|
In these chapters you see how the members of the Shcherbatsky
family are, each in their own way, affected, confused, and
sometimes hurt by their society\'s courtship and marriage
customs.
The family is in a tizzy over Kitty\'s illness. They summon
doctors, each more prominent than the last, to examine her, but
none can find anything physically wrong with her. To appease
her mother, Kitty pretends to look forward to the trip to the
spa recommended by the doctors.
Dolly comes to visit, although she has troubles of her own.
Stiva is rarely at home, several of her children have scarlet
fever, and their finances are shaky. Kitty confides to Dolly
that she knows now she really loves Levin. So upset is Kitty
that she turns her anger against Dolly, harshly criticizing her
for putting up with Stiva. Kitty also says that she resents her
parents\' trying to marry her off, that when she goes to balls
she feels like a piece of meat out for inspection. She says she
feels comfortable only with children and goes home with Dolly to
take care of her nieces and nephews.
NOTE: SOCIAL CHANGE IN RUSSIA At the time Anna Karenina is
set, Russian society was on the brink of change. Marriage
customs are often a good weathervane for a society--when these
customs are in flux, usually other changes are in the wind. For
example, at the time of the marriage of the Prince and Princess,
all matches were arranged. This meant that young people married
those in their parents\' social and economic set. With young
people freer to make their own choices, marriages between people
of different background became possible.
You see through the Shcherbatsky family the way in which
these changes sometimes confused people. The Princess doesn\'t
know what her role as Kitty\'s mother is now that Kitty can
decide for herself whom to marry. She is torn among wanting to
protect her daughter, wanting to show respect for Kitty\'s
judgment, and her attachments to the old ways of doing things.
The Prince is suspicious of the newly risen class of merchants.
He is old nobility and it bothers him to think that a young
person may marry a person of a different class.
Kitty is overwhelmed by her first season in society. Dating
and balls are new to her, and so are the attentions of young
men. Her inexperience kept her from realizing that she loved
Levin.
If you were in Kitty\'s place, how would you feel about your
mother? Given the conventions of the time, what courses of
action would be open to you? Remember, you have the support of
your father in this case.
|
