Anna Karenina · Chapter
Anna at the Oblonskys' explained
Anna spends the day at the Oblonsky home, mending the rift between Stiva and Dolly.
What happens
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.
Themes in this chapter
Family and Domesticity
Anna's presence restores domestic peace between Stiva and Dolly. Her natural, joyful interaction with the children highlights an idealized, nurturing domestic sphere.
Love and Marriage
The fragile state of the Oblonskys' marriage is contrasted with Kitty's romantic expectations for the ball and her curiosity about Anna's own marital 'love story'.
Social Conventions vs. Individual Desire
Anna's comment about finding balls 'dull and tiresome' hints at a personal weariness with social rituals that contrasts with Kitty's enthusiastic conformity.
Characters to notice
- Anna Arkadyevna Karenina
Acts as a peacemaker between the Oblonskys, charms Kitty with her grace and a hint of melancholy, and displays a playful, maternal side with the children.
- Kitty Shcherbatskaya
Visits Dolly with trepidation but is quickly captivated by Anna. She confides her excitement for the ball and blushes when Vronsky is mentioned.
- Stepan Arkadyevitch Oblonsky
Dines at home at Anna's request. The atmosphere with Dolly improves, hinting at possible reconciliation after his affair.
- Darya Alexandrovna Oblonskaya
Addresses Stiva familiarly again, signaling a thaw in their relations after Anna's intervention.
- Grisha
One of the Oblonsky children who clings to Anna, nestling against her and playing with her hair, showing her immediate rapport with them.
- Tanya
Another Oblonsky child who is captivated by Anna, playing with her ring and receiving her affectionate attention.
Key passages
“"Come, God is merciful," she wrote.”
Anna writes to Stiva, urging him to come home for dinner and implying that reconciliation with Dolly is possible.
Highlights Anna's role as a peacemaker and her belief in forgiveness.
“"For me there are no balls now where one enjoys oneself," said Anna...”
Anna tells Kitty that she no longer finds pleasure in balls, revealing a world-weariness and depth of experience Kitty doesn't yet possess.
Foreshadows Anna's alienation from conventional society and hints at her inner turmoil.
“"Oh! what a happy time you are at," pursued Anna. "I remember, and I know that blue haze like the mist on the mountains in Switzerland..."”
Anna nostalgically describes the thrilling yet anxious transition from girlhood to the adult world of the ballroom, which Kitty is currently experiencing.
Draws a poignant contrast between Kitty's innocent anticipation and Anna's more jaded perspective.