Napoleon and the French are taking over Europe. Russia is now at unrest... for many reasons.
Reason 1) Russia is scared of a French takeover
Reason 2) The wealthy Count is dying and everyone in the family is after his will
Reason 3) Young men are going to war
Pierre eventually inherits everything the Count left behind, upsetting everyone (especially Vasili and Mary Mikhaylovna who were expecting part of his fortune). Pierre seems incompetent, boyish, and clumsy... not qualities of an important count-to-be.
In terms of relations, Sonya loves her cousin, Nicholas, but he loves Julie. Boris (Mary Mikhaylovna's son) is in love with little Natasha. The brutish Anatole (Vasili's son) is supposed to marry the meek Mary who is fearful of everything, including her strict father, Nicholas.
The boys are eager for war while the women like their gossip. There is a clear divide in the way that men and women see things. However, both women and men are manipulators-- especially when it came to The Count's will.
Nobody really cared about the Count's death, it seemed. They seemed to just be after his will and money and were pretending to care deeply about him and the family.
It also seems that boys are trying to be men by going to war and inheriting estates. But, they are still just inexperienced children, really. (In fact, all the children are expected to act like adults, even if they don't understand the grown-up world around them).
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