War and Peace Part 1

My raw notes on my second reading of War and Peace By Leo Tolstoy War and Peace Book 1 1805 Characters with multiple names listed down the column Anna Pavlovna: · self-deprecating “if you’re not doing anything else please come and see me the invalid” · “despite her 40 yrs overflowed with animation and impulsiveness” doesn’t matter how old she gets she is forever a child or that is what she portrays · people she “serves up as a specially choice delicacy a piece of meat that no one who had seen it in the kitchen would have cared to eat” cutting comment on the aristocracy? · Prince Vasili · children: Anatole, Hippolyte, Helene Princess Bolkonskaya · on her upper lip, a delicate dark down · pregnant · the most fascinating woman in Petersburg Overwritten: “Prince Vasili did not reply, though, with the quickness of memory and perception befitting a man of the world, he indicated by a movement of his head that he was considering this information” he nodded… wtf Influence in society, however, is a capital which has to be economized if it to last” When Princess Drubetskaya was begging for his influence of the emperor to have her son (Boris) made a Guard Pierre vs vicomte V: “Liberty and quality, high-sounding words which have long been discredited.” Pierre seems like the well meaning buffoon that is only there to amuse the others, his appearance, large and bungling, picking up others possessions and not knowing the right courtly procedures, talking to the aunt etc. His opinions, his siding with Napoleon and agreeing that the execution was the right thing to do politically and that the French people will not fall back under the power of the rightful king willingly are all at odds with what the political opinions of his “betters” symbolised by the vicomte. Prince Hiployte is in love with princess bolkonskaya (the little princess) who I married to prince Andrew who doesn’t really seem to care for her, but won't be cuckolded. He is going to war, away from his new pregnant wife because the life he lives here (Petersburg) doesn’t suit him and she will be sent to the country for good measure. Prince Andrew solidifies this contempt for his little wife in an argument with her about his leaving for war and moving her to his father’s house in the country where she admits her fear, in front of Pierre. After promising Prince Andrew that he will no longer go around the Kurigins he heads straight there to see a scene of debauchery and drinking with a bear (Bruin) and a window being smashed out for a bet. End of session 1