Anna Karenina
Summary
Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina remains one of the most acclaimed and influential novels ever written. First published in installments from 1873 to 1877, this sweeping tale of passion, marriage, betrayal, and sacrifice in late 19th-century Russian society is renowned for its complex characters, profound themes, and insightful exploration of human nature. Centered on the tragic affair between the married Anna Karenina and Count Vronsky, the novel weaves together multiple plotlines to create a rich tapestry of love, family, faith, and infidelity against a backdrop of social change. Tolstoy’s epic love story is also known for its frequently quoted opening line—”All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”
Plot
The novel opens with Anna Karenina traveling to Moscow to help mend her brother Stepan's marriage after his affair with the governess. At the train station, Anna meets Count Vronsky, sparking an immediate attraction. Meanwhile, Konstantin Levin proposes to Kitty Shcherbatsky but is rejected, as she hopes to marry Vronsky. At a ball, Vronsky only has eyes for Anna, devastating Kitty. Anna returns to St. Petersburg, but Vronsky follows her. Despite being married with a young son, Anna begins a passionate affair with Vronsky that scandalizes Russian high society.
As Anna and Vronsky's relationship intensifies, her husband Karenin becomes aware of the affair but is more concerned with appearances than Anna's happiness. Anna becomes pregnant with Vronsky's child and eventually leaves Karenin, but is shunned by society and separated from her beloved son, Seryozha. She moves to Italy with Vronsky but grows increasingly paranoid and jealous.
Anna's mental state deteriorates as she feels trapped in her relationship with Vronsky and ostracized from society. In a moment of despair, she throws herself under a train. Through these intertwining stories, Tolstoy explores themes of love, marriage, fidelity, and social values in 19th century Russian society.
Themes
• Love and passion versus social convention
• Marriage and family
• Fidelity and betrayal
• Faith and doubt
• City versus country life
• Progress and modernity
• Self-knowledge and personal growth.
Setting
Anna Karenina takes place in imperial Russia during the 1870s, a time of rapid social and economic change. The novel unfolds against the backdrop of Tsar Alexander II's liberal reforms, including the emancipation of the serfs, judicial reforms, and the modernization of industry and infrastructure. This era saw tensions between traditional aristocratic society and emerging progressive ideals, mirrored in the characters' struggles and relationships.
The story primarily shifts between two major urban centers—Moscow and St. Petersburg— and the rural countryside. Moscow represents a more traditional, family-oriented Russian society, while St. Petersburg embodies a more European, cosmopolitan atmosphere. The contrast between city and country life is explored through Levin's experiences on his rural estate versus the glittering ballrooms and salons of urban high society.
Specific locations play important symbolic roles in the novel. The railway station where Anna first meets Vronsky becomes a recurring motif, representing the modernizing forces reshaping Russian society. The racetrack where Vronsky's horse is injured serves as a microcosm of aristocratic society. Meanwhile, Levin's rural estate provides a counterpoint to urban decadence, representing more traditional Russian values rooted in the land and peasant culture.
Characters
• Anna Arkadyevna Karenina: The protagonist, a beautiful and passionate married woman who has an affair with Count Vronsky, leading to her social ruin and tragic end.
• Count Alexei Kirillovich Vronsky: Anna's lover, a wealthy and dashing cavalry officer who pursues Anna, even though she is married.
• Alexei Alexandrovich Karenin: Anna's husband, a high-ranking government official who is cold and formal in his relationships.
• Konstantin “Kostya” Dmitrievich Levin: A landowner who struggles with faith and philosophy, often viewed as Tolstoy's alter ego. He marries Kitty Shcherbatskaya.
• Princess Ekaterina “Kitty” Alexandrovna Shcherbatskaya: A young woman who rejects Levin's first proposal but later marries him after a period of growth and self-reflection.
• Prince Stepan “Stiva” Arkadyevich Oblonsky: Anna's brother, a genial and unfaithful Moscow aristocrat.
• Princess Darya “Dolly” Alexandrovna Oblonskaya: Stiva's long-suffering wife and Kitty's sister.
• Sergei “Seryozha” Alexeyich Karenin: Anna and Karenin's young son, whom Anna is forced to leave behind.
• Princess Betsy Tverskaya: Anna's wealthy, morally loose society friend and Vronsky's cousin.
• Countess Lidia Ivanovna: A pious friend of Karenin who dislikes Anna and supports Karenin after the scandal.
Quick facts
• Anna Karenina was originally published in installments in a Russian periodical from 1873 to 1877 before being released in book form in 1878.
• The novel’s opening line—“All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”—is one of the most famous first lines in literature.
• Anna Karenina is set against the backdrop of rapid social change in Russia in the 1870s, including debates over the role of the aristocracy and shifting cultural values.
• The character of Anna was partly inspired by the sister of Tolstoy's neighbor who had an affair and committed suicide.
• Tolstoy based the character of Levin partly on himself and his own experiences.
• At more than 800 pages, Anna Karenina is one of the longest novels ever published.
• Tolstoy's wife Sophia hand-copied the manuscript of Anna Karenina multiple times as he made revisions.
• During the process of writing and revising, Tolstoy came to hate the novel, calling it “an abomination” in his diary.
• Vladimir Nabokov described Anna Karenina as “one of the greatest love stories in world literature."
• The novel's first English translation by Constance Garnett in 1901 helped popularize it with English-speaking readers.
• There have been more than a dozen screen adaptations of Anna Karenina, including a 1935 film starring Greta Garbo and a 2012 movie starring Keira Knightley.
• Award-winning actress and screenwriter Maggie Gyllenhaal performs the audiobook version of Anna Karenina for Audible.
About the author
Leo Tolstoy
Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) was one of the towering figures of 19th-century Russian literature. He is best known for his monumental novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina, which are considered masterpieces of realist fiction. Tolstoy's works explore themes of morality, family, and social change in Russian society with remarkable psychological insight and nuance.
Tolstoy's life was marked by inner turmoil and conflict with societal conventions. Born into the Russian nobility, he eventually rejected his privileged upbringing. He became a vocal critic of the Russian Orthodox Church and state institutions, advocating for non-violent resistance and a return to a simpler, agrarian way of life. As a result, his marriage to Sophia Behrs was tumultuous. In his final days, Tolstoy dramatically fled his family estate, dying shortly after at a remote railway station.
Tolstoy's literary and cultural impact has endured long after his death. His works have been adapted for film and television numerous times and remain widely debated and analyzed by students and critics. His moral and religious views influenced many prominent 20th-century figures, including Mahatma Gandhi, and continue to resonate with readers and activists around the world.