From antipathy to empathy for Vronsky?

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Originally Posted by Alexander III

But she wasn't a good mother, she abandoned her child - she chose to sacrifice her child instead of herself, and that is why she spiraled down into her destruction, the guilt of abandoning her child, much like (we can assume) Vronsky's spiral into self destruction occurs once Anna kills herself.

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She abandons both of her children, really.

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Originally Posted by kelby_lake

She abandons both of her children, really.

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My thoughts exactly.

On Vromsky: I too found his last appearance in the novel pathetic, and I mean 'pathetic' both in its etymological sense (as it was meant to elicit pity) and in its contemporary sense. He seems to come across almost as a benign, suffering martyr, which is entirely at odds with the way I perceive him.

As for Vromsky as a character, I find his moral code to be incongruous with his behaviour, even after adjusting for 19th century mindset. He says he never lies so often it's like his personal mantra, and other characters and even the narrator (yes, the narrator too) seem to agree with that assertion. He says he must never lie to a man, but may do so to a woman. But what about lying by omission? Only children and disingenuous people believe omissions are just an honest way of getting away with a lie.

Besides, his widely-perceived honesty, bravery, and all those chivalric attributes crumble to bits every time he and Karenin meet. Karenin comes out on top every single time no matter how you look at it, and after their crucial confrontation in the middle of the novel Vromsky loses, to me personally as a reader, all the respect his whole intended empathic quality seems to hinge on.

Vronsky has a soldier's view of duty and honour rather than personal views of honour. Social duty is equally important to Karenin but he does have his own principles- he thinks that feeling jealous of Vronsky would demean Anna, and he refuses to duel with Vronsky, despite this being the social custom.

I loathed Vronksy until this:

"She was an honorable woman who had bestowed her love upon him, and he loved her, and therefore she was in his eyes a woman who had a right to the same, or even more, respect than a lawful wife. He would have had his hand chopped off before he would have allowed himself by a word, by a hint, to humiliate her, or even to fall short of the fullest respect a woman could look for."

How could you not like Vronksy after reading that?!

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Originally Posted by Brielle92

I loathed Vronksy until this:

"She was an honorable woman who had bestowed her love upon him, and he loved her, and therefore she was in his eyes a woman who had a right to the same, or even more, respect than a lawful wife. He would have had his hand chopped off before he would have allowed himself by a word, by a hint, to humiliate her, or even to fall short of the fullest respect a woman could look for."

How could you not like Vronksy after reading that?!

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Vronsky does have very strong principles.

As I read, my high opinion of Anna diminished as my estimation of Vronsky rose. In the end he had few good options.

As I read, my high opinion of Anna diminished as my estimation of Vronsky rose. In the end he had few good options.

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Originally Posted by Gladys

As I read, my high opinion of Anna diminished as my estimation of Vronsky rose. In the end he had few good options.

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True but it was his fault in the first place! Anna at least tried to resist him.