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Anna Karenina


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First published between 1875 and 1877.

Translated by Constance Black Garnett (1862-1946) in 1917.

Considered by some to be the greatest novel ever written, Anna Karenina is Tolstoy's classic tale of love and adultery set against the backdrop of high society in Moscow and Saint Petersburg. A rich and complex masterpiece, the novel charts the disastrous course of a love affair between Anna, a beautiful married woman, and Count Vronsky, a wealthy army officer. Tolstoy seamlessly weaves together the lives of dozens of characters, and in doing so captures a breathtaking tapestry of late-nineteenth-century Russian society.

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Set in nineteenth century Russia, this masterpiece illustrates the pressure of living up to the expectations and quota of an unforgiving society and the personal choices individuals face which alter their destinies. A read which leaves the responder unable to forget the lessons taught; it gives true meaning to learning from other people's experiences and mistakes. A guide which leads by example in demonstrating the challenges one faces in the pursuit of happiness and contentment and the gruelling outcomes of what some of these choices produce.

Submitted by Sonja Golub.



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Recent Forum Posts on Anna Karenina

Why does Anna Karinina feel repulsion, hatred, loathing toward Alexander Karinin?

Why does Anna Karinina feel repulsion, hatred, loathing toward Alexander Karinin? She recognizes that she has wronged him and that he has in turn been tremendously kind. In fact, he has been extremely forgiving and large hearted about the whole affair. Why does she dislike him so such to the point that even looking at him brings feelings of loathing? She's felt this toward him since the start of the relationship with Vronsky.

Posted By JohnWycliffe at Wed 13 Jun 2012, 10:36 PM in Anna Karenina || 2 Replies

Misogyny in Anna Karenina

(In response to manolia's and Kelby Lake's arguments in http://www.online-literature.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32974&page=3) It's not a black-and-white thing, but on the whole I agree with the misogyny accusation levered on Tolstoy. To be sure, there are the two good points against that notion: 1) one could argue that his treatment of women isn't any more misogynistic than the general Russian 19th century mindest (that is, we fall prey to the famous historian's fallacy); 2) Anna Karenina, a female character with whom the reader is supposed to empathise, essentially claims that her right to pursuit happiness prevails over (then) contemporary social conventions and notions of a married woman's obligations. This last point sure seems to hint at proto-feminism to me. But the novel isn't a proto-feminist one because in the end Anna is punished for her waywardness. She's a 'fallen woman' who in the end achieves nothing to be proud of. This is reminiscent of the novella 'Family Happiness', an interesting precursor of AK. In it, the female character, portrayed as being rather immature, flirts with the idea of adultery, but doesn't do it, and, upon letting her husband know she's unhappy in her marriage, she's told to forget about her lusts and find happiness in raising her child, which she does. Both stories together form what I think is what Tolstoy might have thought about what's 'right' and what's 'not right' when it comes to love and marriage. But what do you think? Is Anna Karenina misogynous or proto-feminist, or neither?

Posted By Mr Endon at Wed 25 Apr 2012, 5:40 AM in Anna Karenina || 3 Replies

Best translation of Anna Karenina?

I'm planning on reading Tolstoy's Anna Karenina next year and could use some advice on the best translation. Any views? Thanks :D

Posted By TheFifthElement at Sun 16 Oct 2011, 12:19 PM in Anna Karenina || 5 Replies

The similarities between Karenin and Vronsky?

It's no coincidence that both men are called Alexei. But did Tolstoy do this to contrast how different the two Alexeis were, or to suggest that there were similarities?

Posted By kelby_lake at Wed 3 Aug 2011, 6:34 AM in Anna Karenina || 2 Replies

What do you think of the cast of the new Anna Karenina film?

Joe Wright is apparantly going to direct a new version in 2012. What are your thoughts on the cast? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1781769/board/threads/ I don't have too much of a problem with Keira Knightly. She looks right although I'm not sure how well she could pull off neurotic passion. Aaron Johnson is still practically a boy so who knows why he's been cast as Vronsky. Jude Law might have made a better, if perhaps a little bland, Vronsky but for some bizarre reason he's been cast as Karenin! Yes, Karenin who is supposed to be in his late 50's and past the point of being sexually attractive. Law is famous for playing pretty boys. Would anyone really leave Law for Johnson? I think not. On the plus side, I think Saiorse Ronan might make a good Kitty.

Posted By kelby_lake at Mon 1 Aug 2011, 11:35 AM in Anna Karenina || 88 Replies

Which film/tv version is the best?

It's a complex novel but which of the various tv and film adaptations did it justice, if any?

Posted By kelby_lake at Tue 31 May 2011, 10:44 AM in Anna Karenina || 0 Replies

Levin and Kitty - Part 4

"...in her lovely eyes shining with happiness he understood everything he needed to know! And he wrote three letters. But she was reading after his hand, and before he finished writing, she finished it herself and wrote the answer: "Yes."' Did anyone else get that wonderfully warm, uplifting feeling when finishing the tender and loving moment these two had with the chalk at the card table? I just read it and feel utterly marvellous. And it is brilliantly done. The embarrassment, pain and humiliation that Levin has in talking about the refusal begins the exchange of notes. But the fact it is done in initials and not each word written out beautifully brings together their understanding of each other and each others pain since that event in Winter. That they have been through the same sorrows and anguish and just wonderfully come together in such an innocent and tender few moments. Fantastic Tolstoy

Posted By Patrick_Bateman at Sat 5 Mar 2011, 3:50 PM in Anna Karenina || 2 Replies

Anna vs. Stiva and adultery

Hi, I have been thinking about this upon finishing the novel: Why is Anna condemned for her passion toward Count Vronsky when Stiva can engage in it with immunity from criticism? What accounts for this? Adultery, ego, gender roles? I would love another opinion. thanks!

Posted By aphymans at Thu 7 Oct 2010, 4:50 PM in Anna Karenina || 11 Replies

From antipathy to empathy for Vronsky?

Did anybody else not like Vronsky for much of this novel and then just at the end, when he's at the train station, they choked all up and felt horrible for him? I've never had such a wide and sudden swing for a character in literature before. It was very fascinating. Of course, if you liked Vronsky throughout then this phenomena would have been stillborn... But did anyone else have this powerful emotive moment for him that blind sided you?

Posted By D.S. Poorman at Thu 1 Apr 2010, 11:01 PM in Anna Karenina || 37 Replies

Best line or quote in Anna Karenina??

What is your favorite line or quote from the book? "He suddenly felt that the very thing that had once been the source of his suffering had become the source of his spiritual joy, that what had seemed insoluble when he condemned, reproached and hated, became simple and clear when he forgave and loved.":bawling: So many to choose from, but this is the one that struck me the most.

Posted By sjb77d at Sat 19 Dec 2009, 9:03 PM in Anna Karenina || 1 Reply

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