Anna Karenina · Chapter
XVIII explained
At Princess Betsy's, Anna meets the fashionable set, including Sappho Shtoltz and Liza Merkalova.
What happens
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.
Themes in this chapter
Hypocrisy and Social Pretense
The entire gathering is a performance of gaiety masking profound boredom. Characters like Liza and Stremov engage in flattery and witty talk that feels empty and insincere.
Isolation and Misunderstanding
Anna is physically present but emotionally isolated, surrounded by people who perceive her as 'alive' but cannot comprehend her private anguish, forcing her to leave for her solitary struggle.
Characters to notice
- Anna Arkadyevna Karenina
Struck by the boldness of the fashionable set; feels the stark contrast between their easy, bored existence and her own inner turmoil, leading her to leave the party.
- Princess Betsy Tverskaya
Hosts the gathering; introduces Anna to Sappho Shtoltz and facilitates the social interactions.
- Liza Merkalova
A guest characterized by an innocent yet corrupt allure; she confesses her profound boredom to Anna and is fascinated by Anna's seeming lack of it.
- Stremov
A shrewd, older government official and enemy of Karenin; he flatters Anna with clever commonplaces and joins in urging her to stay at the party.
- Sappho Shtoltz
A flamboyant 'star of fashion' whose exaggerated dress and abrupt manners are noted by Anna; she arrives with her admirer Vaska.
Key passages
“"Possibly the people who are not of our set are even more bored; but we—I certainly—are not happy, but awfully, awfully bored."”
Liza Merkalova confesses that even the most fashionable social circle is deeply unhappy and bored.
Highlights the emptiness and dissatisfaction at the core of high society life.
“"It’s too violent a transition... to go from such company to old Madame Vrede. And besides, you will only give her a chance for talking scandal, while here you arouse none but such different feelings of the highest and most opposite kind,"”
Stremov argues that Anna should stay in their flattering, scandal-free company rather than leave and face gossip elsewhere.
Illustrates the manipulative flattery and the insulated, artificial world Anna is being tempted to remain within.
“But remembering what was in store for her alone at home... she said goodbye and went away.”
Anna recalls the painful reality awaiting her and chooses to leave the easy social gathering to confront it.
Marks a moment of decisive action, choosing painful truth over comfortable illusion.