Anna Karenina · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy.
Chapter 1
I
The novel opens with the famous line about happy and unhappy families, then immediately illustrates it with the crisis in the Oblonsky household. Stepan Arkadyevitch (Stiva) Oblonsky wakes on the sofa in his study, recalling his pleasant dream before the painful reality of his three-day estrangement from his wife Dolly crashes in. He remembers the moment she discovered his affair with the former French governess, his own involuntary, guilty smile in response to her anguish, and her subsequent retreat to her room. The entire household is in disarray, with servants quitting and the children running wild.
Chapter 2
II
Stepan Arkadyevitch (Stiva) reflects on his infidelity, feeling not remorse for the act but regret that his wife Dolly discovered it. He rationalizes his behavior, recalling the governess Mlle. Roland, and feels overwhelmed by the domestic crisis. His valet Matvey informs him of a telegram announcing the arrival of his sister, Anna Arkadyevna, which both see as a potential path to reconciliation. Dolly, through Matvey, sends a message that she is leaving, leaving Stiva momentarily helpless before he resolves to dress and face the day.
Chapter 3
Chapter III
Stepan Arkadyevitch (Stiva) begins his morning routine, reading letters and the liberal newspaper. His financial troubles are tied to his estranged wife Dolly, as he needs to sell a forest from her property. He reflects on his shallow, convenience-based political and social views, which align with his lifestyle. A moment of tenderness with his children, Tanya and Grisha, is shadowed by his guilt over the quarrel. After dealing with a petitioner, he musters the courage to finally face Dolly.
Chapter 4
IV
The chapter focuses on Dolly's profound distress in the aftermath of discovering Stiva's affair. She is torn between her desire to leave him and the practical impossibility of doing so, especially for the sake of their children. A tense confrontation occurs where Stiva, fresh and healthy, begs for forgiveness, but Dolly, emaciated and suffering, expresses her revulsion and calls him a 'stranger.' The argument is interrupted by a child's cry, which momentarily softens Dolly and highlights her maternal instincts. Stiva leaves the house, briefly reflecting on the vulgarity of the scene before shifting his attention to practical matters like preparing for Anna's arrival.
Chapter 5
V
Levin visits Oblonsky at his government office. Their deep but contrasting friendship is explored: Levin, the earnest country landowner, despises the bureaucracy and social pretense of city life, while Oblonsky thrives in his superficial but effective official role. Oblonsky's character and his path to a lucrative government post through connections are detailed. The conversation turns personal as Levin, with great embarrassment, asks after the Shcherbatskys, revealing his continued feelings for Kitty.
Chapter 6
Levin's Past and Present: The Shtcherbatsky Household and His Love for Kitty
Levin is in Moscow to propose to Kitty Shcherbatskaya but is too embarrassed to admit it to Oblonsky. The chapter delves into Levin's long-standing connection to the Shtcherbatsky family, which provided the domestic warmth he lacked after being orphaned. He idealizes the family, especially its feminine members, and recounts his sequential, almost dutiful, attraction to each sister before settling on Kitty. Despite being a respectable match, Levin is plagued by insecurity, believing himself—a country gentleman without a conventional career—to be unworthy of the perfect, enchanting Kitty. After two months of tortured hope in Moscow and a retreat to the country, he has returned with a desperate resolve to propose.
Chapter 7
Chapter VII
Levin arrives in Moscow and visits his half-brother Koznishev, interrupting a heated philosophical debate between Koznishev and a professor from Harkov. The discussion centers on the boundary between psychological and physiological phenomena and the origin of the idea of existence. Levin listens, frustrated that the intellectual argument skirts the deeper spiritual questions about life and death that preoccupy him.
Chapter 8
VIII
Levin visits his half-brother Sergey Ivanovitch Koznishev. Their conversation reveals Levin's disillusionment with local government and his farming life. Sergey Ivanovitch informs Levin that their dissolute brother, Nikolay, is in Moscow. Despite Sergey's advice against it, Levin feels compelled to see Nikolay, though he postpones the visit to first pursue Kitty Shcherbatskaya.
Chapter 9
The Skating Rink
Levin, his heart pounding, goes to the Zoological Gardens skating rink hoping to see Kitty. He spots her immediately, and her presence illuminates the entire scene. They skate together briefly, and her touch and words send him into raptures. However, a shadow passes over her face when he expresses his confidence in her, and she coldly redirects him to speak with Mlle. Linon. Despite this moment of confusion, her parting words, 'Goodbye till this evening,' leave Levin in a state of ecstatic, hopeful agitation, which preoccupies him as he leaves with Stepan Arkadyevitch.
Chapter 10
Levin Confides in Oblonsky
Levin and Oblonsky dine at a restaurant. Levin is consumed by thoughts of Kitty and his intention to propose. He anxiously seeks Oblonsky's opinion on his chances, and Oblonsky reassures him, revealing that his wife Dolly believes Kitty is certain to marry Levin. Overwhelmed with emotion, Levin describes his feelings as a force outside himself and confesses his sense of unworthiness due to his past.
Chapter 11
Chapter XI
Over dinner, Oblonsky informs Levin of Count Vronsky, a new rival for Kitty's affections, casting a shadow over Levin's hopes. Their conversation then turns to Oblonsky's own marital infidelity, prompting a philosophical debate about love, fidelity, and the complexities of life. Levin expresses a rigid, moralistic view of fallen women and love, while Oblonsky argues for the tragic inevitability of passion conflicting with duty. The chapter ends with each man retreating into his own thoughts, feeling a sudden alienation from the other, before Levin departs to go to the Shcherbatskys.
Chapter 12
XII
The chapter focuses on the young Princess Kitty Shcherbatskaya's debut in society and the resulting marital prospects, primarily from her mother's perspective. It details the contrasting parental views on her suitors, Levin and Vronsky, with the Prince favoring Levin and the Princess favoring the wealthier, more socially adept Vronsky. The chapter explores the Princess's deep anxiety over navigating the changing social conventions of matchmaking, her fears for Kitty's future, and the tension caused by Levin's unexpected return, which threatens to complicate the near-conclusion of an arrangement with Vronsky.
Chapter 13
Chapter XIII
Kitty awaits the evening's gathering with intense anxiety, knowing she will see both Levin and Vronsky. She reflects on her feelings for each man, finding comfort and poetry in her past with Levin but envisioning a brilliant future with Vronsky. Levin arrives early and, finding her alone, proposes marriage. After a moment of ecstatic confusion, Kitty remembers Vronsky and refuses him, leaving Levin devastated.
Chapter 14
Chapter XIV
At the Shcherbatskys' gathering, Levin is forced to remain after Kitty's refusal, enduring the awkwardness. Countess Nordston arrives and immediately begins to mock Levin. The conversation turns to spiritualism, leading to a heated debate between Levin and Vronsky, who takes a more open-minded stance. Through Kitty's glances, Levin realizes with certainty that she loves Vronsky. He observes his rival, finding him handsome, elegant, and socially adept. Just as Levin tries to leave, Prince Shcherbatsky enters warmly, further complicating Levin's departure.
Chapter 15
Chapter XV
Kitty reflects on her refusal of Levin's proposal, feeling both pity for him and happiness at her love for Vronsky, though her joy is tinged with doubt. Meanwhile, her parents argue fiercely about her future: the Princess is confident in Vronsky's intentions, while the Prince believes Levin is the better, more serious man and that Vronsky is merely a frivolous 'peacock'.
Chapter 16
Vronsky's Background and Reflections
The chapter delves into Vronsky's upbringing and lack of real family life, explaining his carefree bachelor perspective. It details his genuine but naive enjoyment of his growing intimacy with Kitty Shcherbatskaya, his complete lack of intention to marry, and his blissful ignorance of the serious expectations and potential consequences of his attentions. After an evening at the Shcherbatskys', he feels the bond with Kitty has strengthened but sees no need for decisive action, content in his pure and tender feelings.
Chapter 17
XVII
Vronsky and Oblonsky meet at the train station, each awaiting a different arrival. Their conversation reveals Vronsky's growing interest in Kitty and his vague, dismissive impression of Karenin. Oblonsky hints at Levin's failed proposal to Kitty, which secretly delights Vronsky. The arrival of the train, carrying Vronsky's mother, interrupts their talk.
Chapter 18
Chapter XVIII
Vronsky meets Anna Karenina at the station while awaiting his mother. They share a moment of immediate, magnetic attraction. Anna travels with Countess Vronskaya, and they discuss their children. As they prepare to leave, a guard is killed in a train accident. Anna is deeply disturbed by the death, seeing it as an evil omen. Vronsky gives money to the widow. Anna and her brother Stiva depart, and she asks about Vronsky's connection to Kitty.
Chapter 19
Anna and Dolly: A Conversation on Infidelity and Forgiveness
Anna arrives at Dolly's country house. Dolly, still devastated by Stiva's infidelity, is initially wary of Anna's sympathy. The two women have a raw, intimate conversation where Dolly pours out her pain, humiliation, and sense of lost youth and purpose. Anna listens with genuine empathy, avoids empty consolation, and offers a nuanced perspective on Stiva's character and remorse, ultimately exploring the possibility of forgiveness.
Chapter 20
Anna at the Oblonskys'
Anna spends the day at the Oblonsky home, mending the rift between Stiva and Dolly. She charms Kitty, who becomes infatuated with her. Anna and Kitty discuss an upcoming ball and Vronsky, whom Anna met at the station. Anna plays joyfully with the children.
Chapter 21
XXI
After the reconciliation between Dolly and Stiva, the family gathers for tea. Anna, feeling a mother's longing, goes to fetch her album to show pictures of her son Seryozha. As she passes the staircase, she sees Vronsky, who has called but refuses to come upstairs. His brief, awkward appearance stirs conflicting feelings in Anna and puzzles the others, especially Kitty, who believes she knows the true reason for his visit.
Chapter 22
The Ball
Kitty attends the ball, filled with excitement and confidence in her own beauty. She dances with Korsunsky and observes the society around her, particularly noting Anna Karenina's stunning and simple appearance in a black velvet gown. Kitty sees Vronsky and feels a pang of complex emotion when he asks her to waltz only after the music stops. Anna's interaction with Vronsky is tense, as she pointedly ignores him to dance with Korsunsky.
Chapter 23
XXIII
At the ball, Kitty's hopes for a declaration from Vronsky during the mazurka are shattered as she observes the intense, mutual fascination between Vronsky and Anna. Anna's radiant, intoxicating success and Vronsky's look of humble submission reveal their powerful connection to Kitty, plunging her into despair. Anna departs early, refusing to stay for supper.
Chapter 24
Levin Visits His Brother Nikolay
After his humiliating proposal to Kitty, a despondent Levin walks to his brother Nikolay's lodgings. He reflects on his own worthlessness compared to Vronsky and recalls Nikolay's troubled, oscillating life of religious asceticism and wild debauchery. Levin resolves to understand and love his brother. At the shabby hotel, he finds Nikolay living with his companion Marya Nikolaevna and a radical friend, Kritsky. Nikolay is initially hostile but softens, introducing his companions with defiant pride.
Chapter 25
Chapter XXV
Konstantin Levin visits his consumptive and volatile brother Nikolay in a cheerless Moscow room. Nikolay passionately explains his plan for a productive locksmiths' association to liberate peasants from capitalist oppression, but Levin is more focused on his brother's deteriorating health and heavy drinking. The conversation turns to family, Sergey Ivanovitch's views, and Nikolay's bitterness about his wasted life. The chapter ends with Levin and Marya Nikolaevna getting the drunk Nikolay to bed.
Chapter 26
Levin's Return Home
Levin returns to his country estate from Moscow. The journey home clears his confusion and self-dissatisfaction. He resolves to abandon dreams of extraordinary happiness, to avoid low passions, to help his brother Nikolay, and to work harder while living more simply. At home, familiar surroundings initially provoke doubt, but he fights it with physical exertion. His attention is then consumed by estate matters, including a scorched buckwheat crop and the successful calving of his prized cow, Pava.
Chapter 27
XXVII
Levin, alone in his old family home, reflects on his ideal of marriage and family life, which he feels he must now give up after his rejection by Kitty. He reads, listens to his housekeeper Agafea Mihalovna's gossip, and drifts into daydreams of a future farm and family. He resolves to live better despite his disappointment, finding a moment of peace with his dog Laska.
Chapter 28
XXVIII
The morning after the ball, Anna abruptly decides to leave Moscow immediately. She explains her sudden departure to Dolly, who senses Anna's troubled state. In a private conversation, Anna confesses that her innocent matchmaking at the ball went awry, causing Kitty's jealousy and pain. She admits her own emotional turmoil regarding Vronsky, though she downplays its seriousness. Dolly comforts her, and they share an emotional farewell before Anna departs.
Chapter 29
XXIX
Anna travels by train back to St. Petersburg from Moscow. Initially relieved to be returning to her familiar life, she tries to read a novel but finds herself unable to focus, her mind agitated by memories of Vronsky. A growing sense of shame and a delirious, heightened state of feeling overtake her, culminating in her stepping out into the snowy night air at a station stop.
Chapter 30
XXX
Anna returns to Petersburg by train. Upon arrival, she is immediately struck by her husband Karenin's physical appearance and feels a familiar, painful sense of hypocrisy in their relationship. As she steps out into a raging snowstorm at the station, Vronsky appears before her. He declares he came to be where she is, a confession that both frightens and exhilarates her. The intense encounter leaves Anna in a state of heightened, blissful nervous tension for the rest of the night.
Chapter 31
Vronsky's Return to Petersburg
Vronsky, elated and sleepless after his journey with Anna, returns to Petersburg. He observes the world with haughty detachment, consumed by his feelings for her. At the station, he sees Anna reunited with her husband, Karenin, and feels a sharp, possessive jealousy. He notes the reserve in Anna's manner towards Karenin and is heartened by a brief flash in her eyes when she sees him. After a tense, formal exchange with Karenin, Vronsky secures an invitation to call on them, while Karenin and Anna depart together.
Chapter 32
Chapter XXXII
Anna returns home to Petersburg. She is greeted with intense joy by her son Seryozha, though her idealized image of him gives way to a more realistic, yet still charming, appreciation. Countess Lidia Ivanovna visits, and Anna, for the first time, sees the countess's self-righteousness and hypocrisy clearly. After other social calls, Anna is left alone and reflects on the journey and Vronsky's attentions, dismissing them as unimportant and resolving not to mention them to her husband, feeling restored to her habitual, resolute self.
Chapter 33
Chapter XXXIII
Anna returns to her life in St. Petersburg with her husband, Alexey Alexandrovitch Karenin. The chapter details their formal, punctual domestic routine, a tense dinner with guests, and a quiet evening together. Karenin is preoccupied with his political success, while Anna, though initially serene after spending time with her son, feels a growing inner distance. Her thoughts betray a critical view of her husband and a haunting memory of Vronsky's glance.
Chapter 34
Chapter XXXIV
Vronsky returns to his Petersburg apartment, which he shares with his comrade Petritsky. He finds Petritsky with the Baroness Shilton and Captain Kamerovsky in a scene of frivolous disorder. Vronsky easily slips back into the 'lighthearted, pleasant world' of his Petersburg life, characterized by gossip, debt, scandal, and a cynical code of conduct that mocks conventional morality. He hears amusing stories, including one about Buzulukov and a helmet, and prepares to re-enter society with the intention of meeting Anna Karenina.
Chapter 35
The Consultation
The Shcherbatsky family holds a medical consultation for Kitty, who has been ill since the winter. A celebrated physician examines her, dismissing her modesty as a 'relic of barbarism.' He and the family doctor debate her treatment, ultimately recommending a trip abroad to the Soden waters, though the celebrated doctor is skeptical of foreign medicine. Kitty feels the entire process is absurd, her heartbreak being the true illness, but she pretends to be cheerful for her mother's sake.
Chapter 36
II
Dolly visits her family to hear the doctor's verdict on Kitty's health, which is to go abroad. The conversation reveals the ongoing strain in Dolly's marriage due to Stepan Arkadyevitch's absences and suspected infidelities, and her own domestic troubles with a sick child. Kitty's emotional fragility over her heartbreak with Vronsky is exposed by her father's well-intentioned but painful remarks, leading to a family argument. The prince and princess clash over blame for Kitty's situation before reconciling. Dolly, understanding Kitty's need for comfort, prepares to speak with her and reveals to their mother that Levin had intended to propose to Kitty.
Chapter 37
Kitty's Confession
Dolly visits Kitty, who is in a state of deep misery and self-loathing following Vronsky's rejection. Kitty initially reacts with anger and pride, refusing sympathy and lashing out at Dolly's own marital situation. After an emotional outburst, she breaks down in tears and confesses her wretchedness to Dolly. The sisters reconcile through their shared tears, and Kitty reveals her spiritual crisis, where everything—including marriage, society, and even family—appears coarse and hateful. She decides to go stay with Dolly and help nurse the children through scarlatina, but her health does not improve, leading the Shcherbatskys to go abroad.
Chapter 38
The Circles of Society
Anna Karenina navigates the three distinct circles of Petersburg high society: her husband's official circle, the pious and ambitious circle of Countess Lidia Ivanovna, and the fashionable world of Princess Betsy Tverskaya. She finds the first two insufferable and insincere since her return from Moscow, and is increasingly drawn to Betsy's fashionable set, where she frequently meets Vronsky. The chapter details Anna's growing self-awareness of her feelings for Vronsky, which have become the central interest of her life, and includes a scene at the opera where Betsy teases Vronsky about his pursuit.
Chapter 39
V
At Princess Betsy's soiree, Vronsky recounts a humorous story of two young officers (Petritsky and Kedrov) who, after drinking, pursued a woman home and wrote her a love letter, only to be confronted by her angry husband. Vronsky has been mediating the dispute to protect the regiment's honor. He leaves the soiree to report to his colonel at the French theater, where they discuss the successful resolution and the colonel laughs at the tale.
Chapter 40
VI
The chapter depicts an evening at Princess Betsy Tverskaya's salon, where high society gathers after the theater. The conversation, a delicate dance of 'small talk,' quickly turns to gossip, centering on Anna Karenina and her husband Alexey Alexandrovitch. The guests dissect Anna's changed demeanor since Moscow and her association with Vronsky, using the metaphor of a 'shadow.' Princess Myakaya delivers her blunt, shocking opinions, calling Karenin a fool, while others defend Anna's charm. The scene is a masterful portrayal of the superficial yet cutting nature of societal judgment.
Chapter 41
The Confession at the Soiree
At Princess Betsy's soiree, Anna and Vronsky have a private, intense conversation where Anna attempts to end their flirtation, demanding he go to Moscow to ask for Kitty's forgiveness. Vronsky passionately declares his love, framing their future as one of either bliss or despair. Their charged, semi-public interaction draws disapproving notice from the other guests. Despite her verbal protests, Anna's non-verbal cues reveal her reciprocal feelings. The chapter ends with Karenin's oblivious departure and Anna, staying behind, giving Vronsky a final, hopeful glance and touch.
Chapter 42
Chapter VIII
Karenin returns home after the party, troubled by the sight of Anna and Vronsky in deep conversation. He resolves to speak to her, but his internal monologue reveals his struggle to reconcile his rigid, logical worldview with the emotional reality of his wife's potential infidelity. He paces, formulates a structured speech, and awaits her arrival with dread.
Chapter 43
The First Confrontation
Karenin confronts Anna about her overly animated conversation with Vronsky at the evening party. He attempts to frame his concern as a matter of social decorum and duty, but his underlying jealousy and hurt are palpable. Anna responds with feigned innocence, deliberate misunderstanding, and a cold, impenetrable calm, shutting him out emotionally. The chapter ends with them in bed together, physically close but emotionally worlds apart, as Anna's thoughts turn to Vronsky.
Chapter 44
A New Life Begins
Anna and Karenin enter a tense new phase of their marriage after her return from Moscow. Anna openly socializes with Vronsky, while Karenin feels powerless to confront her, his attempts at serious conversation thwarted by his own involuntary sarcasm and her impenetrable, amused demeanor.
Chapter 45
Chapter XI
Anna and Vronsky consummate their affair. In the immediate aftermath, both are overwhelmed by a profound sense of shame, horror, and spiritual nakedness, despite the fulfillment of their long-held desire. Anna feels irrevocably changed and humiliated, begging for forgiveness, while Vronsky feels like a murderer. Their relationship enters a new, darker stage, marked by this irreversible act.
Chapter 46
XII
Levin struggles with the lingering shame and pain of Kitty's rejection months later, feeling his dream of family life is further away than ever. He finds solace and purpose in his country life, maintaining his resolution of purity, managing his brother Nikolay's health crisis, and immersing himself in agricultural work and writing. The chapter culminates in a detailed, vibrant description of the arrival of a beautiful and transformative spring.
Chapter 47
Chapter XIII
Levin immerses himself in the spring work on his estate. He inspects the cattle, admires the new calves, and confronts the perennial frustrations of managing his farm, such as broken hurdles and unrepaired tools. He argues with his bailiff over labor shortages and delays in sowing clover, but his irritation is tempered by the beauty of the day and his deep connection to the land. He rides out to check on the sowing, feeling a sense of purpose and happiness in his physical work and plans for the season.
Chapter 48
Chapter XIV
Levin, in a happy spring mood at his country estate, is surprised by a visit from his friend Stepan Arkadyevitch (Stiva). Levin is initially disappointed it is not his brother Nikolay, but is genuinely delighted to see Stiva. They share a hearty meal, discuss Levin's agricultural theories, and prepare to go shooting. During their conversation, Stiva obliquely references his own philosophy of love and infidelity, comparing it to enjoying 'new rolls' after one's 'rations of bread,' a viewpoint Levin struggles to understand. Levin is grateful for Stiva's tact in not directly mentioning Kitty or the Shtcherbatskys.
Chapter 49
XV
Levin and Oblonsky go snipe shooting in an aspen copse. Levin is deeply attuned to the natural world, observing the signs of spring and the sounds of the forest. The shooting is successful, and as dusk falls, Levin unexpectedly asks Oblonsky about Kitty. Oblonsky reveals that Kitty is very ill and has been sent abroad, a revelation that briefly disturbs Levin's serenity before the final shot of the hunt.
Chapter 50
Chapter XVI
Levin and Oblonsky return from hunting. Levin is secretly pleased to hear Kitty is suffering after her rejection. Their conversation shifts to Oblonsky's sale of a forest to the merchant Ryabinin. Levin, an experienced landowner, argues passionately that Oblonsky is being swindled, but Oblonsky, trusting the merchant's urban business acumen, finalizes the deal. The chapter contrasts Levin's deep, practical connection to the land with Oblonsky's careless, city-bred financial dealings.
Chapter 51
Chapter XVII
After the forest sale, Stepan Arkadyevitch (Stiva) is in high spirits, while Levin remains irritable and gloomy. Their conversation over supper reveals the true source of Levin's mood: his humiliation over Kitty's rejection and his simmering resentment towards Vronsky. Levin passionately defends his view of true aristocracy based on honorable lineage and independence, contrasting it with what he sees as the corrupt, moneyed class represented by Vronsky and the merchant Ryabinin. Despite Stiva's attempts to soothe him and suggest a return to Moscow, Levin remains wounded and defiant.
Chapter 52
Chapter XVIII
The chapter explores the tension between Vronsky's all-consuming passion for Anna and the demands of his external life—his regiment, society, and his love of horses. It details how his affair is perceived by different segments of society, from the envy of younger men to the disapproval of 'great personages' and his own family, who grow concerned as his commitment threatens his career.
Chapter 53
XIX
On the morning of the races at Krasnoe Selo, Vronsky eats a sparse meal at the regimental mess, preoccupied with thoughts of Anna and whether he will see her later. He is irritable with other officers but brightens when his friend Yashvin joins him. Their conversation reveals Vronsky's deep absorption in his passion for Anna and his anticipation of the races, where Yashvin has bet on him.
Chapter 54
Vronsky's Morning at the Camp
Vronsky visits the hut he shares with Petritsky, where Yashvin is trying to sober Petritsky up after a night of heavy drinking. Vronsky collects a letter from his mother and a note from his brother, which he dismissively pockets. He is focused on visiting the stables to see his mare and on a trip to Bryansky, though his comrades suspect his primary motive is to see Anna. The chapter depicts the boisterous, idle atmosphere of the officers' camp on the morning of the races.
Chapter 55
Chapter XXI
Vronsky visits the racecourse stables to check on his mare, Frou-Frou, before the race. He is irritated by the interference of his family regarding his affair with Anna, reflecting on the depth of their love and the false position it forces them into. He resolves to end the deception. The chapter details his intimate, almost spiritual connection with his horse, whose nervous energy mirrors his own.
Chapter 56
XXII
Vronsky visits Anna at her home after a rain shower, hoping to find her alone. He reflects on how her son, Seryozha, acts as a 'compass' highlighting the moral deviation of their affair. Finding Anna alone and agitated, she reveals she is pregnant. Vronsky is initially shocked but insists they must end the deception and create a life together, while Anna expresses the hopelessness and torment of her position.
Chapter 57
XXIII
Vronsky presses Anna to confront their situation and leave Karenin, but she resists, fearing the consequences, especially for her son Seryozha. She predicts Karenin's cold, official response and forbids Vronsky from speaking of it again. Their conversation reveals Anna's internal conflict between her love for Vronsky and her terror over abandoning her maternal role. The chapter ends with a passionate, secretive kiss and Anna's departure to meet her son.
Chapter 58
The Races
Vronsky, agitated after his meeting with Anna, travels to the races. He is late but decides to briefly visit Bryansky. The rapid drive calms him, shifting his focus to the competition. At the racecourse, he avoids the social crowd, including Anna, to maintain concentration. He has a tense exchange with his brother Alexander about his affair and his career, and a brief encounter with Oblonsky. He prepares his mare, Frou-Frou, for the steeplechase, sizing up his rivals, particularly Mahotin on Gladiator, as the race is about to begin.
Chapter 59
The Race
Vronsky competes in the steeplechase. The chapter details the intense, moment-by-moment action of the race, focusing on Vronsky's connection with his mare, Frou-Frou, as they navigate each obstacle. Initially leading and confident of victory, Vronsky makes a fatal error in his posture while jumping the last ditch, causing Frou-Frou to break her back and fall. The mare must be shot, and Vronsky is consumed by a profound, self-inflicted misery, experiencing the bitterest misfortune of his life.
Chapter 60
XXVI
The chapter details the strained external relations between Alexey Alexandrovitch Karenin and his wife Anna. Karenin, increasingly busy with work, adopts a colder, bantering tone with Anna and his son Seryozha, refusing to acknowledge his suspicions of her infidelity. He actively avoids thinking about her behavior and her proximity to Vronsky at Tsarskoe. Countess Lidia Ivanovna hints at the impropriety but is rebuffed. A doctor examines Karenin, diagnosing stress and a liver condition, and metaphorically compares his strained state to an over-tightened string. Karenin's day is filled with official duties, and he plans a visit to Anna's villa, ensuring a third person is present.
Chapter 61
An Unwelcome Visit
Anna is preparing to go out when her husband, Alexey Alexandrovitch Karenin, arrives unexpectedly at their country house with his colleague Sludin. Anna is horrified at his potential to disrupt her plans and, conscious of her own deceit, forces herself to act with bright, false cheerfulness. She invites him to stay, offers tea, and engages in rapid, superficial conversation. Their son Seryozha enters and displays clear discomfort and fear around his father, seeking refuge with Anna. Karenin gives Anna money, making a pointed remark. Princess Betsy Tverskaya arrives to collect Anna. After a polite farewell, Anna leaves with Betsy, immediately shuddering with repulsion at the touch of her husband's lips.
Chapter 62
The Races
Anna attends the races with Princess Betsy, acutely aware of both her husband, Karenin, and her lover, Vronsky. Karenin joins them, engaging in a detached, intellectual conversation about the value of the races while internally distressed. Anna watches Vronsky compete with intense, terrified focus, her feelings laid bare, while Karenin observes her and is forced to recognize her emotional state and attachment to Vronsky. The chapter climaxes with a dangerous race where many officers are injured, heightening the tension for all.
Chapter 63
The Fall at the Races
During the races, Vronsky falls from his horse, causing Anna to lose all composure in public. Her visible despair and frantic behavior force Karenin to intervene and escort her away. In their carriage, after a tense exchange, Anna confesses her affair and her hatred for Karenin. He demands she maintain external propriety while he decides how to protect his honor. Anna receives word that Vronsky is unhurt and eagerly awaits their meeting.
Chapter 64
The Crystallization of Society
Kitty, at a German spa with her mother, observes the rigid social stratification of the resort. Bored by her established social circle, she becomes fascinated by a Russian girl, Mademoiselle Varenka, who attends to the invalid Madame Stahl and other sick visitors. Kitty idealizes Varenka, seeing in her a model of a meaningful, dignified life independent of the marriage market. Her romantic illusions are shattered, however, when she learns that a disagreeable-looking Russian man is Nikolay Levin, Konstantin's brother, whom her mother describes as 'a bad man'.
Chapter 65
Kitty's Admiration and the Princess's Inquiry
Kitty, her mother, and a colonel walk in the arcades at the spa. Kitty admires Varenka from afar and wishes to meet her. A scene erupts where Levin shouts angrily at a doctor, and Varenka intervenes to calm him. The next day, Kitty's mother, the princess, reluctantly makes Varenka's acquaintance, learning she is not related to Madame Stahl but was raised by her. Kitty and Varenka finally meet and exchange pleasantries.
Chapter 66
Varenka's Past and Kitty's Admiration
The princess learns the story of Varenka's origins: she is not Madame Stahl's biological child but was substituted after Stahl's own child died. Varenka has been raised by the ailing, philanthropic Stahl abroad. Kitty becomes increasingly fascinated by Varenka's serene and virtuous character. At an evening gathering, Varenka sings beautifully but remains utterly unmoved by praise. When an Italian song causes Varenka to blush, she later confides to Kitty that it reminds her of a past love—a man who chose his mother's wishes over her. Kitty, still tormented by her own humiliation over Vronsky, is awed by Varenka's calm acceptance and seeks to understand the source of her inner peace and dignity.
Chapter 67
Kitty's Spiritual Awakening and Doubt
Kitty finds comfort and a new purpose through her friendships with Varenka and Madame Stahl, embracing a spiritual life of Christian charity. She begins helping the sick, particularly the Petrov family, and conceals her new views from her mother. However, her efforts are complicated when she suspects the invalid painter, Petrov, has developed feelings for her, causing Anna Petrovna's jealousy and poisoning Kitty's sense of noble fulfillment.
Chapter 68
The Prince's Perspective
Prince Shcherbatsky returns to his wife and daughter at the spa. His cheerful, robust Russian outlook contrasts sharply with the European invalid society. He meets Kitty's friends, including Varenka and Madame Stahl. His skeptical, ironic observations cause Kitty to see Madame Stahl not as a saintly figure but as a flawed, short-legged woman who tyrannizes her companion, shattering Kitty's idealized image.
Chapter 69
Kitty's Crisis of Conscience
A cheerful family picnic, buoyed by Prince Shcherbatsky's high spirits, contrasts with Kitty's inner turmoil. Following her father's arrival, she confronts Varenka about the Petrovs, leading to a heated confession where Kitty denounces her own 'sham' attempts at virtue and self-improvement. After a tearful reconciliation, Kitty experiences a profound disillusionment with the world of sickly piety she had embraced and resolves to return to Russia, her eyes opened to her own hypocrisy.
Chapter 70
I
Sergey Ivanovitch Koznishev visits his brother Konstantin Levin in the country for a rest. The chapter explores their contrasting attitudes towards country life and the peasantry. Sergey Ivanovitch sees the country as a place for idleness and intellectual antidote to city life, while Levin sees it as a place of necessary, tangible labor. Their differing philosophies—Sergey's abstract, intellectualized view versus Levin's practical, lived experience—lead to discussions where Sergey's defined ideas consistently win arguments over Levin's more fluid, contradictory understanding born of direct involvement.
Chapter 71
II
Levin and his brother Sergey Ivanovitch Koznishev drive to the river to fish. The chapter details the turning point of summer, with crops ripening and mowing imminent. Levin is preoccupied with the practicalities of the harvest, while Koznishev, stimulated by an earlier conversation with the young district doctor, is in a talkative, philosophical mood, admiring the beauty of nature. They encounter an old peasant, Fomitch, who discusses the swarming bees and the timing of the haymaking, highlighting the reliance on tradition and weather.
Chapter 72
Chapter III
Konstantin Levin and his half-brother Sergey Ivanovitch Koznishev go fishing and engage in a heated debate about civic duty and local government. Sergey argues that educated men like Levin have an obligation to participate in district affairs to improve schools, medical care, and infrastructure. Levin passionately rejects this, arguing that such institutions are irrelevant to his life, inefficient, and not founded on genuine self-interest. The argument exposes their fundamentally different worldviews, with Sergey seeing Levin's stance as a moral failing rooted in Russian sloth, and Levin seeing Sergey's position as abstract and disconnected from real life.
Chapter 73
Levin Mows with the Peasants
Levin, seeking physical exercise and mental peace after a discussion with his brother, decides to spend the day mowing with his peasants. He joins them in Kalinov meadow, struggles initially to keep up, but eventually finds a rhythm and a profound sense of satisfaction in the hard, focused labor.
Chapter 74
V
Levin works alongside the peasants mowing the meadow, experiencing a profound sense of unity with the labor and the laborers. He finds joy in the rhythmic, almost unconscious effort, shares a simple meal with the old peasant Tit, and sleeps in the field. Reinvigorated, he urges the men to mow a second field, Mashkin Upland, where the work continues with energetic camaraderie until evening.
Chapter 75
VI
Levin returns from a day of mowing at Mashkin Upland, physically exhausted but spiritually elated. He shares his joy with his brother Sergey Ivanovitch over dinner, where they have a brief, amicable discussion about the social propriety of Levin's manual labor. A letter from Oblonsky arrives, asking Levin to visit Dolly at Ergushovo, which he eagerly agrees to do.
Chapter 76
Dolly's Country Struggles
Stiva Oblonsky goes to Petersburg on official business, enjoying himself at races and villas. Dolly, to save money, moves with the children to her dilapidated country estate, Ergushovo. She faces a cascade of domestic disasters—leaks, lack of supplies, and unhelpful servants—but the steadfast Marya Philimonovna gradually restores order. In her solitude, Dolly finds her sole happiness in the anxieties and small joys of motherhood, reflecting on her children as her compensation for an unloving husband.
Chapter 77
VIII
Darya Alexandrovna (Dolly) and her children spend a Sunday in the country. They attend church for the sacrament, a carefully planned event where Dolly takes pride in her children's appearance and behavior. Afterward, a minor conflict arises when Grisha is punished, but it is resolved by a touching act of sibling kindness between Tanya and Grisha. The day continues with mushroom picking and bathing at the river, where Dolly finds joy in her children and connects with local peasant women, who admire her large family.
Chapter 78
Chapter IX
Levin visits Dolly at her country house. He is warmly received and immediately connects with her children, who are drawn to his lack of hypocrisy. After a lighthearted afternoon, Dolly tells Levin that Kitty will be coming to spend the summer with her, causing Levin to flush and awkwardly change the subject to farming.
Chapter 79
Levin's Pride and Dolly's Misery
Levin visits Dolly at her country estate. Their conversation turns to Kitty, and Dolly probes Levin about his failed proposal, arguing that Kitty's refusal was due to confusion, not rejection. Levin's wounded pride flares, and he insists the matter is closed. The mood shifts when Dolly's children, Grisha and Tanya, have a violent fight, shattering Dolly's pride in her family and leaving her deeply distressed. Levin observes the scene and Dolly's French instruction with a critical eye, reinforcing his own ideals about child-rearing.
Chapter 80
Chapter XI
Levin travels to his sister's estate to investigate a dispute over the division of the hay harvest. He discovers the peasants have shorted his share, leading to a prolonged argument and a re-division. After settling the matter, he observes the peasants at work, taking particular note of the young, happily married couple Ivan Parmenov and his wife, whose joyful labor and evident love for each other stand in stark contrast to the earlier conflict.
Chapter 81
Chapter XII
Levin spends a sleepless night in the meadow after working with the peasants. He contemplates three distinct trains of thought: renouncing his old, artificial life; yearning for the simple, pure, and socially connected life of the peasants; and the practical difficulty of transitioning to that new life. As dawn breaks, he sees Kitty pass by in a carriage, and in an instant, his philosophical resolutions vanish. He realizes he cannot return to the peasant life because he loves her.
Chapter 82
Chapter XIII
Alexey Alexandrovitch Karenin, alone in his carriage, systematically considers his options in response to Anna's infidelity. He rejects dueling due to personal cowardice and its irrationality, and dismisses divorce as it would cause public scandal and legally free Anna to be with Vronsky. He settles on maintaining the appearance of their marriage, forcing Anna to end the affair, a decision he justifies as morally and religiously correct, and one that will allow him to continue his public duties undisturbed while ensuring Anna is punished and not made happy by her transgression.
Chapter 83
Chapter XIV
Alexey Alexandrovitch Karenin returns to Petersburg, composes and sends a formal letter to Anna demanding her return to the city and to their marriage, then immerses himself in a complex bureaucratic battle to distract himself from his personal crisis.
Chapter 84
Chapter XV
In the aftermath of confessing her affair to Karenin, Anna experiences a tumultuous mix of relief, shame, and terror. Her initial belief that her position is now clear and honest gives way to a paralyzing fear of social disgrace and abandonment. She feels isolated from Vronsky, her household, and even religion. The thought of her son, Seryozha, becomes her sole anchor and purpose, leading her to the desperate decision to flee her home with him. She attempts to write letters to both Karenin and Vronsky but finds herself unable to articulate her feelings, ultimately deciding to simply leave for Moscow.
Chapter 85
Chapter XVI
Anna receives a letter from Karenin, which she initially hoped would clarify her position but instead presents a cold, legalistic ultimatum. The letter, which includes money for her expenses, demands she return to Petersburg and maintain appearances, threatening consequences for her and Seryozha. Anna experiences a profound internal crisis, oscillating between defiance and despair. She realizes the inescapable misery of her situation—trapped between a loveless marriage and a socially ruinous affair—and feels her soul 'split in two.' In a moment of paralysis, she writes a non-committal reply and decides to go to Princess Betsy's, hoping to see Vronsky.
Chapter 86
XVII
Anna attends a croquet party at Princess Betsy Tverskaya's, hoping to see Vronsky. She learns he will not attend but sends a note. Under the guise of social conversation about the unconventional relationships within their circle (like Liza Merkalova and Prince Kaluzhsky), Anna and Betsy engage in subtle, coded communication. Anna secretly adds a desperate note to Vronsky on Betsy's letter, arranging a clandestine meeting at the Vrede garden.
Chapter 87
XVIII
At Princess Betsy's, Anna meets the fashionable set, including Sappho Shtoltz and Liza Merkalova. The conversation centers on the pervasive boredom of high society life. Liza is drawn to Anna's apparent vitality, while Stremov flatters Anna. Surrounded by ease and superficial charm, Anna feels the painful contrast with her own impending crisis, yet she decides to leave and face her difficult reality.
Chapter 88
Vronsky's Day of Reckoning
Vronsky, a man who hates financial irregularity, conducts his periodic 'day of reckoning.' He meticulously reviews his debts, totaling over 17,000 roubles, against his meager remaining funds. He reflects on his reduced income after generously ceding most of his inheritance to his brother, his mother's recent withdrawal of support due to his affair with Anna, and the impossibility of retracting his gift. He resolves to borrow money, sell his racehorses, and cut expenses. The chapter ends with him burning Anna's letters and sinking into thought.
Chapter 89
XX
Vronsky reflects on his personal code of principles, which has given his life clarity and confidence, but now feels challenged by Anna's pregnancy and the new responsibilities it entails. He wrestles with the conflict between his love for Anna and his long-suppressed ambition, reignited by the rapid career advancement of his childhood friend Serpuhovskoy. He contemplates the practical and social implications of asking Anna to leave her husband, including the need for money and retiring from the army.
Chapter 90
Chapter XXI
Vronsky attends a regimental fête for his friend Prince Serpuhovskoy, who has returned successful from Central Asia. Amidst the drinking and revelry, Vronsky receives a note from Princess Betsy. Later, in a private conversation in the bathroom, Serpuhovskoy praises Vronsky's abilities but criticizes his decision to sacrifice his career for love, arguing that men like him are needed by Russia to form an independent political party.
Chapter 91
The Meeting at Vrede's Garden
Vronsky, in a state of physical and emotional elation, travels to meet Anna at the Vrede villa garden. Anna arrives distressed, having confessed everything to her husband, Karenin, and shows Vronsky Karenin's letter. Vronsky's immediate thought is of an inevitable duel, not the decisive elopement Anna had hoped for. Their conversation reveals the deepening crisis: Anna feels her last hope has failed as Vronsky cannot offer the unequivocal, passionate commitment she needs, and she cannot bear the thought of leaving her son. They part with the matter unresolved, Anna returning home.
Chapter 92
The Confrontation
Anna returns to Petersburg and confronts Karenin in his study. He is cold, angry, and formal, stating he will ignore her affair so long as it remains secret and she avoids public scandal, but insists their outward marital relations must continue unchanged. Anna attempts to define her position but is met with contempt. The chapter also details Karenin's political triumph in a Commission meeting the day before, a victory that is immediately overshadowed by the painful domestic scene.
Chapter 93
XXIV
Levin, disillusioned by his farming methods after his night on the haycock, sees his agricultural work as a futile struggle against the peasants' natural work rhythms. He feels his interests are fundamentally opposed to theirs, making the work revolting. Compounding his distress is Kitty's proximity and Dolly's invitation, which he feels he cannot accept due to pride and the humiliation of her past refusal. To escape both his farm and his emotional turmoil, he departs to visit Sviazhsky for grouse shooting.
Chapter 94
XXV
Levin stops at a prosperous peasant's farm on his way to visit Sviazhsky. He observes the efficient, harmonious, and self-sufficient operation of the household, where family and hired laborers work together. The old peasant owner, while offering conventional complaints, is clearly proud of his thriving farm. Levin is deeply impressed by the scene of well-being and productivity, which stands in stark contrast to the struggles of landowners like Sviazhsky and himself.
Chapter 95
Chapter XXVI
Levin visits his friend Sviazhsky, a progressive-minded marshal of nobility, and is struck by the contradiction between Sviazhsky's liberal convictions and his comfortable, traditional life. Levin hopes to understand the secret to Sviazhsky's contentment and to discuss agricultural issues with local landowners. He is distracted by the presence of Sviazhsky's sister-in-law, whom he knows the family hopes he will marry. The evening conversation turns to the state of Russian agriculture and the peasantry.
Chapter 96
Chapter XXVII
Levin, Sviazhsky, and other landowners engage in a heated discussion about agricultural management, the condition of the Russian peasantry, and the economic impact of emancipation. Levin presses for new, productive relations with laborers, while the others defend existing systems or lament the ruin of the old order. The conversation reveals deep ideological divides and Sviazhsky's tendency to deflect Levin's probing questions.
Chapter 97
Chapter XXVIII
After an evening with the ladies, Levin is deeply stirred by the idea that his dissatisfaction with land management is a widespread Russian problem. He discusses agricultural reform, education, and the condition of the peasantry with Sviazhsky, who offers clever but disconnected intellectual arguments. Levin is more convinced by the passionate, practical critique of the irascible landowner from earlier. He spends the night formulating his own revolutionary plan to reorganize his farming system by aligning it with the peasants' habits and giving them a stake in the success of the work, resolving to return home immediately to implement it.
Chapter 98
Levin's Agricultural Experiment
Levin, deeply engrossed in his book and his new system of farming, attempts to implement his plan of partnership with the peasants on his estate. He encounters significant resistance, disbelief, and practical difficulties as the peasants are absorbed in daily work and suspicious of his motives. Despite setbacks and misunderstandings, he establishes three initial partnerships and remains convinced of the system's potential, becoming so absorbed in this work and his studies that he neglects social connections.
Chapter 99
Levin's Work and the Prospect of Travel
Levin, at his country estate, makes final preparations for a trip abroad to research for his book on agricultural reform. Despite bad weather, he is in high spirits, encouraged by signs that the peasants are adapting to his new cooperative system. At home, his housekeeper Agafea Mihalovna urges him to marry, a subject that stings him given his recent rejection by Kitty. He attempts to work on his book but is distracted by thoughts of Kitty and his grand ambitions.
Chapter 100
The Arrival of Nikolay
Levin's brother, Nikolay, arrives unexpectedly at his country estate. Nikolay is emaciated and clearly dying of consumption. Levin initially feels a selfish disappointment at the intrusion but is quickly overcome with pity. The brothers spend an evening in strained conversation, avoiding the unspoken truth of Nikolay's impending death. After Nikolay retires, Levin is plunged into a profound existential crisis, confronting the inevitability of death for the first time with terrifying clarity.
Chapter 101
Part 3, Chapter XXXII
Levin's visit with his dying brother Nikolay ends in a bitter quarrel over Levin's agricultural theories, which Nikolay dismisses as unoriginal and vain. Their inability to communicate honestly about Nikolay's impending death poisons their final days together. After a strained parting, Levin departs for abroad in a profound state of depression, seeing death everywhere and clinging to his work as his only guide.
Chapter 102
I
The chapter details the miserable, strained domestic situation of the Karenins, who live as strangers under the same roof, each hoping for a change. Meanwhile, Vronsky endures a tiresome week escorting a visiting foreign prince around Petersburg, forced to cater to the prince's vulgar tastes for 'Russian' amusements. Vronsky finds the experience revolting, partly because he sees an unflattering reflection of his own privileged, superficial life in the prince.
Chapter 103
II
Vronsky receives a note from Anna, who is ill and unhappy, summoning him to her home while Karenin is away. After a disturbing dream, he arrives late and encounters Karenin leaving the house. The tense, silent meeting leaves Vronsky feeling angry and trapped in a false position. He finds Anna in emotional distress, having waited for him in agony, and they have a passionate, searching reunion.
Chapter 104
III
Anna and Vronsky have a tense, intimate conversation in their home. Anna expresses her consuming jealousy over Vronsky's social life and his past, and they discuss their miserable position. She reveals a terrifying dream about a peasant and a prophecy of her death in childbirth, which Vronsky recognizes from his own dream. The conversation shifts to their contempt for Karenin, whom Anna mimics and derides as an unfeeling machine. Despite moments of bitterness, the chapter ends with Anna feeling the stirring of her unborn child, a moment of solemn attention.
Chapter 105
The Confrontation
After seeing Vronsky at his home, Karenin attends the opera to maintain appearances. He returns home, consumed by fury, and resolves to punish Anna by divorcing her and taking their son, Seryozha. The next morning, he confronts Anna, demanding her lover's letters and declaring his intentions. A bitter, violent argument ensues, where Anna pleads for her son, but Karenin remains unmoved, announcing his departure for Moscow to initiate divorce proceedings.
Chapter 106
V
Alexey Alexandrovitch Karenin visits a Petersburg lawyer to consult about obtaining a divorce from Anna. The lawyer, barely concealing his amusement, outlines the legal pathways to divorce, focusing on adultery as the most common ground. He explains the practical difficulties of proving adultery without mutual consent or eyewitnesses, despite Karenin's possession of letters. Karenin, perturbed by the process and the lawyer's demeanor, leaves to consider his options.
Chapter 107
Chapter VI
Alexey Alexandrovitch Karenin, having suffered a political defeat after his commission's report was sabotaged by Stremov, decides to personally investigate the matter in the remote provinces. On his way, he stops in Moscow and has an awkward, brief encounter with his brother-in-law Stepan Arkadyevitch Oblonsky and Dolly, who try to invite him to dinner. He refuses coldly and departs.
Chapter 108
Chapter VII
Stepan Arkadyevitch (Stiva) prepares for a dinner party, first visiting his mistress Masha Tchibisova at the theater. He then runs errands and visits Levin at his hotel, where they discuss Levin's travels, his philosophical despair about death, and the meaninglessness of life. Stiva invites Levin to the dinner, which will also include Karenin and Sergey Koznishev, though Stiva is privately concerned about the coldness between Anna and Karenin.
Chapter 109
Chapter VIII
Alexey Alexandrovitch Karenin, having resolved to seek a divorce, receives an unexpected visit from his brother-in-law, Stepan Arkadyevitch Oblonsky. Oblonsky, hoping to smooth things over, invites Karenin to dinner. Karenin coldly informs him of his decision to begin divorce proceedings against Anna, shocking Oblonsky, who pleads with him not to act in haste and to speak with Dolly first. Despite the tense exchange, Karenin reluctantly agrees to come to dinner. The chapter also details Karenin's morning, spent dealing with a deputation and formally writing to his lawyer to proceed with the divorce, enclosing Vronsky's notes as evidence.
Chapter 110
Chapter IX
Stepan Arkadyevitch (Stiva) arrives late to his own dinner party, finding his guests awkwardly silent. He skillfully mingles them, sparking a political debate about the Russification of Poland between Koznishev, Karenin, and Pestsov. Konstantin Levin arrives, intensely nervous about seeing Kitty again after his failed proposal. Their reunion is emotionally charged but outwardly restrained. During the pre-dinner drinks, Levin feels elated by Kitty's attention, while the intellectual debate gives way to lighthearted jesting about family and patriotism.
Chapter 111
The Dinner Debate
A dinner party conversation at the Oblonskys' shifts from the influence of one nation over another to the education and rights of women. The guests, including Karenin, Koznishev, Pestsov, Oblonsky, Dolly, and the old Prince Shcherbatsky, engage in a heated intellectual debate, revealing their differing philosophies and social views through witty exchanges and pointed arguments.
Chapter 112
Chapter XI
At the Oblonskys' dinner party, Levin and Kitty are physically present but mentally isolated from the general conversation about politics and women's rights. They engage in a private, wordless communication, reminiscing about their first encounter the previous year. Kitty defends Turovtsin's character, revealing his hidden kindness during her family's crisis, which prompts Levin to repent of his quick judgments.
Chapter 113
Chapter XII
After dinner, the men discuss the inequality of punishment for marital infidelity. The conversation turns to a duel fought over a wife, which painfully mirrors Alexey Alexandrovitch's situation. Dolly pulls him aside to plead for Anna, arguing for forgiveness. Karenin reveals his deep anguish and hatred, stating he cannot forgive and is resolved on divorce, despite Dolly's passionate appeals based on her own experience.
Chapter 114
Chapter XIII
After dinner, Levin remains with the men but is acutely aware of Kitty in the drawing-room. A discussion about the village commune ensues, but Levin's thoughts are elsewhere. He and Kitty later have a private, wordless conversation using initial letters drawn on a card-table, where they confess their love for each other and reconcile. Dolly observes them and is comforted.
Chapter 115
Chapter XIV
After Kitty accepts his proposal, Levin is left in a state of ecstatic impatience, unable to sleep or think of anything but his impending marriage. To pass the long hours until the wedding, he attends a dull committee meeting with his brother Sergey Ivanovitch, where his euphoria colors his perception, making everyone seem kind and good. He then visits Sviazhsky for tea, similarly viewing his host in a newly positive light. Returning to his hotel, he spends a sleepless night in a state of heightened emotion, feeling love and pity even for a passing gambler, and gazes at the stars until morning.
Chapter 116
XV
Levin, in a state of heightened, almost supernatural anticipation, waits through the morning for the appointed hour to return to the Shcherbatskys' house. He experiences the world with intense, joyful clarity. Upon his arrival, the household staff's knowing smiles confirm his hopes. He is met by Mademoiselle Linon and then Kitty, who runs to him and they embrace, confessing their love. They are joyfully received by Kitty's parents, the Princess and Prince Shcherbatsky, who give their blessing to the union.
Chapter 117
Chapter XVI
After Levin's proposal is accepted, the Shcherbatsky family discusses wedding plans. Levin and Kitty share a private, tender moment where they confess past doubts and imperfections. Levin gives Kitty his diary, revealing his past lack of purity and faith, which causes her pain but ultimately deepens their bond. The chapter follows Levin's blissful, awkward preparations for the wedding, where everyone around him seems to share in his happiness.
Chapter 118
XVII
Karenin receives Anna's telegram begging forgiveness as she claims to be dying. After initial suspicion, he travels to Petersburg. At the house, he finds Vronsky present and Anna in a feverish, post-childbirth delirium. In her ramblings, she pleads for forgiveness, speaks of her divided self, and expresses concern for Seryozha and her newborn daughter. Overwhelmed, Karenin experiences a profound spiritual transformation, forgives Anna, and even takes Vronsky's hand at her urging.
Chapter 119
Vronsky's Despair
After his confrontation with Karenin, Vronsky leaves the Karenin house in a state of profound humiliation and despair. He is tormented by the reversal of roles, seeing Karenin as magnanimous and himself as base. His love for Anna, now lost forever, feels more intense than ever. Haunted by memories and the shame of the recent scene, he returns home, attempts to sleep, but is consumed by mental anguish. In a moment of madness, convinced of the senselessness of his future, he attempts suicide by shooting himself in the chest. He survives the attempt and is found by his servant; his sister-in-law Varya arrives and organizes medical care.
Chapter 120
Chapter XIX
Two months after Anna's illness, Alexey Alexandrovitch Karenin reflects on the profound spiritual peace he found in forgiving his wife and Vronsky, and in caring for Anna's newborn daughter. However, this peace is fragile. He feels the judgmental eyes of society and the unnatural tension in his marriage. The baby falls ill, exposing domestic discord and the nurses' subtle contempt for his position. Princess Betsy Tverskaya visits Anna, and Karenin overhears their conversation about Vronsky's desire to say goodbye before leaving for Tashkend. Anna, with great difficulty, declares she will not see Vronsky, but Betsy pressures Karenin to allow it, highlighting the social force that constrains his personal feelings of forgiveness.
Chapter 121
XX
Karenin visits Anna after her meeting with Betsy. Their conversation is tense and full of mutual irritation. Anna is desperate and resentful, while Karenin feels trapped by social expectations and his wife's hatred, contemplating the impossible choices before him.
Chapter 122
Chapter XXI
Stepan Arkadyevitch (Stiva) visits his sister Anna in Petersburg. He finds her in deep despair, feeling trapped in her marriage and contemplating death as the only escape. Stiva attempts to soothe her with his characteristic charm and proposes a practical solution: divorce from Karenin. He argues this would resolve the impossible situation for everyone. Earlier, Stiva had a brief, knowing conversation with Princess Betsy Tverskaya, who confirms that society is talking about Anna's plight and that the current state of affairs is 'killing her.'
Chapter 123
XXII
Stepan Arkadyevitch visits Alexey Alexandrovitch to discuss Anna's situation. He finds Karenin already contemplating the same issue, as evidenced by an unfinished letter offering Anna her freedom. Stiva argues for a divorce as the most rational solution, but Karenin passionately explains why he finds it impossible: it would force him to falsely admit to adultery, shame Anna publicly, jeopardize his son Seryozha's future, and, most importantly, morally ruin Anna by pushing her into an illegitimate union with Vronsky. Despite his logical and emotional objections, Karenin feels overpowered by a 'mighty brutal force' and, in a moment of anguished, quasi-religious resignation, agrees to bear the disgrace, effectively consenting to the divorce proceedings.
Chapter 124
XXIII
Vronsky recovers from his self-inflicted gunshot wound, which he claims was an accident. The act purges his sense of shame, but he resolves to renounce Anna for her sake. He plans to leave for Tashkend, but when Betsy informs him that Karenin has agreed to a divorce, he rushes to Anna. They reunite passionately, deciding to go abroad together. Vronsky resigns his commission, and they leave Russia without a formal divorce, while Karenin remains in Petersburg with Seryozha.
Chapter 125
I
Levin attends confession in preparation for his marriage to Kitty. He struggles with religious doubt, finding the rituals meaningless yet feeling unable to dismiss them as mere formality. During the service, his mind wanders to thoughts of Kitty. The priest questions his faith and warns him of his future responsibilities as a father. Levin leaves feeling relieved the ordeal is over but with a lingering sense that his spiritual uncertainty is unresolved.
Chapter 126
II
On his wedding day, Levin dines with bachelor friends who tease him about losing his freedom. After they leave, he is seized by a sudden, agonizing doubt that Kitty does not truly love him. In a panic, he rushes to her house to call off the wedding, but her loving reassurance dispels his fears. They reconcile, and Levin returns to his hotel for the traditional benediction ceremony before the wedding.
Chapter 127
The Wedding Day
Levin, in a panic at his hotel, cannot find a clean shirt for his wedding, causing a significant delay. Meanwhile, the guests at the church grow increasingly restless and anxious as they await the bride and groom. Kitty waits at home, dressed and ready, while Levin's frantic search is finally resolved by his servant Kouzma, who retrieves the shirt just in time.
Chapter 128
The Wedding Ceremony
Levin and Kitty's wedding ceremony takes place in the church. Levin is in a daze, overwhelmed by emotion and the significance of the moment, seeing only Kitty's beauty and truthfulness. Kitty is similarly absorbed in her own feelings of joy and the completion of a profound internal change that began with her engagement. The ceremony proceeds with minor confusions and moments of solemnity, culminating in the exchange of rings and prayers for their union.
Chapter 129
V
The wedding ceremony of Kitty and Levin takes place in a brilliantly lit church filled with Moscow society. The scene is dominated by the observations and gossip of the women present, who watch every detail with intense emotional investment, contrasting with the more detached, often joking remarks of the men. Dolly is deeply moved, reflecting on her own wedding and the innocent hopes of all brides, including Anna Karenina.
Chapter 130
VI
Levin and Kitty are married in a church ceremony. The chapter details the rituals, prayers, and the overwhelming happiness that infects both of them and seems to spread to everyone present. The ceremony culminates with the priest instructing them to kiss, and they leave the church with a new sense of unity before departing for the country.
Chapter 131
Chapter VII
Vronsky and Anna, traveling in Italy, encounter Vronsky's old school comrade Golenishtchev. Vronsky is pleased to find that Golenishtchev adopts the 'proper' attitude towards their illicit relationship, avoiding awkward questions. Anna's frank and spirited manner charms Golenishtchev, who is nonetheless depicted as an irritable and unhappy intellectual. The trio tours a palazzo Vronsky is renting, and Anna reveals Vronsky's artistic pursuits.
Chapter 132
VIII
Anna, recovering her health abroad with Vronsky, experiences intense, almost guilty happiness. She reflects on the harm done to Karenin but feels it was a necessary escape. She adores Vronsky, who is devoted to her, yet she senses his underlying restlessness. Vronsky, having achieved his desire to be with Anna, finds his happiness incomplete and seeks new pursuits, eventually turning to painting with some success.
Chapter 133
The Illusion of a New Life
Anna and Vronsky, now living in an Italian palazzo, cultivate an artistic, secluded life. Vronsky adopts the role of a modest artist and patron. A discussion about a local Russian painter, Mihailov, and his controversial painting of Christ leads to a debate on modern freethinkers. Anna and Vronsky decide to visit Mihailov's studio, while underlying tensions surface regarding the beautiful Italian nurse who is Vronsky's model.
Chapter 134
The Artist's Studio
The chapter focuses on the artist Mihailov at work on his painting. After a domestic quarrel with his wife over money, he channels his agitation into creative fervor, achieving a breakthrough on a sketch of a man in a rage, inspired by a spot of candle tallow and the memory of a shopkeeper's face. His artistic process is interrupted by the arrival of visitors—Vronsky and Golenishtchev—whose opinions he simultaneously dreads and craves, revealing his deep vulnerability to external criticism.
Chapter 135
XI
Anna, Vronsky, and Golenishtchev visit the painter Mihailov's studio to see his painting of Christ before Pilate. Mihailov, initially dismissive of his wealthy Russian visitors, experiences intense anxiety and self-doubt as he anticipates their judgment. Their observations, particularly Golenishtchev's comment on Pilate's officialdom and Anna's on Christ's pity, briefly thrill him by aligning with his own vision. However, Vronsky's praise of 'technique' offends Mihailov's artistic sensibilities. The chapter culminates in a debate between Mihailov and Golenishtchev on whether art should present a unified impression, leaving Mihailov perturbed and unable to defend his view.
Chapter 136
Chapter XII
Anna, Vronsky, and Golenishtchev visit the artist Mihailov's studio. They admire an old study of two boys fishing, which Mihailov had forgotten, and Vronsky decides to buy it. After they leave, Mihailov, initially agitated by their visit, regains his artistic focus and works on his painting of Pilate and Christ, finding deep satisfaction in his own vision.
Chapter 137
Chapter XIII
Mihailov paints a stunning portrait of Anna, revealing a beauty Vronsky feels he never fully grasped. The sittings highlight the social and artistic tensions between the professional artist and the aristocratic dilettantes. Vronsky, Golenishtchev, and Anna grow to dislike Mihailov's cold, hostile manner, attributing it to jealousy. Vronsky, confronted with the superiority of Mihailov's work, abandons his own portrait of Anna. His broader artistic ambitions also falter, leading to boredom with life in Italy. He and Anna decide to return to Russia for the summer.
Chapter 138
Chapter XIV
Levin reflects on the first three months of his marriage to Kitty. He finds married life both disappointing and surprisingly joyful, differing greatly from his idealized expectations. He observes Kitty's deep involvement in domestic details, which initially jars him but which he comes to admire. Their first serious quarrel reveals the profound, sometimes painful, merging of their identities. The early period of their marriage, particularly the honeymoon, is remembered as difficult and humiliating, marked by frequent, trivial quarrels stemming from mutual misunderstanding and bad temper. Only after returning from a month in Moscow does their life begin to settle into a smoother rhythm.
Chapter 139
Chapter XV
Levin and Kitty, newly returned from Moscow, are alone at Pokrovskoe. Levin attempts to work on his agricultural treatise but is constantly, happily distracted by Kitty's presence. He reflects on how his work, once an escape from a gloomy life, now seems trivial compared to his bright happiness, yet necessary to prevent life from being 'too uniformly bright.' Kitty, sewing, thinks lovingly of Levin's recent jealousy and playfully wills him to look at her. Their intimate, interrupted work session leads to a tender exchange. After Kitty leaves for tea, Levin chastises himself for his idleness and unproductivity since marriage, briefly blaming Kitty's 'frivolous' education before the narrative reveals he misunderstands her quiet preparation for her future roles as wife and mother.
Chapter 140
A Letter and a Quarrel
Levin finds Kitty reading a letter from Dolly. He receives a distressing letter from his brother Nikolay's former mistress, Marya Nikolaevna, stating Nikolay is gravely ill and near death. Levin resolves to go to him immediately. Kitty insists on accompanying him, leading to a heated argument where Levin accuses her of selfish motives and she feels deeply misunderstood. They eventually reconcile and agree to travel together, though Levin remains inwardly troubled by the prospect of Kitty encountering Marya Nikolaevna.
Chapter 141
Chapter XVII
Levin and Kitty arrive at a provincial hotel to visit Levin's dying brother, Nikolay. They are confronted by the hotel's squalor and a tense, awkward encounter with Nikolay's companion, Marya Nikolaevna. Levin is horrified by his brother's drastically deteriorated physical state. After initial hesitation and shame, Kitty insists on entering the sickroom with Levin, offering comfort and practical help, demonstrating her compassion and strength.
Chapter 142
Chapter XVIII
Levin and Kitty attend to his dying brother, Nikolay. Levin is paralyzed by horror and helplessness at the sight of Nikolay's suffering, while Kitty springs into practical action, cleaning the room, changing the linen, and bringing order and comfort. Her care transforms the atmosphere and briefly gives Nikolay hope. Levin, under Kitty's direction, helps turn his brother, and in a moment of profound emotion, Nikolay kisses Levin's hand, causing Levin to leave the room overcome with sobs.
Chapter 143
Chapter XIX
Levin reflects on the profound, instinctive understanding of life and death possessed by his wife Kitty and Agafea Mihalovna, contrasting it with his own intellectual but fearful paralysis in the face of his brother Nikolay's impending death. He observes Kitty's capable, purposeful care for the dying man, which includes arranging for his last rites. In their hotel room, they share a moment of intimate connection and sorrow over Nikolay's lost potential.
Chapter 144
The Agony of Nikolay Levin
Nikolay Levin's terminal illness reaches its final, agonizing stages. He vacillates between desperate hope for recovery, fueled by a temporary return to faith and Kitty's care, and bitter acceptance of his impending death. The chapter details the physical and emotional torment of his final days, the strain on Levin and Kitty as caregivers, and the profound, isolating experience of death.
Chapter 145
Chapter XXI
After Anna's departure, Alexey Alexandrovitch Karenin struggles to comprehend his new reality. He initially maintains a facade of composure, but the simple act of a shop clerk asking for Anna's address shatters his control. He confronts his profound isolation, realizing he has no true friend in the world to whom he can reveal his suffering as a man, not as a high official. The chapter delves into his orphaned upbringing, his rule-bound life, and his emotionally sterile marriage to Anna, concluding with his visceral understanding that society's contempt stems not from his being bad, but from being 'shamefully and repulsively unhappy.'
Chapter 146
Chapter XXII
Countess Lidia Ivanovna visits the humiliated and despairing Alexey Alexandrovitch Karenin. She offers him emotional support, takes over the management of his household, and steers him toward a fervent, mystical interpretation of Christianity. Karenin, in his need for an elevated standpoint from which to look down on others, clings to this new religious fervor, though he dimly perceives its shallowness compared to the genuine feeling of forgiveness he experienced earlier.
Chapter 147
XXIII
Countess Lidia Ivanovna receives a letter from Anna Karenina, begging to see her son Seryozha before leaving Petersburg. The letter's tone and contents infuriate Lidia, who sees it as an affront. The chapter also provides a detailed psychological portrait of Lidia Ivanovna, revealing her history of serial, often politically-motivated infatuations and her current, intense, and possessive love for Karenin. She is determined to shield him from any contact with Anna.
Chapter 148
XXIV
At a court levee, Alexey Alexandrovitch Karenin is the subject of gossip and ridicule. His political career is effectively over, though he remains oblivious, pouring his energy into bureaucratic projects and the education of his son, Seryozha. Countess Lidia Ivanovna, his sole supporter, informs him that Anna is in Petersburg, a revelation he meets with rigid resignation. The chapter contrasts Karenin's self-perception of pious, dutiful service with the hostile, mocking social world that surrounds him.
Chapter 149
Chapter XXV
Alexey Alexandrovitch Karenin visits Countess Lidia Ivanovna, who advises him on Anna's request to see their son, Seryozha. Karenin, plagued by doubts about his past actions and forgiveness, initially agrees to the visit. However, Lidia Ivanovna persuades him to refuse, and she writes a cruel, self-righteous letter to Anna in his name, achieving her secret aim of wounding Anna deeply. Karenin returns home troubled, unable to regain his spiritual peace as he is tormented by memories of his handling of Anna's infidelity.
Chapter 150
Seryozha's Birthday Eve
On the day before his birthday, Seryozha returns from a walk in high spirits. He learns from the hall-porter, Kapitonitch, that his father, Karenin, has received the Alexander Nevsky order and that a bandaged clerk's petition was successful. Seryozha is also excited about a birthday present from Countess Lidia Ivanovna. His mind wanders during his lesson with tutor Vassily Lukitch as he dreams about imperial honors and ponders the emotional distance of the adults around him.
Chapter 151
Seryozha's Lesson
Seryozha waits for his father's daily lesson, lost in dreams of his mother, whom he refuses to believe is dead. His father, Karenin, arrives and gives a stern, formal lesson on Scripture, focusing on duty and reward. Seryozha struggles to concentrate, his mind wandering to thoughts of Enoch and his mother. The chapter reveals the deep emotional chasm between father and son, Seryozha's inner world of longing and imagination, and his quiet rebellion against the rigid education imposed upon him.
Chapter 152
The Closed Doors of Society
Vronsky and Anna arrive in Petersburg, staying in separate rooms at a hotel. Vronsky informs his family of his intention to marry Anna after her divorce, treating her as his wife. He tests society's acceptance, first through his cousin Betsy and then through his sister-in-law Varya, but finds that while he is personally received, Anna is unequivocally shut out. The chapter details the humiliations and social isolation they face, as well as a growing tension and distance in Anna's behavior towards Vronsky.
Chapter 153
Anna's Desperate Reunion
Anna, having returned to Petersburg, is consumed by the desire to see her son, Seryozha. After agonizing over how to arrange a meeting and receiving a cruel non-response from Countess Lidia Ivanovna, she resolves to take matters into her own hands. On the morning of Seryozha's birthday, she bribes her way into her former home and experiences a deeply emotional, tearful reunion with her son.
Chapter 154
Anna's Secret Visit to Seryozha
Anna secretly visits her son Seryozha on his birthday. The household servants are in a state of anxiety, knowing Karenin's routine and trying to prevent a meeting. Anna shares a tender, painful moment with Seryozha, who senses her fear and shame. She is forced to flee just as Karenin arrives, their brief encounter marked by her repulsion and hatred.
Chapter 155
Chapter XXXI
Anna, alone in her hotel room after her secret visit to see her son Seryozha, is overwhelmed by grief and a sense of permanent spiritual separation from him. She compares her deep, conflicted love for Seryozha to her more superficial affection for her baby daughter. In her distress, she suddenly thinks of Vronsky and sends for him, yearning for his comfort. When he arrives with Prince Yashvin, she feels neglected and paranoid that his love for her is fading. Her anxiety manifests in desperate attempts to secure his attention and reassurance, culminating in a tense, offended parting.
Chapter 156
The Defiant Performance
Vronsky returns home to find Anna absent and agitated. She returns with her aunt, Princess Oblonskaya, and displays a nervous, defiant gaiety. She insists on attending the opera with Princess Varvara, despite Vronsky's desperate pleas that it is socially impossible. Anna declares she cares only for their love and refuses to consider society's judgment, leading to a tense confrontation.
Chapter 157
The Theater Scandal
Anna, defying Vronsky's unspoken wishes, attends the opera with Princess Varvara. At the theater, she is publicly snubbed and insulted by Madame Kartasova, creating a scandal witnessed by high society. Vronsky, furious and humiliated, learns the details from his sister-in-law Varya and his mother's sarcastic remarks. He confronts Anna at home, where she blames him for her suffering, leading to a tense reconciliation before they depart for the country.
Chapter 158
I
Dolly and her children are spending the summer at Pokrovskoe with Kitty and Levin. The house is full of the 'Shtcherbatsky element,' including the old princess, Varenka, and Sergey Ivanovitch. During a family dinner, Sergey Ivanovitch surprises everyone by asking to join Varenka and the children to pick mushrooms, sparking Kitty's hopes for a match. The chapter focuses on domestic arrangements, Kitty's pregnancy, and the subtle romantic undercurrents between Sergey Ivanovitch and Varenka.
Chapter 159
II
On the terrace, Kitty, Dolly, the Princess Shcherbatskaya, and Agafea Mihalovna make jam and engage in intimate conversation. They discuss matchmaking for Sergey Ivanovitch and Varenka, reminisce about their own marriage proposals, and touch upon Kitty's past with Vronsky. Levin's arrival briefly interrupts their 'feminine parliament,' highlighting a subtle domestic tension.
Chapter 160
A Walk and a Conversation
Kitty and Levin walk ahead of their party. Kitty seizes the moment of privacy to discuss Sergey Ivanovitch's potential proposal to Varenka, a topic that had caused Levin a moment of mortification earlier. Their conversation deepens into Levin's feelings of self-dissatisfaction and envy of his brother's purposeful, duty-bound life, contrasted with his own happiness, which he feels distracts him from meaningful work. They share an intimate, loving exchange, with Kitty gently challenging his insecurities.
Chapter 161
IV
Sergey Ivanovitch Koznishev, while mushroom hunting with the party, finds himself deeply moved by Varenka's presence. He reflects on her suitability as a wife—her maturity, distaste for worldly society, religious foundation, and her love for him. Overcome by a feeling of youthful happiness and harmony with the beautiful surroundings, he nearly proposes. However, he retreats into the woods to deliberate, convincing himself there is no rational argument against marrying her, only the sentimental memory of his late wife Marie. He resolves to act, but the moment of decision is interrupted by Varenka's voice calling for a child.
Chapter 162
V
Sergey Ivanovitch Koznishev attempts to propose to Varenka during a mushroom hunt with the children. Despite his internal resolve and her hopeful anticipation, the moment passes as he fails to articulate his feelings, instead asking about the difference between mushrooms. Both are left with a mixture of relief and disappointment. The chapter ends with Levin and Kitty playfully discussing the failed proposal.
Chapter 163
VI
The Levins' household is disrupted by the arrival of Stepan Arkadyevitch (Stiva) and the unexpected guest Vassenka Veslovsky. Levin, already in a prickly mood, finds everyone's gaiety and the newcomer's gallant manner—especially his kissing of Kitty's hand—deeply irritating. He retreats into his estate work. The chapter highlights the tension between Levin's desire for meaningful, private domesticity and the social intrusion represented by the visitors, while also touching on the unspoken aftermath of Sergey Ivanovitch's failed proposal to Varenka.
Chapter 164
Chapter VII
Levin's jealousy of Vassenka Veslovsky reaches a breaking point. He misinterprets Kitty's innocent interactions with Veslovsky, seeing them as flirtation. After a tense supper where Veslovsky speaks fondly of Anna and Vronsky, Levin's internal turmoil erupts in a private confrontation with Kitty. She reassures him of her love, and they reconcile, with Levin vowing to be more civil to their guest.
Chapter 165
The Shooting Party Departs
Levin, Oblonsky, and Veslovsky prepare for a two-day shooting expedition. The chapter opens with the eager dogs and the men's departure, highlighting Levin's last-minute domestic concerns with Kitty and a frustrating interaction with a carpenter about a botched staircase. As they set off, Levin's mood shifts to the focused excitement of the hunt, and his initial prejudice against Veslovsky softens into a more favorable impression.
Chapter 166
The Shooting Party
Levin, Stiva, and Veslovsky travel to the Gvozdyov marsh for a shooting expedition. Veslovsky's inexperience and exuberance cause minor mishaps, including a gun accidentally discharging and the carriage getting stuck in the mud. Levin struggles with irritation but works to overcome it, and the party continues in good spirits.
Chapter 167
The Marsh
Levin, Stepan Arkadyevitch (Stiva), and Vassenka Veslovsky go snipe hunting. Levin is frustrated by Veslovsky's presence and poor shooting, which throws off his own concentration. He performs badly, missing numerous shots, while Stiva hunts successfully in another part of the marsh. Levin's mood and performance worsen until he manages to send Veslovsky away to drink with some peasants, after which he briefly improves but continues to shoot poorly, ending the day exhausted and humiliated.
Chapter 168
Chapter XI
Levin, Oblonsky, and Veslovsky spend the night in a peasant's hut after a day of shooting. A philosophical debate arises about wealth, labor, and social inequality, prompted by Oblonsky's story of a lavish shooting party hosted by a wealthy capitalist. Levin argues that disproportionate profit is dishonest, while Oblonsky defends it as the product of work and intelligence. The conversation becomes personal, touching on the brothers-in-law's differing lifestyles. Veslovsky leaves to seek amusement with local peasant girls, prompting Oblonsky to tease Levin about his principles regarding marriage and independence.
Chapter 169
Chapter XIII
Levin enjoys a successful day of hunting, returning with abundant game. He receives a reassuring letter from Kitty, which, along with his luck, puts him in high spirits. Two minor annoyances—an overworked horse and the discovery that Vassenka Veslovsky has eaten all the provisions—briefly upset him, but he recovers his good humor. The day ends with more shooting and a lively journey home, during which Levin's initial hostility towards Veslovsky melts into a friendly disposition.
Chapter 170
Chapter XIV
Levin's morning is disrupted by the presence of Vassenka Veslovsky, whose overly familiar manner with Kitty stirs Levin's jealousy. The princess pressures Levin about practical preparations for Kitty's upcoming childbirth, which he finds distasteful. Levin's agitation grows as he observes Vassenka and Kitty in conversation. After a tense confrontation in the garden, Kitty and Levin reconcile, their misery dispelled by honest communication.
Chapter 171
XV
Levin, tormented by jealousy over Veslovsky's attentions to Kitty, abruptly orders Veslovsky to leave the estate. He confronts Dolly for her opinion, who confirms that both she and Stiva noticed Veslovsky's flirtatious behavior. Despite Stiva's protests about the rudeness, Levin stands firm. After Veslovsky's departure, the household's mood lightens, and Dolly turns the incident into a humorous story.
Chapter 172
Dolly's Journey to Vozdvizhenskoe
Darya Alexandrovna (Dolly) travels to visit Anna at Vozdvizhenskoe. During the journey, she reflects deeply on her own life, contrasting her burdens of motherhood, financial worry, and marital dissatisfaction with the perceived freedom and happiness of others, including Anna. She questions the purpose of her sacrifices and briefly indulges in romantic daydreams of an alternative life.
Chapter 173
Dolly's Arrival at Vozdvizhenskoe
Dolly arrives at Vronsky's estate, Vozdvizhenskoe. She encounters peasants who direct her and comment on the visitors. She then meets Anna's party returning from viewing a new reaping machine. Anna, Vronsky, Veslovsky, Princess Varvara, and Sviazhsky arrive on horseback and in a charabanc. Anna is radiant and joyful to see Dolly, but Dolly feels initial discomfort at Anna's horseback riding and the presence of Princess Varvara. The stark contrast between Dolly's shabby carriage and the elegance of Anna's world creates mutual embarrassment as they set off together.
Chapter 174
Chapter XVIII
Anna and Dolly arrive at Vronsky's estate. Anna shows Dolly the grounds, the new hospital, and the grand house, speaking with pride and love about Vronsky's management and passion for the estate. In a private moment, Anna confesses her profound happiness and seeks Dolly's judgment on her life, while Dolly struggles with her own conflicted feelings.
Chapter 175
Chapter XIX
Anna shows Dolly the luxurious nursery and her baby daughter, Annie. Dolly is struck by the opulence of the house and feels out of place. Anna describes the social circle she has cultivated at Vronsky's estate to keep him occupied and happy, mentioning Princess Varvara, Sviazhsky, Tushkevitch, and Veslovsky. The conversation reveals Anna's superficial ease masking deeper anxieties, particularly about her daughter's lack of a legal surname and her strained relationship with her son Seryozha.
Chapter 176
A Visit to Vozdvizhenskoe
Dolly visits Anna and Vronsky at their country estate, Vozdvizhenskoe. She is received by Princess Varvara, who justifies her presence and Anna's situation. The group, including Anna, Vronsky, Sviazhsky, and Veslovsky, plans their day. Dolly feels initially uneasy in the new environment and with Vronsky, but during a tour of the nearly finished hospital—Vronsky's proud project—she is impressed by his genuine enthusiasm and begins to see his goodness, understanding Anna's love for him.
Chapter 177
Vronsky's Confession
Vronsky takes Dolly aside for a private conversation. He confesses his deep anxieties about his and Anna's situation, focusing on the legal and social complications that threaten their future happiness. He reveals his torment that their children, including a potential son, are legally Karenin's, not his, and that his work lacks meaning without heirs. He pleads with Dolly to persuade Anna to write to Karenin and formally request a divorce, which he believes Karenin would grant. Dolly agrees to help, though she is unsettled by Vronsky's intensity and by her own growing doubt about Anna's true happiness.
Chapter 178
Chapter XXII
A tense dinner and lawn tennis game at Vronsky's estate. The conversation turns to Levin's views on agriculture and public duties, revealing underlying tensions between Anna and Vronsky. Dolly observes the strained social atmosphere and feels out of place, deciding to cut her visit short.
Chapter 179
XXIII
Anna and Dolly have a late-night, intimate conversation. Anna probes Dolly's feelings about her situation and Kitty. The core of the chapter is a profound and unsettling discussion about Anna's choice to avoid having more children, her justification for her irregular position, and her resistance to the idea of divorce and marriage to Vronsky. Dolly listens, finding Anna's arguments both compelling and horrifying, and feels an unbridgeable gulf opening between them.
Chapter 180
Chapter XXIV
Anna and Dolly have a private, painful conversation about Anna's situation. Anna reveals her torment over the impossibility of divorce, her fear of losing her son Seryozha, and the irreconcilable conflict between her love for her son and her love for Vronsky. She admits to using morphine to sleep. After Dolly leaves, feeling relieved to return to her own family, Anna takes her morphine and presents a composed front to Vronsky. Dolly reflects on her visit, acknowledging the luxury but underlying dreariness of the Vronsky estate, yet ultimately defending Anna and Vronsky.
Chapter 181
Chapter XXV
Vronsky and Anna have spent months in the country without resolving the issue of divorce. Their life appears outwardly perfect: Anna studies Vronsky's interests and manages the household, while Vronsky thrives as a successful landowner. However, tension grows as Vronsky feels constrained by Anna's 'loving snares' and desires more freedom. This comes to a head when Vronsky plans to attend provincial elections, expecting a fight, but Anna reacts with unsettling composure, leading to their first parting without a full explanation.
Chapter 182
The Elections in Kashin
Levin, in Moscow for Kitty's confinement, is persuaded by his brother Sergey Ivanovitch to accompany him to the provincial elections in Kashin. Levin also has personal business regarding his sister's wardship, which is stalled due to the elections. He observes the political machinations as Sergey Ivanovitch's faction attempts to unseat the old-school Marshal Snetkov in favor of a more progressive candidate. Levin attends the opening ceremonies and the subsequent meetings, witnessing lengthy, futile debates over procedure, which leave him puzzled by the inefficiency and obscure motivations of the political process.
Chapter 183
The Election of the Marshal
The provincial nobility gathers for the election of the marshal. Levin observes the complex political maneuvering between the old and new parties, struggling to understand the strategic voting tactics explained to him by Stiva and Sviazhsky. Tension rises as a dispute erupts over the eligibility of a candidate named Flerov.
Chapter 184
The Election
The provincial noble assembly proceeds to a critical vote. Levin, confused by the procedural intricacies and the intense, hateful passions on display, casts his ballot. The old marshal, Snetkov, gives a moving, tearful speech before the final vote, which moves Levin with pity. The chapter details the political machinations, including the new party's efforts to secure votes by retrieving drunken or compromised noblemen.
Chapter 185
Chapter XXIX
Levin attends the provincial elections, feeling alienated and depressed by the political maneuvering. He converses with a resigned, old-fashioned landowner who articulates the declining role of the nobility, framing their work on the land as a duty and a 'class instinct' rather than a profitable enterprise. The chapter contrasts Levin's and the landowner's traditional, almost spiritual connection to the land with the self-interested, commercial calculations of merchants and the new generation of proprietors.
Chapter 186
The Provincial Election
Levin attends the provincial noblemen's election for marshal. He awkwardly encounters Vronsky, who is actively engaged in the political maneuvering. Levin finds the entire process confusing, alienating, and distasteful. He makes a social blunder by directly asking Nevyedovsky if he will stand, revealing his political naivete. After a long, tedious voting process, Snetkov is initially elected but is later outmaneuvered, and Nevyedovsky becomes the new marshal. Levin, feeling depressed by the pettiness and vindictiveness he witnesses, leaves the proceedings.
Chapter 187
The Election Celebration and the Summons Home
Vronsky hosts a celebratory dinner for the newly elected marshal, Nevyedovsky, whose success he helped engineer. He finds unexpected pleasure and influence in provincial politics, enjoying the camaraderie and respect of the liberal noblemen. The festive mood is shattered when a letter from Anna arrives, reporting their daughter Annie is ill and reproaching him for his absence, forcing Vronsky to depart abruptly.
Chapter 188
Part VII, Chapter 1
Anna, left alone while Vronsky attends the elections, struggles with anxiety and the fear that he is growing cold towards her. She tries to distract herself but is consumed by thoughts of his freedom and her own dependence. When their daughter falls slightly ill, Anna sends Vronsky a contradictory letter urging him to return. She regrets it but is relieved when he arrives. Their reunion is strained; Vronsky is cold and disapproving of her letter. In the evening, Anna confronts him about his vexation, and their argument escalates to her demanding they either separate or live together properly, leading her to write to Karenin about a divorce. She and Vronsky then move to Moscow together.
Chapter 189
I
Kitty is overdue in her pregnancy but remains calm and happy, filled with love for her unborn child. Levin, however, is restless and unhappy in Moscow, struggling to find purpose or satisfaction in town life. The chapter centers on Kitty's chance, controlled meeting with Vronsky at her godmother's, which she handles with composure, and the subsequent, reassuring conversation about it with Levin, which strengthens their marital bond.
Chapter 190
Chapter II
Levin and Kitty discuss their day in Moscow. Levin is reluctant to make a social call to Countess Bola but agrees at Kitty's urging. They discuss their finances, with Kitty expressing worry about money flying away and Levin reassuring her. Levin remembers Kitty's pregnancy, and they share a tender moment. Kitty also asks Levin to intervene with Stiva regarding Dolly's dire financial situation. Levin then leaves, reflecting on the ease and expense of city life compared to the country, and his growing detachment from the value of money.
Chapter 191
Chapter III
Levin visits his friend Professor Katavasov in Moscow and is introduced to the celebrated scholar Metrov. They discuss Levin's work on agriculture and the Russian peasant, but Levin finds their intellectual frameworks—centered on capital, wages, and rent—incompatible with his own views on the peasant's unique relationship to the land. After attending a tedious academic meeting commemorating a scholar's jubilee, Levin realizes his ideas must develop independently and declines Metrov's invitation to discuss his work further.
Chapter 192
IV
Levin visits his brother-in-law Lvov at home. They discuss politics, education, and the challenges of raising children, emphasizing the role of religion. Natalia Alexandrovna (Kitty's sister) interrupts and arranges for Levin to accompany her to a concert and a committee meeting. The chapter ends with a brief mention of Kitty's request for Levin to speak to Oblonsky.
Chapter 193
V
Levin attends a concert with his sister-in-law. He struggles to understand and appreciate two new pieces of music, a fantasia based on 'King Lear' and a quartette dedicated to Bach. He finds the music fragmented and bewildering. After the performance, he discusses the merits of the Wagnerian school with Pestsov, arguing against the fusion of arts. The chapter highlights Levin's intellectual discomfort in high society and his search for genuine meaning in art.
Chapter 194
Chapter VI
Levin makes a formal social call on Countess Bola, enduring a strained and superficial conversation. He then attends a public meeting where he mingles with high society, including Sviazhsky and Stepan Arkadyevitch, and later recalls with vexation a blunder he made in conversation, repeating a borrowed witticism as his own.
Chapter 195
VII
Levin visits his Moscow club for the first time in years. He is struck by the atmosphere of comfort and propriety, where members seem to leave their cares at the door. He dines with Turovtsin, a young officer named Gagin, and later Stepan Arkadyevitch (Stiva). The conversation is lively and simple, filled with anecdotes and champagne. Vronsky joins them after dinner, and Levin, influenced by the club's atmosphere and wine, finds himself chatting amicably with him about horses and cattle, feeling momentarily reconciled.
Chapter 196
VIII
Levin, at the club with Gagin and Prince Shcherbatsky, observes the club's social dynamics and the 'shlupiks'—men who have become fixtures of idleness. He encounters various groups: card players, chess players, and a lively party including Gagin. He finds Oblonsky and Vronsky in deep conversation. Oblonsky, emotional from drink, insists Levin and Vronsky become friends, and they shake hands amicably. After a game of billiards and cards, Oblonsky proposes taking Levin to meet Anna Karenina, and Levin agrees.
Chapter 197
Levin's First Meeting with Anna
Stepan Arkadyevitch (Stiva) takes Levin to meet Anna Karenina. During the carriage ride, Stiva explains Anna's painful social position as she awaits her divorce from Karenin and plans to marry Vronsky. He describes her dignified life in seclusion, her writing of a children's book, and her charitable care for an English trainer's family. Levin is filled with doubt about the propriety of the visit. Upon arrival, they enter Anna's home, where Levin is immediately captivated by Mihailov's striking portrait of her. Anna herself then enters, and Levin is struck by her living beauty.
Chapter 198
Levin Visits Anna
Levin visits Anna Karenina at her home, accompanied by Stepan Arkadyevitch and Vorkuev. He is immediately struck by her beauty, intelligence, and natural grace. Their conversation ranges from art and literature to education and philanthropy. Levin observes the depth of Anna's feelings and the pain beneath her composed exterior, feeling a surge of pity and admiration for her. The chapter ends with Anna asking to speak privately with her brother, leaving Levin to wonder about the nature of their conversation.
Chapter 199
Chapter XI
Levin, deeply moved by his meeting with Anna, discusses her with Stiva and then returns home. He reflects on his day and his conversations, feeling a tender sympathy for Anna. When he tells Kitty about the visit, she becomes jealous and upset, leading to a long, emotional argument that lasts into the early morning before they reconcile.
Chapter 200
Chapter XII
After her guests leave, Anna reflects on her power over men like Levin, but her thoughts fixate on Vronsky's absence and perceived coldness. When Vronsky returns, a tense, circular argument erupts. Anna accuses him of valuing his freedom over her, while he defends his independence. A momentary reconciliation occurs when he shows tenderness, but Anna's 'victory' feels hollow as both sense a new, stubborn spirit of strife has grown between them.
Chapter 201
The Beginning
Levin awakens to find Kitty in the early stages of labor. He is struck by her radiant, courageous, and loving demeanor amidst her pain, which he finds sublime and incomprehensible. In his anxiety and focus on fetching the midwife and doctor, Levin, the unbeliever, finds himself spontaneously praying to God for help.
Chapter 202
The Agony of Waiting
Levin endures the agonizing wait during Kitty's labor. He desperately tries to rouse the doctor and get opium, encountering indifference from servants and a chemist. Time distorts for him as he alternates between moments of mundane conversation and intense, prayerful suffering at Kitty's bedside, feeling utterly helpless.
Chapter 203
The Birth
Levin endures the agonizing wait during Kitty's labor. He hears her terrible screams, believes she is dying, and is plunged into despair. After the crisis passes, he is overwhelmed with joy to learn Kitty is alive and well, and that she has given birth to a son. He struggles to comprehend the new reality of fatherhood.
Chapter 204
Chapter XVI
Levin, his father-in-law Prince Shcherbatsky, Sergey Ivanovitch, and Stepan Arkadyevitch converse, but Levin's mind is entirely on Kitty and their newborn son. He visits Kitty, who is recovering and planning the christening. Levin witnesses the baby being dressed and experiences a complex mix of emotions—disgust, pity, apprehension, and a strange pride—upon first seeing his child, a feeling far from the joyous fatherhood he anticipated.
Chapter 205
Chapter XVII
Stepan Arkadyevitch (Stiva) is in Petersburg, his finances in dire straits. He is pursuing a lucrative new appointment as secretary of a railway and banking committee, a position requiring connections and perceived 'honesty' in the Moscow sense. The chapter details his humiliating wait at the Jew Volgarinov's office and his subsequent meeting with Karenin, where he listens to Karenin's political report before awkwardly asking him to use his influence to secure the post, revealing his financial motives.
Chapter 206
XVIII
Stepan Arkadyevitch (Stiva) visits Alexey Alexandrovitch Karenin to plead for a divorce for Anna. He argues that her position in Moscow, waiting for a decision, is intolerable and like a prolonged execution. Karenin, visibly pained and transformed by the mention of Anna, resists, citing his earlier promise being contingent on keeping his son and now framing the issue as a matter of Christian conscience. The conversation grows tense, with Karenin eventually asking Stiva to stop and promising a final answer in two days after further thought.
Chapter 207
XIX
Stepan Arkadyevitch visits Karenin's house and sees Seryozha, as Anna requested. He observes the boy's growth and health, but is reminded by Karenin not to mention Anna. Seryozha, now a schoolboy, is initially formal and withdrawn, ashamed of his memories of his mother. When Stepan Arkadyevitch asks him privately if he remembers Anna, Seryozha denies it vehemently and becomes deeply upset.
Chapter 208
Stepan Arkadyevitch in Petersburg
Stepan Arkadyevitch (Stiva) is in Petersburg on business, including his sister Anna's divorce and seeking a new government appointment. He feels rejuvenated by the city's social atmosphere, which contrasts with the 'stagnant bog' of Moscow. He reflects on how Petersburg's attitudes toward family, debt, and career justify his own lifestyle. The chapter includes his flirtatious conversation with Princess Betsy Tverskaya and a revealing discussion with Princess Myakaya about Karenin's new dependence on the mystic Landau (Count Bezzubov) for decisions, including Anna's fate.
Chapter 209
Chapter XXI
Stepan Arkadyevitch visits Countess Lidia Ivanovna, where he finds her with Alexey Alexandrovitch Karenin and the mystic Landau (Count Bezzubov). The conversation centers on Karenin's newfound religious faith, which Lidia Ivanovna describes as a transformation from misfortune to 'the highest happiness.' Oblonsky navigates the intense, pious atmosphere with caution, feeling out of his depth as they discuss sin, faith, and works, and Lidia Ivanovna prepares to read from a religious tract.
Chapter 210
XXII
Stepan Arkadyevitch (Stiva) visits Countess Lidia Ivanovna's home, where he witnesses a strange, mystical scene involving Karenin and the Frenchman Landau, who appears to be in a trance. Disconcerted and bored, Stiva nearly falls asleep. Landau, speaking as if channeling a spirit, demands the last person who arrived (Stiva) leave. Stiva flees, feeling he has escaped a 'plague-stricken house.' He tries to recover at the theater and a restaurant. Returning to his brother's house, he finds a note from Betsy and encounters the drunken Pyotr Oblonsky being carried in.
Chapter 211
XXIII
Anna and Vronsky remain in a stifling Moscow summer, their relationship strained by an unspoken, growing irritation. Anna, convinced his love has diminished, is consumed by a formless jealousy and blames him for all the difficulties of her position. She reflects on a recent petty quarrel over women's education that revealed deeper wounds. Resolving to make peace, she decides to apologize and leave for the country, but her thoughts spiral back into suspicion and hurt just as Vronsky returns.
Chapter 212
The Quarrel and the Despair
Anna, in a penitent mood, excitedly proposes they leave for the country immediately to escape the torment of waiting for her divorce. Vronsky's unease and mention of a visit to his mother trigger Anna's jealousy, leading to a bitter quarrel where she accuses him of no longer loving her. The argument escalates with mutual recriminations about truth, respect, and sacrifice. After Vronsky storms out, Anna, alone in her room, spirals into despair, concluding his love is gone. Her thoughts turn to death as the only solution to end her shame and make him suffer remorse. Vronsky returns, agrees to her plans, and attempts reconciliation, but her emotional outburst reveals her deep fear of abandonment.
Chapter 213
XXV
Anna and Vronsky prepare for their departure to the country, but a hidden telegram from Stiva about the stalled divorce proceedings sparks a bitter argument. Their superficial reconciliation shatters as Anna accuses Vronsky of secrecy and coldness, while he insists his actions are for her sake. The tension escalates over the topics of children, his mother, and his gambling, culminating in a cold, unresolved separation for the day.
Chapter 214
The First Quarrel
Anna and Vronsky experience their first open acknowledgment of coldness, not a mere quarrel. Anna spends the day in despair, imagining cruel things Vronsky might say, and contemplates suicide as a means to punish him and win back his love. After a moment of horror, she decides to live, but upon seeing Vronsky interact cheerfully with another woman (Madame Sorokina's daughter) from the window, her pain returns. She confronts him, declares she will not go away with him, and leaves. Vronsky, exasperated, decides the only recourse is to ignore her and leaves for town.
Chapter 215
XXVII
Anna, in a state of intense anxiety after Vronsky's departure, writes him a desperate note and sends a messenger. When the messenger fails to find him, she sends a telegram and decides to go to Dolly's to escape her own tormenting thoughts. The chapter details her frantic mental state, her momentary confusion in the nursery, and her growing terror of being alone.
Chapter 216
Anna's Desperate Visit
Anna travels through Moscow to visit Dolly, her thoughts oscillating between defiance, self-loathing, and despair over her situation with Vronsky. She resolves to confess her unhappiness to Dolly, but upon arriving, she finds Kitty Levin there. Anna feels deeply humiliated and judged, interpreting Kitty's presence as a slight. The strained visit ends with Anna's abrupt departure, leaving Dolly and Kitty to remark on her pitiable state.
Chapter 217
XXIX
After her painful encounter with Kitty, Anna's despair deepens into a bitter, misanthropic worldview. She sees universal hatred and hypocrisy in everyone around her, including herself. Receiving Vronsky's delayed telegram, she is consumed by fury and a desire for revenge. Resolving to confront him, she packs a bag, leaves her home with finality, and heads for the railway station.
Chapter 218
Anna's Final Journey
Anna travels by carriage to the train station, consumed by a torrent of despairing thoughts. She analyzes her failed relationship with Vronsky, concluding their love has turned to mutual hatred and that there is no possible future happiness, even with divorce. Her perspective expands to a bleak, universal view of human relations as fundamentally defined by hatred and mutual torture.
Chapter 219
Chapter XXXI
Anna, distraught after receiving Vronsky's dismissive note, arrives at the train station. Tormented by the perceived falsehood and cruelty of the world, she observes the people around her with disgust and despair. Her thoughts spiral into a conviction that life is misery and escape is the only rational option. Recalling the man crushed by a train on the day she first met Vronsky, she walks to the edge of the platform and throws herself under an oncoming train, ending her life.
Chapter 220
I
Sergey Ivanovitch Koznishev, having published his major scholarly work to public indifference and a scathing review, finds himself adrift. He redirects his considerable intellectual energy into the fashionable Slavonic cause (the Serbian War), seeing in it a genuine expression of public spirit and a worthy occupation, which consumes him until he prepares to visit his brother Levin in the country.
Chapter 221
II
At a busy Moscow railway station, Sergey Ivanovitch Koznishev and Katavasov encounter a crowd seeing off volunteers for the Serbian-Turkish war. They meet a princess who discusses the war effort and asks Koznishev to help a young volunteer. She reveals that Count Vronsky is also departing on the same train to join the war. Stepan Arkadyevitch Oblonsky appears, cheerfully discussing the send-off dinner and donations. The scene culminates with Vronsky's somber arrival at the station with his mother, his departure marked by patriotic cheers.
Chapter 222
III
Sergey Ivanovitch and Katavasov travel by train. Katavasov moves to a second-class carriage to observe and speak with volunteers heading to the Serbian-Turkish war. He finds them unimpressive—a boastful, tipsy merchant; a pretentious retired officer; and a modest, self-effacing artillery cadet. An old soldier in the carriage shares Katavasov's skepticism but, fearing public opinion, only offers a noncommittal remark. Both men conceal their true views on the volunteers and the war news before parting.
Chapter 223
IV
Sergey Ivanovitch Koznishev encounters Countess Vronsky on a train platform. She recounts the devastating aftermath of Anna's suicide on her son, Vronsky, describing his deep depression and suicide attempt. She reveals that Vronsky, persuaded by his friend Yashvin, is now traveling to Serbia to serve in the war, which she sees as a providential distraction from his grief. She asks Koznishev to speak with him.
Chapter 224
V
Vronsky, waiting at a railway station to depart as a volunteer for the Serbian war, encounters Sergey Ivanovitch Koznishev. Vronsky is in deep despair, seeing life as worthless and himself as a wreck, and views the war as a means to a useful death. A conversation about the conflict triggers a vivid, agonizing memory of Anna's suicide, which haunts him and poisons all past happiness. He regains composure to discuss military telegrams before they part.
Chapter 225
Chapter VI
Sergey Ivanovitch and Professor Katavasov arrive unexpectedly at Levin's Pokrovskoe estate. Kitty greets them, managing the household while also tending to her infant son Mitya. The chapter contrasts the intellectual, political concerns of the visitors (like the Serbian war) with Kitty's immediate, domestic world of motherhood and family care.
Chapter 226
VII
Kitty tends to her baby Mitya while reflecting on her husband Levin's character, his spiritual doubts, and his recent act of kindness in offering his share of property to help Dolly with Oblonsky's debts.
Chapter 227
VIII
Levin grapples with a profound spiritual crisis, triggered by his brother's death and unresolved by his modern, scientific beliefs. He feels a terror at life's meaninglessness, a feeling temporarily masked by marriage but now resurgent. He obsessively searches for answers, noting that good people around him are believers, while his intellectual peers seem content with scientific explanations that ignore his core questions. A moment of involuntary prayer during Kitty's confinement further complicates his inner conflict, leaving him miserably divided.
Chapter 228
Chapter IX
Levin, tormented by existential doubts, reads philosophy and theology seeking answers about life's meaning. He finds temporary solace in ideas like Schopenhauer's 'will' or Homiakov's doctrine of the church, but each intellectual edifice crumbles when tested against life itself. This leads him to a state of despair where he sees life as a meaningless, temporary bubble in an infinite universe, bringing him repeatedly to the brink of suicide, though he continues living.
Chapter 229
Levin's Purpose in Country Life
Levin, having returned to the country, finds meaning not in philosophical questioning but in the practical, daily duties of managing his estate, caring for his family, and engaging in work like beekeeping. He acts from an instinctive sense of necessity rather than abstract principles, establishing a firm, individual path in life despite his underlying existential doubts.
Chapter 230
Chapter XI
Levin participates in the intense harvest labor at Pokrovskoe. While overseeing the threshing, he is struck by existential questions about the purpose of the ceaseless toil and mortality. A conversation with the peasant Fyodor about another peasant, Platon, who 'lives for his soul' and 'does not forget God,' triggers a profound spiritual awakening in Levin, sending his thoughts into a whirlwind.
Chapter 231
Chapter XII
Levin, walking along the road after a conversation with a peasant, experiences a profound spiritual epiphany. The peasant's words about living 'for God' and not for one's own wants act as a catalyst, unifying his previously disjointed thoughts. He realizes that the meaning of life is found not through intellectual reasoning but through a pre-existing, innate knowledge of good and evil, and a life lived for God and the soul. This revelation brings him immense relief and a sense of liberation from prolonged spiritual suffering.
Chapter 232
Chapter XIII
Levin, reflecting on a scene of Dolly's children ignoring their mother's practical warnings, draws a parallel to his own philosophical search. He realizes that the fundamental truths of life—faith in God and goodness—are not found through intellectual reasoning but are given, like the necessities of life provided to children. He experiences a profound moment of spiritual peace and acceptance, thanking God.
Chapter 233
Chapter XIV
Levin, after a moment of profound spiritual peace, is called back to the house where his brother Sergey Ivanovitch and the professor Katavasov have arrived. He resolves to be more open and affectionate with his brother and to avoid arguments, but feels an immediate awkwardness and chill in their conversation. He escapes to the bee-house to fetch honey for his guests, finding solace and a metaphor for his inner state in the ordered, industrious life of the bees, which contrasts with the 'petty cares' of social interaction.
Chapter 234
Chapter XV
At the Oblonskys' country house, a heated debate erupts over the volunteer movement to aid the Slavs in Serbia. Sergey Ivanovitch and Katavasov passionately defend the cause as a natural expression of Christian and national sympathy, while Levin and the old Prince Shcherbatsky express skepticism about whether it truly represents the will of the Russian people. The conversation reveals deep ideological rifts, with Levin arguing that war is a matter for governments, not private individuals. Dolly tends to the children during the discussion, and it's revealed that Vronsky is going to Serbia with a squadron at his own expense.
Chapter 235
Chapter XVI
Levin, his brother Sergey Ivanovitch, Katavasov, and the old Prince Shcherbatsky engage in a heated debate about public opinion, the press, and the popular movement in support of the Slavonic peoples. Levin argues against the intellectual pride of those claiming to speak for the people's will, especially when it advocates war, while Sergey Ivanovitch defends the unanimity of educated society and the press as a positive expression of national feeling. The discussion grows tense, revealing Levin's deep philosophical and moral conflict.
Chapter 236
The Storm
A sudden, violent storm interrupts the party's outing. Levin, in a panic, rushes to find Kitty and their baby Mitya, who are in the copse. He witnesses a great oak tree being struck by lightning and fears the worst. He finds them safe under a lime tree, though Kitty is drenched. Relief turns briefly to anger before gratitude prevails.
Chapter 237
Chapter XVIII
Levin spends a rainy day with his guests, engaging in amiable conversation. Despite participating, his mind remains preoccupied with the profound spiritual feeling from the morning. He is called to the nursery by Kitty to witness their baby Mitya recognizing his parents. This domestic moment deepens Levin's love for his son, moving past his earlier disappointment to a more genuine, protective affection. The chapter contrasts intellectual discourse with the simple, emotional truth of family life.
Chapter 238
XIX
Levin, alone after leaving the nursery, contemplates his newfound faith and the meaning of life. He grapples with theological questions about other religions but finds certainty in the Christian moral law revealed in his soul. He decides not to share his profound thoughts with Kitty when she interrupts him with a domestic request.
