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Tolstoy uses an omniscient, or all-knowing, narrator. This
means that the governing point of view in Anna Karenina is
Tolstoy\'s. Tolstoy was always forthright about the fact that he
was a moralist. He does not just depict the world in his
novels, he passes judgment on it as well.
Tolstoy expresses his own viewpoint, and manipulates ours,
through his characters. His hero, Levin, is essentially a
mouthpiece for him. Anna, alth ... mehr
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The structure of Anna Karenina is based on the major
characters and what happens to them. The two principal stories
in the book are Anna\'s and Levin\'s. A third plot element is the
domestic and financial saga of the Oblonskys. Kitty\'s time at
the German spa--during which she comes to terms with her true
feelings for Levin--also gets lengthy treatment. Tolstoy shifts
back and forth between these stories, telling each
chronological ... mehr
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Anna Karenina gets off to a fast start, opening with a
full-scale domestic crisis: Dolly has learned that Stiva is
having an affair with their French governess, and is threatening
divorce. Anna Karenina, Stiva\'s sister, comes for a visit and
convinces Dolly to make up with Stiva. Konstantin Levin, an old
friend of Stiva\'s, arrives in Moscow to propose marriage to
Kitty Shcherbatsky, Dolly\'s younger sister. Kitty, a young
woman w ... mehr
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The first line of Anna Karenina is one of the most celebrated
in world literature: \"All happy families resemble one another,
but each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.\" Not only
does the line lead you directly to the crisis at hand (Dolly and
Stiva\'s), but it sets up the premise that Tolstoy will use in
developing his story. The essence of the novel is the central
characters in their respective relationships--Stiva and Doll ... mehr
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Tolstoy introduces two important themes: the insufficiency
of a purely intellectual approach to life, and Russian politics.
As he often does, Tolstoy has two characters--in this case,
Levin and Sergius--argue the issues raised by his themes.
While in Moscow, Levin stays with his half-brother, Sergius
Ivanich Koznyshev (Sergey), a well-known intellectual and
writer. The two men rarely talk of personal matters; when they
meet they ... mehr
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Tolstoy begins this section by emphasizing Kitty\'s youth and
her surprising success in her first season in society. She\'d
had not only two serious suitors (Levin and Vronsky) but flocks
of admirers as well.
Levin\'s arrival on the scene and his obviously serious
intentions spark some arguments between Kitty\'s parents. Prince
Shcherbatsky favors Levin, finding him solid, forthright, and
sincere in his love. The princess favor ... mehr
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Tolstoy gives you a chance to become acquainted with Vronsky
in Chapter XVI through a mixture of biographical detail and
interior monologue. You learn that Vronsky had no family life
as a child, that his mother was a famous socialite and femme
fatale. Vronsky still has a troubled relationship with his
mother: He doesn\'t respect her loose way of life and he resents
that she meddles in his life. Though Vronsky\'s mother is a
minor c ... mehr
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These chapters concern Levin, who\'s extremely depressed over
Kitty\'s rejection.
He goes to visit his brother Nicholas. Levin feels heartsick
remembering the tumult and outright violence of much of
Nicholas\' life, because he knows that deep down Nicholas is no
worse than any other person. But sickness and poverty have
always dogged him, and he has rarely known peace. (Note that
Tolstoy uses Levin\'s interior monologue to tell ... mehr
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These chapters deal with Anna and her husband Karenin.
Anna decides abruptly to leave Moscow and return to Saint
Petersburg. She confesses to Dolly that she ruined the ball for
Kitty. When Dolly makes light of it, Anna insists that she was
wrong but then defends herself by saying that it wasn\'t really
her fault. Dolly comments that Anna, in denying blame, spoke
the way Stiva would have. What does this tell you? You already
k ... mehr
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In this chapter, you see Vronsky in his habitual
surroundings. (What a contrast to Karenin!) Vronsky seems
ordinary here; like any other young man who is feeling his oats,
he is full of youth and good health, and is enjoying a carefree
life. It\'s interesting that Tolstoy should end this part by
returning Anna and Vronsky to their normal surroundings. If you
go by appearances, everything is just as it always is. What do
you think T ... mehr
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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 t ... mehr
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These chapters plunge us into Moscow society.
Tolstoy begins by simply describing the three major social
circles. The highest, consisting of government officials, is
the set to which Karenin belongs. The next is \"run\" by the
Countess Lydia Ivanovna and is made up mostly of rather plain,
elderly rich women and ambitious men of a scholarly turn of
mind. The third circle is the one that consists of balls,
dinner parties, opera e ... mehr
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These chapters tell you a lot about Levin and his life as the
owner of a large country estate.
Although several months have passed since his proposal to
Kitty, he is still miserable over his rejection. But his farm
takes up most of his time and attention and he is satisfied with
this diversion. The descriptions of the weather and countryside
are lush in these chapters, and are a good indication that Levin
spends a lot of his tim ... mehr
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Two events of great importance happen in these chapters:
Anna discovers and tells Vronsky that she is pregnant by him,
and Vronsky loses the steeplechase, killing his horse in the
process. The first has direct impact on the plot, the second is
important thematically and stylistically.
For the first time we see Vronsky in his element--with
horses. He is very loving with his mare, and calls her
\"darling.\" He seems more intuitive ... mehr
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Karenin seems out of place at the steeplechase. (He also
seems out of his place in his own home. He and Anna talk just
enough to keep up appearances. He has turned his anger toward
Anna against Seriozha and has little to do with the boy.)
Karenin is infuriated that Anna should ignore him at the race
in front of a crowd of people. When he scolds her in their
carriage on the way home, she shocks him with the news that she
loves ... mehr
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These chapters cover Kitty at the German spa where she has
gone to recover her health. You recall that after she turned
down Levin\'s marriage proposal, she became so depressed and
anxious that her doctors suggested she go away.
NOTE: It was common for wealthy 19th-century Europeans to go
yearly to a spa--a country resort built near a mineral spring.
The water from the spring was believed to have curative powers.
\"Taking the wa ... mehr
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In Part III, both Levin and Vronsky are frustrated by the
feeling that their lives seem suspended, that they are \"spinning
their wheels.\" Levin pours his energies into his estate, into
establishing a cooperative land arrangement with the peasants
who work for him. But he knows deep down that his life is
incomplete without Kitty. He also comes to know that he has
been trying to bury himself in work in order to banish from his
mind t ... mehr
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This is the famous mowing scene, one of Tolstoy\'s greatest
set pieces. You probably remember that a set piece is a very
theatrical scene presented in minute detail. In the mowing
scene you come to understand Levin\'s complex and rich
relationship with his land and the peasants who work for him.
Levin not only works with the peasants side by side, but he
learns from them, admires their stamina, skill, and natural
grace.
You can ... mehr
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From a vision of harmony, Tolstoy plunges you into the tense
triangle made up of Anna, Karenin, and Vronsky.
Karenin considers challenging Vronsky to a duel but finally
decides against it. He then considers divorcing Anna but
decides against that, too, since by Russian law he would have to
present proof of her affair, which would certainly cause a
scandal.
Karenin decides that the best thing is for him to insist that
his an ... mehr
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These chapters, though not especially action-packed, are
nonetheless exciting, for they let you see the manner in which
Levin\'s thoughts--on life and on his part in life--begin to
crystallize with startling speed.
He goes to visit his friend, Sviazhsky, who lives a
considerable distance away. En route, he stops to feed his
horses at the home of a wealthy peasant family. Levin talks
with the head of the family and learns that he ... mehr
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