Anna Karenina

Levin and Kitty have a five-week engagement so they marry before Lent. Levin is surprised to learn Kitty wants to return to the estate and set up house rather than taking a trip abroad. He accepts that she wants to support the work that is most important to him, even if she has no frame of reference for it.

Levin is alarmed when Oblonsky reminds him he must go to confession and receive communion in order to be married. The priest tells him doubt is common even in the lives of the most faithful, and that Levin must raise his children within Orthodoxy and learn what he believes so he can teach them. Levin is unhappy with himself as he dislikes vague philosophical attitudes and knows his religious doubts make him no better than those he critiques. But he spends a happy evening with Kitty, relieved the religious requirement is satisfied.

Before the wedding, Levin’s brother and friends take him to dinner, reminding him that marriage is a loss of freedom. Levin tells himself that Kitty’s love is enough, but then begins to doubt her affections, recalling Vronsky. He rushes to her for reassurance. He is sent away so she can prepare; everyone is absorbed in logistics.

The narrative shifts to the prospective of the various onlookers: Much of Moscow high society has congregated for the occasion and does not understand why Levin is late. Levin’s valet forgot to prepare a clean shirt for the day, and the rest of his clothes are in transit. He is beside himself with anxiety until his servant finds the coach and gets a shirt. Levin forgets his prior worries as the betrothal ceremony begins. This precedes the formal wedding. Kitty experiences the ceremony as confirmation of a new life for her, which began when she accepted Levin’s proposal. Levin is brought to tears.

The narrator turns to the guests, reflecting on their own marriages and who will be the dominant party in the new Levin family. Dolly recalls her marriage, and Anna’s, saddened by the reminder that wedding optimism can give way to harsh realities. At the ceremony, Kitty and Levin are overcome with happiness, watching others crown them as bride and bridegroom according to Orthodox custom. Levin, stunned, kisses Kitty as instructed. They depart for his estate that evening.

The narrative shifts to Anna and Vronsky, newly settled in the Italian countryside with their daughter Annie. Vronsky has just returned to his hotel, having rented a villa for the family, when he learns a St. Petersburg acquaintance wishes to see him. He learns that this is Golenischev, a friend from the military academy, the Corps of Pages. Golenischev is aware of Vronsky’s unconventional domestic arrangements and accepts the situation. Anna tells him that Vronsky has taken up painting.

Anna, in this period, is happy to be away from Karenin and assures herself she is suffering for having hurt him, as she has left her son behind. But her joy at escaping overwhelms any guilt. She feels gratitude to Vronsky for all he has given up for her. He has been restless, but has taken up painting as his latest hobby. The narrator points out that he paints not out of passion, but more technically, inspired by existing trends. He paints a popular portrait of Anna, and assumes the study of Italian medieval art. He learns about a local Russian artist, Mikhailov, and begins to entertain the idea of becoming his patron. Golenischev dislikes the painter’s radical politics and that he has always been an atheist who disparages tradition. Anna, Vronsky, and Golenischev visit the artist. The narrator introduces Mikhailov, who is passionate and paints from conviction.

Mikhailov understands at once that Anna and Vronsky, typical of their class, are surveying all the local artists in order to demonstrate their sophistication. He is prepared to cordially receive them. Vronsky alienates him by talking of “technique” which he considers “mechanical” (475). The guests find one of his older works and decide to buy it, and to have Mikhailov paint Anna.

Mikhailov is distant and formal when working on the portrait, despite Vronsky’s efforts to discuss art with him. The three decide he is jealous of Vronsky, but the narrator stresses that actually he has a distaste for those who treat art as a casual pastime. Vronsky cannot admit to himself that Mikhailov’s work is better and has more depth and sophistication, but soon gives up art. He and Anna decide to return to Russia, to his family estate, and also to stop in Petersburg, as Anna hopes to reunite with her son.

Levin finds marriage does not precisely live up to his old ideals, as Kitty’s interest in housework confuses him and the couple argue more than he expected. Levin continues to cultivate his philosophy of political economy. He reproaches himself for being distracted by Kitty, and considers his wife lazy, which the narrator notes is because he does not recognize mastering housework as part of preparation for motherhood and running an estate.

Finding that Kitty has won over the housekeeper, Levin goes to tea and reads a letter from Marya Nikolaevna, Nikolai’s former mistress. She reports Nikolai is ill and destitute in provincial Russia. Levin decides to see him, trying to persuade Kitty to stay home. He upsets Kitty by suggesting she only wants to go to avoid boredom. He agrees, but is very upset at the idea Kitty would ever encounter Nikolai’s mistress, so socially far below Kitty.

Levin and Kitty find the hotel is badly run and their room is not well appointed. Levin goes to see Nikolai after telling Kitty to wait for him, anxious to avoid her meeting Marya Nikolaevna. Levin is appalled by his brother’s condition and sees that Nikolai is in denial about his approaching death. Kitty persuades Levin to let her visit, and arranges for better rooms for all of them.

Levin is overwhelmed by the presence of illness, while Kitty is busy and attends to every detail of Nikolai’s needs and comfort, cleaning the room and washing him. Levin weeps after helping his brother get ready for bed. Levin now realizes that Kitty’s practical grasp of the reality of death is better than his intellect. Kitty persuades Nikolai to receive last rites and maintains her belief Levin is good and not truly a nonbeliever. Levin thanks her for being there.

Chapter 20, titled “DEATH,” is the only titled chapter in the novel. Nikolai is anointed and briefly rallies, and later admits to Levin he remains an atheist but wanted to please Kitty. Levin finds himself jealous of Nikolai, who is finally learning of his greatest fear, what death is and what comes after. Nikolai suffers and Levin reproaches himself for hoping it all ends soon. Kitty briefly falls ill. A priest reads prayers and Nikolai smiles, barely alive. Levin dreads what is coming, but feels “love” (505) all around, especially after the doctor confirms Kitty is pregnant, which is the cause of her symptoms.

Karenin is confused to find himself “needed by none and despised by all” (505). He is miserable and tries to live his life as usual for a few days, but cannot, and knows he has no one in whom to confide. Karenin was raised an orphan and has few friends. He married Anna because her aunt pressured him, not out of passion. His only connections are professional and despite her offers of support, he balks at confiding in Countess Lydia Ivanovna.

Lydia breaks down Karenin’s resistance, offering him comfort and assuring him of his saintly nature and suffering. She takes charge of Serezha, telling him Anna is dead. Although she is a terrible housekeeper, Karenin is grateful to her soothing his emotional wounds. He takes great comfort from the idea the narrator calls “an invented loftiness from which he, despised by everyone, could despise others” (511). Lydia, an abandoned wife, is in love with Karenin. When she receives a letter from Anna asking to see Serezha, she delights in refusing her and ignoring the letter. She resolves to meet Karenin at a reception honoring his new award from the tsar, to warn him Anna has returned.

Karenin has just received the Order of Alexander Nevsky—a high honor in the Russian empire second only to the Order of St. Andrew. He is oblivious to the gossip around him concerning Lydia’s devotion and his marriage to Anna. The narrator notes that unbeknownst to him, Karenin’s career success is slowing. Karenin finds Lydia at the reception, glad to have an ally.

Lydia tells Karenin Anna is in the city, and is overcome by this attempt to remain impassive. At Lydia’s, Karenin reads Anna’s letter, and Lydia convinces him his forgiveness should not extend to letting Anna see their son. Karenin distracts himself from the “painful memories” (520) of his marriage, his past anger for Anna, and her departure by reminding himself of his new higher purpose.

Meanwhile, Serezha chatters to the servants about his birthday and Karenin’s award. He wants his tutors to love and care for him. He does not accept that Anna is dead, or that she must be socially dead to him, as Karenin explained when Serezha learned she was alive. Serezha struggles in his Bible lesson because he learns best with love and patience, not the sternness his tutors and Karenin display. Serezha thinks death is impossible, and before bed he prays for a reunion with Anna.

Anna and Vronsky stay on separate floors of a large hotel. Vronsky has convinced himself that society must accept their arrangement, but learns Anna cannot attend events as he can. Even Betsy hesitates when she learns there is no divorce, and Vronsky is angry when she tells him she must think of her daughters and their reputation. Anna is obsessed with seeing Serezha, but knowing his indifference, says nothing to Vronsky.

Anna becomes so angry at Lydia, Karenin, and Lydia’s dismissive letter that she resolves to visit her son for his birthday and buys many toys. The servants let her in, and she has a brief, joyful reunion. Serezha struggles to understand why Anna feels guilt and she urges him to love his father. She sees Karenin and becomes filled with anger. Anna returns to the hotel, realizing how much more she loves her son than her daughter, and again begins to doubt Vronsky’s love and resent his freedom. He arrives with his regimental friend Yashvin, and takes the social risk of asking him to dinner.

Vronsky notices Anna is in a strange mood, and tries to sway her from her new plan of going to the theater, since she will be socially snubbed there. He does not succeed, and the narrator notes he “speaks the way her husband had once spoken to her” (542) in trying to know what she is thinking. She refuses to hear his fears for her social shame. For his part, Vronsky “felt that his respect for her was decreasing at the same time as his consciousness of her beauty increased” (543). Agitated, he decides to go to the theater, and sees that Anna has been in an embarrassing conversation with an acquaintance, and is attempting to conceal her feelings. Vronsky meets his sister-in-law, who explains Anna was openly insulted. When the two meet at the hotel, they quarrel and Anna accuses him of no longer loving her; he feels “ashamed” (549) by his urge to reassure her otherwise. They leave for his country house the next day, the argument forgotten.