War & Peace Podnotes, A Study Guide

The action moves from St. Petersburg to Moscow, to the home of another wealthy family, the Rostovs, who will be followed throughout the novel.Count Rostov, a pleasant sort, is welcoming guests and inviting them to partake in a grand dinner. He delights in calling everyone, regardless of social rank, "my dear."So far, it is party after party in the first few chapters, the "Peace" in War & Peace - but the talk at the high society event turns to the threat of war on the horizon.Leading the discussion is Princess Anna Drubetskaya, a relation of the Rostovs. Her son Boris, who she got into the Imperial Guard through working her old connections, grew up, for long periods, within the Rostov household. Boris is a teenager - somewhere around 15-18 (though there are inconsistencies with the ages). The women are talking about more local matters; namely that Pierre's father, the elderly Count Kirill Bezukhov is very ill and a special doctor has been called. He is thought to be on death's door.

The second part of Chapter VI brings some pure unaltered fun in the form of "Boys being Boys." Mundane background about the state of political affairs and the society crowd’s complaints and disillusionments take a backseat. This chapter has bragging, gambling, drinking, a death-defying stunt and…..a bear on a chain.Upon leaving his friend’s home, Pierre takes an open carriage (an 1805 cab). Pierre promised Andrei he would go home but Pierre is pulled by the energy of the night. The brightness of the moon completely lit the streets. Pierre thinks to himself, “it would be nice to go to Kuragin’s,” and like a magnet is drawn to his debauched friend. Pierre rationalizes his decision during the ride, he thinks - what are words of honor as to trivial matters when one day, we all will be dead?. He wants to do something that will stir the soul. He regarded his promise to Andrei to go home a mere formality. So, off to Kuragin’s!Anatole has hosted a night of cards for his friends, many of whom are in the milita

Andrei and Pierre are interrupted by Princess Lise (Elisabeta Karlovna Bolkonskaya), who has changed from her formal wear into night attire. While the day is ending for Lise, the night remains young for Pierre.The Princess is quite happy to see Pierre. She views him as a like-mind and is comfortable speaking freely around him. Pierre brings up what has been crushing Lise's spirit, namely why is Andrei headed off to fight against the Napoleonic army. Her concern is Andrei's safety as well as being left behind late in her pregnancy.  She will be left to his family's country estate, staying with Andrei's father and sister. She remarks that men can’t get on in this world without war -- for their ego, they feel compelled to chase some type of power and glory. Women on the other hand, want nothing of it. Lise notes that Andrei has a lot going for him in St. Petersburg, a good position, an opportunity to work with Emperor Alexander, and most of all -- he is going to be a father. She gets more passion

The guests at Anna Pavlovna's event are leaving. The horse carriages and coats are readied by the footmen. Prince Andrei Bolkonsky and Pierre Bezukhov enjoy briefly interacting with one another. They are two of the great characters of literature and throughout the novel they are not together all that often, so these are special moments.Tolstoy gives a physical description of Pierre: uncommonly tall, stout and large reddish hands. Whenever entering or leaving a room, he does so clumsily. At the party, instead of his own hat, he grabs the three-cornered hat of a General. He has a huge heart to go along with his frame. A level of favor seems to follow him, like many a Bible character with a pure essence. Tolstoy was heavily influenced by Scripture.Prince Andrei has no interest in conversing with the society crowd - but he has a warm affinity towards Pierre and looks forward to conversing with him after the soirée.The scene shifts to Andrei's study, where Pierre picks out Julius Caesar's Commentaries.

Anna Pavlovna's soirée reaches its climax. The elderly Princess Anna Drubetskoya grabs Prince Vasili Kuragin's hand as he attempts to leave. She will not let go and the Aristocrat knows he is going to be asked for a big favor. Princess Anna lost all her societal connections but has one card to play. She knows early in Prince Vasili's life, he was helped by her father. She reminds Vasili of that in effort to get her son Boris a position with the Imperial Guard and also as an adjunct to the historic General Mikhail Kutuzov. Kutuzov was a great military leader and one of his virtues was patience. The impassioned appeal works and Vasili will take up her son's cause.For those who haven't left, the talk centers around Napoleon. The hostess feels the powers of Europe are bound to stop him and a French exile, the Vicomte de Mortemart leads the choir against Bonaparte, the "Usurper."Napoleon has his admirers, namely two main characters of the book, Pierre and Prince Andrei. The Prince handl

Anna's reception is full swing. As Tolstoy says, "The spindles hummed steadily and ceaselessly on all sides." The patrons settle into a number of groups and discuss how an alliance is needed to stop Napoleon and that Russia should head it. The beautiful Hélène gets a chance to walk between the groups and turn every head. A French expatriate, the Vicomte de Mortemart, told a tale about Napoleon ordering the killing a rival. The Vicomte explained that it was a romantic rival, but historically it was a political rival from France, Louis Antoine de Bourbon, Duke of Enghien, who was generally regarded as a threat to the Republic. Prince Andrei Bolkonsky arrives and is not happy to see high society, nor his lovely wife, who is pregnant.  He announces he will be heading to war as an aide-de-camp to General Kutuzov.  Andrei is very happy, however, to see old friend Pierre Bezukhov. The two agree to break bread after the event. Both acknowledge the loveliness of Hélène.

Attendant to the Empress, Anna Pavlovna Scherer, is proud to have some of St. Petersburg's finest in her drawing room.Princess Hélène Kuragina is strikingly gorgeous. Little Princess Lise is upset her husband, Price Andrei, has joined the Coalition against Napoleon. She is pregnant with their first child and worried about becoming a widow. Little groups are forming and discussing the topics of the day, such as alliances and the latest plans for a lasting peace. Pierre Bezukhov then arrives. Pierre (not the most Russian of first names but one that is aristocratic) has returned to Russia from about a decade studying abroad, including spending time in France. Pierre believes himself to have been enriched of the ideals of the French Revolution and aftermath. Pierre is the illegitimate son of a prominent Count in Russia, who is quite ill.  The Count holds many estates that are as big as actual states in the U.S.. Pierre struggles to get in conversations and make his point known -- something Tolstoy notes -- yo

This episode provides analysis of Book 1, Part 1, Chapter 1. Podnotes by Sean Roman are intended as a study guide and to provide context to the great work by Leo Tolstoy.Chapter 1 introduces the antagonist, Napoleon, who is being discussed at an evening soirée as a threat to all Europe. The hostess, Anna Pavlovna Scherer, an unmarried socialite, around 40 years of age, posits that only Emperor Alexander can save Europe from the legendary general.  An early guest arrives, the Count Vasili Kuragin, who turns the conversation to something more relatable, his unmarried children. There is the beautiful Helene, the prodigal Anatole, and the dull Hippolyte. Anna proposes to be matchmaker for Anotole, who has the reputation of a playboy. Anna believes that Princess Mary, the soulful daughter of old General Nicholas Bolkonsky would be a perfect match. As Princess Mary is rich and from a good family, Count Vasili is encouraged by the idea.

Thank you for giving this project a chance. The goal is for it to supplement your reading of War & Peace with commentary and context. Each episode usually summarizes a chapter. The episode descriptions will also provides information on how each chapter plays out. Each episode is expected to remain under 10 minutes. A few may be a tad longer but 10 minutes is the goal.  These are Cliffnotes on a podcast, hence Podnotes. This introduction provides some of the motivation for attempting this Herculean effort: namely, this is the fictional book that stands above all others in its profundity. It is like the top part of the pyramid on the back of a dollar bill, somehow rising above, and standing apart from, all other literary works of man.This introduction also provides a quick background on Tolstoy and how his aristocratic background and military experience at the Battle of Crimea likely informed War & Peace.