Nikolai Bolkonsky

The old prince, father of Andrei and Marya

BOOK ONE

Book One, Part One

Chapter 1

Anna Pavlovna has few kind words to say of the old prince, who lives retired in the country. Nicknamed “the King of Prussia”, he is very rich, stingy, clever but eccentric and a bore. In his household, his daughter Marya is thought to be very unhappy.

Chapter 22

A small old man with bushy eyebrows and shrewd, youthfully glittering eyes. He is hard-hearted and inspires fear and respect in all. He believes in the virtues of “activity and intelligence” and loathes “idleness and superstition”. This last point puts him at loggerheads with his pious daughter, as he tries to drive the religion out of her head with algebra. Despite his coldness, there are hints of how he tries to control his temper and an underlying, unsayable love for Marya.

Chapter 23

The old prince is having his customary “golden” nap before dinner, something that puts him in good humour. He asks his son about the war and this new German idea of “strategy” but pays little attention to Andrei’s reply.

Chapter 24

At dinner, we get a better sense of the old prince. His son is amused by his father’s “Achilles’ heal”, revering his illustrious but perhaps fictitious genealogical tree. At the table, he talks at his architect, who is invited to demonstrate the old prince’s supposed egalitarian values. His son listens patiently to his diatribe against the “new men”, Germans, and Napoleon, while marvelling at his precise knowledge of recent political and military events.

Chapter 25

We note that Marya says he is “less bitter of late” and “is always gentle and kind” to Mikhail Ivanovich and Mademoiselle Bourienne. But Andrei says, “he’s getting very trying”. Nikolai says goodbye to his son in his dressing gown, for he only lets his guard down to his son. He gives Andrei instructions to carry out if he dies. And then he says, “If they kill you, it will hurt me, your old father”. And in the shriek of his voice, we hear his fear and pain. “We’ve said goodbye. Go!”