The Russian epic War and Peace is considered one of the most acclaimed novels ever composed. Written by Leo Tolstoy and first published in 1869, the novel presents itself as a panorama of Russian society during the Napoleonic Wars. Throughout the work, Tolstoy illustrates the gap between the reality of war and the naive and false perceptions of battle seen by those who only know peace. War and Peace offers a broad depiction of individual struggles against immorality and social conflict. The lack of interest in the common good and the selfish detachment of the Russian aristocracy from the fatigues of reality are striking elements of history. The structure of the novel involves a change of focus between different characters, namely Countess Natasha Rostova, Prince Andrey Bolkonsky and Pierre Bezukhov. The three main characters each experience an internal transformation in response to the war. In the story, the encroaching conflict causes the characters to evaluate their previous ideals, morality, and affectations. The inclusion of Tolstoy's somewhat controversial thoughts on history in the work contrasts with the traditional methods used by historians. However, the novel proved very popular upon its release to the public. War and Peace addresses the artificiality and separation of Russian upper society, even in the wake of destruction, as a social dilemma and demonstrates the impact of war on humanity. War and Peace illustrates the conflict between the reality of war and the so-called peace. in Russia during the Napoleonic Wars and depicts a social dilemma in which society prioritizes personal interests above the concerns of others. Throughout the novel, Tolstoy emphasizes the inauthenticity and selfishness ... middle of paper ... Apollo's army approaching. After Natasha discovers the truth about Anatole's intentions and his marriage to another woman, Natasha enters a deep depression and endures the absurd and expensive care of numerous doctors. Natasha illustrates the social dilemma presented in the work as she begins to adopt the same selfish mindset as her peers without worrying about how it will affect those around her, especially Andrey. After Napoleon's invasion of Moscow and the death of Prince Andrey, Natasha realizes the triviality of her previous behavior and experiences a personal transformation. Throughout the remainder of the novel, Natasha presents herself as a mature and reserved character, contrasting greatly with Tolstoy's portrayal of her in previous passages. Pierre also faces a similar transformation and, through the ongoing struggles of the war, overcomes his own moral dilemma..