Anna Karenina illustration. The image of a woman in literary works

Anna Arkadyevna Karenina- character in L. Tolstoy’s novel “Anna Karenina”

Plunging into the atmosphere of the novel “Anna Karenina” by Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy, the reader involuntarily thinks about the difficult fate of a woman, the meaning of her life and the role of love. Characteristic.

The main character of the novel is Anna Karenina appears before us as a secular young woman with a very attractive appearance. She is open, friendly, cheerful. Anna is devoid of all this pretense inherent in society ladies of that time, she is a wonderful mother and loving wife. To those around her, her family seems exemplary. But only Anna knows that behind the ostentatious gloss hides falsehood and pretense. The spouses are not connected by love at all, but only by mutual respect.

Painting by Kramskoy. Prototype of Karenina

Meeting with fresh wind change bursts into life main character novel. She is fascinated by a surging feeling that she is unable to resist. Anna begins to experience a thirst for life and a need for love. In the end, this passion takes over her completely. At the same time, Anna experiences painful remorse and feels like a traitor. Karenin’s behavior aggravates her condition; he generously forgives the traitor and tries to save the marriage. Anna's feelings for her husband turn from indifference into hatred.

Leaving her husband does not bring Anna Karenina the long-awaited peace of mind. No one and nothing can save Anna from painful thoughts. Her heart ceased to rejoice at both her little daughter and her beloved Vronsky. She is disappointed that her love could not overcome the trials that befell her. The woman begins to blame Vronsky for her troubles:

“My love...everything is becoming more passionate and selfish, but his everything is extinguished and extinguished, and that’s why we disagree, and this cannot be helped.”

The situation is aggravated by the fact that Anna is forced to be separated from her own son. The heroine begins to feel unhappy, and excessive use of morphine completely aggravates her condition. Anna is tired of feeling guilty and doomed; the heroine is increasingly visited by thoughts of death. Karenina's life collapses in a fit of sincere, truthful and real feelings.

The novel is based on traditional concept about the morality of women. The novel clearly shows one of the main themes of Tolstoy’s work - the alienation of the world from man. Anna Karenina's love for Vronsky was under the powerful influence of public censure. Insincerity and disunity in the family have become main reason tragedy that happened to this attractive and sincere woman.

Lev Nikolaevich, being a subtle psychologist, in his novel avoids unambiguous characteristics of the heroes and their actions. This allows the reader to evaluate the situation in which Anna Karenina found herself, independently, relying on her own value system and ideas about “bad” and “good.” The author leaves the answer to the question: “Who is to blame for the death of Anna Karenina?” However, he brings the reader to the realization that the main cause of personality destruction is a disorder of mental balance and moral destruction.

Anna Karenina, a character who will have her prototypes at all times. IN modern society There are many women who are forced to fight for their love, enter into confrontation with society and contradict themselves. Cinematic and theatrical performances present to us the image of Anna Karenina, through the prism of their own vision.

The death of the heroine can be viewed as mental weakness, or it can be assessed on the contrary, as strength of character. Depth of feelings, integrity of character and topicality of the eternal human problems come to the fore in the novel and are realized in the image of Anna Karenina.

Actresses who played Karenina:

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Set of 16 postcards with cover.
Publishing house " art" 1979
Format 15 x 10.5 cm
Circulation 215,000
The price of one postcard is 3 kopecks
The first exemplary printing house named after A.A. Zhdanov

The proposed set of postcards contains illustrations to L. N. Tolstoy’s novel “Anna Karenina” - one of the most significant works Russian literature. The author of the illustrations is Orest Georgievich Vereisky, folk artist RSFSR, corresponding member of the USSR Academy of Arts. Vereisky's work is familiar to a wide range of viewers and readers. The artist's works are distinguished by high craftsmanship, thin artistic taste and penetration. Working hard and fruitfully in book graphics, Vereisky created illustrations for the works of I. A. Bunin, I. A. Goncharov, M. A. Sholokhov, A. T. Tvardovsky, A. A. Fadeev, E. Hemingway, H. Laxness and other Russian, Soviet and foreign writers.

Oblonsky and Vronsky

Who are you meeting? - he asked.
- I? “I’m a pretty woman,” said Oblonsky.
- That's how it is!

Too much big success

2. She refused five and now did not dance the mazurka. There was not even a hope that she would be invited, precisely because she had too much success in the world, and it could not have occurred to anyone that she had not been invited until now. She should have told her mother that she was sick and gone home, but she didn’t have the strength to do that. She felt killed.

Nice spring

3. - Spring is good, Vasily.
- Yes, it’s such a spring, the old people won’t remember. I was at home, and an old man there also sowed three fields of wheat. So he says, you can’t tell it from rust.
- How long ago have you started sowing wheat?
- Yes, you taught the year after the summer; You donated two measures to me. A quarter was sold, and three osminas were sown.
“Well, look, grind the clods,” said Levin, approaching the horse, “and look after Mishka.” If it grows well, you get fifty kopecks per tithe.
- Thank you humbly. We seem to be very pleased with you.

Caught bird

4. She was completely lost. She began to fight like a caught bird: she either wanted to get up and go somewhere, or turned to Betsy.
“Let’s go, let’s go,” she said.

Kopna

5. Levin took a closer look at Vanka Parmenov and his wife. They were winding a mop not far from him.

I don't have lunch at home.

6. - Alexey Alexandrovich! What you want from me?
“I need you not to meet this man here and for you to behave in such a way that neither the world nor the servants can blame you... so that you don’t see him.” It doesn't seem like much. And for this you will enjoy all the rights of an honest wife, without fulfilling her duties. That's all I have to tell you. Now it's time for me to go. I don't have lunch at home.
He stood up and headed towards the door. Anna stood up too. He bowed silently and let her pass.

Another smile

7. The mocking shine went out in her eyes, but another smile - knowledge of something unknown to him and quiet sadness - replaced her previous expression.

Doctors said there was no hope.

8. Alexey Alexandrovich went into her office. Vronsky sat on a low chair at her table, side to back, and, covering his face with his hands, wept. He jumped up at the doctor’s voice, took his hands away from his face and saw Alexei Alexandrovich. Seeing his husband, he was so embarrassed that he sat down again, pulling his head into his shoulders, as if wanting to disappear somewhere; but he made an effort over himself, stood up and said:
- She is dying. Doctors said there was no hope. I am entirely in your power, but let me be here... however, I am in your will, I...
Alexey Alexandrovich, seeing Vronsky’s tears, felt a surge of that mental disorder that the sight of other people’s suffering produced in him, and, turning his face away, he, without listening to his words, hurriedly went to the door.

All of Moscow was in the church

9. All of Moscow, relatives and friends, were in the church. And during the betrothal ceremony, in the brilliant lighting of the church, in the circle of dressed-up women, girls and men in white ties, tailcoats and uniforms, the decently quiet conversation did not cease, which was mainly started by men, while the women were absorbed in observing all the details of what always affected them. sacred rites.

I'm much better

10. “I feel much better,” he said. “With you, I would have recovered long ago.” How good! - He took her hand and pulled it to his lips, but, as if afraid that it would be unpleasant for her, he changed his mind, released it and only stroked it. Kitty took this hand with both hers and shook it.
“Now put me on the left side and go to sleep,” he said.
No one heard what he said, only Kitty understood. She understood because she never stopped thinking about what he needed.

Seryozha! My dear boy!

11. - Seryozha! My dear boy! - she said, gasping and hugging his plump body with her arms.
- Mother! - he said, moving under her hands to in different places body touch her hands.
Smiling sleepily, all with eyes closed, he grabbed her shoulders with his chubby little hands from the headboard, leaned against her, dousing her with that sweet sleepy smell and warmth that only children have, and began rubbing his face on her neck and shoulders.
“I knew,” he said, opening his eyes. “Today is my birthday.” I knew you would come...

Hunting panache

12. Vasenka Veslovsky did not understand before this real hunting panache - to be in reproaches, but to have the hunting gear himself best quality. He realized this now, looking at Stepan Arkadyevich, in these reproaches his elegant, well-fed and cheerful lordly figure shone, and decided that for the next hunt he would certainly arrange himself like this.

What a joy!

13. Having approached the carriage, she jumped off without help and, supporting the Amazon, ran up to meet Dolly.
- I thought so and didn’t dare think. What a joy! “You can’t imagine my joy!” she said, now pressing her face to Dolly and kissing her, now pulling away and looking at her with a smile.

I definitely forget her

14. - Not once since I’ve been married have I said that it would be better otherwise than as it is...
- Is it true? - she said, looking into his eyes.
He said this without thinking, just to console her. But when he looked at her and saw that those truthful, sweet eyes were looking at him questioningly, he repeated the same thing with all his heart. “I’m definitely forgetting her,” he thought. And he remembered what awaited them so soon.
- How soon? How do you feel? - he whispered, taking both her hands.

Yes it's me.

15. “Who is this?” - she thought, looking in the mirror at her inflamed face with strangely shining eyes, looking at her in fear. “Yes, it’s me,” she suddenly realized, and, looking around herself, she felt his kisses on her and, shuddering, moved her shoulders. Then she raised her hand to her lips and kissed her.

Can I believe?

16. “But can I believe in everything that the church professes?” - he thought, testing himself and coming up with everything that could destroy his current calm. He deliberately began to remember those teachings of the church that most of all always seemed strange to him and seduced him.

The author of the novel “Anna Karenina” is the people's educator, psychologist, classic novelist, philosopher and Russian writer L. N. Tolstoy. The beginning of it literary activity falls on 1852. It was then that it was published autobiographical story"Childhood". This was the first part of a trilogy. Somewhat later, the works “Adolescence” and “Youth” appeared.

Another of the most famous works of L. N. Tolstoy is the epic novel “War and Peace.” The reason for writing the work was the Sevastopol and Caucasian events. The novel describes a military campaign and family chronicles unfolding against its background. This work, the main character of which the author considers the people, conveys to the reader the “people's thought.”

L.N. Tolstoy reflected the problems of married life in his next work - the novel Anna Karenina.

The significance of Tolstoy's work

The works of the outstanding Russian writer significantly influenced world literature. Tolstoy's authority during his lifetime was truly irrefutable. After the death of the classic, his popularity grew even more. There is hardly a person who will remain indifferent if he comes across “Anna Karenina” - a novel that tells not only about the fate of a woman. The work vividly describes the history of the country. It also reflects the morality that the life of the very bottom adheres to. The reader is shown the splendor of salons and the poverty of the village. Against the backdrop of this ambiguous Russian life, an extraordinary and bright personality striving for happiness.

The image of a woman in literary works

Representatives of the fair half of humanity often became the heroes of the works of the classics of the past. There are many examples of this. This is Ekaterina from “The Thunderstorm” and Larisa from “Dowry” by the writer Ostrovsky. The image of Nina from Chekhov’s “The Seagull” is vivid. All these women, in the struggle for their happiness, oppose public opinion.

L.N. touched on the same topic in his brilliant work. Tolstoy. Anna Karenina is the image of a special woman. Distinctive feature The heroine is her belonging to the highest level of society. She seems to have everything. Anna is beautiful, rich and educated. They admire her, her advice is taken into account. However, she is deprived of happiness in her married life and experiences loneliness in her family. Probably, the fate of this woman would have turned out differently if love had reigned in her house.

The main character of the novel

In order to understand why Anna Karenina throws herself under a train at the end of the work, you need to carefully read the work of the great writer. Only understanding the image of this heroine will allow us to draw certain conclusions.
At the beginning of the story, Anna Karenina appears before the reader as an attractive young woman belonging to high society. L. N. Tolstoy describes his heroine as friendly, cheerful and pleasant to talk to. Anna Karenina is an exemplary wife and mother. Most of all she loves her little son. As for the husband, outwardly their relationship is simply exemplary. However, upon closer examination, artificiality and falsehood are noticeable in them. A woman is not associated with her husband love feelings, but respect.

Meeting with Vronsky

WITH unloved husband Anna lived in luxury and prosperity. They had a son, Serezhenka. It seems like life is good. However, everything changes radically with a meeting with Vronsky. From this moment on, the image of Anna Karenina undergoes radical changes. The heroine's thirst for love and life awakens.

The emerging new feeling inexorably pulls her towards Vronsky. His strength is such that Anna is simply not able to resist. Anna Karenina appears to the reader as honest, sincere and open. gives an understanding that she is simply not able to live in a false and difficult relationship with her husband. As a result, Anna gives in to the passionate feeling that arises.

Parting

The image of Anna Karenina is contradictory. Confirmation of this lies in her life outside of marriage. According to the heroine, happiness can only be possible when the laws are strictly followed. She tried to start new life. In this case, the basis was the misfortune of people close to her. Anna feels like a criminal. At the same time, generosity emanates from Karenin. He is ready to forgive his wife everything and save the marriage. However, this high morality of her husband only evokes hatred in Anna.

Through the mouth of his wife, the author compares Karenin to an evil and soulless machine. This dignitary compares all his feelings with the norms of the law, which are established by the church and the state. Undoubtedly, he suffers from the fact that his wife cheated on him. However, he does it in a unique way. He just wants to shake off the “dirt” with which Anna “spattered” him and calmly continue his work. The basis of his feelings is not heartfelt experiences, but a cold mind. Karenin's rationality allows him to find a path of cruel punishment for Anna. He separates her from her son. The heroine is faced with a choice. And she goes to Vronsky. However, this path turned out to be disastrous for her. He led her to the abyss, and this can explain the fact that Anna Karenina threw herself under a train.

The second main character of the work “Anna Karenina”

Alexey Vronsky is a brilliant representative of the highest circles of Russia of the period described in the novel. He is handsome, rich and well connected. Adjutant Vronsky is kind and sweet by nature. He is smart and educated. The lifestyle of the novel's protagonist is typical of a young aristocrat of that time. He serves in the guards regiment. His expenses per year amount to 45,000 rubles.

Vronsky, who shares the habits and views of the aristocratic environment, is loved by his comrades. After meeting Anna, the young man reconsiders his life. He understands that he is obliged to change her usual way of life. Vronsky sacrifices freedom and ambition. He resigns and, having parted with his usual secular environment, is looking for new life paths. The restructuring of his worldview did not allow him to gain satisfaction and peace of mind.

Life with Vronsky

Why does Anna Karenina throw herself under a train at the end of the novel, because fate connected her with a wonderful young man, giving her a sincere and deep feeling? Despite the fact that love has come to the main character, after leaving her husband, the woman cannot find peace.

Neither Vronsky’s deep feeling for her, nor the little daughter who was born, nor entertainment and trips bring her peace. Anna's mental discord is further aggravated by separation from her son. Society doesn't understand her. Her friends turn away from her. Over time, Anna increasingly comes to realize the depth of her misfortune. The character of the heroine changes. She becomes suspicious and irritable. As a sedative, Anna begins to take morphine, which further intensifies the feelings that arise. The woman begins to be jealous of Vronsky without any reason. She feels dependent on his desires and love. However, Anna understands perfectly well that because of her, Vronsky gave up many important things in life. That is why she seeks to replace his entire world with herself. Gradually unravel the tangle difficult relationships It becomes more and more difficult, and thoughts of death begin to come to the heroine. And this is in order to stop being guilty, shifting the feeling that has arisen onto Vronsky, while simultaneously freeing herself. All this will serve as an answer to the question: “Why does Anna Karenina throw herself under a train?”

Tragedy

In the image of the main character of his novel, Tolstoy showed a spontaneous and integral woman who lives by feeling. However, it would be wrong to explain the entire tragedy of fate and situation only by her nature. It is located much deeper, because it is social environment became the reason that Anna Karenina felt the alienation of society.

The characterization of the image of the main character indicates that she is only concerned about personal problems - marriage, love and family. The situation that developed in her life after leaving her husband did not suggest a decent way out of the situation. Why does Anna Karenina throw herself under a train? Her desperate step can be explained by the unbearable life that arose due to the rejection of her act by society.

Origins of the tragedy

The difficult fate of women is described in many literary works. She did not escape Pushkin's Tatiana and Turgenev's Elena, Nekrasov's Decembrists and Ostrovsky's heroines. What they have in common with Anna Karenina is the naturalness and sincerity of actions and feelings, purity of thoughts, as well as the deep tragedy of fate. Tolstoy showed the experiences of his heroine to readers most deeply, completely and psychologically subtly.

Anna's tragedy began not even when she married woman, a real challenge was thrown at society. Dissatisfaction with her fate arose even during the period when she, still a very young girl, was married off to a tsarist official. Anna sincerely tried to create happy family. However, she failed. Then she began to justify her life with her unloved husband by love for her son. And this is already a tragedy. Being alive and a bright person, Anna realized for the first time what it was real love. And it is not surprising that the woman tried to break free from the world that disgusted her. However, in doing so she lost her son.

The heroine's mental anguish

Anna did not want to hide her new life from others. Society was simply shocked. A real wall of alienation has grown around Karenina. Even those who had done much worse in their lives began to condemn her. And Anna could not come to terms with this rejection.

Yes, high society showed its hypocrisy. However, the woman had to realize that she was not in a vacuum. Living in a society, you have to reckon with its laws and orders.

Tolstoy is a wise psychologist. He describes the mental anguish of the heroine of his novel simply amazing. Does the author condemn this woman? No. He suffers and loves with her.

La Gatta Ciara says: “Yes, they love to stage our classics abroad, they really do. And from Russian writers - to film the books of Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy. This began in the days of silent cinema and continues to this day. Sometimes you already want to shout: “Enough, pot, porridge, don’t cook!”

Looking at footage from the latest film "Anna Karenina" with Keira Knightley in leading role, I came up with the idea, together with you, to recall the costumes for four other popular foreign film adaptations (there are about 30 of them in the world).”

(Total 53 photos)

1. still from the movie Love

Film 1st. Greta Garbo and John Gilbert in Love(1927).

The earliest silent film I saw based on Anna Karenina was the film Love with the wonderful acting duo Greta Garbo (Anna) and John Gilbert (Vronsky).

2. The piquancy and popularity of this film was added by the real love story between these two actors. Sparks were simply flying from the screen into the audience from the raging, genuine passion!

4. still from the movie Love

The costumes corresponded to the time of filming, i.e. 1927, and were spectacular in their own way. Gilbert Clarke was responsible for the actors' wardrobe.

5. the race scene in the movie Love

It's funny that the film had two different endings: family happiness Anna and Vronsky after the death of Karenin (this is exactly what I watched, imagine my shock!) - for distribution in the USA, and the tragic one - for distribution in Europe.

6. still from the film "Anna Karenina" (1935)

Film 2. "Anna Karenina" (1935) by Adrian.

But Greta Garbo was so inspired by this character that in 1935 she again starred in another version, this time a sound one. This time the film was called “Anna Karenina”. They say Garbo couldn't find mutual language there was no chemistry with the actor playing Vronsky...

7. still from the film "Anna Karenina" (1935)

The legendary costume designer Adrian was responsible for the heroine’s dresses, and they are already stylized to match the era described in the novel.

8. M. Vrubel. Illustration for "Anna Karenina" 1887

By the way, what did she look like? women's fashion from the time of Anna Karenina?

The novel "Anna Karenina" was written in 1873-1877, published in the magazine in 1875-1877. So the films must have dresses from the late 1870s.

9. fashion 1875

10. Dress, Afternoon Grace King (American) 1870–75

Women's dress of that time was not as wide as in mid-19th centuries, but had a train and bustle.

13. two bustle options

14. under the dress

15. authentic dresses from 1875-77.

It was overloaded with all kinds of details, draperies, bows, embroideries and was a real work of tailoring art.

18. Dress 1876-78

21. Greta Garbo in the film "Anna Karenina" (1935)

Let's return to Adrian's dresses. The designer was not a fan of the authentic approach to costume. Anna Karenina was no exception.

23. Greta Garbo in the film "Anna Karenina" (1935) and a dress sold at auction for $40,000

Unfortunately this is not best job Adriana. One gets the feeling that without the abundant sparkles and feathers the artist was bored.

25. But what there is a lot of in the film is frills and lace.

26. For my taste, ruffles and Garbo are incompatible things, but Adrian didn’t think so.

3. Anna Karenina (1947) by Cecil Beaton.

28. Vivien Leigh as Anna Karenina. Costume and photo by Cecil Beaton for British Vogue, 1947 and costume sketch.

These are photographs for another, already British film “Anna Karenina” of 1948 with Vivien Leigh in the title role.

The costumes for this film were made by the artist and photographer Cecil Beaton, no less famous than Adrian (the author of the dresses for the film “My Fair Lady”).

If you consider that the late 40s were a difficult period for England, when fabrics were sold by coupons, then the suits begin to seem simply luxurious. Beaton and Lee traveled to Paris to make costumes.

34. still from the film “Anna Karenina” (1997)

Film 4th. Anna Karenina by Maurizio Millenotti.

35. still from the film “Anna Karenina” (1997)

And this one international project“Anna Karenina” with Sophie Marceau from 1997, I’m sure many people remember.

36. still from the film “Anna Karenina” (1997)

Since the production company Icon Productions, who started filming this film, belongs to Mel Gibson, then I am not surprised either by the choice of the actress for the role of the main character, or by the costume designer.

37. still from the film “Anna Karenina” (1997)

Sophie Marceau starred with Gibson in the 1995 film brave heart", and Millenotti worked with Gibson on Zeffirelli's Hamlet in 1990.

Today, among the foreign film adaptations of this book, these are the costumes and accessories that most closely match the fashion of the 1870s.

Which is understandable, because Millenotti, before becoming a costume designer, worked in the Tirelli studio and had the opportunity to see how famous artists work: Piero Tosi, Gabriella Pescucci, Danilo Donatti. The color concept of Anna's costumes is also interesting - it is a black and white palette, in which black begins to prevail when clouds gather over Anna, and white when her life is filled with love and joy.

42. still from the film “Anna Karenina” (1997)

Film 5th...

About last film, which is currently premiering around the world, and will only be released here in the winter, I don’t want to write at all.

The promo that I saw, except for wariness towards the film, does not cause me anything.

45. still from the film “Anna Karenina” (1997)

The name of the film's costume designer - Jacqueline Durran, who did the costumes for the 2005 film "Pride and Prejudice", with the same director and the same, sorry, very unloved Keira Knightley - tells me a lot. And those costumes were terrible, not only from the point of view of incompatibility with the era, but also in proportions and cut (which, to my surprise, did not prevent Jacqueline from nominating for an Oscar for that film), and these outfits seem to me like an operetta, despite the jewelry from Chanel . Although, I haven’t seen the film yet, which means there is a chance that I’m wrong and everything is not so terrible.

46. ​​In the meantime, I look with horror at the vaudeville Vronsky49. And this is Karenin (played by Jude Law. How quickly time flies: and only recently he played young and beautiful...)53. And Aaron Johnson is a demonic handsome man... Hmm, well, let's see, let's see... Or better yet, the classics))

Karenin Alexey Alexandrovich is one of central characters Romana, husband of Anna Karenina. First, he appears as a high-ranking, cold and virtuous St. Petersburg official, then as an unhappy, deceived husband, later as a compassionate and truthful Christian, finally as a man who, under the pressure of secular opinion, has ceased to be honest with himself, trying to look righteous and being under influence of the hypnotist. Its prototype was S. M. Sukhotin (1818-1886).

An orphan, Alexey Karenin was raised by his uncle - important official. Having received an excellent education and entered the service, he devoted himself entirely to it. When he held the post of governor, Anna Oblonskaya's aunt introduced him to her young niece and some time later forced him to propose. As with his career, Alexey Karenin approached marriage in good faith. In the first year family life they had a son, Seryozha. The hero achieved a high position in the government, unconditional respect in society for his hard work, dispassion, and justice.

But Alexei Karenin is shy and shuns “too human” manifestations of the soul, which take him out of his inner balance. In his relationships with his wife and son, he tries to drown out any element of sensitivity. He achieves this through an ironically detached manner of communication. Alexey Alexandrovich does not notice how his dryness, self-satisfaction, and irony irritate and torment his wife and force his son to learn to pretend. He does not notice that Anna is losing respect for him, how she is trying to find an excuse for family life in love for her son, how she is becoming more and more distant from him. Alexei Karenin does not attach importance to meeting Vronsky at the station with his wife accompanying him from Moscow, and when at one of Betsy Tverskoy’s receptions he sees his wife and Vronsky behaving so animatedly and indecently that they are paid attention to, he is horrified by the woman who has never visited him thoughts of betrayal and, ashamed of a feeling of jealousy that was still unfamiliar to him, upon arriving home he tries to explain himself to Anna; reminds of her duty as a wife and mother, but encounters the impenetrable “cheerful bewilderment” of Anna, who denies her guilt.

At the Krasnoselsky horse races, Alexei Karenin observes Anna's despair at the sight of Vronsky falling from his horse. He takes his wife away almost against her will and in the carriage makes another attempt to explain himself. Now he has no doubt about Anna’s betrayal, but is afraid to think about it. He talks to his wife no longer about duty, but only about maintaining external decency. He also agrees to “cheerful bewilderment” on her part, as long as she does not confirm what he knows terrible truth. But Alexey Alexandrovich is deceived in anticipation: Anna confesses everything with tears of shame and hatred. Leaving his wife at the dacha, Karenin leaves for St. Petersburg to make a decision.

He rejects the possibility of a duel with Vronsky out of fear and conviction of the pointlessness of such a step, out of a desire to be honest with himself, since friends and colleagues certainly would not allow him, an irreplaceable statesman in his post, to fight, and, therefore, , a challenge on his part would look like a beautiful and safe pose. He also rejects the possibility of dissolving his marriage with Anna because the divorce process would require the use of “crude evidence” of her infidelity, and from the scandal caused he himself would suffer much more in the opinion of the world than his wife. He sees the only way out is to keep Anna with him, force her to end her connection with Vronsky, and hide her from the world. Another consideration that comes to Karenin’s mind is related to the demands of religion: by rejecting his criminal wife, he does not give her the opportunity to reform, destroying her soul. As a strict Christian, Alexey Karenin cannot allow this. Although he understands that this is a lie (after all, Anna would not want to correct herself), the religious argument comes in very handy to justify inner peace.

Having thus found in his “list” of actions and words everything necessary and appropriate, having calmed down and regained his usual face, the hero sends his wife a letter in which he informs of his decision and still insists on her observing external decency, warning, in otherwise, about his intention to divorce and separate her from her son. A fragile truce is established between the spouses. Alexey Alexandrovich hopes for the end of his wife’s relationship, but does not believe in it. Anna continues to meet with Vronsky outside the house. One day, Karenin, going to the theater, encounters the culprit of his family’s shame at the door. Having decided to punish his wife and having confiscated Anna’s lover’s letters—evidence for the trial—he announces his decision to her. He was fully prepared for last explanation, but during the conversation, demonstrative dispassion betrays him. Karenin, speaking about himself, stumbles from excitement and cannot pronounce the word “suffered.” He comes out with a “pelestradal”. This slip of the tongue is not so much a sign of frustration inner world, as much as a paradoxical evidence of Alexei’s consciously and successfully suppressing his own humanity and kindness. She humanizes Karenin in the eyes of his wife, as well as the reader. Anna tells her husband that she will give birth soon. Beside himself, he leaves home and the next day goes to the best St. Petersburg lawyer, entrusting him with the conduct of the divorce case.

Finding himself in Moscow on official business, he receives a telegram—a brief request from Anna to come and forgive her before her death. Frustrated by his career failure, the hero goes to St. Petersburg, hoping for the death of his wife, which would solve the painful situation in which he finds himself better than a divorce. But when he finds himself at the bedside of his dying wife, delirious and begging for forgiveness, a revolution occurs in his soul: what he felt before “ mental disorder“at the sight of other people’s tears, now feels like the happiness of forgiving an enemy. Karenin forgives Anna and Vronsky, renounces revenge, decides to end the divorce case and, if his wife recovers, not to leave her. By the bed dying Anna Alexei Karenin recognizes his soul for the first time, learns that the most essential thing lies not in “ready-made” words and actions “according to the rules,” but in the feeling of “touched compassion that the suffering of other people aroused in him and which he was previously ashamed of as a harmful weakness.” He feels sorry for his repentant wife, Vronsky, who tried to commit suicide, his abandoned son and his newborn girl.

But the recovering Anna begins to feel burdened by him. From conversations with Betsy Tverskaya and Stiva Oblonsky, Karenin understands that they are trying to force him to leave his wife alone. Exhausted and lost, he agrees to a divorce and comes to his senses only when, after a meeting with Vronsky, Anna leaves with him and her daughter for Italy, refusing the divorce, not wanting to accept another victim from her husband. Left alone with his grief, Karenin completely loses heart. He feels universal hatred towards himself because “he is shamefully and disgustingly unhappy.” The person closest to him during this painful period is Countess Lidia Ivanovna, his patron, supporter and propagandist of modified non-confessional Christianity, who takes care of the high-society St. Petersburg salon of the medium Landau. Her mystical, exalted mood, which Karenin had previously treated with restraint and even hostility, now finds a lively response in him, a sense of solidarity. He is grateful to the Countess for her words of consolation and sympathy, for the offered help in setting up a house and raising his son Seryozha.

Gradually he surrenders to her influence, attends a circle of mediums, and begins to revel in his virtue, the fullness of his faith, the height of his piety. Tolstoy shows how the irresistible need to take a position of pious superiority in relation to the world that despises him pushes into the background the desire to be honest with oneself. Moreover, his career is ending. He retains a high post and position, but in the eyes of everyone he is “a man who has gone all out and from whom nothing more is expected.” At the instigation of Countess Seryozha, they suggest that his mother has died; at her insistence, Karenin denies Anna a meeting with her son when she arrives in St. Petersburg from Italy. Hypnotized by the medium Landau, Alexey Alexandrovich does not consent to a divorce to Steve Oblonsky, who is busy with his sister’s affairs, and after Anna’s suicide he generously takes upon himself the upbringing of her daughter.