In addition to its martial overtones, War and Peace (1869 & 2016) follows the romantic lives of Russian aristocrats. While special attention is typically paid to Andrei (James Norton) and Pierre (Paul Dano), it is interesting to follow the story from the perspective of Natasha Rostova(Lily James). Natasha, a lovesick teenager, undergoes an emotionally taxing ordeal and affair which results in her disgrace as well as her family’s embarrassment. What Davies and director Tom Harper refrain from doing however is oversexualizing or glamourizing Natasha’s love life. In the same vein, they also capture the depth of her remorse and sorrow. Ultimately War and Peace is a romance told from the perspective of a non-judgemental narrator. In her day, Natasha would be considered a disgraced woman. However, we can all relate to her impulsiveness when we understand her story, perspective, and pains through an impartial lens. What Tolstoy suggests and what the BBC team translated well is that if we truly understood other people, we might love them even more for their faults. “Pierre was right when he said that one must believe in the possibility of happiness in order to be happy, and I now believe in it. Let the dead bury the dead, but while I’m alive, I must live and be happy.” (Book 6, chapter 15) This is perhaps the most important takeaway for everyday life in Tolstoy’s War and Peace, a brief two sentences written in a very accessible script. It speaks to the author's overall philosophy on art, something he discusses further in his aptly titled book What is Art (1897). Tolstoy wanted art to be accessible for everyone. He knew that if novels were not entertaining, no one would read them. But he also considered them a kind of therapy. Art should teach us something about one another. It should make the audience more aware of the imperfect human condition that we all share. Essentially, the BBC miniseries accomplishes this very well. Tom Harper’s excellent direction interweaves history and romance into a highly pleasurable viewing experience. At the same time, Davies drops Tolstoy’s esoteric discourses in favour of a more intimate humanizing message. War and Peace (2016) reminds its audience that history is a cloudy reflection of the present. In fact, other people, with their many faults and issues, are not so unlike us. We should try our best to be happy and to live authentically with others in peace.
- Seamus Conlon
