Tolstoy

I just finished AnnaK. and have to say I did not like it at all. Can someone tell me why this novel is considered so great? I appreciate the inclusion of political,social,moral,and religious themes and the parellels with the author's life. However, I don't think the title is right for it. And I hated the story line of AnnaK. I found Levin to be the true hero. Any ideas?
Also last week I read TheAwakening/K.Chopin. I was going to reread TheReturnoftheNative next but I can not handle another affair/suicide story!
Mirabelle

Which story is "The Awakening?" Is that the one where the woman thinks her husband is dead, and she ponders life then thinks she's free only to find her husband return alive and she dies from "joy"? I didn't like that story... not sure why, just din't really like it.

-David

This novel begins as a lovely story of a woman who 'awakens' to her true self while in the throes of marriage/family life; she realizes she abhors 'society' and starts painting etc. She moves out of the family home.She is in love with another man; at the end when there is a moment for them to be 'together', he leaves her with this reason"it is because I love you I must say good-bye" or something; then she drowns herself.

Ok, wrong story. I haven't read much Chopin, and I don't really intend to. But Anna K. is on my list of 'Books to Read" so when I get around to it, probably this summer, i'll let you know what I think

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Originally Posted by Mirabelle

I just finished AnnaK. and have to say I did not like it at all. Can someone tell me why this novel is considered so great? I appreciate the inclusion of political,social,moral,and religious themes and the parellels with the author's life. However, I don't think the title is right for it. And I hated the story line of AnnaK. I found Levin to be the true hero. Any ideas?
Also last week I read TheAwakening/K.Chopin. I was going to reread TheReturnoftheNative next but I can not handle another affair/suicide story!
Mirabelle

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Tolstoy is one of my favorites and I read him oftentimes.

I absolutely adored Anna Karenina. Got me wondering why it took me so long to start reading Tolstoy. It's wonderful on so many levels, it's hard to select one specific thing and say "this is what makes it great". I suppose it's a mixture of all - the sweeping portrait of Imperial Russia it paints, the wonderfully human, all-too-flawed characters, a great storyline... I don't know what it is you didn't enjoy about this.

I agree that Levin is the true hero of the book. The fact that he is not wholly likeable either makes him even more compelling as a main character. Tolstoy supposedly modeled him on himself.

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Originally Posted by Pecksie

I absolutely adored Anna Karenina. Got me wondering why it took me so long to start reading Tolstoy. It's wonderful on so many levels, it's hard to select one specific thing and say "this is what makes it great". I suppose it's a mixture of all - the sweeping portrait of Imperial Russia it paints, the wonderfully human, all-too-flawed characters, a great storyline... I don't know what it is you didn't enjoy about this.

I agree that Levin is the true hero of the book. The fact that he is not wholly likeable either makes him even more compelling as a main character. Tolstoy supposedly modeled him on himself.

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All I think is the world has done justice to him, and critics ignored him. He was such an impeccable author and at times I feel he is the greatest writer born here.

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Originally Posted by JackWolfDA

Which story is "The Awakening?" Is that the one where the woman thinks her husband is dead, and she ponders life then thinks she's free only to find her husband return alive and she dies from "joy"? I didn't like that story... not sure why, just din't really like it.

-David

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That would be "The Story of an Hour".

I thought Anna Karenina very good, however the real deal is War and Peace, which is simply incomparable.

But you must see the hypocrisy of a society which allows Oblonsky to "tread the path of silken dalliance" [ Hamlet], while Anna is unanimously condemned and made a pariah of.

Of course-but Anna is set in a fundamentally patriarchal society, and 'good old' Leo certainly had some strange opinions on womanhood himself.

Geniuses are permitted oddball viewpoints.

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Geniuses are permitted oddball viewpoints.

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Raskolnikov would be inclined to agree with that particular senitment.....:p