It covers more time chronologically than the Russian
story does, and deals much more fully and circumstantially with
historical incidents and events: but it seems to me to be distinctly
inferior to the Russian tale in power of creative imagination, unity of
conception, skill of artistic treatment, and depth of human interest.
The French peasant regards Napoleon merely as a great leader and
conqueror, "created to be the father of soldiers," and aided, if not
directly sent, by God, to show forth the power and the glory of France.
The Russian peasant, more thoughtful by nature as well as less excitable
and combative in temperament, admits that Napoleon was sent on earth by
God, but connects him with one of the deep problems of life by using him
to show the divine nature of sympathy and pity, and the cruelty,
immorality, and unreasonableness of aggressive war. The only feature
that the two tales have in common is the recognition of the supernatural
as a controlling factor in Napoleon's life.
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