II explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Family and Domesticity

  Central theme. Explores the Shcherbatsky family's collective effort to cope with Kitty's heartbreak and health, and the contrasting breakdown of domestic peace in Dolly's household due to Stiva's neglect and infidelity.

• Infidelity and Betrayal

  Manifests in two layers: Dolly's ongoing, painful suspicions of Stiva's infidelity, which she tolerates to preserve family habits, and the broader family's view of Vronsky's actions as a dishonorable betrayal of Kitty.

• Isolation and Misunderstanding

  Kitty feels isolated in her shame, believing only her father truly understands her. The generational gap and differing perspectives between the prince and princess on how to handle the situation also create familial tension and misunderstanding.

Characters to notice

• Darya Alexandrovna Oblonskaya

  Visits despite her own troubles (sick child, new baby). Reveals the humiliating state of her reconciled marriage with Stiva, marked by his absence, lack of money, and her suppressed suspicions of infidelity. Takes on a motherly, active role to console Kitty.

• Kitty Shcherbatskaya

  Emotionally raw and ashamed over her heartbreak. Bursts into tears when her father indirectly references her need to recover. Her fragility is the central concern of the family discussion.

• Prince Shcherbatsky

  Shows insight and tenderness towards Kitty, understanding her shame. Blames his wife and societal norms for Kitty's suffering, arguing they enabled Vronsky. His outburst reveals his protective anger and traditional values.

• Princess Shcherbatskaya

  Defensive and reproachful towards her husband for upsetting Kitty. She blames Vronsky as 'base and dishonorable.' Becomes penitent and tearful when the prince seriously challenges her, showing their underlying bond.

• Stepan Arkadyevitch Oblonsky

  Absent but a constant source of Dolly's anxiety. His infidelity and neglect are discussed as breaking down their family harmony again, leaving Dolly in a state of humiliating deception.

• Konstantin Dmitrievitch Levin

  Mentioned by Dolly as having intended to propose to Kitty during his last visit, a fact Kitty did not share with her mother. His rejected offer is framed as a casualty of Kitty's obsession with Vronsky.

Key passages

• “Her relations with Stepan Arkadyevitch after their reconciliation had become humiliating... she let herself be deceived, despising him and still more herself, for the weakness.”

  Dolly's marriage, though superficially reconciled, is a source of humiliation. She chooses to ignore Stiva's likely infidelities to avoid the pain of jealousy and keep the family intact, leading to self-contempt.

  Highlights the degrading compromise and emotional cost of maintaining a broken marriage for the sake of domestic stability.

• “"Yes, he sees it all, he understands it all, and in these words he’s telling me that though I’m ashamed, I must get over my shame."”

  Kitty interprets her father's simple suggestion of a walk as a profound understanding of her emotional state and a gentle command to move past her humiliating heartbreak.

  Illustrates Kitty's acute sensitivity and the deep, unspoken bond with her father, who perceives her inner turmoil.

• “"Laws against such young gallants there have always been, and there still are! Yes, if there has been nothing that ought not to have been, old as I am, I’d have called him out to the barrier, the young dandy."”

  The prince argues that social codes (like dueling) have always existed to check dishonorable men like Vronsky, and he blames his wife's social permissiveness for the situation.

  Shows the clash between traditional masculine honor (the duel) and modern social maneuvering, placing blame on the mother's world of matchmaking and salons.