams about Platon Karataev. The dream gives him new ideas about how life and God are connected. The most blessed part of life, the dream suggests, is to love life while enduring undeserved suffering. Pierre wakes up to discover that he has been rescued. While Pierre embraces his newfound freedom, Petya Rostov is buried.

The weather conditions become worse in October. The French retreat becomes even more difficult. Men die from the cold, hunger, and exhaustion. The French retreat so quickly that the Russians struggle to keep up. Neither the French nor the Russians know the location of the other; all encounters and skirmishes happen by chance. The French generals and leaders flee even more quickly than their men, though they still pretend to care about the men, devise battle plans, and issue orders. However, they care about their own survival most of all. The narrator notes that historians will continue to believe Napoleon’s failure in Russia does not affect his greatness, even as he flees in a carriage wrapped in fur coats.

Book 4, Part 3 Analysis

Napoleon, the narrative catalyst for much of War and Peace, now vanishes. In earlier chapters, the French emperor dominated events, but the quiet shame of his retreat shows how badly he has lost. The foremost military genius of his day is outwitted by an old man many consider senile. Cowed, Napoleon does not march with his army and no longer delivers inspiring speeches. Instead, he covers himself in fur coats and slips away on a sleigh in the dead of night.

The death of Platon Karataev—like the death of Bazdeev—is a bitter turning point in Pierre’s life. The old peasant provided comfort to Pierre in prison, reshaping his worldview into an appreciation of the most important things in life. When the French soldiers shoot the dying Karataev, Pierre cannot watch, not only because the execution is unfair but also because it is in some ways an act of mercy. A quick death from a bullet is better than a slow, drawn-out starvation. The death of Platon Karataev teaches Pierre that morality is never absolute.

In much of his fiction, including War and Peace, Tolstoy valorizes understanding that comes through suffering—he prizes the idea of holy torment as a way of growing closer to God or to a more spiritual understanding of the universe. His characters must endure pain and torment before they can develop and grow. For example, Natasha’s experience with Anatole matures her views of love and sex, Andrei’s near-death experiences connect him to a universal Christian love, and Pierre’s forced march through the bleak Russian winter teaches him to value psychological freedom above all material concerns. Pierre’s suffering is both physical and emotional. The first is not enough to bring epiphany: his body pain is manageable, and his starvation becomes an ironic solution to his lifelong struggles with his weight. However, his psychic pain is transformative. In Platon Karataev, he loses yet another mentor figure—one of series that also includes his father, Vasili, and Iosif Alexeevich Bazdeev. Pierre’s suffering brings him closer to understanding himself and his failings.