Who Anna Karenina is
Anna Karenina is graceful, intelligent and full of life, moving within Petersburg high society. She is married to Alexei Karenin, a senior government official, and has a young son named Seryozha.
Her brother, Stepan Oblonsky, calls her to Moscow after his wife Dolly discovers his unfaithfulness. Anna speaks with such feeling that Dolly decides to stay, showing her ability to understand another person's hurt.
Anna Karenina and the others in the story
In Moscow, Anna meets Count Alexei Vronsky, a rich young officer whose attention has encouraged Kitty Shcherbatskaya's hopes. At a ball, Kitty watches the attraction between Anna and Vronsky become clear. Anna returns to Petersburg unsettled, but Vronsky follows her and seeks her company.
Karenin values duty and appearances, but struggles to speak openly about feeling. As Anna's feelings change, she becomes newly aware of the distance between them.
What Anna Karenina wants
Anna refuses to hide her love, while her social world demands discretion rather than honesty. Her attachment to Vronsky exists alongside her deep love for Seryozha, which her romantic passion cannot replace. These competing bonds make her more than a symbol of scandal or a simple victim of society.
Questions
Who is Anna Karenina married to?
Anna is married to Alexei Karenin, a respected government official who lives by rules and duty.
Why does Anna Karenina go to Moscow?
She goes to help her brother Stepan Oblonsky reconcile with Dolly after his affair.
Is Anna Karenina a bad person?
Tolstoy does not present Anna as simply good or bad. He shows her warmth and love alongside her pride and jealousy, while exposing society's double standards.
