Who Count Alexei Vronsky is
Count Alexei Vronsky is handsome, rich and confident, at ease in the social world where Kitty Shcherbatskaya admires him. He is used to pleasant flirtations and gives little thought to what his attention means to her.
He first meets Anna at the Moscow railway station while greeting his mother. At a ball, his attraction to Anna becomes painfully clear to Kitty, who expects him to declare his love.
What Count Alexei Vronsky wants
Vronsky follows Anna to Petersburg and enters the same social circle so that he can see her often. What begins as attraction becomes a love for which he gives up a promising career.
Yet he also wants friendships and work on his estate, interests that Anna cannot fully share. His love is real, but he grows restless when she asks for all his attention.
Count Alexei Vronsky and the others in the story
Vronsky's pursuit of Anna places him in conflict with her marriage to Alexei Karenin, a senior government official. Anna struggles with the distance between her husband's formal manner and the passion she feels for Vronsky.
Their relationship also reveals how differently society treats private affairs and openly acknowledged love. As Anna loses social support, she depends more heavily on Vronsky and watches anxiously for signs of fading affection.
Questions
Who is Count Alexei Vronsky?
Count Alexei Vronsky is the wealthy cavalry officer who falls in love with Anna Karenina.
Does Vronsky love Kitty Shcherbatskaya?
His courtship of Kitty is casual, while she believes herself in love with him. He does not consider how much hope his attention gives her.
Does Vronsky truly love Anna?
Yes, Vronsky genuinely loves Anna and sacrifices a promising career for their relationship. That devotion does not remove his need for a life beyond their love.