The Story Behind War and Peace: Tolstoy’s Vision and Message

Hello everyone and welcome to my channel. Today I'm going to talk about one of the greatest novels ever written. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. This epic masterpiece is set in the early 19th century, during the Napoleonic Wars that ravaged Europe and Russia. It follows the lives and fates of five aristocratic families. The Bezikovs, the Bolkonskys, the Rostovs, the Kurajins and the Drobetskoys. Through their stories, Tolstoy explores themes such as love, death, free will, history, morality and religion. But why did Tolstoy write this monumental work? What inspired him to create such a rich and complex portrait of his country and his time? And what is the main message that he wanted to convey to his readers? In this video, I will try to answer these questions and give you some insights into the mind and the art of this genius writer. First of all, let's talk about the origins of War and Peace. Tolstoy began writing it in 1863, when he was 35 years old and had already published some successful novels and stories. He was also happily married to his wife Sophia, who would become his faithful assistant and copyist. He had settled down at his country estate, Yasnaya Polyana, where he enjoyed a peaceful and prosperous life. However, Tolstoy was not satisfied with his previous works. He felt that they were too conventional and did not reflect his true vision of life. He wanted to write something more realistic, more authentic, and more profound. He wanted to write a novel that would capture the essence of Russia, its people, its culture, and its history. He was also fascinated by the Napoleonic era, which he considered as a crucial turning point in world history. He had read many books and documents about it, especially those related to Russia's role in the wars. He even wrote to his sister-in-law, Elizabeth Burrs, asking her to find any chronicles, diaries or records that related to that period. He wanted to base his novel on real facts and events, but also to give them a deeper meaning and interpretation. He initially planned to write a domestic chronicle in the manner of Trollope, whom he admired, set in 1856, and focusing on an aristocratic revolutionary who returns from exile in Siberia. He even gave it a title. All's well that ends well. However, as he started writing, he realized that he needed to go back further in time to the origins of the revolutionary movement in Russia. He decided to set his novel in 1805 when Napoleon invaded Austria and threatened Russia. He also changed his title several times. He first called it 1805, then the year 1806, then War and Peace. He chose this last title because he wanted to show the contrast between the turmoil of war and the tranquility of peace, between the public sphere and the private sphere, between history and fiction. He spent six years writing War and Peace, revising it several times, and expanding it from four volumes to six. He also added many philosophical chapters that discussed his views on history, free will, fate and God. He finally finished it in 1869 and published it as a whole book. The novel was an immediate success. It was praised by critics and readers alike for its realism, its scope, its depth, its originality. It was translated into many languages and became a classic of world literature. It also influenced many other writers, such as Dostoyevsky, Flaubert, Proust, Joyce, Hemingway, Nabokov, Solzhenitsyn, Garcia Marquez, Murakami, etc. But what is the main message of War and Peace? What did Tolstoy want to tell us through this epic story? Well, there is no simple answer to this question. War and Peace is a multifaceted work that can be read on different levels. As a historical novel. As a family saga. As a love story. As a philosophical treatise. As a spiritual quest. etc. However, if we had to summarize it in one sentence, we could say that War and Peace is about finding one's place in the world. It is about the search for meaning, for happiness, for truth. It is about the struggle between individual freedom and social constraints. Between personal desires and moral duties. Between human will and divine providence. Tolstoy shows us that life is not a simple linear progression, but a complex and unpredictable process, full of contradictions, conflicts, changes, and surprises. He shows us that history is not a deterministic or rational phenomenon, but a chaotic and mysterious one, influenced by many factors, such as chance, coincidence, human error, collective emotions, etc. He also shows us that people are not static or fixed entities, but dynamic and evolving ones, capable of growth, transformation, and redemption. He shows us that love is not a sentimental or idealized emotion, but a powerful and realistic force that can overcome obstacles, heal wounds, inspire actions, and unite souls. He also shows us that peace is not a passive or negative state, but an active and positive one that requires courage, wisdom, compassion, and forgiveness. He shows us that peace is not only the absence of war, but the presence of harmony, both within oneself and with others. In short, Tolstoy shows us that war and peace are not only external conditions, but also internal ones. They are not only historical facts, but also personal choices. They are not only collective experiences, but also individual ones. And he invites us to reflect on our own lives, on our own wars and peaces. He invites us to ask ourselves. What is our purpose? What is our role? What is our destiny? He invites us to find our own answers. That's all for today. I hope you enjoyed this video and learned something new about war and peace and Leo Tolstoy. If you did, please give it a thumbs up and subscribe to my channel for more videos like this. And don't forget to leave a comment below and tell me what you think about this amazing novel. Thank you for watching and see you next time.