Captain Denisov Character Analysis in War and Peace

Denisov is Nikolai Rostov’s squadron commander in the Pavlogradsky hussars. Nikolai looks up to Denisov, and they become friends. After multiple visits to the Rostov home, Denisov proposes to Natasha in the winter of 1806 but is turned down. In the War of 1812, Denisov leads small detachments against the French in partisan warfare. Pierre Bezukhov is one of the Russians taken prisoner by the French whom Denisov recaptures.

Captain Denisov Quotes in War and Peace

The War and Peace quotes below are all either spoken by Captain Denisov or refer to Captain Denisov. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

That night Rostov was on the picket line with his platoon forward of Bagration’s detachment. […] His eyes kept closing, and in his imagination the sovereign appeared, then Denisov, then Moscow memories […] “Why not? It might well be,” thought Rostov, “that the sovereign, meeting me, gives me some assignment, saying as to any officer: ‘Go and find out what’s there.’ There are many stories about how he got to know some officer quite by chance and attached him to himself. What if he attached me to himself? Oh, how I’d protect him, how I’d tell him the whole truth, how I’d expose the deceivers!”

Related Characters: Nikolai Rostov (speaker), Emperor Alexander I, Prince Bagration, Captain Denisov

Page Number and Citation: 265

Explanation and Analysis:

The night before the battle of Austerlitz, Nikolai Rostov sleepily rides along the picket line, drifting between dreams and conscious thought. He dreams recurrently of Emperor Alexander, whom Nikolai idolizes. Nikolai not only hopes to randomly encounter the Russian sovereign, but he also imagines that he will faithfully perform whatever special mission the sovereign happens to entrust to him. (There’s a humorous note here, since Nikolai has only faced one major battle so far and didn’t display all that much courage on that occasion.) At this point in Nikolai’s early life as a soldier, he’s motivated by adoration of the Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mo

Captain Denisov Character Timeline in War and Peace

The timeline below shows where the character Captain Denisov appears in War and Peace. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...Rostov serves as a junker in this regiment. He lives with his squadron commander, Captain Denisov. Nikolai rides up to his quarters, fondly takes leave of his horse, and exchanges cheerful... (full context)

When Rostov returns to the cottage, Denisov is eating a meal and writing a love letter. The sergeant major shows up for... (full context)

...a tavern, where he demands to examine Telyanin’s purse and quietly accuses him of stealing Denisov’s money. Telyanin begins to sob about his elderly parents, and Rostov returns the purse. Later,... (full context)

European Culture vs. The Russian Soul Theme Icon

...tormented by pain in his arm. He falls asleep and dreams of his family, of Denisov, Telyanin, and Bogdanych, and the dreams merge with the pain. When he wakes up, it’s... (full context)

Happiness and the Meaning of Life Theme Icon

On the sixteenth of November, Denisov’s squadron in Bagration’s detachment (Nikolai Rostov’s squadron) moves into action. It turns out that the... (full context)

Early in 1806, Nikolai Rostov comes home on leave, bringing Denisov with him. As the carriage gets closer to the house, Rostov—now sporting a new mustache—feels... (full context)

The next morning, Nikolai and Denisov oversleep, and Nikolai’s little brother Petya bursts into their bedroom, leaving Natasha and Sonya laughing... (full context)

...them of their mutual love. Vera comments aloud on their formality, making everyone blush. Meanwhile, Denisov enters the drawing room in a new uniform and fresh hairstyle and perfume. (full context)

Early the next morning, Pierre, Nesvitsky, Dolokhov, Denisov, and Rostov meet at the Sokolniki woods. Pierre hasn’t slept. He feels painfully conscious of... (full context)

...duel is underway, it seems like events are moving forward apart from any human will. Denisov counts to three, and the adversaries start marching toward each other. When Pierre fires in... (full context)

As Rostov and Denisov take the wounded Dolokhov back to Moscow, Dolokhov begs Rostov to go to his house... (full context)

In the fall, the Rostovs return to Moscow. Denisov visits again, too. The winter of 1806 is one of the happiest in Nikolai’s life.... (full context)

On the third day of Christmas, the Rostovs have a farewell dinner for Nikolai; Denisov and Dolokhov are there. When Nikolai gets home that evening, he notices an unsettled atmosphere... (full context)

...time wearing a long gown, and she enraptures everyone she meets. Eventually Natasha dances with Denisov, who’s a gifted dancer himself, and they make a graceful pair. (full context)

...home in dread. He finds the young people of the household gathered around the piano; Denisov is playing and singing an original song to Natasha, who looks scared and happy. Though... (full context)

Meanwhile, Natasha runs to the countess and announces that Denisov has proposed to her. The countess can’t think of Natasha as a grownup, and she... (full context)

Rostov’s and Denisov’s friendship is stronger than ever. Denisov looks out for Rostov and tries to keep him... (full context)

The next day, however, the regimental adjutant arrives, looking serious. He warns Denisov that a court-martial has been assigned to his case, and that the best-case scenario is... (full context)

In June, during a truce, Rostov gets permission to visit Denisov in the hospital. When he arrives, the doctor tells him that the hospital is a... (full context)

...the battle of Schöngraben. It turns out that Tushin, who’s had an arm amputated, is Denisov’s roommate. As Tushin leads Rostov into another room, Rostov is shocked by the sound of... (full context)

After reporting to the regiment, Rostov rides to Tilsit with Denisov’s letter for the sovereign. On June 13th, Napoleon and Emperor Alexander are meeting at Tilsit.... (full context)

...soldiers as enemies and of Napoleon as a criminal. Nikolai asks for Boris’s help on Denisov’s behalf, refusing to stay for the French party. (full context)

...slink from the house in shame, he runs into a sympathetic former commander who accepts Denisov’s letter. (full context)

...Boris, but he stands there pensively silent, thinking about the suffering amputees in the hospital, Denisov’s trouble, and the two emperors. He goes to a bustling inn and, while downing two... (full context)

...irreproachable idleness.” Nikolai Rostov discovers this for himself after 1807, when he takes over from Denisov as squadron commander of the Pavlogradsky regiment. His fellow hussars love him for his good... (full context)

...field with his 16-year-old officer Ilyin, who looks up to Rostov as Rostov once idolized Denisov. He listens to another officer recounting some battle heroics elsewhere in the war. Nowadays, Rostov... (full context)

...and Kutuzov is now commander in chief. It turns out that this prisoner is Lavrushka, Denisov’s serf. Napoleon wants to speak to him personally, so the drunken Cossack soon rides up,... (full context)

...of the troops, a hussar lieutenant with bristling mustaches rides up and introduces himself as Denisov. He’s heard of Bolkonsky’s misfortunes and greets him sympathetically. Andrei heard of Denisov from Natasha’s... (full context)

...just learned of his father’s death, Kutuzov embraces him tenderly, his eyes filling with tears. Denisov boldly approaches at this moment, unaware of the adjutants’ annoyance, and explains he has a... (full context)

...The smaller partisan detachments, like the Cossacks and peasants, have gained confidence. On October 22nd, Denisov is caught up in partisan warfare. All day, he and his party have been watching... (full context)

Denisov and Petya overlook the French camp from a spot in the forest. Below, a large... (full context)

Though everyone laughs at Tikhon’s comical acting-out of his encounters with the French, Denisov is annoyed that the scout didn’t bring back any prisoners. Petya joins in the laughter,... (full context)

...on an opportunity for heroism. That’s why, when his general wanted to send somebody to Denisov’s detachment, he begged for the job. But, having seen Petya’s tendency to behave wildly in... (full context)

...ask about his welfare, but he fears he’s already embarrassed himself with his gift-giving. Nevertheless, Denisov allows the boy to be brought in. Petya tries to comfort the timid boy and... (full context)

When Dolokhov arrives and plans to scope out the French encampment, Petya defies Denisov and goes along. They dress in French uniforms and bluster their way into the camp.... (full context)

Back at the guardhouse, Denisov is relieved that Petya returns safely. Unable to sleep, Petya chats with a Cossack who... (full context)

Denisov gives last-minute orders for the attack. Petya stands with his horse, trembling. As they mount... (full context)

After receiving word that the French will surrender, Dolokhov looks at Petya’s body and tells Denisov that the boy is “finished.” The Cossacks look at Denisov in surprise as he holds... (full context)

...manor house, watching hundreds of French prisoners file past, a cruel gleam in his eye. Denisov follows some Cossacks to a pit where Petya Rostov will be buried. (full context)

...Prince Andrei’s death over a month after his wounding at Borodino. On the same day, Denisov told him of Hélène’s death. At the time, none of this sunk in. (full context)

...children are visiting Bald Hills while Pierre is doing business in Petersburg. Nikolai’s old friend Denisov also comes to visit. On the feast of St. Nicholas, Nikolai’s name-day, 20 people gather... (full context)

...stayed longer than they agreed, and Natasha grew sad and irritable in his absence. When Denisov came to visit, he found the once-enchanting Natasha perpetually distracted and dull. But when Pierre... (full context)

...Pierre patiently answers the Countess’s questions and repeats things he’s told her many times. When Denisov sidetracks Pierre with a question about the Biblical Society— “that madness, Gossner and the [Tatarinov]... (full context)

Supper is friendlier, as Nikolai, Denisov, and Pierre reminisce about 1812. Afterward, when Nikolai goes to his bedroom, he finds Marya... (full context)

Captain Denisov Character Analysis

Captain Denisov Quotes in War and Peace

Volume 1, Part 3: Chapters 10–13 Quotes

Captain Denisov Character Timeline in War and Peace