War and Peace · Character
Mary Ivánovna
Also known as old Mary Ivánovna
- Minor
- First seen · Book 1 · Ch. 69
Mary Ivánovna comes into view through the tenderness of a mother’s voice: her thoughts return often to her son, carrying both worry and deep affection. There is a quiet warmth in her, and a longing to be understood by those who listen.
- Gender
- female
- First appears
- Book 1 · Ch. 69
- Books
- 1
Mary Ivánovna is introduced as Dólokhov’s mother, a woman whose son has brought trouble into her life. She grows fond of Rostóv because of his friendship with her Fédya, and finds in him a sympathetic listener. In speaking often of her son, she reveals the steadfast, intimate attachment that remains at the heart of her life.
Description
The novel gives no concrete account of Mary Ivánovna’s face, coloring, hair, build, or clothing, so her appearance cannot be specified with confidence. She is identified as an older woman and as Dólokhov’s mother; beyond that, the text leaves her features undescribed. Her presence is best suggested through a maternal gentleness rather than invented physical details.
Story so far
BOOK 1War and Peace
Appearances
Meet Mary Ivánovna in Bookworm
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