Ana Karenjina

[bazarov]

Is there anyone who maybe thinks that Ana is not the main character in the book??? You might think it's weird, but I think Levin and his theological questions are more important then Ana... :nod:

[mono]

Indeed, bazarov, and I questioned the same thing, especially while reaching the end of the novel when (***SPOILERS***) Anna Karenina dies, unfortunately. Towards the end of the novel, regardless, even before Anna dies, more and more of the novel focuses on the meditations of Levin. This, however, I found seems much like Leo Tolstoy's style of writing, with sometimes a bit of a wandering plot, or focusing on different characters at different times, as one may easily find in War And Peace, additionally.
Though, oddly enough, Anna Karenina ends in a semi-peaceful manner, despite all of the unfortunate events, and I think the novel emphasizes much of this point, as I do not think Levin would have evolved into such deep thought without Anna in his life; in a way, this does indirectly maintain her as a main character, but not in the manner of a common novel - one of the many things making Leo Tolstoy so amazing! :nod:

[bazarov]

You may be right, I there wasn't Anna, who knows what would happen with Kitty and Alyosha...About Tolstoy, I am planing to read War and Peace, just after the WC :D :D :D :D , maybe I'll be smarter then...

[vrianto3]

I read Anna and actually found I couldn't stop at most of the parts. But whenever I tried to read War & Peace (about 6 times already), it seems I can't even pass the first three sections of Part One. Is it just me?

"One Mite wrung from the Labrer's hands, Shall buy and sell the Miser's lands"

[arrrvee]

some critics even say that anna karenina is like two novels in one -- that of anna and vronsky, kitty and levin. myself, i prefer and like better the scenes and chapters with levin and kitty on it. i just find it more interesting than anna and vronsky. to the point that i i made some small check marks on the chapter numbers so it's easier for me to locate my favourite passages

[MikeK]

Is there anyone who maybe thinks that Ana is not the main character in the book??? You might think it's weird, but I think Levin and his theological questions are more important then Ana... :nod:

Dostoevsky would've certainly agreed with that statement. Have you read any of his articles in "A Writer's Diary" on Anna Karenina? They're in the 1877 volume of "A Writer's Diary", and they are extremely penetrating and insightful. He speaks at length about Levin and certainly considers him the main focus of the book.

[Livy]

I think that Levin is meant to be the hero of the book. I have even read that some of Tolstoys closest friends say he is writing Levin as himself. I just finished reading the book for the second time and it is amazing how much more I got out of it the second time around. I love the Kitty, Levin part of the story, but I am intrigued byt the other characters as well. It is interesting how at the beginning I was impressed and respectful of Anna and by the end it almost felt like her death was the best thing for everyone cause she drives me so crazy. yet I recognize myself in her a little so it is strange. What a fantastic book!

[Idril]

First time I read it, I was very focused on Anna and Vronsky and I hesitate to say it but I was almost bored with the Levin and Kitty parts but the second time I read it, I had a very different reaction. Suddenly Levin and Kitty seemed to be the heart of the book, the moral and philosophical center while the Anna and Vronsky storyline became more filler. It's funny how at different times of your life, you can see the same book from a completely different point of view.

[jwinck]

I am new to this site. I finished reading Anna Karenina last night and my thoughts were the same as yours through out the entire read. This book is about a search for faith. Levin and Kitty are those who look for real meaning and understanding in life while Vronsky and Anna don't look any further than their present emotions.

[PaulaC]

I just joined the forum to mainly see if I can say my peace about Anna Karenina, a book which could change one's life as much as The Brother's Karamazov. First, it is difficult to really distinguish between the two stories Anna-Vronsky/Levin-Kitty. What is important is to discover the structural similarities and links between the two seemingly disjoint stories in order to discern the novel's underlying theological and philosophical views. First, Anna and Vronsky have passion and a idealistic love affair which turns sour in contrast to Levin and Kitty, who are certainly not as romantic, but they prove to be the couple who grows in love as opposed to Vronsky and Anna who become more jealous and emotionally distraught with one another. Levin is searching, moreover, for the same inner peace and acceptance in life as Anna, but his struggle is internal and he views it as such as opposed to Anna, who viewed her unhappiness as a result of her marriage with Karenin. While Anna finds her happiness at first in Vronsky, Levin even after his marriage still struggles with suicide. The issue of suicide in the two characters links them together especially since Levin thinks of suicide throughout the book while Anna does not; the irony is Anna commits suicide while Levin does not. As to whether or not Anna or Levin are the main characters- both are- it can only be said they struggle with many of the same inner turmoil, they attribute this struggle to different causes (external for Anna/ internal for Levin) and their lives have different consequences because their actions are driven by their passion/emotion/thoughts/ect, which are similar in many respects, but the differences are even more important. Tolstoy is no less than a genius to create such a masterpiece- it will stand like Shakespeare, or even Homer. I am glad people are reading it, and I am glad to be apart of this forum. :yawnb: :yawnb: :yawnb:

[jerdol]

For a fresh view, I think Oblonsky is the main character, in the sense that he is at the core of the "problem" with Russian society. In fact, I think his character is meant to represent everything wrong with Russian society. Anna and Levin are two freethinkers who attempt to solve the problem that is Oblonsky (note that they both appear in the novel through Oblonsky), with Levin succeeding and Anna failing.
I think the reason the novel is named after Anna is that her morality is the vaguest. Oblinsky is "the problem", Levin is "the solution" - Anna is a solution that some might turn to at first, but that Tolstoy wants to warn strongly against. And it is the solution modern society has turned to. Abandoning a deeper meaning for life (Atheism has gained popularity, and in religion secularism is the norm), abandoning family (Europe is shrinking), living solely for "passion" as Anna might call it, but more accurately hedonism.