As Anna's party continues, Princess Bolkonski's husband, Prince Andrew Bolkonski, arrives. He is displeased and bored with everyone in the room (especially his flirtatious wife), except for Pierre. When Pierre approaches him, his face lights up and he invites Pierre to supper. Prince Vasili and his daughter, Helene, get up to leave and when Prince Andrew and Pierre see Helene they are enchanted by her beauty. As Vasili is leaving, he makes Anna promise that she will look after and educate Pierre properly and she says that she will. Suddenly, an elderly lady, Princess Anna Drubetskaya, rushes up to Vasili and starts to beg him to promote her son, Boris, in the war. He says that he will try and leaves the party with Helene.
Important Quotes
"Pierre, who from the
moment Prince Andrew entered the room had watched him with glad,
affectionate eyes, now came up and took his arm. Before he looked round
Prince Andrew frowned again, expressing his annoyance with whoever was
touching his arm, but when he saw Pierre's beaming face he gave him an
unexpectedly kind and pleasant smile."
[Vasili about Drubetskaya] "Moreover, he
could see by her manners that she was one of those women—mostly
mothers—who, having once made up their minds, will not rest until
they have gained their end, and are prepared if necessary to go on
insisting day after day and hour after hour, and even to make scenes. This
last consideration moved him."
CHAPTER 5
Pierre, Anna, the Vicomte, and others are talking at the table about the French Revolution. Everyone seems to be displeased by it, but Pierre disagrees. In a sudden outburst, Pierre blurts out how he admires Napoleon and sees the revolution as a way for people to gain liberty and justice and the freedoms they have so badly wanted. Anna tries to get Pierre to shut up, but he continues to speak, although everyone clearly disagrees with him. Finally, Prince Hippolyte interjects with a pointless anecdote in order to divert attention from the young Pierre who seems to keep putting his foot in his mouth.
Important Quotes
Pierre: "Napoleon is great because
he rose superior to the Revolution, suppressed its abuses, preserved all
that was good in it—equality of citizenship and freedom of speech
and of the press—and only for that reason did he obtain power."
[vicomte]: "Liberty and equality," said the vicomte contemptuously, as if at last
deciding seriously to prove to this youth how foolish his words were,
"high-sounding words which have long been discredited. Who does not love
liberty and equality? Even our Saviour preached liberty and equality. Have
people since the Revolution become happier? On the contrary. We wanted
liberty, but Buonaparte has destroyed it."
"Pierre, not knowing whom to answer, looked at them all and smiled. His
smile was unlike the half-smile of other people. When he smiled, his
grave, even rather gloomy, look was instantaneously replaced by another—a
childlike, kindly, even rather silly look, which seemed to ask
forgiveness."
"Though it was unintelligible why he had told
it, or why it had to be told in Russian, still Anna Pavlovna and the
others appreciated Prince Hippolyte's social tact in so agreeably ending
Pierre's unpleasant and unamiable outburst. After the anecdote the
conversation broke up into insignificant small talk about the last and
next balls, about theatricals, and who would meet whom, and when and
where."
CHAPTER 6
The party has ended and Prince Hippolyte escorts the little princess Bolkonski to her carriage. They seem to have some tension between them as the prince longingly holds the princess as they say goodbye in front of her husband (who doesn't seem to care at all). After the party, Pierre makes his way the Prince Andrew's house and makes himself comfortable in the study. Prince Andrew arrives and they talk more about Napoleon and the revolution, Pierre mentioning how he'd join the war if he could. Andrew remarks on how ignorant he is, saying that if no one fought, there would finally be peace. It is also mentioned how Pierre is quite well off and that his father is ready to support him with his studies and profession of his choosing. However Pierre still hasn't chosen a profession to which Andrew advises him to hurry up and make up his mind.
Important Quotes
Pierre: "That abbe is very interesting but he does not see the thing in the right
light.... In my opinion perpetual peace is possible but—I do not
know how to express it... not by a balance of political power...."
Pierre: "There is a war now against Napoleon. If it were a war for freedom I
could understand it and should be the first to enter the army; but to help
England and Austria against the greatest man in the world is not right."
Andrew: "If no one fought except on his own conviction, there would be no wars,"
he said.
No comments:
Post a Comment