5084v - Reading War and Peace, Volumes III and IV and Epilogue

Virtual Course | Available (Membership Required)

N.A.
9/30/2026-10/28/2026
12:00 PM-1:30 PM EDT on Wed
Download iCalendar
$55.00

To assist you in preparing for this Course, we have provided a link to the setup / test pages from the conference provider. If you have never used this conference service before please click on the link below so that your PC or device will be ready to participate in this Course.

Click here to download app

5084v - Reading War and Peace, Volumes III and IV and Epilogue

Virtual Course | Available (Membership Required)

This course continues the examination of Leo Tolstoy’s classic Russian novel War and Peace and will focus on Volumes III and IV and the Epilogue. (Part 1 was offered in the spring 2026 term.) Each of five 90-minute class sessions will consider approximately 115 pages of the novel. These sections focus on 1812 and deal with the French invasion of Russia, France’s occupation of Moscow, the burning of Moscow and the retreat of the French army during the Russian winter. Many of the important characters from the book's first half reappear, along with some crucially important new characters. This course is for readers new to the novel as well as those who have read it and want to share their experience with classmates.

Recommended text: Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace, translated by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky. Vintage classics paperback 2008. ISBN 978-1-4000-7998-8.

Class participation will be much easier for persons using this highly recommended translation.

30 Sept:       Pages 603 – 718. Volume III Part One to Volume II, Part Two VIII.

7  Oct:          Pages 718 – 833. Volume II, Part Two IX to Volume III, Part Three, V.

14 Oct:         Pages 833 – 950. Volume III, Part Two VI to Volume IV, Part One, V.

21 Oct:         Pages 950 – 1066. Volume IV, Part One, VI to Volume IV, Part Three, XV.

28 Oct:         Pages 1066 – 1178. Volume IV, Part Three, XVI to Epilogue, Part One, XVI.

  • This course will be offered virtually via Zoom.


    This course will be recorded, and registered participants will receive a link to access each recording within two business days after the session ends. The recordings will be available for viewing anytime until February 28, 2027. While the recordings are provided for convenience and to accommodate any scheduling conflicts, they are not intended to replace the benefits of attending in real time, where you can ask questions and participate in discussion
John Pfordresher

John Pfordresher, emeritus professor of English at Georgetown University, taught undergraduate and graduate courses in literature and cultural studies for 50 years. He has published books on Tennyson, Matthew Arnold, Charlotte Bronte and Catholic Studies. His most recent book, The Secret History of Jane Eyre, explores how Charlotte Bronte wrote her masterpiece.