War and Peace: The Countess Takes Her Life | Lifetime

Helene reaches her breaking point in this collection of scenes from "War and Peace."
#WarAndPeace
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War & Peace
Season 1
Episode 4
Set against the backdrop of Napoleon's 1812 invasion of Russia, "War and Peace" is a story of passion, romance, scandal, and deceit surrounding the rising and falling fortunes of five aristocratic families; the Bezukhovs, Bolkonskys, Drubetskoys, Kuragins and Rostovs; in the waning days of imperial Russia.
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[@ArizonaAirspace]

The genius of Leo Tolstoy. He understood human frailties better than any writers of his generation. He understood that the line between good and evil is very thin.

[@agenttheater5]

I hated her and despised her brother....but I still felt so sorry for them when they died......

[@davidw.2791]

agenttheater5 And thus you can empathize with their father when he comes up to Pierre all disheveled and begging his forgiveness.

[@barbiquearea]

@@davidw.2791 I certainly did. It's like how Andrei treated his wife poorly yet when she died it shook him up and changed his outlook in life.

[@melinajohansson9715]

THE ADVERTISEMENT BEFORE THE VIDEO WAS A PREGNANCY TEST ONE 😭😭😭😭😭

[@ddseir1443]

To me, the most powerful element in this clip, is when the choir with the tebe poem kicks in. It's like ''no matter what you have done, this is the time of God''s judgement and mercy' on you'''.

[@Gizmogirl192]

That scream though

[@feverprole]

Judge me, but I feel bad for her even after the things she has done. The woman was in despair.

[@crimson177]

She had been a pretty horrible human being but she didn't deserve to die.

[@1969cmp]

It's one of those things. We see all sorts of footage doing horrible things to other, and when the time of justice comes we feel sorry for them because really it was one decision after another the builds them up to their own delusions. But then we remember how they get to the place of their dying minutes - suicide, violence or the gallows and it reminds us that it is no accident they their destiny was self crafted. For example, I feel sad for Qaddafi, Saddam Hussein and Yassar Arafat but the decades leading up to their deaths, the immeasurable pain and deceit they inflicted upon others, and it was a matter of time for them to "reap what they sowed". A warning to us.

[@iTube22100]

A good person may think so while those that are like Helena and his brother have never had qualms about hurting others.

[@sammyvh11]

Tolstoy was brilliant and saw the world clearly. But in the end the light shines through.

[@jgv1]

What did I miss in the book, she just died. No mention of pregnancy. The desire to marry another was weird, I guess

[@taliavelazquez358]

Pierre left her and she was showing a baby bump. This means that everyone knew that she had been unfaithful which equals social suicide. Helene used to thrive in Russian society so this is devastating to her.

[@ironflowers977]

'They all knew very well that the enchanting countess's illness arose from an inconvenience resulting from marrying two husbands at once, and the italian's cure consisted in removing such an inconvenience' 'In intimate circles details were mentioned of how (the Italian doctor) had prescribed small doses of a certain drug to produce a certain effect' (I won't type out the rest of it because it's not as relevant but it basically goes on to say that Helene was tortured by the fact that one of the guys she was having affairs with suspected her and that Pierre hadn't replied to her letter which led her to overdose on the drug and die in agony) Maybe not a direct mention of pregnancy (and might be easy to overlook if you don't think too deeply into it), but given all the hints it's a bit hard to interpret it as anything else...

[@annyjoseph6162]

@Richard Sutton Perhaps but I don't remember it.

[@lolacrimson6063]

I have s problem with this title. She didn’t take her life. She was desperate and didn’t know it would kill her

[@thereseo6008]

I meant I. That’s how I interpreted it

[@maried8195]

She still took her life, be it by mistake or not

[@belamoure]

On one side a good man friend with all on the other side a conniving plotting luxurious wench that found finally herself trapped in her spider web. Just fair and karmic ending giving great satisfaction to the reader. Tolstoy is such a genius.

[@abooswalehmosafeer173]

I heard screaming the Castle. The Princess is miserable in the midst of luxuriance

[@NellyPringle]

I'm with Pierre, it was an awful end and I did feel sorry for her, even though the circumstances were, of course, largely of her own making. Just about all the characters are tested for empathy, pity and forgiveness in the story, and so is the audience. It turns out these qualities aren't found in high society - and, notably, the happy ending is set far away from salons, soirees and ballrooms. Helene married Pierre first but rejected what they could have had (as seen in the happy ending) for what ultimately killed her. Arguably, she knew no better.😕

[@hartwharton6969]

the best comment here

[@thevanished8185]

NellyPringle . This woman is reaping what she's sowed, plain and simple. She was never forced to marry Pierre, encouraged perhaps but never forced against her will. In fact from moment he became The Count, she manipulated and schemed her way to become his wife, all quite willful and deliberate. He never asked her to marry him, she publically engaged herself to him. He wasn't even sure that he wanted to marry her. She was just as opportunist and greedy as her father and they both worked together to achieve the same objective. Just because women didn't have equal status with men, does not automatically qualify them as victims, regardless of their character and actions. This woman was no victim, after marrying she treated him with outrageous disrespect, and cheated on him without a conscience. She didn't care if he lived or died after his duel with the man she was cheating with, and tried to ruin the lives of other innocent people, out of spite. In the end her actions finally caught up with her, and she paid the price for all it.

[@thevanished8185]

Other than the fact because she's a woman, I dont understand, why people are feeling so sorry for her. You can't convince me she didn't know tricking an innocent man into marriage for his money was wrong, or adultery was wrong, wishing her husband dead, having incestuous couplings with her brother, or trying and succeeding in destroying the lives of Natasha and Andrea. Along with all the suffering her husband had to endure being married to her. She didn't have to come from a nunnery to know better, she just choose to do no better. I am glad justice was met, and the suffering she caused her husband and Natasha was undone by their union. I was very satisfied with the ending.

[@aparnarajesh]

I glad pierre got happiness with natasha

[@silkegehtyoutubegarnichtsa892]

Hmm, ist that really when we get tested in our empathy for Pierre?? ISN't he a bit too concerned about,"(protecting) his name", sometimes?? Is it worth a life, however wicked? A question he's asking himself of course, and the OP imo nailed it.

[@donutmeister]

This doesn’t spoil anything does it? No, of course not.

[@Wessex90]

Karma working it's magic.

[@goodgirlkay]

You have to remember that women in 19th century Russia had no rights. She didn't want to marry Pierre in the beginning, but was pressured to do so. I can see things from her point of view. She is a tragic figure.

[@Wessex90]

+kay jay True. To be fair, he in turn got forced to marry her as well (though he did really fancy her). The sad thing is about this scene is that if Pierre weren't captured, he probably would have ended the marriage as she asked.

[@RioMadeira]

+kay jay I don't think she was entirely opposed to the idea. Sure, she didn't think much of him, but she seemed happy enough with his money and the social credibility their marriage provided. Besides, she clearly trusted herself to find ways to avoid being around Pierre as much as possible.

[@jcaliberty8288]

kay jay she's a selfish brat who enjoyed Pierre's money and status

[@commonsense6257]

We are all forced to make choices based on constraints and circumstance. Banging all of Pierre's acquaintances though? She was a thoroughly detestable woman with no morals, completely selfish. A very modern woman actually.

[@TheNewFlutist]

Chesnokov! op. 27 no. 6 "To Thee We Sing"

[@missasinenomine]

Tebe Poem. Tebe Gospodi.

[@thevanished8185]

This woman is reaping what she's sowed, plain and simple. She was never forced to marry Pierre, encouraged perhaps but never forced against her will. In fact from moment he became The Count, she manipulated and schemed her way to become his wife, all quite willful and deliberate. He never asked her to marry him, she publically engaged herself to him. He wasn't even sure that he wanted to marry her. She was just as opportunist and greedy as her father and they both worked together to achieve the same objective. Just because women didn't have equal status with men, does not automatically qualify them as victims, regardless of their character and actions. This woman was no victim, after marrying she treated him with outrageous disrespect, and cheated on him without a conscience. She didn't care if he lived or died after his duel with the man she was cheating with, and tried to ruin the lives of other innocent people, out of spite. In the end her actions finally caught up with her, and she paid the price for all it.

[@babyp8051]

Viera Ivanovich Helen was no victim. Natasha was also a woman. She was seduced and almost ruined by Helen and her brother. Helen was also sleeping with Pierre' s friends and associates. She was cruel and got what she deserved.

[@og4593]

Thank you for telling the truth. It disgusts me that anyone can sympathise with her on this comment section simply because she's a 19th century female character. Her and her father's unchallenged actions against Pierre were among the many reasons why I quit watching the show.

[@babyp8051]

OG I am glad people still have sense!

[@dankhnw8]

OG The comment speaks about the show not the book

[@charmiancharmian3088]

@@morgan7389 Pierre cheated on Helene??? In which chapter? It's been awhile since I've read the book i kinda forgot

[@missasinenomine]

What's all this about? Suicide? Helene begging Pierre for a divorce? Not in the version I read. He threw her out because of her affairs esp with Dolohov.

[@morrigan0103]

Okay I know this is 2 years old but did you only read the first half of the book 😰

[@missasinenomine]

@@morrigan0103 I don't mind that it's 2 years old! W&P is timeless. My favourite book & favourite film. I'm talking about the Soviet 6 hour long version, dir, Sergei Bondarchuk. I've read the book 2x & seen the film 5x. That 5x7 = 35 hours in the cinema! Phew! But never once heard of Helene begging Pierre for a divorce. Have I missed something?

[@Ugh-Fudge_Bwana]

@@missasinenomine In the novel, she converted to Catholicism in the hope that the Pope would annul her marriage so she could remarry. IIRC she does also write to Pierre asking for a divorce while he was at Borodino, but I can't remember the chapter.

[@itzjoeymac]

Tuppence is hot and talented.

[@christianhuston897]

Why didn't Pierre let her remarry?

[@MRosezhahira]

C he didn't get her letters because he was a prisoner, i think.

[@aarna6853]

he couldn't answer he was captured

[@samhorton4621]

0:19

[@emilygreenhall9334]

Why did they make her leave?

[@shannonosborne5799]

People had noticed she was pregnant and and that she'd cheated on her husband while he wasn't around so they didn't want her in their social circles anymore

[@babablacksheep6388]

Deserved it

[@LBF522]

Absolutely! She was an awful person.

[@sparkymmilarky]

What's the blood from?

[@rebekkanachbaur7926]

British Imperialist she had taken the potion to get rid of the baby (which is VERY dangerous!) That blood is her having a miscarriage.

[@lilystaples2214]

Some abortifacients worked by stimulating menstrual flow (called emmenagogues), but it was easy to overdose and produce fatal hemorrhage.

[@darkmatter5424]

I love how society had zero tolerance for adultery back in the day. Now, it's highly tolerated and in some cases even celebrated.

[@isabellelandry4030]

L’adultere de la part des femmes, je ne vois pas la société comdamnée ces mesieurs….

[@percyweasley9301]

You want to go to mediaval age so much? Who are you judge others? Not everyone involved in adultery are bad people... Circumstances are different...

[@LBF522]

Helene was an awful person. He was better off without her.

[@CHURCHISAWESUM]

@@percyweasley9301 Adultery is evil. Period.

[@NotInTheGame]

RIP BOZO

[@wickedapple5745]

She is my favourite character in this series and in the book. I feel so sorry for her😭

[@martyrobbins5241]

Elena Hikari did she cheat on pierre with many different men?

[@j.martinez8767]

@@martyrobbins5241 She was a serial adulterer and ever delighted in seducing others into it.

[@angelicaschuyler2802]

Sameeee, in the great comet she has a pretty cool song and i can't help feeling so sorry for her...

[@user-ug9pt7bf9q]

I understand you very well!Because mine too! I am also very sorry for our beloved Helene! 💔❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

[@fatimaaliboody4065]

1:12 why did that lady forces her to leave?

[@slayr399]

Because she was disgraced for bearing another man's child and ostracised by polite society.

[@davidw.2791]

slayr399 Also, that older lady is the most favorite lady-in-waiting to the Czarina which makes her one of the most powerful people in court.

[@aarna6853]

they saw her as ruined for bearing someone else's child

[@aimeelouise6763]

First

[@TresaOlson]

Congrats your prize is....... NOTHING LOL😄

[@ashlyloredo7380]

2st

[@pheart2381]

She died of angina as I recall.

[@asmr-piggy4088]

No

[@mariamara999]

Бедные женщины...столько проблем из-за беременности

[@bulbul9531]

Элен столько проблем другим людям сделала проблем, а беременность это фантазия сценариста этого фильма

[@Kilian3142]

Looks like my ex girlfriend.

[@thongthom2769]

Wow...

[@eleanort3693]

Did Pierre intentionally ignore her?

[@diegocobosanchez4373]

+CarysParis T No, Pierre didn't receive Helene's letters because he had been imprisoned by the French in Moscow, he had no idea of her problems until after she died :'(.

[@eleanort3693]

Diego Cobo Sánchez ah ok. I thought he was just a salty ex😂

[@fr4225]

hey watch your mouth

[@raquelflorence235]

Even if Pierre knew, I dont think he’d refuse for her to remarry because he is a good guy with good morals

[@barbiquearea]

@@raquelflorence235 Although he might have had to give her a substantial settlement in their divorce.