Show Notes
Pierre was stewing over his wife’s perceived infidelity with Dolokhov, who was sitting right across from him at the celebration for Bagration. As too often of late, Pierre was a glutton - eating and drinking in excess. He sensed what marrying into the Kuragin family would devolve into -- but could not resist that Siren’s call of Hélène.
Pierre’s suspicions were roused by rumor as well as an anonymous letter informing him that his wife’s connection with Dolokhov was a secret to no one but himself. Pierre reflects while others give toasts. He recalled how Dolokhov arrived from Austerlitz, injured and need of a place to recover; and how he housed him and lent him money.
It now made sense as to why Dolokhov would so often praise Hélène’s beauty. He senses Dolohkov gets a kick out of cuckolding him. He sees Dolokhov wearing a familiar & sadistic look, such as when he tied a policeman to the bear in Petersburg or when he shot some mail-carrier’s horse. Pierre considered, “to kill a man means nothing to him.” Yet Pierre felt a prideful need to make a stand. His mind was scrambling and did not even recognize Nicholas, who chides the Count when Pierre failed to toast Alexandr.
Dolokhov suggests for Nichols to be nicer and renew their acquaintance. Denisov then suggests that Rostov should flatter the man with the biggest estate and most striking wife. Pierre sensed he was being talked about. Dolokhov directs himself to Pierre and makes a toast inadvertently funny or intentionally cutting: “Here’s to the health of lovely women, Peterkin—and their lovers!” Is he honoring Pierre or rubbing the whole matter in his face?
Just then a footman was distributing leaflets of a vocal composition for guests to sing along with. One was laid one before Pierre. Dolokhov decided to take what was Pierre’s and perhaps Tolstoy is being symbolic. Dolokhov grabs the paper and began to peruse it, which was the straw that broke the camel’s back. We are not told if Dolokhov is being insolent or his rascal self nor whether there was any affair. We just know Pierre’s perceptions.
Pierre looked at Dolokhov and with a ferocity he never demonstrated, yelled “How dare you take it, You shan’t have it!” The outburst alarmed those near, including Prince Nesvítski. Dolokhov returns a look which seemed to say “Ah! This is what I love!” Pierre continues, “You...! You Villain! I challenge you!” He is demanding satisfaction. In Pierre’s mind the question of his wife’s guilt was resolved. Within that gigantic heart, he hated his wife and was separated from her.
Formal arrangements were made for the duel to take place the next day in the Sokolnik Forest. Rostov agrees to be Dolokhov’s second and Pierre choses Nesvitski. Pierre quickly goes home but Dolokhov stays at the English club, admiring the entertainment.
When Rostov asked Dolokhov how he felt, the latter responded:
“I’ll tell you the whole secret of dueling. If you make a will and write affectionate letters to your parents and think you may be killed, you are a fool and are lost. But if you go with the firm intention of killing your man as quickly and surely as possible, then all will be right…. À demain, mon cher.”
We are brought to the next morning at the forest. Dolokhov, Denisov and Rostov arrive first. When Pierre appears, he carried the air of a man who already lost. He was absorbed by his wife’s guilt and thought his adversary had no reason to preserve the honor of a man who meant nothing to him. Pierre ponders "Either I shall kill him or he will me." There were moments he felt like running away and burying himself.
He realized there was no getting out of this and considered “Will it be long before this begins? Is all ready?” The pistols were loaded and sabres stuck in the snow to mark the barriers by which the duelists could not pass to shoot.
Nesvitski tries to talk Pierre down, saying there is no sufficient grounds for mortal conflict and that Pierre was impetuous. Pierre agrees the
More from War & Peace Podnotes, A Study Guide
As War & Peace delves into to fiction to a much greater degree than the previous section, exploring the Rostov family dynamic throughout 1806, there is a great deal that historically transpired which Tolstoy does not bring you through. In this stretch, Bonaparte was a continental Behemoth, who sets his sights on Prussia, then an industrial power with a highly organized military. The centers that made up the Prussian Kingdom were: Berlin, Potsdam, Königsberg and Danzig. You should recall that based on the battle of Austerlitz, Napoleon replaced the Habsburg Family as the principal authority in Central Europe. Austria never again reached such heights of power. Over the next 70 years Austria would lose influence over the dozens of German states while Prussia gained in this regard. It was Prussia, under Otto Von Bismarck, who in 1871 established the nation we know as Germany. In the start of 1806, France remained in a state of war against Russia, England and even Sweden. It was a busy and productive year for "the man of destiny." In February, Napoleon sent General André Messéna to Naples to overthrow the Bourbon King, Ferdinand IV, and install his brother, Joseph. Messéna was successful though fighting continued for months. In the Summer, Napoleon consolidated control of Holland and placed a crown on another brother, Louis. By mid-July, Napoleon created the Confederation of the Rhine of mostly southern German states, where he compelled alliances. The expanded territory gave the French 60,000 more troops. Napoleon was reshaping Central Europe to assure French influence and limit that of Austria, Prussia, Russia and Great Britain. Napoleon’s desire was to marginalize Britain economically after the Brtis won control of the seas at the Battle of Trafalgar, which preceded Austerlitz by a month. Just off the Southwest coast of France, the French Navy was decimated. The English controlled the water, but Napoleon was dominant on land and wanted to implement the Continental Commerce System. He had success in spreading French administrative, legal and social reforms—including the Napoleonic Code. When possible and practical, he moved to end the remnants of feudalism. The Code abolished a plethora feudal privileges, dismantled manorial courts and freed some peasants, granting basic civil rights and a semblance of equality before the law. To continue to foster his ambitions, Napoleon set his sights on Prussia, which included former Polish territory. Poland was a former Kingdom cut up (partitioned) by Russia, Prussia, and Austria, where many Polish nobles committed allegiance to the Czar or King of Prussia. While the Czar worked with much of the nobility of Poland, the peasants filled the ranks and endured. Czar Alexander was 27 in 1806. Despite the historic loss at Austerlitz, Alexander, would rule for nearly two more decades. He was fortunate that his population was forgiving. Alexander did not enter into serious peace negotiations nor publicly concede the loss. Many among the Russian nobility blamed the result on the Austrians. There are memoirs from Phillip Vigel, then a 20 year-old Russian diplomat, who detailed his observations of the mood in Moscow and Petersburg. The Muscovites were more vocal in castigating the Czar. Some would even laud Napoleon. There, Bonaparte earned nickname befitting a Russian Conqueror, Napoleoskha. In Petersburg, the population shared the humiliation. They would explain the result as a turn of luck. Vigel expressed that Petersburg society felt the desire to get themselves off the floor and prove themselves. He sensed a general optimism of youth. He also notes how the English desired Russia as allies against the French and Czar was their lifeline from French domination. Consequently, Russia spent the summer of 1806 preparing for a new war -- reorganizing and refilling their ranks. General Kutuzov fades into obscurity for a time. Just prior to Austerlitz, in the Fall of 1805, Alexander made a notable a
We now get taken from March of 1806, through the warmer months and then to the end of the year. Quite the fast-forward!
We have reached the pivotal chapter involving the death of the Little Princess and birth of the Andrei’s son.
We move further into March of 1806 and return to Bald Hills, the estate of Andrei’s father. Despite letters and official inquiries, Andrei’s body had not been found nor was he on the list of prisoners.
This episode examines some likely influences in Tolstoy’s writing of the Duel between Pierre & Dolokhov.