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War and Peace · Character

Borís Drubetskóy

A polished, self-possessed young man who treats every friendship as a rung and every conversation as a report to be filed.

supporting

Also known as Prince Borís Drubetskóy, Borís, the Drubetskóys

First appearance: IV

As a supporting figure in War and Peace, Borís Drubetskóy is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Introduced as a relation of the Rostóvs, described as cold, calculating, and selfish, and rapidly advanced through influence.
In the storyDramatis PersonaeOpen this moment free

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Borís rises through society and the army by knowing exactly whom to flatter and when to smile, listening to Nikoláy's plea for Denísov as a general listens to a subordinate. He is not villainous so much as frictionless,…

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See Borís Drubetskóy in IV

Character Web

41 connections

A slice of how Borís Drubetskóy sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

PBPrince BagratiónMDMonsieur Dessa…CTCaptain TúshinMPMárya PerónskayaNRNatásha RostóvaBDBorís Drubetskóy

Relationship types

  • Other

Character groups

  • Group 1
  • Peripheral Characters

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

EscalationAftermathAftermathAftermathClimax
  • Setup
  • Escalation
  • Breaking point
  • Aftermath
  • Closing

In this excerpt, the dramatic climax occurs when Pierre experiences a profound emotional and psychological pea…

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In the story

Borís Drubetskóy appears across 215 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Chapter companion notes

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See Borís Drubetskóy in IV