War and Peace

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1867

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Symbols & Motifs

Bald Hills

The Bolkonsky estate at Bald Hills is an important symbol of wealth and power. Its importance is elevated as the manor changes hands. At the beginning of the novel, the old Prince Bolkonsky lives at Bald Hills with his daughter Marya. He runs the estate according to a strict routine from which he refuses to depart. This version of Bald Hills is a hateful place of antagonism, where Marya has no way to evade her father’s abuse, where Lisa dies in childbirth after being ignored and denigrated, and where unruly serfs menace Marya instead of letting her flee the war. After Napoleon’s invasion and Prince Bolkonsky’s death, this version of Bald Hills dies.

Marya’s happy marriage to Nikolai is the foundation of a new version of the estate. Unlike his father, Count Rostov, who ran the Rostov family’s assets into the ground, Nikolai commits to using a flourishing Bald Hills to repair the damage to the Rostovs’ finances. Bald Hills becomes a symbol of ideal land management and the need for continuity and care. Nikolai runs the estate like a more enlightened, kinder version of the dead Prince Bolkonsky. His dedication makes up for his father’s failures: Nikolai makes Bald Hills even more profitable, combining modern thinking with traditional ideas. Nikolai’s management synthesizes the old world and the new, allowing fortunes to be rebuilt and legacies to be preserved.

The Battle of Borodino

The Battle at Borodino is more than just a skirmish between the French and Russian armies. It also symbolizes an important turning point in the fortunes of the two countries. Napoleon swarms through Russia and appears unstoppable, while General Kutuzov offers only a meek defense. Borodino is the point at which Kutuzov’s genius is revealed and Napoleon’s arrogance becomes his downfall.

The setup for the battle demonstrates the different ideologies guiding the armies. The French lay out a deliberately aggressive battle plan to show off their strength, confident that they will win because of Napoleon’s genius. The Russians lack any such confidence. As a result, their preparations are instinctive rather than strategic: Kutuzov relies on correctly stoking his troops’ psychological state. Kutuzov kneels before a religious icon to show his troops that their fate is dependent on the will of God. The Russians rely on faith and spirit to win.

The Russian victory appears miraculous. By focusing on the greater strength of the French army, the narrator builds up the fact that Kutuzov has overcome incredible odds—and now, the victory suggests that the Russians are favored by God. The French have lost the symbolic battle, and their commander’s brilliance is undermined. The Battle of Borodino undergirds Russian morale, rekindling their belief that they might be able to beat the unconquerable French forces.

Oak Tree

Struck by an oak tree while traveling through the countryside, Andrei invests it with symbolic importance. The oak seems to reflect Andrei’s own inner life. The first time he encounters it, the aggressive, bare branches of the oak clash with the leafy green trees nearby. This speaks to Andrei’s emotional state: In a dark place, Andrei feels alone, just like the oak next to the other blossoming trees.

When Andrei spots the tree again, its branches are covered with leaves and flowers. Since the last time he saw it, he has met Natasha and has fallen in love, and can feel his optimism return. Like Andrei, the tree has recovered from its misery. The oak underscores Andrei’s renewed lease on life, showing that even the harshest moments pass. However, Andrei fails to see the full significance of the symbol. The tree’s rebirth is part of an ongoing cycle. The bountiful leaves will not last forever, and winter will inevitably strip the branches bare again. Andrei takes heart in the renewed tree, but he does not entertain the idea that his own misery might return. Later, when he loses Natasha’s love and is wounded in the war, he will experience the cycle of pain and joy that only death ends.

The Great Comet of 1812

The Great Comet of 1812, a real astronomical event, was visible for more than 250 days—almost a year—and seemed to be a warning sign of bad times to come.

Pierre takes a very different view of the comet’s symbolic power. He decides that the spectacle of the comet represents his burgeoning love for Natasha, which feels like it too erupts from his heart and blazes a trail across the sky. Pierre’s interpretation of the comet contrasts with the interpretation of most people, showing that he can look at the world and see hope where others see fear.