Analysis of Army is Soldiers

Analysis of Army is Soldiers

My three fine compatriots have made an admirable effort in attempting to rename Tolstoy's War and Peace the new title The Army is Soldiers. This title, however, is ultimately unsatisfying. They suggest in the beginning of their essay that the title must focus on war because war is the focal point of the text. This idea is debatable. Tolstoy's original title acknowledges war as only half of the scope of the text. By focusing on the army and war, my colleagues seem to be ignoring the entirely realm of the epic outside of war. Yes, the war has a great effect on those living in society, but this is merely one external factor in their lives. Surely Pierre, Andrew, and other prominent characters would have many of the same deeper issues if the war was not happening. One could easily argue that this is not a novel about war, but about something greater and more profound than that and that Tolstoy merely employs the war as a tool to get across his greater message. The other main issue is that my colleagues say that the main theme of the novel is the outward turning of the self toward love. I can acknowledge that this is one of the work's main themes (perhaps not THE main theme), but how exactly does this connect to the title. Yes, both have a sense of community and the collective, but why armies exactly. My friends do not seem capable of leaving the motif of war. Isn't Tolstoy's masterpiece about more than a war? It was a valiant effort, but sadly these young scholars have fallen short in their effort to rename War and Peace.