"All's fair in love and war" said Francis Edward Smedley.
summarization of - according to critics - the greatest classic of our time, L.N. Tolstoy's .
War and Peace. Themes of dedication to one's homeland, war strategies, fate, bravery, .
rebirth, religion and love are portrayed in the novel as seen both through the eyes of the .
aristocracy and the peasantry. .
The theme that carries throughout the entire novel is the coming together of the .
classes to protect their motherland. "There were some that adopted all the army .
procedures and had infantry, artillery, a staff, and the conveniences of life; some .
consisted only of Cossack cavalry; others were scratch groups of foot and horse, of .
landowners and peasants, and remained unknown. A deacon commanded such a band, .
which captured several hundreds prisoners in the course of a month. There was also .
Vasilisa, the wife of a village elder, who slew hundreds of the French." All mingled, rich .
and poor, those who were armed and those who were not properly equipped fought with .
equal fervor. .
A rising of the nation in such a manner, a merging into an indivisible strength and .
will in war strongly contrasted the division of classes in peace. At war, "the gulf between .
the "two nations", the gentry and the peasantry, and between the patriotic and unpatriotic .
elements of the gentry was greatly narrowed." Tolstoy revered this idea because he .
believed in patriotism, brotherhood, and spreading of wealth. .
Tolstoy overthrows the idea of war strategies and leaves everything to fate and .
spirit, " the strength of an army depends on its spirit." The spirit does not recognize .
boundaries of classes, but sweeps the entire nation and creates a mass of fighting peasants .
and counts, women and children. Tolstoy tenaciously held on to his belief that "the .
common people, workers and peasants, were the important factors in resolving the .
national crises of country.".