War and Peace, Book 9: 1812, Chapter 11 summary
Book 9: 1812, Chapter 11 of 365 · 8 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 11, Prince Andrew watches military advisers dispute the defense of the Drissa camp and concludes that no fixed science can explain success in war. His growing belief that useful service belongs among ordinary soldiers leads him to request army duty rather than a position near the Emperor.
What happens
- The Emperor arrives while Paulucci fiercely condemns the adviser responsible for choosing the Drissa camp.
- Volkónski gathers opinions after a report of a French outflanking movement, and Armfeldt, Toll, and Paulucci offer competing plans.
- Pfuel insists that his theory covers every danger and blames current difficulties on failures to follow his instructions.
- Andrew respects Pfuel’s devotion but sees his despair as the council dissolves into competing arguments and personal attacks.
- Andrew concludes that battlefield uncertainty and soldiers’ morale matter more than theories or commanders’ supposed genius.
- At the next day’s review, Andrew requests army service instead of court employment and loses his standing at court.
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What does Andrew ask the Emperor for at the review?
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