Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace is a monumental novel set against Napoleon Bonaparte's invasion of Russia. From Saint Petersburg to Moscow to the war's frontlines, the story weaves together the lives of five aristocratic families: the Bezukhovs, Bolkonskys, Drubetskoys, Kuragins, and RostovsDrubetskoys. The narrative explores their intertwined journeys and moral quests during this upheaval. These characters, among dozens more, provide a panoramic view of Russian society, from the battlefield to the ballroom.
War and Peace remains a classic more than 150 years since its publication. It's valued for its deep psychological insight and historical descriptions as well as for its exploration of universal themes of war, love, sacrifice, and fate. These 40+ quotes remain some of the most revered in literature.
The Best War and Peace Quotes about Resolution and Determination
“A battle is won by him who is firmly resolved to win it.”
“A man on a thousand mile walk has to forget his goal and say to himself every morning, 'Today I'm going to cover twenty-five miles and then rest up and sleep.'”
“The strongest of all warriors are these two — Time and Patience.”
“Everything comes in time to him who knows how to wait.”
“If everyone fought for their own convictions there would be no war.”
“An action once committed is irrevocable, and its effect, coinciding in time with millions of actions of the people, acquires historical significance.”
“What Kutuzov said came not from clever considerations, but from the feeling that was in the soul of the commander in chief.”
The Best War and Peace Quotes about Humility and Wisdom
“All we can know is that we know nothing. And that is the highest degree of human wisdom.”
“Because of the self-confidence with which he had spoken, no one could tell whether what he said was very clever or very stupid.”
“There is no greatness where there is not simplicity, goodness, and truth.”
“It is not enough to be a good man; you must have a revolution against evil.”
“It’s not given to people to judge what’s right or wrong. People have eternally been mistaken and will be mistaken…”
“The whole difference between war and peace is only a question of reconciling thought with reality.”
The Best War and Peace Quotes about Friendship and Love
“But one thing I beg of you, look on me as your friend;…think of me… I shall be happy, if I am able…”
“Everything I know, I know because of love.”
“You can love a person dear to you with a human love, but an enemy can only be loved with divine love.”
“The whole world is divided for me into two parts: one is she, and there is all happiness, hope, light; the other is where she is not, and there is dejection and darkness…”
“Pierre was right when he said that one must believe in the possibility of happiness in order to be happy…”
“Loving with human love, one may pass from love to hatred; but divine love cannot change.”
“Love is God, and to die means that I, a particle of love, shall return to the general and eternal source.”
The Best War and Peace Quotes about Life's Inevitability and Uncertainty
“Everything ends in death, everything. Death is terrible.”
“Here I am alive, and it's not my fault, so I have to try and get by as best I can until death takes over.”
“Pure and complete sorrow is as impossible as pure and complete joy.”
“Seize the moments of happiness, love and be loved! That is the only reality in the world, all else is folly.”
“Man lives consciously for himself, but serves as an unconscious instrument for the achievement of historical, universally human goals.”
“Life is too long to say anything definitely; always say perhaps.”
“If we admit that human life can be ruled by reason, then all possibility of life is destroyed.”
“Man cannot possess anything as long as he fears death. But to him who does not fear it, everything belongs.”
The Best War and Peace Quotes about Existential Reflection
“In order to understand, observe, deduce, man must first be conscious of himself as alive.”
“The only thing that we know is that we know nothing – and that is the highest flight of human wisdom.”
“There is no greatness where there is not simplicity, goodness, and truth.”
“Human science fragments everything in order to understand it, kills everything in order to examine it.”
“If we admit that human life can be ruled by reason, then all possibility of life is destroyed.”
“Man cannot possess anything as long as he fears death. But to him who does not fear it, everything belongs.”
“To love life is to love God, for life is the manifestation of God.”
The Best War and Peace Quotes about Relationships and Society
“In the best, the friendliest and simplest relations flattery or praise is necessary, just as grease is necessary to keep wheels turning.”
“Nothing is so necessary for a young man as the company of intelligent women.”
“It's too easy to criticize a man when he's out of favour, and to make him shoulder the blame for everybody else's mistakes.”
“One must be cunning and wicked in this world.”
“Kings are the slaves of history.”
“The strongest of all warriors are these two — Time and Patience.” (echoes determination but resonates socially too)
