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Karenin is obsessed with appearances, with doing what is
\"correct,\" with order. He is very rational, and has hardly any
imagination. He\'s ponderous rather than passionate and is
frightened of strong emotions. By the end, Karenin is
pathetic.
He and Anna have a proper marriage. Their ways are regular
and their household is prosperous, but the sexual charge between
them is essentially dead. This is fine with Karenin--he doesn\'t
go in for romance. In fact, he married Anna, at the insistence
of Anna\'s aunt, after he had flirted with Anna at a ball. He
loves Anna, less because of the woman she is--he remains
indifferent to that aspect of conjugal intimacy--than because
she is simply his wife. Once married, Karenin plays the role of
husband completely. Unlike Stiva, he is faithful; Karenin obeys
every letter of the law.
When Karenin learns of Anna\'s affair with Vronsky, the only
demand he makes is that their life go on as usual, so that no
one might find out that anything is wrong in their home life.
He is concerned more with superficial honor than with his own or
his wife\'s happiness.
At what he believes is Anna\'s deathbed, Karenin undergoes a
sort of religious awakening. He vows to forgive her and
Vronsky, to give her anything she wants, so long as it brings
peace. But he\'s unable to fulfill the Christian ideal of
forgiveness--she\'s too egotistical. He tells himself he keeps
custody of his and Anna\'s son out of consideration for the boy.
Can you suggest another reason?
Karenin is as easily manipulated as he is manipulative. You
know that he was maneuvered into his marriage. And virtually
all his actions are dictated by the conventions of society. At
the end, having failed in his efforts to be a true Christian, he
is easy prey for Lydia Ivanovna, a mystic who uses her
\"religion\" as a way of keeping Karenin close to herself and an
enemy to Anna.
You might contrast Levin\'s religious awakening with
Karenin\'s. After his, Levin resolves to be more humane;
Karenin, however, is confirmed in his plans for vengeance.
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