Emperor Aleksandr is presented in a different light. The readers are told more about the nature of the emperor than his abilities as a leader. Thus, he is seen at Olmutz as a kind and persuasive King who commends the abilities of his soldiers, honors them and encourages them to do their best. His inspiring presence and soothing words evoke the patriotic sentiments of Russian soldiers like Rostov. After their defeat at Austerlitz, he feels disappointed and distressed. In a weak moment, he breaks down in front of his officers. Emperor Aleksandr, thus comes across as a King with a pleasant personality and a tender heart.

Finally, Nikolai Rostov reveals another facet of his personality in this part of Book I. In Part I he presented himself as a handsome and refined aristocrat who charms beautiful girls with his talk and behavior. In Part II, he reveals himself as a disciplined officer who respects his commander but is intolerant towards hypocritical officers. In this part, he shows himself as a true patriot who is willing to lay down his life for his country. In Vienna, he fights valiantly against the French and wounds himself. At Olmutz, he feels honored to be in the presence of the emperor and gets inspired by the words of the latter. Since, his battalion is kept in reserve, he seeks the permission of Prince Bagration to join the latterÂ’s forces on the battlefield. He desires to confront the enemy on the field and undertakes the risky journey through the hills to ascertain the position of the enemy. However, when the Russian army gets defeated in the hands of the French at Austerlitz, he feels dejected. He feels sorry for the Tsar and disappointed that he could not serve his country better.

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