Pierre is described as the large-bodied, ungainly, and socially awkward illegitimate son of an old Russian grandee. He is educated in France and returns to Russia as a misfit. His unexpected inheritance of a large fortune makes him socially desirable. Pierre is ensnared by the fortune-hunting Hélène Kuragina, whose eventual deception leaves him depressed and confused, spurring a spiritual odyssey that spans the novel.
