Anna Karenina, Part 5, Chapter 20 summary

What happens

1. Nikolay receives religious rites and briefly improves, but renewed coughing destroys his own hope and his carers’ relief.
2. He turns to iodine, dismisses the ceremony, and appears close to death during a long night with Levin.
3. Nikolay survives the night, demands more medical help, and responds irritably to Sergey Ivanovitch’s request for forgiveness.
4. His worsening pain exhausts everyone around him, while his conflicting requests reveal that nothing brings lasting relief.
5. Kitty becomes unwell, and Nikolay dies that evening after prayers and a final correction of the priest’s announcement.
6. Levin feels renewed terror before death, finds strength in love, and learns that Kitty is pregnant.

In this chapter

What to notice

The sentence marks Levin’s response to his brother’s death. His fear remains, but love gives him a reason to embrace life.

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