Welcome to Week 2 of December’s discussion of Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, covering Parts 1, 2, and 3.
Part 1:
This novel has two great opening lines. The epigraph pulls from both Deuteronomy and Romans verses “Vengeance is mine. I will repay.” We turn the page to chapter one and are hit with one of the most famous opening lines in all of literature, “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” And BAM! In only 20 words we know we’re in for a bumpy ride.
Did you already know the story and ending of Anna Karenina before you read it for the first time? No spoilers! It’s one of the most famous stories in the world, but I’m a true believer that a story can still be enjoyed even if its main plot or events have been spoiled through pop culture.
The novel opens with Anna’s bother Stiva (Stepan) waking up the day after his affair with the family’s governess had been discovered by his wife Dolly. We spend a good deal of time with Stiva, as he’s the character who introduces us to the novel’s second protagonist Levin.
How do you feel about Tolstoy’s choice to open the novel with Stiva rather than his sister and main protagonist Anna? Do we learn anything about her through learning Stiva?
Stiva travels to the train station to meet Anna arriving from St. Petersburg, and Count Vronsky is there to meet his mother. On her journey there Anna has been sitting with Count Vronsky’s mother who is enamored with her, and Vronsky is immediately drawn to, and struck by, Anna’s beauty. And so it begins!
The novel’s other protagonist, Levin, is in for a bumpy ride of his own. Russia is beginning to leave behind some traditions like arranged marriages; Kitty’s mother has difficulty with this but has a preference of Vronsky over Levin, her father prefers Levin. He’s returned to town and is somewhat hesitant to propose to Kitty after hearing she’s been close with Count Vronsky while he’s been away. At Stiva’s encouragement, Levin is more hopeful and goes to meet with Kitty; later arriving at her home to catch her alone and make the proposal… and be turned down. Were you at all shocked Kitty refused the proposal?
Let’s talk about The Ball Scene. Leading up to the ball, Kitty has just turned down Levin but is excited to meet Vronsky there; so excited that she even tells Anna Karenina to wear a lilac dress to coordinate with her. Anna does not wear lilac, but black! It’s not the dress, though, that makes Anna irresistible. When Vronsky sees her again the dress is described as merely a frame to highlight her elegance, beauty, and charm. Though he danced with Kitty, Vronsky and Anna make a statement when they danced a waltz and the final dance of the evening together, leaving Kitty without a partner. It’s in this moment of high-drama that Kitty realizes she’s lost Vronsky’s interest to someone she admired and cared deeply for. Later at home with the Oblonsky’s, Kitty claims she has a headache to miss dinner with her parents and Anna, and Anna claims she believes Vronsky will still pursue Kitty. Soon after, she leaves town to return to her husband and son. She looks out at the first train stop and spots Vronsky at the station. He has followed her. (!!!!!)
In St. Petersburg, Vronsky has the audacity to introduce himself to Anna’s husband and knows she doesn’t love him. At the end of Part 1 we know that this is just the beginning of a long, dramatic love affair.
Part 2:
Kitty is down bad in Part 2. She’s depressed and heartbroken over the turn of events that changed her life in a short window of time; rejecting Levin’s proposal and being snubbed by Vronsky for another woman. Stiva makes a visit to Levin and mentions how Kitty has been ill this whole time, and Levin finds a kind of satisfaction in hearing this. Kitty’s family takes her to Germany to stay at a spa to work on her health, and she’s introduced to Madam Stahl and a lovely young woman Varenka. Their kindness and charm eventually inspires Kitty to move beyond her heartbreak and begin to think of doing good deeds for others, but when Kitty’s father visits he makes Kitty realize that Madam Stahl is a vain woman, not a charitable angel.
It’s at this point in the novel I think Kitty realizes she often acts as she’s expected to by others, or is inspired by others, but doesn’t act as her true self. She’s a young woman who has gone through a fairly traumatic experience and is now able to mature and grow through these experiences.
In St. Petersburg, Anna’s husband quickly understands something has shifted with her since she returned from Moscow and puts together the pieces that she and Vronsky have feelings for each other, urging Anna to keep some things locked inside and not act on them. Nice try, Karenin! Time jumps forward in this section to a year or so later and we find Anna and Vronsky are now officially Having An Affair. However, Anna is not overjoyed when we find out, she is crying and says she’s lost everything while gaining everything she wanted. How do you feel about Anna in this moment? Do you have any empathy for how she’s feeling?
At this point, everyone in St. Petersburg knows what’s going on between Anna and Vronsky and society is changing how they treat her. Vronsky buys a new horse, Frou Frou, and is preparing for a race when Anna tells him she’s pregnant and won’t leave her husband to be with him. This racing scene is about as dramatic as Part 1’s scene in the ball, with Vronsky and Frou Frou both agitated and confused, leading to a fall in the race that breaks the horse’s back.
During this time, Karenin and Anna are practically living separate lives in separate homes and he sees how Anna reacts during the horse race while not knowing if Vronsky is okay. Anna finally admits she loves Vronsky and hates Karenin, whose reaction is repression and methodical, telling her to keep up appearances.
Part 3:
Levin works hard in the countryside to work through life’s troubles, as labor makes him feel like he’s a part of something greater with a feeling close to Enlightenment. While feeling connected to the land, his attitude about farming changes and he becomes frustrated that the peasants aren’t flexible to work with him on new ideas of agriculture and technology – something that takes up much of Part 3. He receives a letter and learns that Dolly, Stiva’s wife and Kitty’s sister, is staying nearby to save on expenses. When Levin visits her she brings up Kitty, letting him know she believes there’s still a chance of them being together. Levin begins to get angry, saying it could never happen. The next day he spots Kitty passing in a carriage and his heart is light again, open to loving her.
Why do you think Levin’s feelings changed so quickly when he saw Kitty? Did he really stop having feelings for her before, or do you think it was more about his pride? Are you someone who likes to keep busy and do chores when there are other things on your mind like Levin?
Karenin and Anna’s marriage is in a bad state. Karenin wants Anna to suffer and is refusing a divorce, and he’s beginning to resent their son while also using him against her. They eventually meet again and Karenin essentially tells Anna he’ll tolerate her affair as long as Vronsky doesn’t go into their home… which Anna can’t uphold.
There’s a lot to talk about when it comes to Anna and Karenin’s son; I felt so badly for him through the entire novel. Do you think either of his parents are worse for their behavior toward him, or are they equally bad parents? Anna talks about how much she loves and misses her son, but she also chose to continue her affair with Vronsky and leave her life behind knowing she was leaving her son. Karenin uses his son against Anna and doesn’t provide much, or any, affection.
That's it for Parts 1-3! Come back next week where we'll be discussing Parts 4 and 5.
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