Novel Tragedy

Anna Karenina
Author Years Published Original Language
Leo Tolstoy 1875–77 Russian

MAIN CHARACTERS

Love and Grit In Anna Karenina marriage requires sacrifice, compromise, and faithfulness.
Anna exerts her individuality—betraying a cold husband and embracing a
passionate lover—but destroys herself and her family in the process. Anna
is contrasted with Levin, who tempers his individualism for the woman he
loves and learns to become part of a happy couple.

Karenin Anna Levin Kitty

Cold, conventional husband Passionate, dissatisfied Passionate idealist Dolly’s sensitive and
wife; falls in love with sheltered but courageous
another man little sister

Friendship

Romance

Married
Vronsky Stiva Dolly
Family Persistent, smitten suitor Unfaithful husband but Maternal, forgiving
affectionate brother sister-in-law

Symbols

Frou-Frou Trains Farming

Horse that symbolizes Anna, Represent society and Stands for humans’ harmony
whom Vronsky uses and how progress can undermine with nature and the essential
unintentionally abuses traditional values function of providing food

Anna Karenina
Author
by the Numbers

3 6
Couples whose Children Dolly and Stiva have
relationships are closely
examined in Anna Karenina

LEO TOLSTOY
1828–1910

A Russian novelist and reformer,

Tolstoy set Anna Karenina in an era
of social and political ferment in
which he articulates his ideas

1935 1 about women’s rights, judicial

Year the film adaptation
starring Greta Garbo was
released
Rank in Time top 10
greatest books of all time
survey of famous writers
reform, and socialism. Anna
Karenina is praised for pioneering
stream-of-consciousness writing.

Themes

Jealousy Family

Lack of trust or belief in one’s Although it curtails individual

partner is corrosive and destroys freedom, family provides love,
relationships. comfort, and security.

Loyalty Passion

All relationships depend on fidelity; Those ruled by passion are

a violation of trust does irreparable destroyed; those who rule their
damage. passions create something good.

ll happy families are alike; each unhappy

family is unhappy in its own way.
Narrator, Part 1

Sources: Biography.com, Encyclopaedia Britannica, IMDb, PBS,

The New Yorker, Time

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