War and Peace · Character
Telyánin
Also known as Lieutenant Telyánin
- Supporting
- First seen · Book 1 · Ch. 31
Telyánin has the air of a man forever trying to look elsewhere: his eyes wander even while he speaks, and his small white hands are never quite still. A thin, piping voice and a studied carelessness make him difficult to read—and hard to forget.
- Gender
- male
- First appears
- Book 1 · Ch. 31
- Books
- 1
Telyánin first appears as a fellow officer whose evasive manner draws Denísov’s suspicion. Under pressure, his composure fractures into pallor, trembling, and fear, leaving little of the careless pose he had tried to maintain. Denísov later calls him a thief and strikes him, and Telyánin remains in Rostóv’s memory as a troubling figure tied to that affair.
Description
Telyánin is a small, slight man in a cavalry officer’s uniform, his riding breeches and military dress lending formality to an otherwise unassuming figure. His hands are notably small and white, and his pale face is marked by eyes that continually shift instead of meeting a gaze. His expression can look carelessly open, with lifted brows and parted lips, but unease gathers quickly in his features. He carries himself with an indolent, fidgeting air, his piping voice suggested in the nervous movement of his face.
Connections
Family & partnersFriends & mentorsRivals
- R
Rookformer owner and seller of the horse
Telyánin sold Rook to Rostóv for far more than the horse was worth and offers advice about treating its cracked hoof.
Nicholas Rostóvcomrade assaulted over alleged supply theft
Denisov accuses Telyanin of starving the soldiers by withholding provisions and strikes him at the commissariat. Rostov learns of the confrontation from Denisov.
- VD
Vasíli Dmítrich Denísovconflicting source relationships
Denisov accuses Telyanin of robbing the soldiers of food, strikes him, and is subsequently investigated for his violence.
Story so far
BOOK 1War and Peace
Key events
Appearances
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