Book 8, Chapters 5, 6, 7

CHAPTER 5

 Boris is in Moscow searching for a bride-- either Julie or Mary. Although something about Mary attracts him more, he feels awkward courting her. So, he courts Julie. She is very depressed after losing her two brothers and her melancholy intrigues him. However, he is turned off by her desperate eagerness to get married to him. Anatole Kuragin is sent up to Moscow to court Julie, too and Anna Milkhaylovna (Boris' mom) demands him to propose already before Anatole does. Boris proposes with regret.

Important Quotes

"some secret feeling of repulsion for her, for her passionate desire to get married, for her artificiality, and a feeling of horror at renouncing the possibility of real love still restrained Borís."

"Julie saw Borís' indecision, and sometimes the thought occurred to her that she was repulsive to him, but her feminine self-deception immediately supplied her with consolation, and she told herself that he was only shy from love."

Boris: "he began speaking irritably of feminine inconstancy, of how easily women can turn from sadness to joy, and how their moods depend solely on who happens to be paying court to them."

CHAPTER 6

The Rostovs are to stay with the old Márya Dmítrievna Akhrosímova while in Moscow. There, Marya looks after Sonya and Natasha. She gives Natasha advice on Andrew and the marriage and tells her that she should get close to the old count and Mary in order to fit in with the family. She arranges for Natasha to meet her future sister in law, Mary.

CHAPTER 7

Mary and Natasha meet, Natasha (at first) sure that the Bolkonski's will like her. However, there is a secret jealousy Mary has against Natasha and the two of them find nothing to speak about. This silence and awkwardness grows as does their hatred for each other.

Important Quotes

 Natasha: "They can't help liking me," she thought. "Everybody always has liked me, and I am so willing to do anything they wish, so ready to be fond of him—for being his father—and of her—for being his sister—that there is no reason for them not to like me..."

Mary: "She did not at all realize that before having seen her future sister-in-law she was prejudiced against her by involuntary envy of her beauty, youth, and happiness, as well as by jealousy of her brother's love for her."