Park 1

Kenneth Park
Mr. DiGiulio
IB English HL2 7
31 August 2018
Anna Karenina​ by Leo Tolstoy Notes
Part 1 (Chapter 1-34)
● The character dynamic in the first few chapters seems to foreshadow that each of their
relationships will exemplify certain stereotypes, or dysfunctional relationships in the eyes
of Tolstoy, especially in regards to Russian high society.
● It’s important to note that although Stiva is regretful of being caught cheating by his wife,
Dolly, he is not altogether regretful about the act itself. This provides a lot of character
exposition for Stiva; it shows that he is a jovial and brutally honest man who doesn’t
seem to make the best choices and also thinks a lot of himself.
○ “a handsome, susceptible man of thirty-four” whereas his wife is “a worn-out
woman no longer young or good-looking, and in no way remarkable or
interesting” (Tolstoy 14).
○ “He was incapable of deceiving himself and persuading himself that he repented
for his conduct” Tolstoy 14).
● It seems that Dolly’s anger originates more from Stiva’s decision to ignore the years of
her love and hard work as a spouse and less from the damage it would pose to their
reputation, unlike Stiva.
● Levin is an intellectual, but is afflicted with social awkwardness, which becomes crystal
clear in his infatuation with Kitty and his views on infidelity, marriage, and happiness.
● It seems as if there are differences in society’s reaction towards cheating. Women are
condemned with greater harshness than men are, and women’s reputations are degraded
more. Levin clarifies this.
○ “I’ve never seen exquisite fallen beings, and I never shall see them, but such
creatures as that painted French-woman at the counter with the ringlets are vermin
in my mind, and all fallen women are the same” (Tolstoy 48).
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● Kitty seems to be very preoccupied and maybe even slightly blinded by social status,
appearance, and security, despite her ease with Levin.
○ “In her memories of Vronsky there always entered a certain element of
awkwardness, though he was in the highest degree well-bred and at ease [...],
while with Levin she felt perfectly simple and clear [...], but, on the other hand,
directly she thought of the future with Vronsky, there arose before her a
perspective of brilliant happiness; with Levin the future seemed misty” (Tolstoy
53).
● Tolstoy likes to describe a character’s facial expressions in order to establish emotion or
an atmosphere.
○ “In that brief look Vronsky had time to notice the suppressed eagerness which
played over her face, and flitted between the brilliant eyes and the faint smile that
curved her red lips” (Tolstoy 59).
● A train guard flings himself onto the train tracks. I only know this because I’ve read the
book before, but it’s a foreshadowing of Anna’s fate.
● Levin’s contemplation of Kitty’s rejection is a juxtaposition of character with Stiva; it
reflects his self-consciousness and modesty, which is the antithesis to Stiva, who, instead,
places blame on his wife for their failing marriage:
○ “Who am I and what am I? A nobody, not wanted by any one, nor of use to
anybody” (Tolstoy 79).
● Tolstoy is a god of metaphors and similes.
○ “Kitty was feeling a sensation akin to the sensation of a young man before a
battle” (Tolstoy 46).
○ “Vronsky’s composure and self-confidence here struck, like a scythe against a
stone, upon the cold self-confidence of Alexey Alexandrovitch” (Tolstoy 99).
○ “He’s mute as a fish” (Tolstoy 108).
● Although ​Anna Karenina​ is largely a fictional book, Tolstoy helps to make the story feel
more real by incorporating historical events such as the political and religious atmosphere
of Russia during that time period.
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○ “Then the countess told her more disagreements and intrigues against the work of
the unification of the churches” (Tolstoy 102).

Part 2 (Chapter 1-35)

● Tolstoy compares Anna to a victim and Vronsky to a murderer in order to describe
Anna’s unfortunate humiliation as well as Vronsky’s apologetic feelings of guilt for
contributing to Anna’s emotions. This sets up that Anna has become socially outcast or
trapped and will become solitary and isolated in the face of society. Then, Anna flips the
script by referring to herself as a murderer and Vronsky as her accomplice and by saying
that they committed a crime of passionate love.
● Anna’s dream of Karenin and Vronsky both as her husbands is more of a nightmare than
a dream come true because it’s her mind’s way of longing for something impossible. The
dream acts more as a final realization and solidifying factor rather than prolonging her
feeling.
● Tolstoy expands both the setting of the story as well as Levin’s character by
incorporating the opposite end of the social spectrum: rural life on a farm. This polar
juxtaposition of setting not only highlight’s Levin’s experience in both high society and
farming, but also provides perspective on the full experience of life in Russia.
● Stiva attempts to reason with his need to cheat on his wife.
○ “...that one can be fond of new rolls when one has had one’s rations of bread”
(Tolstoy 152).
● Tolstoy’s mastery of perspectives is made clear, especially when Tolstoy writes from the
perspective of Laska, Levin’s dog.
● Tolstoy uses both internal and external factors of any given scene to give the readers a
better picture of what’s taking place and helps to provide a fully immersive experience.
For example, in the horse-race, he describes Vronsky’s sensory experiences, such as what
he sees, but also incorporates Vronsky’s internal thoughts in detail.
○ “With a face hideous with passion, his lower jaw trembling, and his cheeks white,
Vronsky kicked her with his heel in the stomach and again fell to tugging at the
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rein. She did not stir, but thrusting her nose into the ground, she simply gazed at
her master with her speaking eyes” (Tolstoy 186).
● After Kitty’s father points out that it is more virtuous to do acts of charity when no one
knows about it, Kitty realizes that she has been deceiving herself about who she is, and
that it is better to be genuine and disliked than to be deceitful and liked. This helps her
change from the self-absorbed person we read about earlier in the book.
○ Kitty deliberately acts friendly to Levin: “Her eyes looked at him with the same
sincerity and friendliness, but Levin fancied that in her friendliness there was a
certain note of deliberate composure” (Tolstoy 32).

Part 3 (Chapter 1-32)

● The theme of integration of historical accuracy is revealed once again, but this time
through a different commentary: Tolstoy’s idea of self-interest as the basis of actions.
This shows up in the discourse between Koznyshev and Levin where Levin attempts to
justify his absence from the council by explaining that acts are deeply rooted in
self-interest, and in addition, that “to serve on a jury and try a peasant who’s stolen a
flitch of bacon” really has no benefit to his interests. This political discourse not only has
roots in some deeply philosophical thoughts that were circulating at that time, but also
reflect the thoughts of old philosophers and their beliefs that humans are, at their core,
selfish. Koznyshev also mentions historical events including the Trinity Day, the
emancipation of serfs, and the old criminal tribunal (Tolstoy 237-238)
● Levin seems to use mowing as a way to cope with his frustrations and overwhelming
depression stemming from Kitty’s rejection.
● Motherhood is also an important theme throughout ​Anna Karenina​. Anna cannot seem to
leave her original husband because of the unavoidable strain it would cause her
relationship Seryozha, and Dolly struggles through her own marriage because she needs
to think about the effect cutting off the relationship would have on her children. Tolstoy
effectively demonstrates that one of the strongest bonds in society is the one between a
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mother and her child, and that it often traps mothers within suffering relationships for the
good of her child or children.
○ “Had it not been for them, she would have been left alone to brood over her
husband who did not love her” (Tolstoy 245).
● Levin believes that he will raise children who behave naturally and are not spoiled. Since
Kitty has also sought to act naturally in public, Levin and Kitty’s believes seem to follow
a similar path and, thus, foreshadows happiness in the future of their relationship.
● The theme of isolation can once again be found through Levin’s thoughts after the
peasant women leave.
○ “A weary feeling of despondency at his own isolation, his physical inactivity, his
alienation from this world, came over Levin” (Tolstoy 258).
● Motherhood once again rears its ugly head. Although Seryozha is Anna’s escape from the
dredgeries of life, he unfortunately, and quite ironically, exacts a strain on Anna and
Vronsky’s relationship.
○ “She recalled the [...] role of the mother living for her child, which she had taken
up of late years, and she felt with joy that in the plight in which she found herself
she had a support, quite apart from her relation to her husband or to Vronsky”
(Tolstoy 270).
● The theme of trapped relationships is visible once again in Karenin’s letter, where he
informs Anna that the two of them must stay married, or otherwise he would take
Seryozha away from her. Through this ordeal, Anna realizes just how much social
position matters to her, and in turn realizes that she doesn’t have the willpower, nor the
strength to trade a husband and child for the demeaning title of a “fallen woman”.
● Throughout this section, Tolstoy seems to highlight a negative connotation to women
within Russian society. For example, women run greater risks of receiving backlash from
society, women often restrain men from their life goals, and women tend to have more
materialistic intent than men.

Part 4, Pages 331-403

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● A theme of dreams appears within part 4 of ​Anna Karenina.​ Vronsky has a dream where
Anna and a peasant merge into one, absolutely terrifying him in the process, and Anna
also has a dream, about the same peasant with a matted beard, and a servant in her dream
also tells her that childbirth would result in the end her life.
● Motherhood seems to take a step back and allows the theme of failed relationships to
conquer it.
○ “I have lost even my affection for my son, because he is associated with the
repulsion I feel for you” (Tolstoy 341).
● Through the conversations between Pestsov, Koznyshev, Karenin, and Stiva regarding
the education of women, Russia’s main views on the role of women are clarified.
Whereas Pestsov and Koznyshev seem to be in support of women taking positions in
government, Karenin and Stiva’s viewpoints are that women should not abandon their
natural duties as mothers of the family.
● Tolstoy helps define his idea of true love through the relationship between Levin and
Kitty, where Levin is easily able to communicate and confront her about his feelings for
Kitty with her, despite his general awkwardness. Furthermore, Levin’s perseverance and
hard work in advancing farming systems acts as an analogy for his determination in love.
● Karenin truly seems to love Anna, even though verbally he might have wished for Anna’s
death. This is made evident when he rushes to her side upon receiving her letter even
though he resents her betrayal.
● Compassion is exemplified twice throughout this passage: first, when Karenin stays at
Anna’s bedside, forgiving Anna for her infidelity, second, when Stiva masks his gaiety to
match Anna’s unhappiness.
○ “At his wife’s bedside he had for the first time in his life given way to that feeling
of sympathetic suffering always roused in him by the suffering of others” (Tolstoy
388).
○ “Although he happened to be bubbling over with good spirits, Stepan
Arkadyevitch immediately and quite naturally fell into the sympathetic, poetically
emotional tone which harmonized with her mood” (Tolstoy 395).
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Part 5, Pages 407-508

● Levin and Kitty’s relationship dynamic represents one that is much more progressive than
any other relationship we’ve seen so far in Russian high society. In a typical Russian
marriage, the first person to step onto the pink rug is essentially depicted as the head of
the house. Usually, this would have been the man during Tolstoy’s time, but in the case
of Levin and Kitty’s marriage, neither of them could recollect whether they had stepped
onto the rug together, or if someone had stepped out in front. This shows how the two
were engrossed in one another, and also how Levin places higher value on Kitty rather
than himself and how he doesn’t seem to mind breaking such traditions.
● Vronsky seems to despise that Golenishchev family is of high descent, but still lowers
himself to the same level as writers, who were considered low-class. The irony is in the
fact that although he believes that social status should be maintained, he himself became
an adulterer with full knowledge that it would reduce his social status.
● Anna’s adoration and love for Vronsky grows, and results in her dreading the idea of
Vronsky losing his love for her. Thus, she becomes more and more insecure about
herself, her relationship with Vronsky, and her decisions.
○ Anna becomes jealous of her daughter’s wet nurse after Vronsky compliments her
beauty (Tolstoy 434).
○ “Her complete ownership of him was a continual joy to her” (Tolstoy 431)
● Tolstoy really seems to hate trains. They represent all sorts of ill will, from death to the
deprivation of the countryside of its wealth.
● Tolstoy once again represents the strong connection between Kitty and Levin by having
Kitty will Levin to turn around and have Levin do so as if he had heard her say it.
● Although Levin still feels as if he is above women in terms of intelligence, he
acknowledges their basic motherly instinct to help those on the verge of death. However,
this may just be because he is “paralyzed” and in no way can help aid Nicholas.
● Tolstoy loves to use blushing as a representation of love.
○ Levin blushes at the thought of Kitty (Tolstoy 31).
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○ Karenin blushes after speaking with Anna (Tolstoy

○ Countess Lydia blushes when Karenin came into rooms and complimented her
(Tolstoy 474).

Part 6, Pages 511-616

● Veslovsky becomes the source of intense jealousy for Levin, especially when he
mistakenly reads Kitty’s words as thinly veiled passion. I honestly would have the same
suspicions since literally everybody is cheating on each other. This is further revealed
when Veselovsky attempts to test Levin’s composure while hunting and Levin, due to his
jealousy, shoots poorly.
○ “It seemed to him at the moment clear that in asking whether he was going
shooting, all she cared to know was whether he would give that pleasure to
Vassenka Velovsky, with whom, as he fancied, she was in love” (Tolstoy 529).
● One could cut the tension between Levin and Stiva with a pair of scissors due to their
clearly opposing views on dishonest gains and infidelity.
● The couple’s dynamic flip-flops from one of content to one of sadness. Kitty easily
senses her husband’s emotion and feels guilty for talking with Veslovsky even though
she has done nothing wrong. However, although the tone is one of sorrow, the synchrony
of emotions is actually a positive reflection of their relationship. Throughout the novel,
Tolstoy emphasizes the importance of a mutual understanding in marriage and suggests
that a lack thereof could result in an unsuccessful relationship like Anna and Vronsky.
○ “And no longer considering that the peasant could see her tear-stained and his
agitated face, that they looked like people fleeing from some disaster” (Tolstoy
554).
○ “The gardener saw with astonishment that they passed him on their way home
with comforted and radiant faces” (Tolstoy 555).
● Despite the small group attending dinner, the setup is grand. As social outcasts, it is rare
for Anna and Vronsky to host dinner parties, so they go all-out for their guests. Still more
social than me, however.
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● Anna’s insecurity only seems to grow, as evidenced by her conversation with Dolly
where she tells her that she could no longer have children so that she could keep herself
more youthful in order to make sure that Vronsky doesn’t leave her. Sort of cruel,
especially since Dolly’s husband left her because she wasn’t attractive to him anymore.
Still, doesn’t really work, and Vronsky starts to grow tired of Anna.
○ “Darya Alexandrovna saw at once that Anna, the two nurses, and the child had no
common existence, and that the mother’s visit was something exceptional. Anna
wanted to get the baby her plaything, and could not find it” (Tolstoy 571).

Part 7, Pages 619-707

● Levin, despite being somewhat of an eccentric and awkward character, still has access
into social circles due to his social standing in the Russian hierarchy.
● At this point in the novel, Levin has begun to trust Vronsky more, and now feels less
hostility towards him.
○ “He was glad that all hostility was at an end with Vronsky, and the sense of peace,
decorum, and comfort never left him” (Tolstoy 639).
● Poor Anna has now become more secluded and alone than before. Considering that she
not only has essentially no female friends/visitors except for maybe Dolly, and ends up
purposefully trying to seduce every man she meets with, her downward spiral is clear.
Furthermore, her actions are beginning to push even Vronsky away from her.
○ “She had unconsciously the whole evening done her utmost to arouse in Levin a
feeling of love--as of late she had fallen into doing with all young men [...], [y]et
as soon as he was out of the room, she ceased to think of him” (Tolstoy 649).
● Revealing yet again another political aspect of Anna Karenina, Stiva is revealed to be a
somewhat anti-Semitic character, which is actually representative of the sentiment in a lot
of countries during that time.
● Seryozha clearly still loves his mother dearly, but is ashamed of his feelings and hides
them away in an effort to forget her.
○ “blushed crimson, and his face clouded over” (Tolstoy 670).
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● I love this quote about the relationship between Levin and Kitty. It not only refers back to
the overarching theme of familial relationships and love, but also provides a valuable
lesson.
○ “In order to carry through any undertaking in family life, there must necessarily
be either complete division between the husband and wife, or loving agreement”
(Tolstoy 681).
● As Anna contemplates suicide, and foreshadows events to occur, she starts to think about
how Vronsky would react when he finds out. She has already become overly suspicious
of him, even though they had made a reconciliation the previous night about leaving
Moscow. Things are really starting to fall apart (by Chinua Achebe ba dum tss).
○ “little old man with the unkempt beard [who] was doing something horrible with
the iron--over her” (Tolstoy 693).
● Anna hates the feeling of isolation and ends up writing a note to Vronsky begging him to
come back. She seems to be losing her mind, and her mental stability is shaky to the point
where she starts to question who she is.
● Vronsky’s quickly-written note triggers Anna’s fateful decision. Her utter insanity is
driven by her intense jealousy, insecurity, and isolation.
● Anna immediately regretted jumping. She tried to get back up, but was hit by the train.
Really not her year. Poor Anna. As it turns out, Anna and Vronsky’s doomed relationship
begins with the death of the guard and ends finally with her own.
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Part 8, Pages 711-754

● More political references here include a reference to the Serbian War and the political
climate of Russia.
● Anna’s suicide really hits Vronsky hard. Vronsky ends up dejected and seems to lose his
will to live. He decides to go and fight in the war, and it can be inferred that he’s going to
end up dying during the war. His story started off with his political career at the height of
its existence and now, he seems to have lost all motivation.
○ The train imagery - where Vronsky leaves to head off to the war in a train -
foreshadows another death, just like the guard and Anna.
○ Vronsky’s mother confirms our suspicions by telling us about his state of mind
after Anna’s death, and how all items that could be used to commit suicide were
kept far away from him.
○ “To meet death one needs no letters of introduction [...], [m]y use as a man [...] is
that life’s worth nothing to me [...], I’m glad there is something to give my life
for, for it’s not simply useless but loathsome to me” (Tolstoy 721).
● The recurring theme of motherhood is shown once again in the tender moment between
Kitty and her baby son. This unique bond between mother and child is solidified between
Kitty and Mitya.
○ “She smiled because [...] he knew and understood everything, and knew and
understood a great deal too that no one else know, and that she, his mother, had
learned and come to understand only through him” (Tolstoy 723).
● Levin’s philosophical thoughts consume him as he faces inner-turmoil about existence
and spirituality, but he decides to live without thinking about living.
● Levin experiences being one with nature as he comes to his revelation. He lies on his
back and looks up at the cloudless sky above, feeling utterly complete.
● This 8th Part, following the aftermath of the protagonist’s death, signifies how life moves
forward after death.
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● Levin has a religious epiphany about living for a greater cause than for his own
self-interest. Levin is a reflection of Leo Tolstoy, whose convictions about infidelity and
religion are conveyed in Levin’s characterization.