Countess Hélène Bezúkhova

Aliases

Countess Bezúkhova · Hélène Bezúkhova · Hélène · Hélène Kuragina · Hélène Kuragin · Hélène Bezúkhov · Countess Hélène · Princess Hélène

Titles

Countess

Appearances

• First: Book SIX · Chapter IX · ¶ 1
• Latest: Book TWELVE · Chapter I · ¶ 3

Relationships

• Social acquaintance · Anna Pávlovna Schérer

  ““Come over here, Hélène, dear,” said Anna Pávlovna to the beautiful young princess.”

• Marriage · Pierre Bezukhov

  “Six weeks later he was married, and settled in Count Bezúkhov’s large, newly furnished Petersburg house.”

  “he also remembered... Hélène’s death”

• Conflict · Pierre Bezukhov

  “Why have you quarreled with Hélène, mon cher?”

• Marriage · Pierre Bezukhov

  “You know her husband, of course?”

• Friendship · Borís Drubetskóy

  “Hélène who had spoken very little all the evening again turned to Borís, asking him in a tone of caressing significant command to come to her on Tuesday.”

• Social acquaintance · Natásha Rostóva

  “Ah, here she is, the Queen of Petersburg, Countess Bezúkhova”

• Friendship · Colonel Berg

  “I have just been to see the countess, your wife.”

• Friendship · Natásha Rostóva

  “Dear count, you must let me look after your daughters!”

• Sibling (brother) · Anatole Kurágin

  ““Let me introduce my brother to you,” said Hélène, her eyes shifting uneasily from Natásha to Anatole.”

• Friendship · Borís Drubetskóy

  “they met as good friends of long standing”

• Conflict · Prince Nicholas Andréevich Bolkónski

  “What right have you, monseigneur, to demand an account of my attachments and friendships?”

• Conflict · Princess Kuragina

  “Among those who ventured to doubt the justifiability of the proposed marriage was Hélène’s mother, Princess Kurágina.”

• Friendship · Pierre Bezukhov

  “the princess... had become fond of him.”

• Parent (father) · Prince Vasíli Kurágin

  “Tell me what this wretched war is for?” she added, addressing Prince Vasíli, and without waiting for an answer she turned to speak to his daughter, the beautiful Hélène.”

  “Prince Vasíli mimicked the sobbing of Sergéy Kuzmích and at the same time his eyes glanced toward his daughter.”

• Romantic attraction · Pierre Bezukhov

  “And at that moment Pierre felt that Hélène not only could, but must, be his wife, and that it could not be otherwise.”

• Romantic attraction · Pierre Bezukhov

  “Oh, he loves me so!”

• Romantic attraction · Borís Drubetskóy

  “the greatest attention of all to Borís’ narrative was shown by Hélène. She asked him several questions about his journey and seemed greatly interested”

• Patronage · Anna Pávlovna Schérer

  “Anna Pávlovna, with the same sad smile with which she spoke of her exalted patroness, supported Hélène’s wish.”

• Financial (alimony) · Pierre Bezukhov

  “150,000 alimony was sent to the countess;”

• Romantic attraction · Prince Nicholas Andréevich Bolkónski

  “A woman sacrifices herself for you, she suffers, and this is her reward!”

• Mentor · Monsieur de Jobert

  “Monsieur de Jobert... talked to her for a long time of the love of God, of Christ, of the Sacred Heart...”

• Mentor · the abbé

  “After that a long-frocked abbé was brought to her. She confessed to him, and he absolved her from her sins.”

• Child (child) · Prince Vasíli Kurágin

  “Tell me what this wretched war is for?” she added, addressing Prince Vasíli, and without waiting for an answer she turned to speak to his daughter, the beautiful Hélène.”

  “Prince Vasíli mimicked the sobbing of Sergéy Kuzmích and at the same time his eyes glanced toward his daughter.”

• Student · Monsieur de Jobert

  “Monsieur de Jobert... talked to her for a long time of the love of God, of Christ, of the Sacred Heart...”

• Student · the abbé

  “After that a long-frocked abbé was brought to her. She confessed to him, and he absolved her from her sins.”

Quotations

• “Hélène, as soon as she had settled in Petersburg with her husband, took a very prominent place.”

• “Hélène had been at Erfurt during the famous meeting of the Emperors and had brought from there these connections with the Napoleonic notabilities.”

• “Hélène was a power.”

• “the most distinguished woman in Petersburg”

• “Hélène spoke of him as 'mon page' and treated him like a child.”

• “the Queen of Petersburg, Countess Bezúkhova”

• “the Master of Ceremonies, went up to Countess Bezúkhova”

• “She was the Countess Bezúkhova, Pierre’s wife, and the count, who knew everyone in society, leaned over and spoke to her.”

• “especially at Hélène in the next box, who—apparently quite unclothed—sat with a quiet tranquil smile, not taking her eyes off the stage.”

• “I want to become a Moscovite too, now,” said Hélène.”

• “Countess Bezúkhova rose, turned to the Rostóvs’ box—her whole bosom completely exposed—beckoned the old count with a gloved finger.”

• “Dear count, you must let me look after your daughters!”

• “Countess Bezúkhova’s.”

• “Countess Bezúkhova asked her visitors into the ballroom.”

• “Countess Bezúkhova was present among other Russian ladies who had followed the sovereign from Petersburg to Vílna”

• “Hélène, having returned with the court from Vílna to Petersburg, found herself in a difficult position.”

• “Countess Bezúkhova, who evidently deserved her reputation of being a very clever woman.”

• “Hélène interrupted him.”

• “Hélène, as if quite distraught, said through her tears that there was nothing to prevent her marrying...”

• “said Hélène.”

• “Hélène—having realized that the main object of all these words and all this trouble was...”

• “Hélène was wearing a white dress, transparent over her shoulders and bosom.”

• “Hélène, who was getting bored, said with one of her bewitching smiles...”

• “The news of the day in Petersburg was the illness of Countess Bezúkhova.”