The Hunt in Relation to War
A participant noted, “I read the hunt scene as men getting in touch with their ‘animal’ personas”—much like war, the hunters engage on an instinctual level. Sara pointed out how this section opens up with Nikolai reflecting on the merits of military life versus the messiness of family life. In the hunt, as in war, everything has its place, and everyone knows what to do. At the same time, though, there is also the element of surprise or “the fog of war.” The wolf appears when they least expect it—Nikolai even prays to God for the wolf to come out! Count Rostov wanders around confused, and as someone noted, “didn’t even know his place during the hunt.” The blurring of rank is also present. Danilo, a serf of the Rostovs’ and a skilled hunter, reprimands his master, Count Rostov, for standing idly by while letting the wolf get away. Under other circumstances, Danilo would have gotten in serious trouble for yelling and brandishing his whip at his master! There is a certain “equalizing force at work” during the hunt, where ability outweighs official rank. Like in war, the participants seem to be “on a level playing field out in nature away from society,” as one described it. A similar defiance of expectation takes place when Natasha joins the hunt. As a participant put it, “It’s rather ironic that Natasha, a French educated young countess, is out there on the sidelines with the men at battle.” Another participant described her as a “tomboy” in this moment—she unexpectedly rides on horseback well, and even gets praise from other hunters for her abilities. She joins the hunt just to enjoy, which is unusual for a woman at that time. Some attested to her character—her “zest for life” and wanting “a rare chance to break free and just live.” Natasha effortlessly catching men’s attention and enjoying it doesn’t seem far from her character either.
The hunt is marked with savagery. Whether or not it was common practice, there is merit in one participant’s amazement at the number of dogs “Hundreds!? For one little fox?” An obvious connection with the hunt and war is that the primary objective for its participants on the ground—that is, the hunters and soldiers—is to kill. Many noted Nikolai’s claim that catching the wolf was “the happiest moment” of his life. It’s interesting to see how Nikolai is actually successful/competent in the hunt, unlike at Schongraben and other previous war scenes. As a participant noted, “Nikolai actually accomplished something!” A certain pomp accompanies the hunt scene as in the war scenes. Nikolai’s show of masculinity—constantly trying to fend off Natasha and Petya—reflects his desire to fabricate moments of “greatness” when retelling stories of battle during the war. Perhaps Nikolai will make a human “catch” during war like his wolf catch during the hunt.
A film still from the hunting scene in Sergei Bondarchuk’s 1965 adaption of War and Peace.
The Hunt in Relation to the Aristocracy
A number of participants made interesting observations of how the hunt seems to reveal certain characteristics of the aristocracy through the behavior of the Rostovs. Count Rostov’s confusion, uselessness, and even childlike behavior during the hunt were connected with his mounting financial problems. One noted, “The Count as already lost his influence and power here.” This comment could pertain to the hunt—a serf yells at him—as well as his financial situation threatening the loss of his noble status. Another noted, “I think he got to such a degree of financial troubles because he never paid attention, never learned what he needed to know to manage the fortune. It was always beyond his ability or he never mustered the ability to bother with it.” The Count expresses a similar absent-mindedness during the hunt in being well aware of its rules but not participating—either from an inability or from being slightly tipsy! “He seems to have no explicit awareness of his real circumstances” to the point of excessiveness. However, such a trait isn’t painted as entirely negative or deliberately selfish—his negligence seems to be part of his nature. Despite this, a participant claimed that “Maybe Tolstoy is using Count Rostov as an example of how far off track the Russian aristocracy has wandered away from the working land, and too wrapped up in the European/French style of living—superficial, and possibly worse.” There’s a distinction between the fanciful life of the Rostov family and the rustic simplicity of Uncle. Even during the hunt, there’s a tension between Nikolai’s “thousand ruble dogs” and Uncle’s “one ruble dog”! Tolstoy makes the point to have Uncle’s dog beat out the expensive dogs that they “paid whole villages for.” Sara points to the “villages” bit as an oblique reference to the abuses of landlords over their serfs. It doesn’t seem incidental that Count Rostov’s behavior stands out so much during the hunt. Sara pointed out that, on a number of occasions, Tolstoy uses the metaphor of “being caught in a trap” with characters that feel hounded or persecuted. He used it during Pierre’s nightmarish dream, as well as with Count Rostov regarding his growing money problems. Many noted how Nikolai seems to follow in his father’s footsteps in the sense of ignoring financial issues. First he needlessly acquires a huge gambling debt from Dolokhov, and then he gives up trying to solve the financial issues of his family even when his mother begs him. The whole family seems “frivolous and feckless.”
Russian Essentialism at Uncle’s Cabin
First, a note on Uncle being called “Uncle”: Sara pointed out that he is some kind of distant relative to the Rostovs, not necessarily a biological uncle. In Russian speech, it’s not uncommon to use words like “Uncle” and “Auntie” when speaking to a close family friend—it’s a title that indicates closeness and familiarity.
Tolstoy makes it clear that the Rostovs do not stand for all of the aristocracy. Many in the discussion pointed to Uncle as a clear exception—“The scene at Uncle’s seems to be the ‘real Russia,’ not the Europeanized version that ‘society’ was trying to emulate.” He represents “the ‘other’ Russia, not Petersburg and Moscow society life.” Uncle lives in simplicity, and one observed that it seemed like “everything was better—the bountiful home food, the energetic dancing, the natural rustic atmosphere of his cabin.” His closeness to “the real Russia” may also be seen in his romantic relationship with the peasant Anisya. At first, Anisya is shy in the presence of Nikolai and Natasha and even closes the door between the drawing room and the peasants’ quarters. Uncle tells her to open the door, so they are literally breaking barriers between the peasants and the nobility. Uncle seems to have a greater sense of free will, “doing as he pleases in comfortable isolation,” as one noted. A few people found a connection between Uncle and Tushin in their embodiment of being natural and down to earth. Both are of the lower nobility, have a strong sense of Russianness and independence, and aren’t concerned with petty schemes to gain higher rank or wealth. Clearly, Uncle’s far from Petersburg society and even seems “more Russian, ” “more pleasant and down to earth” for it!
Natasha’s dance bridges that gap between “real Russia” and the Europeanized aristocracy. Many noted, “Natasha got the difficult Russian dance moves instinctively and naturally—not the usual thing for an upper class girl.” Natasha, who grew up with a French governess, French fashions, and an affinity for foreign food and, really, all things foreign, knew how to dance the Russian way all on her own! Anisya and the peasants marvel at her abilities, and she doesn’t disappoint them at all. A participant noted, “Tolstoy seems to be saying that being Russian is innate, or perhaps only for those that live naturally and not intellectually.” Through Natasha, Tolstoy shows that being Russian is innate and can’t be wiped out by French or foreign influences. Natasha’s escape to the countryside brings out this genuine Russianness in her. Not everyone has this ability though! Many observed that people like Helene wouldn’t be able to connect with their Russianness—“The society or intellectual types seem to have lost their touch with the land.” Perhaps they need Natasha’s instinctual nature as well as a few trips in the countryside.
Natasha and Prince Andrei: Is It “Meant To Be?”
As Natasha discovers her Russianness in the country with Uncle, Prince Andrei turns to Western Europe (perhaps he feels like he’s already spent enough time in the country!). A few people saw his departure as an escape. When Natasha and Prince Andrei finally become officially engaged, they look back at their relationship and claim that it was fate for them to be together. However, they overlook a number of scenarios that seem to contradict that claim. As one noted, “I was taken aback when Andrei seems to regret his proposal to Natasha as soon as she accepts it. He’s definitely conflicted.” Up until their engagement, Natasha and Prince Andrei are clearly attracted to each other, but she’s constantly overcome by fear when she’s around him. “There seems to be a conflict with Natasha concerning the proposal also—she mentions being scared often, which seems to foreshadow trouble in spite of their joy at the moment.” His absence changes her somehow—besides the hunt and the mummers scenes, she’s constantly anxious and depressed. Letters from Prince Andrei are not enough—they even make her angry! She can’t communicate her pure emotion through writing to him. This draws a clear difference between her and Prince Andrei—she’s clearly not the intellectual type, as she can’t write to him without grammatical errors. This poses the question, “Andrei's intellect and reason can hold out, but can Natasha's emotions?” Someone made an interesting observation that “Andrei is simultaneously scared and attracted to Natasha’s emotional qualities and attributes as someone who lives almost exclusively in the intellectual, rational world.” In one scene, shortly before Prince Andrei’s departure, Natasha sings and has a strong emotional impact on Prince Andrei. Obviously, Natasha’s singing brings him pleasure and joy, but at the same time, it makes him sad (he chokes back tears), because it reminds him of "the dreadful disparity between something infinitely great and eternal that existed within him and something else, something constraining and physical that constituted him and even her." A participant pointed out, “We certainly have reason to doubt Natasha’s stamina and consistency.”
Love in Disguise: Nikolai and Sonya
As the relationship between Natasha and Prince Andrei is cast in doubt, the relationship between Nikolai and Sonya becomes affirmed—only after Nikolai sees Sonya dressed as a Circassian boy. In the mummers scene, we see more cross-dressing (the first one being the “fool” briefly mentioned at the hunt). Sara mentioned that Nikolai as a woman is less intimidating, and Sonya as a man is more daring and reckless. A change in appearance seems to have a huge effect on the way they’re perceived as well as the way they act. All of them, especially Nikolai, seem to be under a sort of spell, “confusing people and faces.” This confusion is somehow magical, and it brings him closer to Sonya.
A Circassian soldier. It’s interesting to consider how Nikolai’s love of the Tsar was compared to the love between a man and woman. Now, he only realizes his love for Sonya after seeing her dressed as a man! Do you think this look would suit her?
Besides the issue of Nikolai’s interesting attraction to Sonya with a moustache, their confirmed relationship brings up an even graver issue—securing the Rostov fortune. In an act of defiance against his family and one of love for Sonya, Nikolai refuses to marry Julie Karagin, the heiress briefly mentioned at the beginning of the novel. Julie becomes a savior for the Rostovs. Nikolai’s refusal to marry her causes great tension between him and his parents, especially his mother.
A farthingale—a structure used in 15-16th century Western European fashion to support skirts in the desired shape. During the mummers scene, Nikolai disguises himself as an old woman and comes out wearing a farthingale.
The Next Part is a Doozy
Come to next week’s chat session to talk about what it all means! See you then!
No comments:
Post a Comment