Anna Karenina, Part 8, Chapter 9 summary

What happens

1. Levin reads nonmaterialist philosophers, but their explanations seem empty when he tests them against life.
2. Replacing Schopenhauer’s idea of will with love briefly satisfies him, but this explanation also fails.
3. At Sergey Ivanovitch’s suggestion, Levin reads Homiakov and feels drawn to belief through a loving church community.
4. Conflicting claims of church authority destroy his confidence in Homiakov’s teaching.
5. Throughout spring, Levin fears that his life is merely a temporary accident without meaning.
6. He comes close to suicide, hides a cord, and fears carrying his gun, but continues living.

In this chapter

What to notice

The closing sentence separates Levin’s despairing reasoning from his continued existence. His questions remain unresolved, but he does not act on his suicidal thoughts.

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