ABOUT THE AUTHOR
• Lev Nikolayevich, Graf (count) Tolstoy
• 9 September 28 August 1828 – 20 November 191
• That he never won is a major controversy.
• Realistic fiction
• War and Peace and Anna Karenina
CHARACTER LIST
• Alexei Alexandrovich Karenin
senior statesman and Anna's husband, twenty years her senior.
• Konstantin "Kostya" Dmitrievich Levin/Lyovin
Kitty's suitor, Stiva's old friend, landowner, 32 years of age.
• Nikolai Dmitrievich Levin/Lyovin
Konstantin's elder brother, impoverished alcoholic.
• Sergei Ivanovich Koznyshev –
Konstantin's half-brother, celebrated writer, 40 years of age.
• CHARACTER LIST
• Princess Ekaterina "Kitty" Alexandrovna Shcherbatskaya :
Dolly's younger sister and later Levin's wife, 18 years of age.
• Princess Elizaveta "Betsy" Tverskaya
Anna's wealthy, morally loose society friend and Vronsky's cousin.
• Countess Lidia (or Lydia) –
leader of a high society circle that includes Karenin, and shuns Princess Betsy and her circle.
She maintains an interest in the Russian Orthodox, mystical and spiritual.
• CHARACTER LIST
• Anna Karenina-
Anna Arkadyevna Karenina -Stepan Oblonsky's sister, Karenin's wife and Vronsky's lover.
• Count Alexei Kirillovich Vronsky : Anna's lover, cavalry officer.
• Prince Stepan "Stiva" Arkadyevich Oblonsky - civil servant and Anna's brother, man about town, 34 years of age. (Stepan and Stiva are Russianized forms of Stephen and Steve, respectively.)
• Princess Darya "Dolly" Alexandrovna Oblonskaya -Stepan's wife, 33 years of age.
• CHARACTER LIST
• Princess Darya Alexandrovna Oblonsky (Dolly)
Stiva's long-suffering wife and Kitty's older sister.
• Nicolai Dmitrich Levin -Levin's profligate brother who dies of tuberculosis.
• THEME OF THE TEXT
• Social change in nineteenth-century Russia;
• the blessings of family life;
• the philosophical value of farming and the agrarian connection to land in contrast to the lifestyles of the city.
• Adultery , forgiveness
• hypocrisy, jealousy, faith, marriage, society, progress,
• carnal desire and passion,
• HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE TEXT
• The events in the novel take place against the backdrop of rapid transformations as a result of the liberal reforms initiated by Emperor Alexander II of Russia,
• principal among these the Emancipation reform of 1861,
• followed by judicial reform, including a jury system; military reforms, the introduction of elected local governments (Zemstvo),
• HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE TEXT
• the fast development of railroads, banks, industry, telegraph, the rise of new business elites and the decline of the old landed aristocracy, a freer press, the awakening of public opinion, the Pan Slavism movement, the woman question, volunteering to aid Serbia in its military conflict with the Ottoman Empire in 1876 etc. These contemporary developments are hotly debated by the characters in the novel.
• The suburban railway station of Obiralovka, where one of the characters commits suicide, is now known as the town of Zheleznodorozhny, Moscow Oblast.
• SETTING OF THE STORY
• Setting -Time-The 1870s
• Setting –Place - Various locations throughout Russia,
including Moscow, St. Petersburg, and the Russian provinces, with brief interludes in Germany and Italy
• PART-1 SUMMARY
• Dolly and Stiva are from Oblonsky family.
• Stiva holds excellent post in Moscow.
• Dolly is a housewife , representing a true Russian mother.
• Dolly and Stiva are married since 9 years.
• She is a devoted wife who cares about her husband and family dedicatedly.
• They have 5 children whom both love a lot.
• PART-1 SUMMARY
• Dolly takes care of her children and ignores her health and beauty.
• But for Stiva his marital life is secondary.
• He prioritizes his official duty and his luxury.
• This shows in Russia men and women were not assigned equal rights and responsibilities.
• Stiva ditches his wife by having extra marital affairs.
• PART-1 SUMMARY
• He has an affair with the French governess.
• Clash between Dolly and Stiva
• Dolly wants divorce.
• --------.
• PART-1 SUMMARY
• Even servants know about their master’s illegal relationships.
• Stiva is smart and devotes time to smarten himself always.
• He receives a telegram about his sister Anna Arkadyevna Karenina’s arrival.
• Anna may reconcile them.
• PART-1 SUMMARY
• Reads newsletters and he feels his affairs should not be a problem for the rest.
• Stiva loves his children truly.
• Dolly was collecting her belongings to leave for her maternal home.
• Contrast in husband and wife , husband fresh and healthy , wife ill and dull.
• PART-1 SUMMARY
• People are deceived by his appearance.
• They think he is a family man who is able to manage everything and everyone.
• Dolly is hurt for her husbands adultery.
• Stiva tries to stop her by pleading but that makes Dolly more angry.
.-------.
• PART-1 SUMMARY
• Through Dolly Stiva’s story Leo generates all the themes of the novel.
• Dolly and Stiva then Levin and Kitty contrast Anna Karenina.
• Levin is a thoughtful and intense man.
• Levin resembles the writer Leo Tolstoy himself.
• His interest lies in farming , raising livestock etc.
• He manages his ancestral property.
• Levin considers urban life to be frivolous and superficial.
• PART-1 SUMMARY
• Stiva has no regret for extramarital affairs.
• Both of them were of different temperament but still they had a strong bonding.
• While meeting his friend he had seen Kitty Shtcherbatsky, Dolly’s sister.
• Levin was in truelove with her.
• That he had come to propose Kitty for marriage.
• PART-1 SUMMARY
• He feels that Kitty is the best person in this world.
• Levin was staying with his half-brother , Kozznyshev Sergey Ivanitch Koznyshev.
• He was a thinker and writer.
• He wanted to solve intellectual problems of Russian politics.
• His views are contradictory to Levin’s.
• He have already left Zemstvo Organization.
• They promote provincial self-government in general.
• PART-1 SUMMARY
• Ivanitch inform Levin that their brother Nicolai started living in Moscow.
• He slows an IOU ( In formal Promissory note ) to levin.
• The pronunciation has come from I Owe You.
• Nicolai wants to be left in peace.
• H e was a wasteful person who quarreled with his brother.
• Levin wants to visit Nicolai once but he wants to complete the task of proposal making at first.
• PART-1 SUMMARY
ü He finds Kitty in Zoological gardens’ Skating rink.
ü Among that huge crowd he could see only and only Kitty.
ü He finds her soft ,serene, thoughtful with mesmerizing smile.
ü Kitty and Levin skate together and have a wonderful time.
ü Kitty’s mother is not in favour of having Levin as her son-in-law.
• PART-1 SUMMARY
• Kitty did not want to disappoint therefore bids Levin farewell in a friendly manner as usual.
• Stiva arrives and with Levin goes for the dinner.
• Dinner is lavish in royal standards.
• Bronzes , starchy tablecloth mirrors , obsequious waiters, wines.
• Levin was a simple guy so didn’t enjoy much.
• PART-1 SUMMARY
• In that royal ambience too he was reminiscing the time spent with Kitty.
• In Levin’s opinion city life is unproductive and artificial.
• Stiva supports pleasurable city life marking it as civilization.
• Stiva likes Lavin but he was doubtful as Count Vronsky was also in love with Kitty.
• PART-1 SUMMARY
• Alexey Kirillovitch Vronsky was a military officer rich , brilliant , well connected.
• Just like a gilded youth of Petersburg.
• Levin fells disappointed his desire to marry Kitty shatters.
• Oblonsky informs Levin about his marital clashes because of his extramaritalaffairs.
• PART-1 SUMMARY
• Levin was a monogamous person therefore declares that he loathes fallen women.
• Stiva tell him about the complexity of life.
• Life is full of variety ,charm , and beauty, it has both light and shadow.
•
• PART-1 SUMMARY
• He is wrong to believe that one’s work ,one’s relationships ,one’s thoughts must always correspond to a defined aim in life.
• After dinner the two friends part.
• Levin was still hopeful to get Kitty in his life.
• In this chapter the writer wants to covey that Levin was frank enough to favour rural life.
• PART-1 SUMMARY
• H e further says he has no belongingness in Zemstvo.
• He mocks Stiva for his bureaucratic job as a sinecure.
• Kitty was his passion.
• Levin was compared with two eminent men Koznyshev and Nicolai.
• PART-1 SUMMARY
• The writer introduces Kitty who is 18yr old girl.
• There are two suitors for her for marriage.
• The parents of Kitty were also concerned about their daughter's marriage.
• The old Prince Shtcherbastsky says that it was easier to get children married in older days.
• PART-1 SUMMARY
• Children tend to take wrong decisions which leads to unsuccessful marriage.
• The father of Kitty prefers Levin for his simplicity.
• Mother likes modern Military officer Vronsky for his dash and brilliance.
• Kitty finds both men suitable but wants to settle with Vronsky.
• PART-1 SUMMARY
• Kitty denies the love proposal of Levin but in her heart she feels sorry for making him sad.
• Her mother too become elated for her choice.
• Levin wanted to see the choice of Kitty so remains in party and he feels Vronsky is fit foe kitty and slips from the life of Kitty quietly.
• PART-1 SUMMARY
• Kitty’s father argues with mother for not scolding the daughter for her wrong decision.
• Father is scared that Kitty will have fate just like her sister Dolly.
• Here the writer compares two aristocrats.
• Kitty shows happiness for the proposal of Levin as well ,she is just happy that two eligible heros chose her.
• PART-1 SUMMARY
• We see her immaturity for hasty decision.
• Through the verbal argument we get to know about the complexity of marriage in a modern society.
• PART-1 SUMMARY
• Vronsky had likings for Kitty but it was not deep and sincere as Levin’s.
• The next day Vronsky waits for his mother at the station.
• At the station he meets Oblonsky /Stiva who was waiting for his sister ,Anna Karenina.
• PART-1 SUMMARY
• He tells him about the choice of Kitty , and disappointment of Levin .
• He fells superior to Levin.
• The train arrives and his mother tells about her co-passenger Anna.
• She tells Vronsky that its been 8yrs that Anna had not seen her son.
• Vronsky couldn't keep his eyes away from Madame Karenina.
• PART-1 SUMMARY
• At that moment an accident occurs and Vronsky gives some money to the wife of the victim but Anna thinks he wants benefit from her therefore he did do.
• She didn’t like Vronsky for some known reasons.
• On the was back Anna asked if Stiva knows Vronsky since years.
• Stiva then says that he will soon get married to Kitty.
• Anna did not want to continue the conversation having Vronsky as topic.
• PART-1 SUMMARY
• Reaching home Anna talks with Dolly and tried to convince her.
• She says Stiva is very sorry for adultery.
• She requests her to forgive her husband .
• Dolly gets impressed by the kindness and warmth of Anna.
• Anna remembers everyone with their names ,ages, and disease history which impressed Dolly.
• Anna says if she loves Stiva she should forgive him.
• PART-1 SUMMARY
• Dolly was won over by Anna’s sympathy and understanding.
• Kitty was also impressed by the beauty and charm of Anna.
• Anna’s eagerness , freshness, the elasticity of her movement
• Seems to be those of a girl in twenties while her seriousness and mourful smile attract Kitty to her maturity.
• Anna congratulates Kitty for Vronsky.
• PART-1 SUMMARY
• The next day a party was held.
• Kitty was very happy as she received attention from everyone because of Vronsky.
• She was thinking Vronsky will propose her for the marriage that night.
• Anna appear in the party in simple black velvet gown looking extremely elegant.
• PART-1 SUMMARY
• Vronsky and Anna dance in the party awkwardly.
• Anna’s beauty of twenties gave competition to Kitty in future.
• Kitty could see Vronsky falling for Anna which makes her sad but the charm was inescapable.
• PART-1 SUMMARY
• In the other side Levin after leaving Shtcherbastskys walks to his brother’s lodging.
• He considers himself worthless compared to Vronsky ,his brother is ill and no royal stuffs he has.
• His brother Nicolai lives with his common-law wife, Marya Nicolaevna.
• Marya was saved by Nicolai from a brothel.
• PART-1 SUMMARY
• Levin was depressed to stay there therefore asking Martha to write a letter if required he retires for his home.
• Levin was deeply shaken by the rejection of Kitty.
• He had thought to live a simple and lovely life after marriage but now his views changed.
• He was too much attached to his home.
• He wanted to have a wife who will fulfill the vacant place of his mother who died early.
• PART-1 SUMMARY
• Sitting with his faithful; servant ,Agafea Mihalovna,he decided to move on from this pain.
• Levin’s house , land and peasants represent his roots and the source of his nourishment.
• Levin’s return to his country strikes a strong contrast with the events at the ball.
• Anna and Vronsky –the social milieu of town life
• Levin and Kitty –natural life of the country.
• PART-1 SUMMARY
• The next day Anna wants to leave to avoid Vronsky.
• Before leaving Anna says she has caused miseries to Kitty.
• But Dolly says Kitty has given up her likings over fickle minded man.
• Both the ladies exchange hugs.
• Anna was happy returning to her home where her husband and son was waiting.
• PART-1 SUMMARY
• She was relieved for being away from Vronsky.
• Some strange thing ashamed her.
• Suddenly Vronsky appears and her face lights up as if even she was waiting for him.
• Finally she comes back home but dissatisfied.
• Her son gives her solace and arrival of her friend the Countess Lydia Ivanovna adds to it.
• PART-1 SUMMARY
• At night her husband ,Alexey Alexandrovitch returns.
• She narrates everything about the trip except Vronsky’s episode.
• She feels that her husband is very nice man but she cannot love him.
• In the next part we see Vronsky had gone back and meets Petrivsky .
• Vronsky dresses up in his uniform to report to the job.
• PART-1 SUMMARY
• He wanted to meet Madame Karenina someday somehow therefore he thought of calling his cousin Princess Betsy Tverskoy.
• Princess Betsy Tverskoy was known to him through marriage .
• On the other side Kitty has fallen ill because of broken heart .
• Kitty’s father scolds his wife foe encouraging her for Vronsky.
• Later Dolly too feels Kitty should marry Levin.
• Dolly’s children were suffering from scarlet fever.
• Kitty comes to help her sister Dolly .
• PART-2 SUMMARY
• In a party Anna and Vrosky meet and express love for her ,she was unable to reply.
• Karenin sees Anna with Vronsky and feels jealous.
• He starts imagining the situation if hiswifecouldlove someone else than her husband.
• He argues with Anna making her embarrassed.
• Meeting Vronsky she says he is the only asset left in life.
• PART-2 SUMMARY
• Anna knew that she will never be able to love her husband and Vronsky will love her deeply.
• Vronsky too was in love but his duties were prioritized over love.
• Everyone could see intense silent affair growing between Anna and Vronsky.
• Anna used to drem that she is happy with both the men and they did not have any problem in this but it was a dream which could not be true.
• PART-2 SUMMARY
• Anna starts avoiding all the social meetings.
• She steps into tragedy by promoting adultery.
• She was outlawed and removed from social protection offers.
• PART-2 SUMMARY
• Levin was now adapted in village life.
• He devoted his life in the improvement of his estate.
• Stepan Arkadyevitch (Stiva) wants to sell a forest property of his wife .
• Levin and Stiva enjoy the day in the forest.
• Ryabinin , the land purchaser comes.
• Money hungry Stiva settles the deal for the low rate.
• Levin gets angry at this.
• PART-2 SUMMARY
• Later on two friends talks about Shtcherbatskys (Kitty).
• He learns that Vronsky had superficial attraction towards her.
• He also learns about her illness.
• He criticizes aristocracy for fake reputation.
• He argues with Stiva for devaluing moral ethics and culture.
• On the other side Vronsky was getting reprimanded for his affair with Anna by his mother.
• PART-2 SUMMARY
• He continues his passion even in this crucial situation.
• He buys a mare,Frou-Frou,and takes part in race.
• He drives to Anna’s house.
• She says she has a child ,Seriozha,because of which she cannot take divorce.
• She was pregnant too with Vronsky’s child.
• He looses the race for his own mistake.
• .
• PART-2 SUMMARY
• This race is symbolic to the love race ,Anna id deeply in love but Vronsky is not hence commits mistake
• This leads to moral tragedy.
• Keranin meets Anna at their summer villa.
• Now,in the race course Vronsky gets hurt just like other officers.
• Anna could not stop from weeping in public.
• She accepts openly that she loves Vrosky and he is her husband.
• PART-3 SUMMARY
• Marya Nicolaevna and Nicolai visit Kitty in the hospital.
• Kitty wanted to serve poor and needy to divert her mind with the help of Varenka.
• She then understands the hypocrisy of religious enthusiasm.
• Here she becomes matured and understands that the deary things of this world are just futile.
• She again inclines towards marriage and family.
• PART-4 SUMMARY
• Karenin threatens Anna ,if she continues her affair with Vronsky then he will take away their son from her.
• Anna does not pay heed to his words and meets Vronsky.
• Karenin wants divorce now consulting a lawyer.
• Russia then did not support divorce easily.
• Innocent party must prove the guilty party.
• Karenin collects love letters of Vronsky.
• PART-4 SUMMARY
• Anna conceives and gives birth to a daughter,Annie, but while undergoing delivery she was about to die.
• Karenin forgives Vronsky for his deeds.
• Vronsky out of guilt tries to commit suicide.
• Anna recovers and learns that Vronsky isleavingfor his duty at Tashkent.
• PART-4 SUMMARY
• She becomes desperate and accepts that though she was forgiven by Karenin for her adultery she cannot live without Vronsky.
• Leaving her daughter and son they elope to Europe.
• At Oblonsky’s family Levin and Kitty get married.
• PART-5 SUMMARY
• Levin and Kitty are happy after turmoiled relationship of months.
• Kitty wants maximum time of Levin .
• Levin experiences that he has become less productive after marriage.
• At that time Nicolai become very serious of consumption.
• Kitty accompanies Levin and assists Nicolai in nursing.
• Levin loves Kitty more for this.
• PART-5 SUMMARY
• On the other side Vronsky and Anna were getting bored of each other.
• Both decide to return to Russia.
• In Russia they live separately in hotel as Anna belonged to higher class and she had to maintain decorum of her class though already spoilt.
• Even Betsy, her friend does not help her.
• PART-5 SUMMARY
• Meanwhile,Karenin is comforted by Countess Lydia Ivanovna.
• She provoke Karenin to tell a lie that his son’s mother is dead.
• Anna starts feeling that Vronsky no more loves her.
• She wants to attend a theater and communicate with society .
• Vronsky asks her to stop.
• Society snubs her and again both leaves for Vronsky’s country.
• PART-6 SUMMARY
• Dolly visits Anna’s place .
• Vronsky requests Dolly to convince Anna to take divorce so that they two can marry.
• Levin and Kitty meet Anna here.
• Levin was also about to get attracted to Anna but stops himself.
• Anna was not able to understand why is she able to attract Levin but not Vronsky anymore.
• PART-7 SUMMARY
• Kitty gives birth to a child,Dmitri.
• Anna understood the uselessness of her decisions and regrets.
• She starts doubt him and becomes irrational and doubtful.
• She starts thinking about suicide now.
• Finaaly she does so .
• Karenin takes the custody of Anna’’s daughter.
• Thewritersays that “No one may build their happiness on another’s pain”.
• THANK YOU
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