War and Peace - How Tolstoy Challenges Historians (summary & analysis)

The Russian novelist, Leo Tolstoy said history books were often like works of fiction. Great men of history, like Napoleon are more like fictional heroes created by modern historians.

Война и мир or War Peace by Leo Tolstoy published in 1869, the greatest novel of all time is three books in one. It's partly history of the Napoleonic Wars of 1805 and 1812. It's also a book of philosophy and as well as a work of fiction. In this video, I will summarise Tolstoy's War and Peace and discuss its philosophical and histocial significance.

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🕔Time Stamps🕔
00:00 Intro
01:45 Historical context
02:30 Tolstoy's motivation and ambition
04:00 Tolstoy's theory of history
09:17 War and Peace Summary (part1)
16:18 War and Peace Summary (part2)
27:00 Philosophical context
32:07 Final words

Music:

#tolstoy
#warandpeace
#russianliterature

[Fiction_Beast]

I have spent a lot of time talking about Dostoevsky, so in the next few videos I will talk about Tolstoy and his major novels. This is the first in a series of video on Tolstoy. Let me know if you have read Tolstoy's novels and what is your favourite one. Sposibo bolshoi!

[durwinpocha]

"Life is a dream and death is waking up from that dream." Leo Tolstoy.

[keithnaylor]

The 7 hour Russian film version from 1966-67 is the greatest epic film ever made. Moving romance with incredible battle scenes all put together with unique inventive artistry.

[nigelbryant]

Now, Tolstoy’s brilliant views on history seem self evident. Thus, we forget how revolutionary Tolstoy’s ideas were at the time and how important he is today.

[colinellesmere]

This analysis is one of the densest most brilliant discourses I have heard. Well worth repeated listening. I can well believe you spent 90 hours to make this video And it should not be forgotten the background knowledge you already held. I have only recently discovered yout channel. Youtube has some outstanding channels on history and literature, and you sir rightfully belong in this category.

[suev]

Reading the book War and Peace at the age of 71 for the first time I really have to say — It’s a treatise on the story of history thru men as the Almighty moves them to accomplish His purposes. Most spectacular classic I’ve ever read.

[simonbrown]

Thanks for a wonderful breakdown of my favourite book. It’s a real gift to have a native Russian explain many of the cultural and historical aspects which are obscure to someone not familiar with Russian culture.

[TheBeesKnees]

The biggest surprise about reading this to me was that it’s very easy to read compared to many books. It’s simply written, well organized, and most importantly to me it is split up into very small sections so it feels like you are reading quickly.

[sulibreaks]

Just finished reading War & Peace today! It took me four months ( a LONG time, considering my usual pace) but I would like to say your channel was the inspiration for me picking it up and committing to the journey. I love your what you do, before i started watching it, my main reference for ‘classic’ literature was the stuff they forced us to read in class. Thanks so much!

[reaganwiles_art]

to anyone interested, look at Tolstoys manuscript pages. They are almost illegible, only his wife could read them they were written in such a passionate haste.

[MrLiviooo]

I did read War and Peace some years ago, indeed all interesting insights you show in the video, they keep and transport the person in that period ! after reading you will never be the same…
Thank you very much for your work and the passion, to share with us the fervour of reading !

[susanarupolo]

Thanks, I have read the book when I was adolescent, long ago, I didn’t understand the deep way you explain, but I also read Ana Karenin and the small books, Tolstoy, for me was a great writer full of wisdom, a spiritual man.

[commentorchelsea]

Phenomenal work, worthy of the subject. 90 hrs, I don't doubt it at all.

I recommend that all readers watch the mini series in which Anthony Hopkins plays Pierre. With out this the earlier character development can be rather confusing.

[cskj]

You have a great talent for summarizing these plots and their meanings!

[riotintheair]

I read "War and Peace" when I was 17. I thought I'd hate it, and for the first couple hundred pages I did hate it, but somewhere I fell in love with Andrei and Pierre... I could see myself in them, Andrei as the man I hoped l could be and Pierre as a lot more like the man I'd probably become. Andrei's slow death was agonizing (especially as it takes like 100 pages) but I was happy you highlighted the final passage, it's one of my favorite passages in literature. I also found the foreigness of the court setting really interesting, just in how different it is from my own experience as an American growing up in the late 20th century. I'm not sure I'd say it's the greatest novel, but of the novels routinely bandied about as greatest I enjoyed it the most, with perhaps "Don Quixote" being it's only real competition.

[reaganwiles_art]

W&P is a great book. I am sorry that Tolstoy could not be happy. He was the greatest prose writer ever. Plato, Tolstoy. One should not forget once he knows that Tolstoy's wife edited everything he wrote before it went to the printer.

[ricklynch]

Insightful and quite frankly, very educational. I appreciate the lesson. Thank you!

[dmtdreamz]

Thank you so much for all your love and all your encouragement. We love you. Thank you.

[ElfProduct]

Amazing summary & analysis - Keep up the good work!

[supremereader]

I so appreciate your videos, you make long complex books like the idiot - or complex ideas from people like Jung seem fairly simple. Thanks for making these.