Anna Karenina, Part 3, Chapter 31 summary

What happens

1. Levin recognizes Nikolay’s arrival with reluctance, then feels pity when he sees how wasted his brother looks.
2. Nikolay comes for his inheritance money and a restorative stay, speaking cheerfully about work and a fresh start.
3. He explains that he dismisses Marya Nikolaevna, while the narrator reveals his resentment of her care.
4. The brothers discuss their affairs, but both think about Nikolay’s approaching death and avoid naming it.
5. Listening to Nikolay cough at night, Levin confronts his own mortality and examines his body for signs of decline.
6. Memories of their happy childhood sharpen Levin’s distress, and he remains unable to understand death or help his brother.

In this chapter

What to notice

Levin recognizes that his plans ignore mortality. His brother’s illness turns an abstract fact into a personal crisis.

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