When did Leo Tolstoy begin writing War and Peace?
Leo Tolstoy began writing War and Peace in 1863, the year he married and settled at his country estate. The first draft of the novel was completed that same year.
Questions about War and Peace
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What historical events are woven into the plot of War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy?
Key historical events include the Ulm Campaign, the Battle of Austerlitz, the Treaties of Tilsit, and the Congress of Erfurt during the Napoleonic Wars. The narrative also references the Great Comet of 1811 just before the French invasion of Russia.
How many chapters does the standard Russian text of War and Peace contain?
War and Peace consists of three hundred sixty-one chapters divided into four volumes comprising fifteen books and an epilogue split into two parts. Of those chapters twenty-four are philosophical essays rather than narrative sections.
Who is the central character in Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace?
Count Pyotr Kirillovich Pierre Bezukhov serves as the central character and often a voice for Tolstoy's own beliefs or struggles. He is the socially awkward illegitimate son of Count Kirill Vladimirovich Bezukhov who inherits a large fortune.
When did the version of War and Peace published under its final title appear?
The version published in 1869 had a very different ending from the serialized versions released between 1865 and 1867. It sold out almost immediately after publication to Russians eager to read the complete novel.