Philosophy of History is a major sub-theme that runs through the work; it begins to appear more readily in the second half of the story and a dedicated second epilogue by Tolstoy is nothing more than reflections on the philosophy of history. War and Peace, therefore, is more than just a story, more than a … Continue reading Reading “War and Peace”: The Tyranny of Historicism and Tolstoy’s Philosophical Reflections
Literature
Reading “War and Peace”: Kutuzov and Napoleon
There are many “great men,” or historical figures, who appear throughout Tolstoy’s work. Many have single appearances, like the Austrian general Karl von Mack. Others appear repeatedly; their shadow sort of hanging over the principal characters. Two such great men stand out, and both are dialectically contrasted with each other: The French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, … Continue reading Reading “War and Peace”: Kutuzov and Napoleon
Reading “War and Peace”: Natasha and Helene
The two of the most prominent female characters in War and Peace are Natasha and Helene. The two women couldn’t be more starkly contrasted with each other. And in their stark contrasts, the two move toward different destinies like the two unfolding cities in St. Augustine’s masterpiece The City of God. Like Andrei and Pierre, … Continue reading Reading “War and Peace”: Natasha and Helene
Reading “War and Peace”: Andrei and Pierre
Leo Tolstoy’s masterpiece War and Peace is nothing short of a literary masterpiece. 2019 also marks the 150th anniversary of the work’s publication in book form, which came out in 1869. I have also written a long-winded 10,000-word commentary on the book for the occasion which can be read here. As such, I will not … Continue reading Reading “War and Peace”: Andrei and Pierre
A Tale of Two Resurrections
“With a roar that sounded as if all the breath in France had been shaped into the detested word, the living sea rose, wave on wave, depth on depth, and overflowed the city to that point. Alarm-bells ringing, drums beating, the sea raging and thundering on its new beach, the attack begun.” Charles Dickens crafted … Continue reading A Tale of Two Resurrections
John Keats’ “Lamia”: The Banishing of Love, Or Aristophanes vs. Socrates
John Keats’ “Lamia” was the last of his four grand poetic romances. The poem tells the story of the tragic woman Lamia, who in Greek mythology had been transformed into a serpent-like creature who devours children after the goddess Hera—oh those trouble-making Greek gods again—destroyed her children. Hera punished Lamia further by making her sleepless … Continue reading John Keats’ “Lamia”: The Banishing of Love, Or Aristophanes vs. Socrates
Singing of Sodom: John Keats and the Resurrection of Sexuality
John Keats was a romantic poet who died at the age of 25, alone, when he was in Rome. He was a remarkable failure in his own time but grew to prominence after his death. As such, he became a sort of prophet and patron saint of later generations of romantics and his poetry entered … Continue reading Singing of Sodom: John Keats and the Resurrection of Sexuality
Redeeming the Chariot: The War in Heaven in “Paradise Lost”
John Milton’s Paradise Lost is, without argue, one of the triumphs of the Christian imagination. Taking the story of the War in Heaven and giving it detail, especially in Book VI, Milton also makes constant usage of classical and biblical imagery and references to bolster his lively and imaginative retelling. As Raphael tells the story … Continue reading Redeeming the Chariot: The War in Heaven in “Paradise Lost”
Allegory, Irony, and Satire in “Paradise Lost”
John Milton’s epic poem Paradise Lost is remembered for two things, the famous quote from Satan after having been expelled from Heaven, “Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heav’n,” (i.263) and for creating the fiery depiction of Hell dramatically juxtaposed to the cold and frozen hell of Dante’s Inferno. Milton’s poem, though written … Continue reading Allegory, Irony, and Satire in “Paradise Lost”
