Saturday, 28 July 2018

Pierre Bezuhov - War & Peace

In War & Peace, Tolstoy carves an interesting personality of Pierre Bezuhov. A short summary goes here. This is a work in progress.

Summary till 1/4th of the story(as of 28th July 2018):

Pierre is the bastard son of the wealthy Count Bezuhov. He is highly educated and indulges in books and abstract theories of politics and battles. He is good hearted and stays out of conflicts. Ironically as happens in people of good nature, he is of weak character and gets into a bout of drinking and gambling if provided a chance. Until his father’s death, no one paid attention to him. Even if they did, it was for mocking him.

After his father’s death, he became the sole heir of the immense wealth. Overnight, everyone’s attitude changed. As a result of his naivety and shrewdness of people surrounding him, he eventually becomes the husband of Ellen. She is a beauty, Moscow talks about. As one can expect, Pierre’s house becomes the center for attraction - especially for men. Ellen does not oppose inappropriate advances of men in front of her husband. She further insults him as a fool who has no trace of social skills. There is a dangerous rumour floating - Fyodor Dolohov has become her lover. Pushed by all the circumstances, Pierre ultimately injures Dolohov in a pistol duel.

Little by little, Pierre’s weakness of character is negated. He has never hurt a person nor used a pistol before the duel. With horror, he realizes that he despises his wife. He recognizes the falsehood of their marriage and the futility of the duel, he fought for a wife who doesn’t deserve it. Ellen on knowing about the duel, starts her train of insults. This time - Pierre loses his temper, picks up a marble slab with his immense strength and tries to hit her before stopping midway. He is still good at heart. A week later Pierre gives all revenue from his Russian estates to his wife, before leaving for Petersburg.

(There is a confusion, whether Pierre filed for a divorce. I guess not, as divorce was not socially acceptable at that time.) After all, Pierre is a good man and won't ruin his wife's reputation even after giving her enough money to last a lifetime.

Summary till 1/2nd of the story(as of 29th September, 2018):

With the help of Fyodor Dolohov, Anatole(brother-in-law of Pierre) makes an amusing plan to elope with Natasha Rostov. Natasha was the betrothed of Pierre's close friend, Andrei Bolkonsky. When Pierre comes to know about the baseness of Anatole, his attitude towards both Natasha and his wife, Ellen takes a negative turn. Natasha did a feminine folly of believing such a stupid fellow as Anatole. Ellen, who was full of vice tried to destroy Natasha by throwing her married brother to fool around with her.

Natasha's current guardian, Marya Dmitryevna asks Pierre to make Anatole leave Moscow. Natasha's reputation will be ruined and there will be further complications when Andrei Bolkonsky arrives.

Pierre's rage is already building up. He searches for Anatole in the club houses of Moscow. He finds the fellow in his own house. His wife, Ellen as usual is entertaining guests. Without greeting his wife, he tells Anatole to follow him into a room. As soon as the door is locked, Pierre grabs Anatole by the collar and demands an explanation for his treachery. When he tears a button from Anatole's uniform, Pierre lets go off his temper. In his stupidity, Anatole demands good behavior from Pierre as he is honourable(!). In his good nature, Pierre accepts the demand and gives money to Anatole for leaving Moscow. (Anatole goes to Petersburg).

Pierre's transformation is still pending. Though little-by-little, he is waking from a dream with more spine than before. Since he had known Natasha from when she was a child, he tried to comfort her with new found tenderness in his heart. His heart is climbing over this vileness and foolishness of Earth. When he sees the comet of 1812, among a field of stars - a new religious feeling grabs him.

To be continued....

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