The social awkwardness of Konstantin Levin at the beginning of Anna Karenina reflects Tolstoy’s own discomfort in fancy social surroudings at this time in his life. In 1851, Tolstoy visited his brother in the Russian army and then decided to enlist shortly afterward. He served in the Crimean War (1854–1856) and recorded his experience in
Analysis. In September, Levin moves to Moscow for Kitty’s confinement before she has her baby; he is bored and uncomfortable in the city. When Koznyshev invites Levin to the elections, Kitty orders the nobleman’s uniform he needs and tells him to go. Levin must resolve affairs with his sister’s estate, which prove to be caught in a
Publisher's summary. Anna Karenina is a novel by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy, first published in book form in 1878. Widely considered to be one of the greatest works of literature ever written, Tolstoy himself called it his first true novel. A complex novel in eight parts, with more than a dozen major characters, Anna Karenina is often
A short summary of Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina. This free synopsis covers all the crucial plot points of Anna Karenina.
Part 1, Chapter 1 Quotes. All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. Related Themes: Page Number and Citation: 1. Cite this Quote. Explanation and Analysis: Unlock explanations and citation info for this and every other Anna Karenina quote. Plus so much more Get LitCharts A +.
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Anna Karenina, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. Anna Karenina begins with adultery: Anna’s brother, Oblonsky, has had an affair with the family’s governess, and his household is in turmoil. This opening scene establishes adultery as a driving force throughout the
Sophia Tolstoy/National Geographic. One of the most famous sentences in literature is the opening of Leo Tolstoy's novel Anna Karenina: "All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is
Just before writing Anna Karenina, Tolstoy championed motherhood as the divinely ordained role for women in his written response to John Stuart Mill's essay "On the Subjection of Women." Lucky for Tolstoy, his lifelong fascination with women's sexuality and experiences of maternity coincided with the general social debates of his time. Analysis. After his stint in Moscow society, Levin feels worthless and ill at ease. He goes to visit Nikolai, his troubled brother, and finds him thinner and sicklier than when they last saw each other. Although Nikolai is gruff at first, Levin’s timidity softens him. Nikolai introduces Levin to Marya, his mistress and de facto wife, whom he J7xx.
