Summary
Prince Bolkonsky spends a sleepless night wrestling with his mortality and memories. After giving detailed instructions to his servant Alpátych for supplies from Smolénsk, the old prince struggles to find a comfortable place to sleep, eventually settling on an unusual spot behind the piano. His physical frailty becomes apparent as he labors to undress and get into bed, muttering about his exhaustion with life's burdens. When he finally remembers Prince Andrew's letter about the French advance, the gravity of the military situation hits him—the enemy may reach Smolénsk in just four days. This news triggers a flood of memories from his younger days as a general, including vivid recollections of military camps, political intrigue, and his encounters with Empress Catherine and her court favorites. The chapter reveals how crisis strips away our defenses, leaving us vulnerable to both fear and nostalgia. The prince's restless night reflects the broader anxiety gripping Russia as Napoleon's forces advance. His longing to return to his vigorous youth while facing present dangers shows how we all struggle with the gap between who we were and who we've become. The detailed domestic preparations contrast sharply with the approaching military threat, highlighting how ordinary life continues even as history pivots around us. Tolstoy uses this intimate portrait to show how personal and historical forces intertwine, making the prince's private struggles a mirror for his nation's crisis.
Coming Up in Chapter 194
As dawn approaches, the prince's restless night gives way to new developments that will force him to confront the advancing reality of war. The preparations he's been making may prove more urgent than he realized.
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An excerpt from the original text.(~500 words)
When Michael Ivánovich returned to the study with the letter, the old prince, with spectacles on and a shade over his eyes, was sitting at his open bureau with screened candles, holding a paper in his outstretched hand, and in a somewhat dramatic attitude was reading his manuscript—his “Remarks” as he termed it—which was to be transmitted to the Emperor after his death. When Michael Ivánovich went in there were tears in the prince’s eyes evoked by the memory of the time when the paper he was now reading had been written. He took the letter from Michael Ivánovich’s hand, put it in his pocket, folded up his papers, and called in Alpátych who had long been waiting. The prince had a list of things to be bought in Smolénsk and, walking up and down the room past Alpátych who stood by the door, he gave his instructions. “First, notepaper—do you hear? Eight quires, like this sample, gilt-edged... it must be exactly like the sample. Varnish, sealing wax, as in Michael Ivánovich’s list.” He paced up and down for a while and glanced at his notes. “Then hand to the governor in person a letter about the deed.” Next, bolts for the doors of the new building were wanted and had to be of a special shape the prince had himself designed, and a leather case had to be ordered to keep the “will” in. The instructions to Alpátych took over two hours and still the prince did not let him go. He sat down, sank into thought, closed his eyes, and dozed off. Alpátych made a slight movement. “Well, go, go! If anything more is wanted I’ll send after you.” Alpátych went out. The prince again went to his bureau, glanced into it, fingered his papers, closed the bureau again, and sat down at the table to write to the governor. It was already late when he rose after sealing the letter. He wished to sleep, but he knew he would not be able to and that most depressing thoughts came to him in bed. So he called Tíkhon and went through the rooms with him to show him where to set up the bed for that night. He went about looking at every corner. Every place seemed unsatisfactory, but worst of all was his customary couch in the study. That couch was dreadful to him, probably because of the oppressive thoughts he had had when lying there. It was unsatisfactory everywhere, but the corner behind the piano in the sitting room was better than other places: he had never slept there yet. With the help of a footman Tíkhon brought in the bedstead and began putting it up. “That’s not right! That’s not right!” cried the prince, and himself pushed it a few inches from the corner and then closer in again. “Well, at last I’ve finished, now I’ll rest,” thought the prince, and let Tíkhon undress him. Frowning with vexation at the effort necessary to divest himself...
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Intelligence Amplifier™ Analysis
The Road of Crisis Memory - When Present Danger Awakens the Past
When facing serious threats, our minds automatically flood with memories of past competence and power as a psychological defense mechanism.
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
This chapter teaches how our sense of self often depends too heavily on external roles, leaving us vulnerable when those roles change or disappear.
Practice This Today
This week, notice when you introduce yourself primarily through your job title or achievements—then practice describing yourself through your values, relationships, or what you're curious about instead.
Now let's explore the literary elements.
Terms to Know
Bureau
A writing desk with drawers and compartments, often used by wealthy households for correspondence and record-keeping. In aristocratic homes, the bureau was the command center for managing estates and affairs.
Modern Usage:
Like having a home office setup where you pay bills and handle important paperwork.
Quires
A measure of paper, typically 24 or 25 sheets. The prince's specific request for eight quires of gilt-edged notepaper shows his attention to status and detail even in crisis.
Modern Usage:
Similar to ordering premium letterhead or business cards - presentation matters even when the world is falling apart.
Sealing wax
Wax used to seal letters and documents, often stamped with a family crest or personal seal. It guaranteed authenticity and privacy in an age before envelopes.
Modern Usage:
Like password-protecting important emails or using certified mail for legal documents.
Governor
A regional administrator appointed by the Tsar to govern provinces. The prince needs to deliver a deed personally to ensure proper legal handling during wartime uncertainty.
Modern Usage:
Like needing to file important documents with the county clerk or state office before a deadline.
Will
Legal document distributing property after death. The prince orders a special leather case for his will, showing how mortality weighs on him as war approaches.
Modern Usage:
Getting your affairs in order when you sense big changes or danger coming - like updating beneficiaries before surgery.
Mortality anxiety
The psychological distress that comes from awareness of death's inevitability. The prince's sleepless night and obsession with his papers reflect this deep human fear.
Modern Usage:
That 3am panic when you can't sleep and start thinking about everything that could go wrong in your life.
Displacement activity
Focusing on minor, controllable tasks when facing major, uncontrollable stress. The prince's detailed shopping lists while Napoleon advances shows this coping mechanism.
Modern Usage:
Cleaning the house obsessively when you're worried about a job interview or relationship problem.
Characters in This Chapter
Prince Bolkonsky
Aging patriarch
Spends a restless night confronting his mortality while giving detailed domestic instructions. His physical frailty and mental wandering between past glory and present crisis reveal a man struggling with powerlessness.
Modern Equivalent:
The retired executive who micromanages household details because he can't control the big picture anymore
Michael Ivánovich
Trusted secretary
Delivers correspondence and serves as witness to the prince's emotional state. He represents the loyal employee who sees his boss's vulnerability but maintains professional discretion.
Modern Equivalent:
The longtime assistant who knows all the boss's personal business but keeps it confidential
Alpátych
Estate manager
Receives detailed instructions for a shopping trip to Smolénsk, patiently listening to two hours of specific requirements. He embodies the servant class caught between normal duties and wartime uncertainty.
Modern Equivalent:
The reliable employee who gets stuck with impossible errands while the company is in crisis
Prince Andrew
Absent son
Though not physically present, his letter about the French advance triggers his father's anxiety and memories. His military reports bring the distant war into the domestic sphere.
Modern Equivalent:
The adult child whose bad news call disrupts their parent's carefully maintained routine
Key Quotes & Analysis
"Eight quires, like this sample, gilt-edged... it must be exactly like the sample."
Context: Giving detailed instructions to Alpátych for supplies from Smolénsk
The prince's obsession with paper quality while war approaches shows how we cling to controllable details when facing uncontrollable chaos. His need for everything to be 'exactly like the sample' reveals anxiety disguised as perfectionism.
In Today's Words:
I need everything done exactly right, no substitutions or shortcuts allowed.
"The instructions to Alpátych took over two hours and still the prince did not feel ready to end the conversation."
Context: Describing the prince's lengthy, detailed instructions for the shopping trip
This reveals how anxiety makes us over-explain and over-prepare. The prince prolongs the conversation because giving instructions feels like maintaining control, while ending it means facing his powerlessness.
In Today's Words:
He kept talking because stopping meant dealing with things he couldn't control.
"Behind the piano was probably the best place."
Context: Searching for a comfortable place to sleep during his restless night
The absurdity of an aristocrat considering sleeping behind a piano shows how crisis strips away our normal comforts and routines. It highlights his physical and emotional displacement.
In Today's Words:
Maybe I can find some peace in this weird spot where nobody expects me to be.
Thematic Threads
Mortality
In This Chapter
Prince Bolkonsky's sleepless night wrestling with physical frailty and approaching death
Development
Intensified from earlier hints of aging into direct confrontation with mortality
In Your Life:
You might recognize this when illness or loss forces you to face your own limitations and finite time.
Class
In This Chapter
The prince's memories of court life and political influence contrast sharply with his current isolation
Development
Shows how class privilege can't protect against mortality or historical forces
In Your Life:
You might see this when your professional status feels threatened by circumstances beyond your control.
Identity
In This Chapter
The gap between the prince's past self as a powerful general and present self as an aging man
Development
Deepens the ongoing theme of how crisis forces identity recalibration
In Your Life:
You might experience this when major life changes force you to question who you are versus who you used to be.
Preparation
In This Chapter
Detailed domestic preparations for potential evacuation while grappling with larger threats
Development
Shows how ordinary planning continues even during extraordinary circumstances
In Your Life:
You might recognize this when you focus on small, controllable tasks while avoiding bigger, scarier decisions.
Memory
In This Chapter
Vivid recollections of military camps, political intrigue, and court encounters flood the prince's mind
Development
Introduced here as a coping mechanism during crisis
In Your Life:
You might notice this when stress makes you dwell on times when you felt more capable or secure.
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
What triggers Prince Bolkonsky's flood of memories about his younger military days?
analysis • surface - 2
Why does the prince's mind jump to his past glory when facing current threats?
analysis • medium - 3
When have you seen someone (or yourself) retreat into memories of 'better times' during a crisis?
application • medium - 4
How could someone use memories of past strength to handle present challenges without getting stuck in nostalgia?
application • deep - 5
What does this chapter reveal about how our minds protect us from overwhelming reality?
reflection • deep
Critical Thinking Exercise
Bridge Your Past Power to Present Challenges
Think of a current challenge you're facing. Write down three specific times in your past when you handled difficulty successfully. For each memory, identify one concrete skill or approach you used then that you could adapt to your current situation. Don't just remember when you were capable—extract the transferable tools.
Consider:
- •Focus on specific actions you took, not just how you felt
- •Look for patterns in how you've solved problems before
- •Consider how your past methods might need updating for today's context
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when remembering your past strength helped you move forward rather than holding you back. What made the difference between helpful reflection and paralyzing nostalgia?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 194: When Orders Collide with Reality
Moving forward, we'll examine loyalty can blind us to changing circumstances, and understand bureaucratic reassurances often mask real danger. These insights bridge the gap between classic literature and modern experience.