Beginning of Essay
Leo Tolstoy’s novel, , contains three kinds of material, a historical account of the Napoleonic wars, the biographies of fictional characters, and a set of essays about the philosophy of history. Critics from the 1860s to the present have wondered how these thre ....

Middle of Essay
.... Pushkin continues, presenting the Russian general Mikhail Kutuzov (previously disparaged) as a patient old man whom understands the limitations of human will and planning. Kutuzov is aware that his power lies in his participation as a passive instrument among forces beyond his control. Particularly noteworthy are the novel's battle scenes, which show combat as sheer chaos. Generals may imagine they can "anticipate all contingencies," but battle is really the result of "a hundred million diverse chances" decided on the moment by unforeseeable circumstances. Leo Tolstoy does not tell the reader what they want to hear but presents his observation of op ....