How do I even begin to review the best book ever written? I kept thinking, as I was reading, I should blog about this, I should blog about that. But I just didn't want to put any of my thoughts together until I understood the book as a whole. And now I just wished I could remember EXACTLY how I felt about each of the characters at the beginning. Oh well,WARNING: This will be very long and will contain spoilers.
To start, let me just say Tolstoy is brilliant. A book about just Anna and Vronsky would still be read today, a book about just Levin and Kitty would have been famous forever, and even a book about Dolly and Stiva would have been fabulous, but that he wrote a book about all of them, with 16 other important characters, is just BRILLIANT! Which makes me believe some of the discussions I've read on line about this book, that it's not a story about characters, but rather about technique, or Russia some may argue, or love, death, and society. And it all just leaves me so boggled. What is it that makes it so great, is it the psycho-analysis of the 7 major characters? Is it the bold uncovering of such huge literary themes? Is it the overall comment on life and how real it all is? Is it the sweat, tears, and style he poured into the novel? What is it? And still I can't decide. So to help me analyze the novel I am going to delve into the heart and soul of each of the 7 major characters. Though I like the themes presented in the novel more than the characters themselves (with the exception of Levin), I feel like the characters are the gateway to those themes. So by analyzing them I may further understand those ideals . . . may? Well, you are welcome to come with me on this journey.
I'll start with Karenin. Oh Alexei, he is probably the character we see into the least, he or Stiva. The only really intimate chapters with Karenin are those on his wife's death bed. Where, though he was just thinking about how much he despises and hates her, he grants her forgiveness. He seems to have this truly Christian moment where he understands and empathizes the pains of another. If only we had seen more of that. Rather at the beginning of the novel we see him as a distant, unloving husband and father. So involved with society and it's ills.
The moments after his heart is touched by something unfathomable even to him, this forgiveness, he even loves and cares for the child his wife has delivered via another man's sperm. He, not Vronsky or Anna, is the one that sees to the child's needs and health. He is the one to hold her when she cries. And because of this I shouldn't resent the fact that in the end, he is the steward over the child. But for some reason I just think that he took Annie out of spite. Spiteful revenge for Vronsky. The forgiving Karenin would have given the girl and his own son to their mother, offered the divorce, and wished her well in her new marriage.
So what made him revert back to the cold hearted Karenin, perhaps an even worse version of his previous self. Ugh, Countess Lydia Ivanova. The woman, who because her marriage is a ruin, takes joy in the ruin of others. The woman who excites in the conversion of Karenin only to offer him her interpretations of Christianity and make him more evil than the non-believer. Ugh. The part where these two characters and that crazy French guy have Stiva over for dinner, to discuss whether or not the divorce can be granted just disgusts me. Ugh.
Karenin, you could have been such a magnanimous character (I use the word my translators continually used) but instead you are just as cruel and worthless as . . . uh . . . well . . . maybe not as bad as Stiva . . . maybe not as good as Vronsky, but you could have been better than Vronsky, and you blew it!
Ugh.
So who is this Stiva character I detest so much? Hmm, will I analyze him or his wife first. Let me come back to you on that one.
Darya Oblonskaya, there were moments I thought you were such a blubbering fool. And then moments I just pitied you. And then still, moments I loved you and saw bits of my self in you. Darya, or Dolly rather, plays a more minor role in the novel, but she is the character that has a connection with all the other characters. And the book does in fact start with her and her husband Stiva. We meet this couple during a very rough patch in their marriage. After being together for, I don't like, 10 years and rearing 5 children (I hesitate to say together, cause really Dolly did it all on her own), the couple finds themselves at a crossroad. The fault is all Stiva's and the outcome is all up to Dolly. Will she leave him for his amorous affair with their governess? Though she thinks she should, the idea burdens her. What of the children? And her financial state? And her name in society? Oh, what oh what to do?
Well, this is where we meet Anna, Stiva's sister, who comforts Dolly in this awful time and convinces her to stay with Stiva. Anna believes he is terribly sorry and it can't possibly happen again.
So when it does, happen again that is, you want to be like 'come on Dolly, leave the bum.' But she doesn't. Instead, she realizes, after having one more of his children, that it's just to unfeasible. She's going to stay the course and make the best of it. Oh, foolish woman. You see such a contrast between her and Anna. Dolly, who just sticks with society and what it expects of her, and Anna, who laughs in societies face and follows her heart. And sadly in the end, which has more happiness. . . . Dolly. It really shouldn't be that way. But it is.
So I've explained to you the fool, the pity. What of the moments I see even some of myself in this seemingly idiotic/fake woman. Well, on her carriage ride to Anna's and during her stay at Anna's Dolly becomes so real to the reader. As she drives to Anna's she thinks of how she should be more like Anna and start her own elicit affair with some young, single man. She even thinks of a few who she knows would have her. She complains of her chores as a mother and worries over the poor finances her husband keeps. Don't we all have moments like that, where we think the grass is always greener. But during her one day stay with Anna she misses her children terribly and realizes being their mother and provider is the greatest task she could have. She becomes grateful that she chose to breast feed her children rather than have wet nurses and nannies as Anna does. She even begins to realize that an affair would only cause more problems in her marriage. Though it might be a great way to get even with her husband, she sees that it would ruin her children and therefor her own happiness. She begins to seem more level headed and good hearted. She comes to Anna in her time of need, cause Anna was there for her during hers. And though she realizes her life isn't nearly as great as she would have liked (or as great as her younger sister Kitty's is) it really isn't half bad. And she just has to play with the cards dealt her without cheating anyone at the table.
So though I mostly credit her as a fool for staying with such a disgusting man, I also admire her. I once thought she fakes her happy life, but I think even she started to realize that maybe her life had some of its own happiness in it after all.
Now, before I move on to the disgusting man, her husband, I would like to compare, maybe contrast really, her and Karenin. The unfortunate spouses of the Arkadiv sibblings. Both had spouses cheat on them, and though immediately they both had different reactions, they eventually came to the same conclusion. But those conclusions were acted out in very different ways by the Arkadiv spouses. Let me explain, at first Dolly wanted a divorce, Karenin wanted to pretend like he didn't know about it and brush it under the rug. Eventually both realize their spouses are adultorurs that can't be stopped and both agree to go on as if they are in a perfectly happy marriage. Whereas Dolly seems to succeed in making society (even the closest of her relations) believe she has a happy marriage. Karenin can't even get his wife to agree to only sleep with her lover at his house, and never under Karenin's roof. Dolly probably figures everyone in society knows her husband sleeps around and she doesn't let it bother her. While Karenin does everything he can to make society believe nothing is going on between his wife and Vronsky, and once he realizes everyone knows it racks all corners of his soul. And eventually ruins him, not just in society, but even in the confines of his own home. The man gets to the point where he can't even make a decision by himself. But I've already analyzed him, back to Dolly. The fact is, she just doesn't let her husbands loose lips affect her soul and spirituality. She goes on finding pleasures in her children and her sister's and parent's life. Not that I admire her for staying in a bad relationship, but there is much to be said about making the best out of it. Though, if she had any brains she'd have stopped baring him children. Maybe they didn't know about STD's back then.
So onto the carrier of STD's. Stepan Arkadyich Oblonsky, known to all as Stiva. And truly, known by all. That's what just kills me about this character, everyone likes him. Even his wife, who he practically steals from and does cheat on (numerous times) admits to loving him. Even Karenin, who tries to end ties to this brother-in-law when his sister leaves him, still dines at his house and helps him seek higher career goals. Which -- he is by no means worthy of. But that's just the thing, don't we all know Stiva's? Men who you just pity the fool who married him. Men who do no work but are paid a high salary. There are so many of these men, all around us. And rather than love and bond with his poor wife, you find yourself chatting up a storm with him over some costly drinks. Rather than try and get him removed from his post you help him with the work he is too incompetent to do himself. Just cause, he's Stiva. And everyone loves Stiva.
Even I, who have ranted and raved about how grotesque he is, cannot find fault in him at the end of the novel. I wanted to be able to blame everything on him (for meddling in others business), but I couldn't. Not even his wife's sufferings are wholly his fault. And his children seem to find happiness and success even with out him. Nothing seems the worse for him having existed. But oh how I wanted to spite him, and couldn't.
That's really all I have to say about him. It's not worth my time to digest his soul and inner mind. I'd rather move onto the novels most important and intriguing characters. But I may have to wait until tomorrow for that. It's already taken me four different sittings to get this far. I have a house to clean and lessons to plan. So I will continue to brew over the lives of Vronsky and Anna and Kitty and Levin and report to you at some later time.
*Hits the 'save now' button*
Well I regretted all night and most of this morning that I didn't just finish my analysis while I had everything stirring in my head. But I guess I'm glad I read a few more discussions on goodreads.com before I've began to reminisce about Kitty and Vronsky.
I'll start with Vronsky, who strangely enough is also given Alexei as a first time. But he's rarely referred to as that, but rather Count Vronsky or just Vronsky. We first meet him as he is a suitor to Kitty. And really, when I think about it, though he is a pivatal character in the book I can't recall a single chapter where Tolstoy let's us into his thoughts. We do get a glimpse of his thoughts here and there at the beginning and towards the end. But I don't know that an entire chapter is just him, as it is so for many others. As I was thinking about him last night I thought I could describe him here today as flat. But he is definitely not that.
As I said, at the beginning we meet him as a very able and dersired bachelor. Stiva infroms Levin that Vronsky is his only competition. But still, Stiva assures Levin that he is the one for Kitty, her sister, Dolly, even feels it. So Levin goes to the Shcherbatsky house with the most confidence we probably ever see in him (which is still very little) and proposes to Kitty. Who tells him "it cannot be." And right then and there he knows this Vronsky character is the reason why. In fear of meeting Vronsky he tries to rush out of the house as quickly as he can. But at the door they meet, and Vronsky convinces Levin to stay. Interested to meet this man, Levin agrees. And makes a fool of himself. Which reminds me, that at the beginning I probably found (I did, I did find him, I just hate to admit it so I say probably) found Vronsky much more charming. And therefore in my mind he was automatically set up as the good looking, athletic male character. Which he remained throughout the novel.
But then there is a ball. And anyone whose ever read an 19th century book knows what trouble a ball can be. Vronsky once agains courts Kitty. But as is politically correct, they do not dance every dance together. So he meets and asks this Anna woman, the Shcherbatsky's sister-in-law to dance with him. And then it's all down hill from there. Poor Kitty, turns down many suitors for the last dance, as she is sure she will dance it with Vronsky, they always do. But five songs before this final dance she realizes her courtship with Vronsky is over. And the next chapter is the first glimpse into Vronsky's head. He admits, though he courted Kitty, he never intended to marry her.
Let's take ourselves to 1870's, Russia. Or anywhere in Europe, practically the whole world for that matter. You do not go each night to an elligible young ladies house, take her for walks during the day, and dance at each ball with her unless you intend to ask for her hand in marriage. In fact, I would argue that even today a young man should not spend so much of his free time with a woman unless he intends to at least date her. Isn't that the counsel Elder Oaks gave us several years ago? So I would argue that Vronsky was in the wrong all along and he knew it. He just didn't care to fix it.
And clearly he was in the wrong when he made his next few choices. To get on a train to Petersburg and follow Anna to her home. *Oh, interjection into all these thoughts. Anna and Vronsky didn't meet at the ball. They met at the train station, where he picked up his mother and Stiva picked up Anna. Annna and Countess Vronsky had ridden together and fell in love with each other. And at first sight Anna had a soft spot in her heart for her son, Vronsky, cause he gave some poor woman whose husband had just been ran over by the train 200 roubles. An act he obviously did to try and impress Anna, so my quesiton is, was that before or after we meet him at Kitty's house. I think after, let me check.
Yup, it was after Kitty's house, but before the ball. Vronsky and Anna obviously had a love at first sight moment, which we witness through Anna. She is flattered but she definitely thinks of the love of her husband and son back home in Petersburg. She is presented as a strong and steady character.
Back to Vronsky's choices. He follows Anna back to Petersburg and right there at the station, where she meets her husband and son, Vronsky casually walks by as if he is there by chance. He spends the next couple of weeks getting to know all of Anna's society friends, so as to be around her every chance he gets. Grrrrrrrrr. Anna tells him from the get go that his being in Petersburg is inappropriate and the reader has much hope to see her stay steady and strong. But you just know, you just know that is not how it is going to be and sure enough . . . a couple hundred pages in she's pregnant with Vronsky's child.
There love, I can't critique it to harshly. Anna and Karenin do share a love, Vronsky and Anna are in love. It's wreckless and passionate. And though I don't condone affairs, I took into consideration the time and the fact that Anna married an old man when she was young, without much courtship and I give her the benefit of doubt. I wonder if this is why Tolstoy doesn't go into Vronsky's head much, cause he wants you to understand the affair from Anna's perspective. Soon however, we do realize that the Vronsky who coulnd't possibly imagine him self married, ever, when he is courting Kitty, realizes that he could marry and spend his life with Anna. He could give up his bachelor ways and care for this woman he loves with all his heart.
And that's where I will end my thoughts on Vronsky. I'd rather save his outcome for my analysis of Anna.
So onto Kitty Shcherbatsky, Katerina actually, but we call her Kitty. I was surprised to find on goodreads that some readers enjoyed Kitty's character most. I guess I thought she was kind of like Vronsky, important but flat. So I thought more about Kitty and her character and I came to conclude. She definitely has the most beautiful changes and growth out of all the characters. I knew that as I read, but I guess I didn't really appreciate them as much cause they weren't as in your face as Levin and Anna's were. Kitty starts out young and single. Caught between two men. Both of whom she loves. Levin is a long time family friend, she grew up with him and loved him, but before she was ready to marry he left. And then enters Vronsky. So when she's of marrying age Levin comes back and she knows why, but she is torn. And she does what any of us would do. She turns him down. I never despised that about her, her choice made sense. And her choice made Vronsky's leaving her that much harder. During the time of Levin's proprosal she expected Vronsky to proprose as well. So when he ran off to the city, after a married woman Kitty was left heartbroken. And not just becuase he decieved her. But becasue of his deciet she turned down another man that she also loved. So in a matter of days she went from having two wonderful courtors to nothing. At the beginning of the novel you spend much time pitying her. Not quite the same pity you have for Levin, but small amounts of pity till . . . therefore you automatically hope for them to end up together. But for the most part it doesn't look like it will be so. Levin is too proud and hurt to meet Kitty again and she is a product of her time and can't go chasing after him. Plus, I always figured that if they did end up together their marriage would somehow be ruined. But Levin's feelings of being second choice. Or another affair with Vronsky, or a terrible death or something. I just felt in my soul that happiness couldn't be for them.
After months of illness (heart break really) a doctor finally tells Prince and Princess Shcherbatsky that they must take Kitty away. Now really, think about it. That is the best remedy for a broken heart. In fact I have often suggested it for my friends (and really even tried it myself a couple times). Get out of town, move away, see the world. Forget about these men.
And so we begin to see Kitty's growth. At a German spa she meets and befriends Varenka, a sweet little Russian girl who aids in the conversion of Kitty. Though Kitty had always been reared in Christian ways, Varenka teaches her how to be truly Christian. She dives right into the act of helping others, but her good looks and high society kind of hinder her (or rather, others misinterput her intent because of these traits) and she evnetually has to find balance in her new found faith and her current life.
After this trip abroad I don't think we really see Kitty again, until about 1/2 into the book (by which time you've really given up on the idea of her and Levin). Kitty is coming to dine at Dolly (her sister's) house and Stiva has invited Levin. The two are in the same room for the first time since the proprosal, it's probably been at least a year. But it's obvious that Levin quickly forgets his pains and falls in love with Kitty all over again. He doesn't dare propose again so instead they play word games in the which they discuss their feelings for one another. Levin is reassured she'll say yes and the next day everything is decided. They are married only a few weeks later. D
During their engagement Levin has bits of panic where he thinks she can't possibly love him, but she always reassures him she does. They immediately move to the country where Levin lives best, even though it is hard for Kitty to leave her family, she insists she wants to go. There she falls even more in love with him and they seem to have a great marriage as newlyweds. Soon Levin's sick brother is said to be dying and he is called to his bed side. Levin wants to go alone and is even upset by the fact that Kitty wants to come, merely to support Levin. But she wins the arguement and here we see Kitty at her greatest. Levin's brother Nikolai hasn't led a very virtuous wife and both men worry what will happen when Kitty and Kikolai's long time "whore" (I gather) meet one another. Kitty shocks even the Masha (the whore) when the two women finally meet. Kitty does not judge or condem her. Kitty merely helps Masha and Levin in nursing Nikolai back into health. Not much health really, just enough help to live 10 more day and die a little more content. Kitty really is the Savior in the whole scene with Nikolai, not just for Levin - who finds the death of his brother very difficult, but also for Nikolai.
I'll spoil the happy ending here. Kitty gives birth to a healthy baby boy. And she and Levin do have a wonderful marriage. I feared it could not be, but pleased to find it was. One last note about Kitty. She plays a great hostess to Dolly, Dolly's umpteen children, and the two sister's parents. It is obvious Levin prefers and empty house but Kitty takes care of her family when in time of need. She also, despite a rough start, warms the heart of Agafya Mikhailovna, Levin's head housekeeper. The winning over of Agafya just shows me how wonderful Kitty really must be.
But what I really wanted to get to when I began that last paragraph was Vasenka Veslovsky. Veslovsky is a guest at the Levin house as a result of the evil Stiva. Veslovsky is much more like Stiva then Levin. He lavishes attention on Kitty. Constantly taking and kissing her hand, causing her to laugh at his light hearted jokes. He even follows her around the dinner table at once, always wanted to be alone with her while in a roomful of people. This behavior of course causes jealousies in Levin. When he and Kitty first discuss it Levin decides he has been too hard on Vasenka and offers to take him hunting. There the two men bond and Levin feels bad about his previous ill feelings. But when the men return to the house, Veslovsky continues to dote on Kitty while Levin is across the room. The couple once again finds themselves discussing these behaviors and in tears Kitty confesses she wishes this guest (and many of the others) had never come and destroyed their happy honeymoon stage. So it is with her permission that Levin throws the man out. The other guests, Stiva in particular, think this reaction is so ridiculous. But despite Stiva and Veslovsky's pleas (Stiva even tries to convince Levin he should be flattered another man would court his wife) Levin sends him away, not in a carriage, but on top of a pile of hay. So unlike Levin to send someone (other than a servant or farm help) from his house in this manner. Possibly my favorite moment in the entire novel.
Alright, after going at this for hours again tonight. I realize I will have to reserve Levin and Anna for tomorrow. I think I'll go ahead and post this cause it's already MONSTOROUS! I hate to wait any longer to write down my thoughts on the novels co-protaginists. Goodreads had a link to an article comparing the two that I thought would be supre interesting and another link to a podcast discussion of the novel. So I guess I'll have to check those two things out tomorrow as a refresher before I begin my final conclusions of Anna Arkadyevna and Konstatin Levin.
