Moscow, 1914. Publication of the I. D. Sytin Partnership. Superbly illustrated edition with black and white drawings in the text and color reproductions on separate sheets. Professional new leather binding. The condition is good. This edition was the first and only illustrated edition of the novel Anna Karenina published before 1917. In 1913, it was I. D. Sytin’s publishing house that first received the right to publish the complete collected works of the great Russian writer L. N. Tolstoy. The publication contains many black and white and color illustrations in the text and on separate sheets. Most of the drawings from the series of illustrations for this publication were made by three artists: Alexander Viktorovich Moravov, Alexei Mikhailovich Korin and Mikhail Mikhailovich Shcheglov. The main role in the design of the publication was played by M. M. Shcheglov. It was he who in 1910 received an order from the book publisher I. D. Sytin for the artistic design of the novel by L. N. Tolstoy. M. Shcheglov...

Description added by user:

Artem Olegovich

"Anna Karenina" - plot

The novel begins with two phrases that have long become textbook: “All happy families are alike, each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. Everything was mixed up in the Oblonskys’ house.”

Stiva Oblonsky's sister, the noble St. Petersburg lady Anna Karenina, comes to Moscow to visit the Oblonskys. Stiva meets Anna at the station, the young officer meets his mother Countess Vronskaya. Upon entering the carriage, he lets the lady go ahead, and a premonition forces them to look at each other again, their gaze already glowing against their will. It seemed that they knew each other before... At that moment, a misfortune happened: the carriage moved back and crushed the watchman to death. Anna took this tragic incident as a bad omen. Anna goes to Stiva's house and fulfills her mission for which she came - reconciling him with his wife Dolly.

The lovely Kitty Shcherbatskaya is full of happiness, waiting to meet Vronsky at the ball. Anna, contrary to her expectations, was wearing a black dress and not a purple one. Kitty notices a flickering sparkle in the eyes of Anna and Vronsky and understands that the world has ceased to exist for them. Having refused Levin on the eve of the upcoming ball, Kitty was depressed and soon fell ill.

Anna leaves for St. Petersburg, Vronsky rushes after. In St. Petersburg, he follows her like a shadow, looking for a meeting; he is not at all embarrassed by her marriage and eight-year-old son; because in the eyes of secular people, the role of an unhappy lover is ridiculous, but a relationship with a respectable woman, whose husband occupies such a respectable position, seemed majestic and victorious. It was impossible to hide their love, but they were not lovers, but the world was already discussing the lady with the shadow with might and main, eagerly awaiting the continuation of the romance. An anxious feeling prevented Karenin from concentrating on an important state project, and he was offended by that impression, so important for the significance of public opinion. Anna continued to go out into society and met with Vronsky at Princess Tverskaya’s for almost a year. Vronsky's only desire and Anna's charming dream of happiness merged in the feeling that for them the new life, they became lovers, and nothing will ever be the same. Very soon everyone in St. Petersburg became aware of this, including Anna’s husband. The current situation was painfully difficult for all three, but none of them could find a way out of it. Anna tells Vronsky that she is pregnant. Vronsky asks her to leave her husband and is ready to sacrifice his military career. But his mother, who at first was very sympathetic to Anna, does not like this state of affairs at all. Anna falls into despair, falls into childbirth fever after giving birth and almost dies. Her legal husband, Alexei Karenin, who before Anna’s illness was firmly planning to divorce her, having seen her suffering during her illness, unexpectedly forgives both Anna and Vronsky. Karenin allows her to continue living in his house, under the protection of his good name, so as not to ruin the family and not disgrace the children. The scene of forgiveness is one of the most important in the novel. But Anna cannot withstand the oppression of generosity shown by Karenin, and taking her newborn daughter with her, she leaves with Vronsky for Europe, leaving her beloved son in the care of her husband.

Anna and Vronsky travel around Europe for some time, but soon realize that they have nothing really to do. Out of boredom, Vronsky even begins to dabble in painting, but soon gives up this empty activity, and he and Anna decide to return to St. Petersburg. In St. Petersburg, Anna understands that she is now an outcast for high society, she is not invited to any of the decent houses, and no one except her two closest friends visits her. Meanwhile, Vronsky is accepted everywhere and is always welcome. This situation is increasingly unraveling the unstable nervous system Anna, who does not see her son. On Seryozha's birthday, secretly, early in the morning, Anna sneaks into her old house, goes into the boy's bedroom and wakes him up. The boy is happy to the point of tears, Anna is also crying with joy, the child hastily tries to tell his mother something and ask her about something, but then a servant comes running and fearfully reports that Karenin will now enter his son’s room. The boy himself understands that his mother and father cannot meet and that his mother will now leave him forever; crying, he rushes to Anna and begs her not to leave. Karenin enters the door, and Anna, in tears, overcome by a feeling of envy of her husband, runs out of the house. Her son never saw her again.

Mikhail Vrubel. Anna Karenina's meeting with her son. 1878

A crack opens in Anna's relationship with Vronsky, separating them further and further. Anna insists on visiting the Italian opera, where that evening all the high society of St. Petersburg gathers. The entire audience in the theater literally points their fingers at Anna, and the woman from the next box throws insults at Anna in the face. Realizing that they have nothing to do in St. Petersburg, they move away from the vulgar world to the estate, which Vronsky turned into a secluded paradise for the two of them and their daughter Anya. Vronsky is trying to make the estate profitable, introducing various new farming techniques and doing charity work - building a new hospital on the estate. Anna tries to help him in everything.

In parallel with the story of Anna, the story of Konstantin Levin unfolds; Tolstoy endows him with the best human qualities and doubts, trusts him with his innermost thoughts. Levin is a fairly rich man; he also has a vast estate, all of which he manages himself. What for Vronsky is fun and a way to kill time, for Levin is the meaning of existence for himself and all his ancestors. At the beginning of the novel, Levin wooes Kitty Shcherbatskaya. At that time, Vronsky was courting Kitty for fun. Kitty, however, became seriously interested in Vronsky and refused Levin. After Vronsky followed Anna to St. Petersburg, Kitty even fell ill from grief and humiliation, but after a trip abroad she recovered and agreed to marry Levin. The scenes of matchmaking, weddings, and family life of the Levins are imbued with a bright feeling; the author makes it clear that this is exactly how family life should be built.

Meanwhile, the situation on the estate is heating up. Vronsky goes to business meetings and social events, where Anna cannot accompany him, and he is drawn to his former, free life. Anna senses this, but mistakenly assumes that Vronsky is attracted to other women. She constantly arranges scenes of jealousy for Vronsky, which increasingly test his patience. To resolve the situation with the divorce proceedings, they move to Moscow. But, despite the persuasion of Stiva Oblonsky, Karenin cancels his decision and leaves himself a son, whom he no longer loves, because his disgust for Anna, as a “despicable, stumbled wife,” is connected with him. The six-month wait in Moscow for this decision turned Anna's nerves into taut strings. She constantly broke down and quarreled with Vronsky, who spent more and more time outside the house. In Moscow, Anna meets Levin, who realizes that this woman can no longer be called anything other than lost.

In May, Anna insists on leaving for the village soon, but Vronsky says that he has been invited to his mother for important business matters. Anna comes up with the idea that Vronsky’s mother is planning to marry Vronsky to Princess Sorokina. Vronsky fails to prove to Anna the absurdity of this idea and he, no longer able to constantly quarrel with Anna, goes to his mother’s estate. Anna, in an instant realizing how difficult, hopeless and meaningless her life is, wanting reconciliation, rushes after Vronsky to the station. The platform, smoke, beeps, knocking and people, everything merged into a terrible nightmare of confusion of associations: Anna remembers her first meeting with Vronsky, and how on that distant day some lineman fell under a train and was crushed to death. Anna comes up with the idea that there is a very simple way out of her situation that will help her wash away the shame and free everyone’s hands. And at the same time, this will be a great way to take revenge on Vronsky. Anna throws herself under the train. Anna chose death as a deliverance; it was the only way out that she, exhausted by herself and tormented by everyone, found.

Two months have passed. Life is not the same as before, but it goes on. The station again. Stiva meets the doomed Vronsky on the platform, and the train leaves for the front. Heartbroken, Vronsky volunteered to go to war to lay down his head there. Karenin took Anna's daughter to himself and raised her as his own, along with his son. Levin and Kitty's first child is born. Levin finds peace and meaning in life in kindness and purity of thoughts. This is where the novel ends.

Reviews

Reviews of the book “Anna Karenina”

Please register or login to leave a review. Registration will take no more than 15 seconds.

Yulia Olegina

If good has a cause, it is no longer good; if it has a consequence - a reward, it is also not good. Therefore, good is outside the chain of cause and effect

This book is the greatest book of humanity. About family and goodness. You can talk about her, condemn or support the main character endlessly. But all the debates and reasoning will never lead to a consensus. So, I'll express my opinion.

Anna Karenina is a woman from high society who never loved her husband, but has now met her true love. To many she may seem pathetic and unhappy, but I believe that every woman should be faithful to the man she married. You will say that she was given away by force and she never loved anyone, and that every woman has the right to love. But I don’t agree with you. Even in those days, a girl could refuse a marriage proposal; her parents could not force her. Take the same Natasha Rostova. She, for example, refused to marry Denisov. And if a girl gets married, then she MUST remain faithful to her husband. A great example of this is Pushkin’s Tatiana. But let's return to our novel. I still consider Anna a fallen and immoral woman.

There’s nothing even to say about Vronsky. A man without strength, without will, without desires, without tempering, without determination. No person.

Konstantin Levin. My favorite character. This is in whom we see the salvation of the soul, healing, true love, suffering, life turning points, in general, all the emotions and events that must happen in the life of every person. And even if he is an unbeliever, there is still something for him high power which stores and protects it.

Kitty Shcherbatskaya. In this hero we see the maturation of the individual. When she is young, she wants to marry Vronsky, handsome and stately, without even knowing what he looks like and without ever talking to him. During the course of the novel, family values ​​still come to the fore for her and she understands that she can only find true happiness and love with Levin. A wonderful example of what a young girl should be, and then a woman, and a loving wife, and mother.

These are the characters I would like to talk a little about. The others were of no particular importance to me, perhaps except for Stiva and Dolly. Overall, the novel turned out to be a family affair. Different stories, different endings, but the lesson for everyone is the same: love those who are close to you, and then you will be loved too!

11 out of 10. One of the best works of humanity!

Helpful review?

/

Anna Karenina “The book is essentially about a woman who, in a sense, behaves meanly and basely, and to play her role without trying to embellish or simplify anything is not an easy task.” Keira Knightley, actress

“Anna Karenina is an inexhaustible role. This is a total woman and there is enough work for all actresses. Tolstoy’s Karenina is close to me, and the rest are just variations on a theme.” Tatyana Drubich, actress

"Haven't you noticed that the main idea this great
The work is as follows: if a woman divorces her legal husband and gets together with another man, she inevitably becomes a prostitute. Don't argue! Exactly!". Anna Akhmatova, poet, writer, literary critic

“Now, when they say “Russian style,” only two associations arise. The first is Anna Karenina, when sable, muff, fitted fur coat, high hat, astrakhan fur. The second is connected with Pasternak’s “Doctor Zhivago”, when revolutionary everyday life, the overcoat, on the one hand, are red, on the other - white...” Alexander Vasiliev, fashion historian

“I really want to play Anna Karenina. I also really like “War and Peace” - I would like to play Natasha Rostova, but I have already missed this chance.” Nicole Kidman, actress

“The greatest misfortune of my life is the death of Anna Karenina.” Sergey Dovlatov, writer

“Anna Karenina takes a look at human guilt and criminality... It is clear and understandable to the point of obviousness that evil lurks deeper in humanity than socialist doctors assume, that in no social structure can you escape evil, that the human soul will remain the same, that abnormality and sin come from herself...” Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky, writer

“Anna Karenina is a heavy drug addict!” Katya Metelitsa, writer

“For me, she represents the mystery of femininity, the possibility that I felt within myself. I felt that women can do absolutely anything for love. And Anna is the ultimate embodiment of this.” Sophie Marceau, actress

“All good robots are alike; every faulty robot fails differently.” Quote from the novel Android Karenina by Ben H. Winters

“The husband is an exemplary family man, the child is a joy to his mother, well-fed, shod, everything is with her, what more could you want? And unheard by anyone in her heartfelt drama, Anya decided to end her life forever.” Sergey Trofimov (Trofim), singer

“It seems to me that Karenin was ready to have his heart broken. I have a feeling that the more Karenin learns, the more he does to save the marriage. He is not obliged to give passion and romance, he may not have it, but he was raised that way, he observed it in the behavior of his parents. He allows his heart to rule him as much as possible." Jude Law, actor

“Tolstoy in Anna Karenina is a completely new, unusual writer. Not even a psychologist, but a profound psychoanalyst who has made a subtle immersion into the human subconscious. He discovered what later came to be called Freudianism.” Boris Eifman, choreographer, choreographer

“Anna is a liberated woman, protesting against prim hypocrisy and free in the manifestations of her honest, righteous feelings.” Tatyana Samoilova, actress

“I wrote everything in Anna Karenina - nothing remains.” Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy, writer, author of the novel “Anna Karenina”

How is the rating calculated?
◊ The rating is calculated based on points awarded over the last week
◊ Points are awarded for:
⇒ visiting pages dedicated to the star
⇒voting for a star
⇒ commenting on a star

Biography, life story of Anna Karenina

Anna Arkadyevna Karenina is the heroine of the novel Anna Karenina.

Life story

Anna Karenina is a noble lady from St. Petersburg, the wife of Minister Alexei Alexandrovich Karenin. introduces us to Anna at the moment when she comes to her brother Stepan Oblonsky (Steve) in order to reconcile him with his wife. Stiva meets his sister at the station. At the same time, a young officer Alexei Kirillovich Vronsky arrives at the station (he was meeting his mother). Anna and Alexey pay attention to each other. However, the author does not allow the first emotions to completely overwhelm the characters. At the moment of the first meeting of Karenina and Vronsky, a misfortune happens - a train carriage accidentally drives back and kills the watchman. Anna Karenina, a married lady and a caring mother of her eight-year-old son Seryozha, considered this turn of events a bad sign.

The next meeting between Anna and Alexei takes place at the ball. There, some inexplicable chemistry flares up between them again. When Karenina returns to her native Petersburg, Vronsky, unconscious from the passion that has captured his mind, goes after her. There, Alexey Kirillovich becomes the shadow of Anna Karenina - he follows her every step, tries to constantly be next to her. At the same time, the officer is not at all embarrassed by the fact that Anna is married, and her husband is a man of high social status. On the contrary, Vronsky’s love grew stronger from the fact that his chosen one turned out to be a woman from high society.

Anna Karenina, who has never had anything but deep respect for her husband, falls in love with Alexei Vronsky. Falls in love and is ashamed of his vicious feelings. At first, Anna tries to escape from herself, return to her usual life and find peace of mind, but all her attempts at resistance ended in failure. A year after they met, Karenina becomes Vronsky’s mistress. Over time, the connection between Karenina and Vronsky becomes known throughout St. Petersburg. Alexey Karenin, having learned about his wife’s infidelity, punishes her in the most cruel way - he forces her to continue to play the role of his loving wife.

CONTINUED BELOW

Anna soon finds out that she is pregnant from Vronsky. The officer invites her to leave her husband, but Karenina does not agree. Immediately after the birth of her daughter, she almost dies. The tragedy forces Alexei Alexandrovich to forgive his wife and her lover. He allows Anna to continue to live in his house and bear his last name. And Anna herself, in her dying state, begins to treat her husband warmer. But after recovery, everything returns to normal. Anna, whose conscience could not stand Karenin’s generosity, leaves with Vronsky for Europe. The lovers take the newborn girl with them. Anna's son remains with his father.

After a short absence, Vronsky and Karenina return to St. Petersburg. There Anna Karenina sadly realizes that she is now a real outcast for secular society. But Vronsky, on the contrary, is happy to see in any company. Separation from her son caused Anna additional suffering. But on Seryozha’s birthday, Anna secretly sneaks into the boy’s bedroom. The meeting was very touching - mother and son cried with happiness. They wanted to say so much to each other, but they were unable to talk - a servant came into Seryozha’s room and said that Alexey Karenin would come in any minute. When the official entered the nursery, Anna ran away, leaving Seryozha sobbing.

Relations between Karenina and Vronsky gradually began to deteriorate. The attitude of society towards Anna also contributed to the fading of their warm feelings. High society pointed fingers at Anna, and some society ladies did not hesitate to publicly insult her. Tired of the constant pressure, Anna, Alexey and their little daughter Anya move to Vronsky’s estate. Far from the bustle of the city, Anna hoped to improve relations with her lover, however, Alexey himself tried to create all the conditions for his beloved. However, it was difficult for them to get along with each other. The officer regularly went to business meetings and social events in St. Petersburg, while Anna, like a leper, had to sit at home. Due to Vronsky’s constant absences, Karenina begins to suspect him of treason. Scenes of jealousy became a mandatory addition to dinner in their home. At the same time, life is darkened by a protracted divorce process. In order to solve this problem, Anna and Alexey move to Moscow for a while. Earlier, Karenin promised that he would give Seryozha to Anna, but at the last moment he changed his mind. He did this solely to hurt the woman who betrayed him. Having learned that the court left Seryozha with her ex-husband, Anna almost went crazy with grief...

Lost, unhappy Anna Karenina argues more and more with Vronsky. One day Anna Karenina suspected him of intending to marry someone else. Tired of constant hysterics, Alexey goes to his mother. As soon as Vronsky left, Anna clearly felt a burning need for reconciliation with her beloved. She rushes after Vronsky to the station.

Arriving at the place, Anna Karenina remembers her first meeting with Vronsky, their timid glances at each other, that incomprehensible feeling that swallowed her up. Anna also remembered the watchman who died under the carriage. At that very second Anna understands - this is the solution to all problems! This is how she can wash away the shame and get rid of the constantly oppressive feeling of shame for her actions! This is how she, who has exhausted herself and those around her, will be able to throw off the burden that has already become unbearable! A second of delay - and Anna throws herself under an oncoming train.

After Anna’s death, Vronsky repented - late, senselessly, but he repented. Deciding to follow Karenina's example, Alexey began to look at death as a deliverance. He volunteers to go to war, hoping that he will never come back.

Prototype

Anna Karenina is an image created on the basis of three prototypes. The first is Maria Hartung, daughter

If you are reading this article, then you are interested in the work that Tolstoy wrote - “Anna Karenina”. A summary of this novel can be found below. In our busy times, people often lack rest, not to mention reading books, but this very time requires us to be comprehensively developed. Since many people do not have time to read long novels, they can read them in a short version. In this article we present to your attention summary"Anna Karenina" This novel was written by Leo Tolstoy in 1878.

"Anna Karenina" is a book whose brief content is difficult to convey. But we will try to make this as clear and accessible as possible for the reader.

The Oblonskys' house in Moscow is in turmoil - everyone is waiting for the arrival of the owner's sister, Anna Karenina. The day before, this same owner, Stepan Arkadyevich Oblonsky, was caught by his wife in infidelity with the governess. He feels sorry for his wife Dolly, but realizes that he no longer loves her, despite the fact that she bore him seven children, of whom only five survived. On this day, Stepan has lunch with his longtime friend Konstantin Levin, who came to his house in order to propose to Oblonsky’s sister-in-law, Kitty. But he informs him that he has a rival in the person of Alexei Vronsky. Kitty doesn’t know who to give preference to - Levin, with whom she feels at ease and freely, or Vronsky, with whom she is passionate, but does not yet know that he is not going to marry her. But still she refuses Levin. Vronsky meets Anna Karenina at the station and becomes seriously interested in her. At the ball, Kitty expects him to explain himself to her, but he is completely absorbed in his conversation with Anna. Kitty is in despair. Anna returns to St. Petersburg, and Vronsky follows her.

Levin returns home. A young man is worried about his beloved's refusal. Anna is disappointed in her everyday life. The company of her husband, who is much older than her and for whom she always had only respect, began to weigh on her. She begins to see only flaws in him. Even her love for Seryozha, their 8-year-old son, cannot save her. Vronsky is in love with Anna and tries to achieve her favor in every possible way. Alexei Karenin, Anna's husband, notices the attraction between his wife and Vronsky for each other, which goes from easy flirting into something more, and sees how negatively high society views this. He expresses his dissatisfaction to his wife, but nothing can deter her. A year after their first meeting, Vronsky and Anna become lovers. The young man persuades Anna to leave her husband and throw in her lot with him. But Anna cannot decide to leave her husband, despite the fact that she is expecting a child from Vronsky. Karenin sets a condition for Anna that if she leaves, she will not see her son, and therefore she must maintain the appearance of a happy family life. Anna strives for Vronsky and even her husband’s conditions cannot stop the woman.

During childbirth, Anna almost dies and in a fever asks for forgiveness from her husband. She rejects Vronsky. He, humiliated, tries to shoot himself, but is saved. Some time after the birth, despite Karenin's reverent attitude towards his daughter, he still irritates Anna. A month after her recovery, Vronsky resigns, and she leaves with him and her daughter abroad.

B meets Kitty and realizes that she is in love with him. He proposes to her and they get married.

Anna and Vronsky are in Italy, but things are not as good for them as at the beginning. They get bored. Upon her return, Anna clearly feels that society has rejected her. The same thing happens with Vronsky. They begin to live in the village, on Vronsky's estate, awaiting a decision on divorce. But there is no agreement between them. Anna feels that she loves Vronsky more and more, so she is jealous of everything he is interested in, even any activity. Vronsky, on the contrary, is burdened by her. In despair, Anna throws herself under a train and dies. Vronsky is tormented by remorse. He goes to war, leaving his daughter Karenina. Levin and Kitty have a son.

Now that you know the summary of Anna Karenina, you may want to read this novel in full or watch one of its film adaptations. They make a lasting impression. A summary of "Anna Karenina" will help you understand some aspects of the plot.

137 years ago, Leo Tolstoy completed Anna Karenina, a novel that became a classic of world literature, but for which, at the end of the 19th century, both critics and readers became annoyed with the author.

On April 17, 1877, Leo Tolstoy completed work on the novel Anna Karenina. The prototypes of many of the characters were real people - the classic “drew” some of the portraits and characters from the friends, relatives and acquaintances around him, and the hero named Konstantin Levin is often called the alter ego of the author himself. AiF.ru tells what it's about great novel Tolstoy and why Anna Karenina turned into a “mirror” of its era.

Two marriages

“All happy families are alike, each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way,” this phrase opens the first volume of Anna Karenina and sets the mood for the entire novel. Over the course of eight parts, the author describes the joys and hardships of individual families: adultery, weddings and the birth of children, quarrels and worries.

The work is based on two storylines: a) the relationship between the married Anna Karenina and the young and passionately in love with her Alexei Vronsky; b) the family life of landowner Konstantin Levin and Kitty Shcherbatskaya. Moreover, against the backdrop of the first couple, experiencing passion and jealousy, the second has a real idyll. By the way, in one of the early versions the novel was called “Two Marriages.”

On someone else's misfortune

Anna Karenina’s life, it would seem, can only be envied - a woman from high society, she is married to a noble official and is raising a son with him. But her whole existence is turned upside down by a chance meeting at the station. Exiting the carriage, she exchanges glances with the young count and officer Vronsky. Soon the couple collides again - this time at the ball. Even Kitty Shcherbatskaya, who is in love with Vronsky, notices that he is drawn to Karenina, and she, in turn, is interested in her new admirer.

But Anna needs to return to her native Petersburg - to her husband and son. Persistent and stubborn Vronsky follows her - not at all embarrassed by her status, he begins to court the lady. Over the course of a year, the heroes meet at balls and social events until they become lovers. The entire high society is watching the development of their relationship, including Alexei Karenin, Anna’s husband.

Despite the fact that the heroine is expecting a child from Vronsky, her husband does not give her a divorce. During childbirth, Anna almost dies, but a month after her recovery she leaves abroad - together with Vronsky and their little daughter. She leaves her son in the care of his father.

But life with her lover does not bring her happiness. Anna begins to be jealous of Vronsky, and although he loves her, he is burdened by her and yearns for her. Returning to St. Petersburg does not change anything - especially since former friends avoid their company. Then the heroes go first to the village, and then to Moscow - however, their relationship does not become stronger from this. After a particularly violent quarrel, Vronsky leaves to visit his mother. Karenina follows him and at the station a decision comes to her on how to resolve this situation and “untie” everyone’s hands. She throws herself under a train.

Vronsky takes the loss seriously and volunteers to go to war. Their little daughter is taken in by Alexey Karenin.

Levin's second chance

In parallel, Tolstoy unfolds another storyline: describes the story of Kitty Shcherbatskaya and Konstantin Levin. The 34-year-old landowner was in love with 18-year-old Kitty and even decided to propose to her, but she was then carried away by Vronsky and refused. Soon the officer left for Anna, and Shcherbatskaya was left “with nothing.” Due to nervousness, the girl fell ill, and Levin drove off back to the village, to manage his estate and work together with the peasant men.

However, Tolstoy gave his heroes a second chance: at a dinner party the couple met again. Kitty realizes that she loves Levin, and he realizes that his feelings for the girl have not faded away at all. The hero offers Shcherbatskaya his hand and heart for the second time - and this time she agrees. Immediately after the wedding, the couple leaves for the village. Despite the fact that at first living together It’s not easy for them, they are happy - Kitty supports her husband when his brother died, and gives birth to Levi’s child. This is exactly what, according to Tolstoy, a family should look like, and there must certainly be spiritual closeness between spouses.

Mirror of the era

As Sergei Tolstoy, the son of the classic writer, wrote, “From a realistic novel, such as Anna Karenina, what is required first of all is truthfulness; therefore, his material was not only large, but also small facts taken from real life.” But what could have prompted the author to come up with such a plot?

In the 19th century, divorce was rare. Society harshly condemned and despised women who dared to leave their family for another man. However, precedents did occur, including in Tolstoy’s family. For example, his distant relative Alexey Tolstoy married Sofya Bakhmeteva - when the couple met, Bakhmeteva was already married to someone else and had a daughter. To some extent, Anna Karenina is a collective image. Some features of her appearance are reminiscent of Maria Hartung, Pushkin’s daughter, and the author “wove” the character of the heroine and the situation in which she found herself from several different stories. The spectacular ending was also taken from life - the cohabitant of Tolstoy's neighbor in Yasnaya Polyana, Anna Pirogova, died under a train. She was very jealous of her lover, and somehow she quarreled with him and left for Tula. Three days later, the woman sent a letter to her partner through the coachman, and she threw herself under the wheels.

Nevertheless, critics were outraged by Tolstoy's novel. Anna Karenina was called immoral and amoral - that is, “in reality” readers treated her in exactly the same way as the secular characters in the book. The author’s description of the scene of intimacy between his heroine and Vronsky also caused a number of attacks. Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin referred to “Anna Karenina” as a “cow novel”, where Vronsky is a “bull in love”, and Nikolai Nekrasov wrote an epigram: