Who wrote the work Anna Karenina. “The history of writing the novel “Anna Karenina” What is the novel Anna Karenina about?

137 years ago, Leo Tolstoy completed Anna Karenina, a novel that became a classic of world literature, but for which, at the end of the 19th century, both critics and readers became annoyed with the author.

On April 17, 1877, Leo Tolstoy completed work on the novel Anna Karenina. The prototypes of many of the characters were real people - the classic “drew” some of the portraits and characters from the friends, relatives and acquaintances around him, and the hero named Konstantin Levin is often called the alter ego of the author himself. AiF.ru tells what Tolstoy’s great novel is about and why “Anna Karenina” turned into a “mirror” of its era.

Two marriages

“All happy families are alike, each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way,” this phrase opens the first volume of Anna Karenina and sets the mood for the entire novel. Over the course of eight parts, the author describes the joys and hardships of individual families: adultery, weddings and the birth of children, quarrels and worries.

The work is based on two storylines: a) the relationship between the married Anna Karenina and the young and passionately in love with her Alexei Vronsky; b) the family life of landowner Konstantin Levin and Kitty Shcherbatskaya. Moreover, against the backdrop of the first couple, experiencing passion and jealousy, the second has a real idyll. By the way, in one of the early versions the novel was called “Two Marriages.”

On someone else's misfortune

Anna Karenina’s life, it would seem, can only be envied - a woman from high society, she is married to a noble official and is raising a son with him. But her entire existence is upended by a chance meeting at the station. Exiting the carriage, she exchanges glances with the young count and officer Vronsky. Soon the couple collides again - this time at the ball. Even Kitty Shcherbatskaya, who is in love with Vronsky, notices that he is drawn to Karenina, and she, in turn, is interested in her new admirer.

But Anna needs to return to her native Petersburg - to her husband and son. Persistent and stubborn Vronsky follows her - not at all embarrassed by her status, he begins to court the lady. Over the course of a year, the heroes meet at balls and social events until they become lovers. The entire high society is watching the development of their relationship, including Alexei Karenin, Anna’s husband.

Despite the fact that the heroine is expecting a child from Vronsky, her husband does not give her a divorce. During childbirth, Anna almost dies, but a month after her recovery she leaves abroad - together with Vronsky and their little daughter. She leaves her son in the care of his father.

But life with her lover does not bring her happiness. Anna begins to be jealous of Vronsky, and although he loves her, he is burdened by her and yearns for her. Returning to St. Petersburg does not change anything - especially since former friends avoid their company. Then the heroes go first to the village, and then to Moscow - however, their relationship does not become stronger from this. After a particularly violent quarrel, Vronsky leaves to visit his mother. Karenina follows him and at the station a decision comes to her on how to resolve this situation and “untie” everyone’s hands. She throws herself under a train.

Vronsky takes the loss seriously and volunteers to go to war. Their little daughter is taken in by Alexey Karenin.

Levin's second chance

In parallel, Tolstoy unfolds another storyline: he describes the story of Kitty Shcherbatskaya and Konstantin Levin. The 34-year-old landowner was in love with 18-year-old Kitty and even decided to propose to her, but she was then carried away by Vronsky and refused. Soon the officer left for Anna, and Shcherbatskaya was left “with nothing.” Due to nervousness, the girl fell ill, and Levin drove off back to the village, to manage his estate and work together with the peasant men.

However, Tolstoy gave his heroes a second chance: at a dinner party the couple met again. Kitty realizes that she loves Levin, and he realizes that his feelings for the girl have not faded away at all. The hero offers Shcherbatskaya his hand and heart for the second time - and this time she agrees. Immediately after the wedding, the couple leaves for the village. Despite the fact that at first life together is not easy for them, they are happy - Kitty supports her husband when his brother died and gives birth to Levin’s child. This is exactly what, according to Tolstoy, a family should look like, and there must certainly be spiritual closeness between spouses.

Mirror of the era

As Sergei Tolstoy, the son of the classic writer, wrote, “From a realistic novel, such as Anna Karenina, what is required first of all is truthfulness; therefore, his material was not only large, but also small facts taken from real life.” But what could have prompted the author to come up with such a plot?

In the 19th century, divorce was a rare occurrence. Society harshly condemned and despised women who dared to leave their family for another man. However, precedents did occur, including in Tolstoy’s family. For example, his distant relative Alexey Tolstoy married Sofya Bakhmeteva - when the couple met, Bakhmeteva was already married to someone else and had a daughter. To some extent, Anna Karenina is a collective image. Some features of her appearance are reminiscent of Maria Hartung, Pushkin’s daughter, and the author “wove” the character of the heroine and the situation in which she found herself from several different stories. The spectacular ending was also taken from life - the cohabitant of Tolstoy's neighbor in Yasnaya Polyana, Anna Pirogova, died under a train. She was very jealous of her lover, and somehow she quarreled with him and left for Tula. Three days later, the woman sent a letter to her partner through the coachman, and she threw herself under the wheels.

Nevertheless, critics were outraged by Tolstoy's novel. Anna Karenina was called immoral and amoral - that is, “in reality” readers treated her in exactly the same way as the secular characters in the book. The author’s description of the scene of intimacy between his heroine and Vronsky also caused a number of attacks. Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin referred to “Anna Karenina” as a “cow novel”, where Vronsky is a “bull in love”, and Nikolai Nekrasov wrote an epigram:

Tolstoy's novel Anna Karenina, written in 1877, tells the story of the tragic love affair of a married lady, Anna Karenina. In his book, the author managed to present a large-scale picture of the life and customs of the noble stratum of Moscow and St. Petersburg in the second half of the 19th century.

On our website you can read online a summary of “Anna Karenina” in chapters and parts, and also take a test to test your knowledge. A brief retelling of the novel will be useful for reader's diary and preparation for a literature lesson.

Main characters

Alexey Kirillovich Vronsky- Count, a young brilliant officer, an enviable groom.

Alexey Alexandrovich Karenin– husband Anna, a respected official.

Anna Arkadyevna Karenina- socialite, wife of Alexei Alexandrovich.

Stepan Arkadyevich Oblonsky (Steve)- Anna’s brother, a loving and fickle man.

Daria Oblonskaya (Dolly)– Stiva’s wife, mother of many children, Anna’s faithful friend.

Konstantin Dmitrievich Levin- a successful landowner, Kitty's husband.

Ekaterina Shcherbatskaya (Kiti)- Dolly’s younger sister, who became Levin’s wife.

Other characters

Sergey Ivanovich Koznyshev- writer, Levin's older brother.

Lidia Ivanovna- old countess, good friend of Karenin.

Betsy Tverskaya- socialite, friend of Anna.

Varenka- Kitty's friend.

Seryozha- Anna's eight-year-old son.

Part one

Chapters I-IV

“All happy families are alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” A serious crisis is brewing in the large Oblonsky family: Dolly, the mother of six children, learns about the betrayal of her husband, Stepan Arkadyevich (Steve). The atmosphere in the house is tense to the limit, and the situation seems hopeless.

Chapters V-XVI

Meanwhile, Stiva’s old acquaintance, Konstantin Levin, comes from the village to Moscow. He is going to propose to Kitty Shcherbatskaya, Dolly's younger sister, in whom he sees "perfection in every way." However, his plans were not destined to come true: the eighteen-year-old girl is already in love with the dashing officer Count Vronsky, who does not even think about marriage. Kitty's parents fully support her choice.

Chapters XVII-XXI

Anna Karenina, Stiva's sister, comes to the Oblonskys from St. Petersburg to reconcile the spouses and prevent divorce. Vronsky falls in love with a young beautiful woman at first sight and tries with all his might to win her attention.

In a personal conversation with Anna, Dolly shares her grief - between the spouses, “it’s all over, and nothing more.” However, Karenina manages to use all her diplomatic skills to reconcile Oblonsky and prevent the family from splitting.

Chapters XXII-XXX

At the magnificent ball, Karenina creates a real sensation. Kitty watches her carefully and notices that “Anna is drunk with the wine of the admiration she arouses.” The girl understands that her happiness is ruined - Vronsky is seriously infatuated with the St. Petersburg beauty.

The day after the ball, Anna sends "a telegram to her husband about her departure from Moscow on the same day." Dolly thanks her sister-in-law for "doing a good deed."

On the train, Anna notices Vronsky, who followed her. The officer confesses his love, and Anna is "scared and happy" by this confession.

On the platform in St. Petersburg, Anna is met by her husband, Alexei Alexandrovich Karenin, whom she does not love, but respects.

Chapters XXXI-XXXIV

At home, the first person to meet Anna is her eight-year-old son Seryozha, whom she missed immensely during the separation.

Alexey Alexandrovich holds a high position in the ministry, and his day is scheduled literally to the minute. He loves his wife, but is quite restrained in expressing his feelings.

Having settled in Moscow, Vronsky intends to “start traveling to the next world where he could meet Karenina.”

Part two

Chapters I-X

After Vronsky’s humiliating refusal, Kitty has a nervous breakdown, which leads to the development of tuberculosis. A medical council gathers at the Shcherbatskys’ house to “do something to restore her weakening strength.” Doctors advise sending the girl abroad for treatment.

After a trip to Moscow, Karenina avoids “her moral friends” in every possible way, and increasingly meets with Vronsky in the house of his cousin, Princess Betsy Tverskaya. Rumors are already spreading in society about their tender sympathy for each other, and Karenin begins to get irritated.

Alexey Alexandrovich, who considered “jealousy an offensive and humiliating feeling,” asks his wife not to cross “well-known laws of decency.”

Chapters XI-XVII

A love affair with Vronsky weighs heavily on Anna, who for the first time in her life decides to commit treason. She feels “criminal and guilty.”

Levin, having returned to his estate, knows nothing about Kitty and her illness. He throws himself into running the household and shows himself to be a very smart landowner. Stiva Oblonsky comes to see him, and from him Levin learns “details about Kitty’s illness and the Shcherbatskys’ plans.” Stiva accuses his friend of indecisiveness and cowardice in front of his rival.

Chapters XVIII-XXIX

Vronsky’s mother is categorically against her son’s relationship, “which could involve him in stupid things” and interfere with his brilliant career. However, Vronsky is determined - he insists that Anna leave her husband and move in with him. Karenina does not want to “give her name to shame,” since her husband will never give her a divorce, and she does not agree to the role of a mistress.

Vronsky's great passion is horses. He signs up for the "officers' steeplechase" and acquires the beautiful English mare Frou-Frou. At the races, Vronsky makes a “bad, unforgivable movement,” and thereby breaks the horse’s back. Seeing her lover defeated, Anna throws a formal hysteria in front of everyone, and thereby completely betrays herself.

Chapters XXX-XXXVI

The Shcherbatskys opt for “small German waters,” where they meet Madame Stahl, a Russian lady who moves in a wheelchair and her adopted daughter Varenka.

Kitty quickly finds common language with kind Varenka, and tells her about his love tragedy. The girl calms the sufferer and asks her to take a more sensible approach to life's trials. Kitty returns to Russia in a calm mood.

Part three

Chapters I-XII

Levin throws himself into running the household. Often he works equally with men, receiving great pleasure from hard physical labor. Levin realizes that his love for Kitty is so strong that he cannot imagine another woman next to him. He tries to find a different meaning in life, and opts for reforming the economy on the scale of his own estate.

Stepan Oblonsky sends Dolly and the children to the village for the whole summer, “to reduce expenses as much as possible.” Levin helps Dolly cope with many of Dolly’s economic problems, and she, in gratitude, tells him that he should not lose hope in Kitty’s favor. Dolly wants to invite Kitty to the summer and reconcile the young people.

Chapters XIII-XVI

The news of Anna's betrayal causes "cruel pain in the heart of Alexei Alexandrovich." But he very quickly comes to his senses and tries to “shake off the dirt with which she splashed him in her fall.” It is very important for Karenin to be in a state of mental balance, as well as to maintain the limits of decency and not harm his own reputation.

He is not going to fight a duel with an opponent or start a lawsuit. After much thought, Alexey Alexandrovich decides to live as before, only without the former respect for his wife.

Chapters XVII-XXIII

Being a very careful person in financial matters, Vronsky comes to the conclusion that he needs to cut expenses and under no circumstances get into large debts. The situation becomes more complicated when he finds out about Anna's pregnancy. To take the woman you love away from your husband, you need to “have money and retire,” and the ambitious Vronsky could not do this.

During an explanation with Vronsky, Anna understands that “she will not be able to neglect her position, abandon her son and unite with her lover.”

Chapters XXIV-XXXII

Levin suffers from the fact that, being only thirty miles from Kitya Shcherbitskaya, he cannot see her. Her refusal has erected an "insurmountable barrier" between them, and he continues to ignore Dolly's persistent requests to see them.

While visiting the leader of the Sviyazhsky district, Levin shares his thoughts on running a household in Russia in his own, not Western, manner.

Part four

Chapters I-VIII

The Karenins continue to live in the same house, but become “completely alien to each other.” Anna is still dating Vronsky, and she is increasingly overcome by jealousy towards him. Alexei Alexandrovich's patience comes to an end when he finds his wife's lover in his own house. He accuses Anna of non-compliance with the contract, and is going to file for divorce, and take Seryozha to his sister.

The next day, Karenin turns to the lawyer with a request to carry out a divorce “so that the son does not remain with his mother.” Having learned that this would require the publication of his wife’s love correspondence, he abandons the litigation and leaves for service matters “to distant provinces.” While passing through Moscow, he informs Oblonsky about the severance of family relations between them due to the betrayal of his sister Anna.

Chapters IX-XVI

At a reception with the Oblonskys, Levin sees Kitty again, and an explanation takes place between the young people. In essence, Levin proposes marriage to Kitty, and she agrees. The girl's parents also "were indisputably in agreement and happy with her happiness." Preparations for the wedding begin.

Chapters XVII-XXIII

Karenin receives a telegram from his wife asking him to come immediately and forgive her before his death. Alexey Alexandrovich understands that this is “deception and cunning,” but still returns home. He learns that Anna gave birth to a girl, but her condition is critical. She begs her husband for forgiveness, and he grants it.

Karenin explains to Vronsky, and the young officer feels “ashamed, humiliated, guilty.” In desperation, he decides to shoot himself, but only wounds himself.

While his wife was recovering, Alexey Alexandrovich took upon himself all the care of the newborn girl, who was also named Anya. But his hopes for family happiness were not justified - Anna, strengthened after childbirth fever, “was afraid of him, was burdened by him and could not look him straight in the eyes.”

Anna hates her husband “for his generosity” and asks her brother to discuss the possibility of divorce with Karenin. Alexey Alexandrovich is trampled and agrees to sign any papers under any conditions. A month later, he is left alone with Seryozha, while Anna and Vronsky go to Italy, “having not received a divorce and decisively refusing it.”

Part five

Chapters I-VI

Preparations for the wedding are in full swing. To celebrate, Levin even confesses, something he hasn’t done for many years. He confesses his unbelief to the priest, and he calls on him to believe in the Lord, at least for the sake of his future children. Levin calms down and with a pure soul marries Kitty. Immediately after dinner, “that same night the young couple left for the village.”

Chapters VII-XIII

Anna and Vronsky travel around Europe. Freed from marital shackles, Anna feels “unforgivably happy and full of the joy of life,” in contrast to her lover, who “was not completely happy.” Tired of a boring and inactive life in Europe, they return to Russia.

Chapters XIV-XX

The first months of Kitty and Levin's family life are full of petty quarrels and outbursts of jealousy that poison their happiness. But after a while, the spouses adapt to each other, and their lives improve. The painful death of Levin's brother, Nikolai, leaves a deep mark on their souls. At the same time, Kitty’s health is deteriorating - the girl is pregnant.

Chapters XXI-XXXIII

In “a difficult moment of lonely despair,” Karenin receives tangible moral support from his old friend, Countess Lydia Ivanovna. She manages to strengthen his spirit and faith in God. The Countess takes upon herself all the worries about Seryozha and solving economic issues. She is sure that the boy needs to be completely isolated from his mother.

Lydia Ivanovna receives a letter from Anna asking her to meet with her son, and answers her with a decisive refusal. In turn, Karenin personally takes up the task of raising Seryozha, but he never manages to reach the child’s heart.

On Seryozha’s birthday, Anna decides that she will go “to her husband’s house, bribe people, deceive, but at all costs she will see her son.” The boy is incredibly happy about this meeting, but with the appearance of Karenin, Anna rushes away from the house.

Anna languishes locked up and, contrary to all Vronsky’s warnings, goes to the theater. Thus, she signs the final verdict under her reputation: a scandal in high society is guaranteed, and Anna is assigned the glory of a “fallen woman.”

Part six

Chapters I-XV

Throughout the summer, numerous relatives and friends of the newlyweds visit the Levins’ house. Varenka, whom Kitty met during her stay on the waters, also arrives. Levin's brother, Sergei, who is going to propose to the girl, begins to look after her, but everything is not resolved.

Chapters XVI-XXIV

Dolly decides to visit Anna, “despite the change in her situation.” Dolly notices that Karenina has become unusually prettier: she takes special care of her wardrobe and rides a horse. She confesses to her friend that she is “unforgivably happy” and that she will no longer have children in order to preserve her beauty for Vronsky. Anna devotes little time to her daughter, and takes much more pleasure in doing housework.

During the two days that Dolly stayed with Anna, she realized how great the gulf had become between them.

Chapters XXV-XXXII

At first glance, Anna and Vronsky’s life “was such that one could not wish for anything better: they had complete prosperity, they had health, they had a child, and both had activities.” However, over time, Vronsky increasingly begins to notice how he is burdened by Anna’s annoying love, her constant desire to control all his actions. He goes alone to the provincial elections, partly out of boredom, but mostly to “declare his rights to freedom before Anna.”

In turn, Karenina tries not to bother her lover with violent scenes of jealousy, but she doesn’t last long. She writes him a letter and informs him about her daughter’s imaginary illness. Vronsky has no choice but to return to the estate, where “gloomy, difficult love” awaits him.

Anna, wanting to drive away the terrible thoughts about Vronsky’s indifference to her, begins to take morphine.

Part seven

Chapters I-XII

Before Kitty gives birth, the couple moves to Moscow. Levin tries to lead a social life, but he does not like it at all. Among others, he pays a visit to Vronsky and Anna, who have also moved from the estate.

Anna tries to make a favorable impression on Levin, and she succeeds: he admires and admires her - “her beauty, her intelligence, her education, and at the same time her simplicity and sincerity.” Having learned about her husband's visit to Anna, Kitty feels deeply unhappy. Levin promises her to avoid any communication with Karenina from now on.

Chapters XIII-XXII

Kitty begins to give birth, and Levin, an unbeliever, in despair calls on the Lord, as “in the days of childhood and early youth,” to save his beloved woman. Seeing Kitty’s torment, he no longer wants a child, but wants “only an end to this terrible suffering.”

Kitty safely gives birth to a boy, and the distraught Levin has difficulty understanding that his wife is “alive, healthy, and that the creature that screamed so desperately is his son.”

The financial affairs of the Oblonsky family are “in a bad position.” He asks Alexei Alexandrovich to lobby for his salary increase. Karenin considers his son-in-law a worthless worker, but still agrees to put in a good word for him with his superiors.

Oblonsky also asks Karenin to grant Anna a divorce, who has been living in Moscow for six months, “where every meeting is a knife in her heart.” Alexey Alexandrovich promises to think about it.

Chapters XXIII-XXXI

Anna continues to be jealous of Vronsky "not of any woman, but of the diminution of his love." She torments her lover with endless accusations, nagging, complaints, sudden mood swings, which further alienates him from her. More and more often, Anna comes to the idea that “everything is saved by death,” and all the problems in her life can only be solved by death.

Karenina finally loses her mental balance. Hoping to get the consolation she needs, she goes to Dolly, but finds Kitty there. Wanting to prick her former rival more painfully, Anna casually notes that Levin was with her and she liked her very much.

Wanting to punish her lover as painfully as possible for his indifference and to get rid of the worries that tormented her, Anna goes to the station and throws herself under the train.

Part Eight

Chapters I-V

Vronsky had a hard time with the death of his beloved woman. For six weeks, his family kept an eye on him, fearing that in a fit of despair he would commit suicide. Having recovered from the tragedy, he goes as a volunteer to Serbia.

Vronsky’s mother believes that Karenina’s death is “everything to prove something special.” Even now she cannot calmly talk about the woman who killed “two wonderful people" - Karenina and her son.

Alexey Alexandrovich takes upon himself the upbringing of the orphaned Anya.

Chapters VI-XIX

Happy in her motherhood, Kitty calmly raises her son, who was named Dmitry. Levin often reflects on “what he is and why he lives.” Having rethought his attitude towards faith, he begins to live “for the soul, in truth, in God’s way.”

Conclusion

In his work, Lev Nikolaevich emphasizes that it is impossible to build happiness based on the destruction of the family and the suffering of loved ones. Blindly following passion is destructive and cannot make a person truly happy.

After familiarizing yourself with a brief retelling"Anna Karenina" recommends reading Tolstoy's novel in its entirety.

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April 17, 1877 Leo Tolstoy Finished work on the novel Anna Karenina. The prototypes of many of the characters were real people - the classic “drew” some of the portraits and characters from the friends, relatives and acquaintances around him, and the hero named Konstantin Levin is often called the alter ego of the author himself. AiF.ru tells what Tolstoy’s great novel is about and why “Anna Karenina” turned into a “mirror” of its era.

Two marriages

On someone else's misfortune

The scene of the meeting between Anna and Vronsky in the light (Part II, Chapter VI). Drawing by Elmer Boyd Smith, 1886 Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org

Vronsky takes the loss seriously and volunteers to go to war. Their little daughter is taken in by Alexey Karenin.

Vasily Meshkov. "L. N. Tolstoy at work in the library in Yasnaya Polyana.” 1910 Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org

Levin's second chance

Mirror of the era

Mikhail Vrubel. "Anna Karenina's date with her son." 1878 Photo: reproduction

As I wrote Sergei Tolstoy, son of a classic, “From a realistic novel, such as Anna Karenina, what is required first of all is truthfulness; therefore, his material was not only large, but also small facts taken from real life.” But what could have prompted the author to come up with such a plot?

In the 19th century, divorce was rare. Society harshly condemned and despised women who dared to leave their family for another man. However, precedents did occur, including in Tolstoy’s family. For example, his distant relative Alexey Tolstoy married Sofya Bakhmeteva- when the couple met, Bakhmeteva was already married to someone else and had a daughter. To some extent, Anna Karenina is a collective image. Some features of her appearance resemble Maria Hartung- daughter Pushkin, and the author “wove” the character of the heroine and the situation in which she found herself from several different stories. The spectacular ending was also taken from life - the live-in wife of Tolstoy's neighbor in Yasnaya Polyana died under a train - Anna Pirogova. She was very jealous of her lover, and somehow she quarreled with him and left for Tula. Three days later, the woman sent a letter to her partner through the coachman, and she threw herself under the wheels.

Nevertheless, critics were outraged by Tolstoy's novel. Anna Karenina was called immoral and amoral - that is, “in reality” readers treated her in exactly the same way as the secular characters in the book. The author’s description of the scene of intimacy between his heroine and Vronsky also caused a number of attacks. Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin spoke of “Anna Karenina” as a “cow novel”, where Vronsky is a “bull in love”, and Nikolay Nekrasov wrote an epigram:

“Tolstoy, you proved with patience and talent,

That a woman should not "walk"

Neither with the chamber cadet, nor with the aide-de-camp,

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Genre, plot and composition of the novel by L.N. Tolstoy “Anna Karenina” The presentation was prepared by students of grade 10 “A” of State Budget Educational Institution Secondary School No. 1368 Anastasia Baikalova and Zlata Kumankova

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Originality of the genre Genre: novel. The uniqueness of the Anna Karenina genre lies in the fact that this novel combines features characteristic of several types of novel creativity. It contains, first of all, the features that characterize a family romance. The history of several families, family relationships and conflicts are highlighted here. It is no coincidence that Tolstoy emphasized that when creating “Anna Karenina” he was dominated by family thought, while while working on “War and Peace” he wanted to embody the people’s thought. But at the same time, “Anna Karenina” is not only a family novel, but also a social, psychological novel, a work in which the history of family relationships is closely connected with the depiction of complex social processes, and the depiction of the destinies of the heroes is inseparable from the deep disclosure of their inner world.

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The originality of the genre Showing the movement of time, characterizing the formation of a new social order, the lifestyle and psychology of various layers of society, Tolstoy gave his novel the features of an epic. The embodiment of family thought, the socio-psychological narrative, the features of the epic - these are not separate “layers” in the novel, but those principles that appear in their organic synthesis. And just as the social constantly penetrates into the depiction of personal and family relationships, the depiction of the individual aspirations of the heroes and their psychology largely determines the epic features of the novel. The strength of the characters created in it is determined by the brightness of their embodiment of their own, personal, and at the same time the expressiveness of the disclosure of those social connections and relationships in which they exist.

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The originality of the genre Tolstoy's brilliant mastery in Anna Karenina evoked enthusiastic praise from the writer's outstanding contemporaries. “Count Leo Tolstoy,” wrote V. Stasov, “rose to such a high note that Russian literature has never hit before. Even Pushkin and Gogol themselves did not express love and passion with such depth and astonishing truth as they do now in Tolstoy.” V. Stasov noted that the writer knows how to “with a wonderful sculptor’s hand sculpt such types and scenes that no one had known before in our entire literature... “Anna Karenina” will remain a bright, huge star forever and ever!” Dostoevsky, who viewed the novel from his own ideological and creative positions, rated Karenina no less highly. He wrote: “Anna Karenina” is perfection as work of art... and one with which nothing similar in European literature in the present era can compare.”

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The plot and composition of the novel Tolstoy called Anna Karenina a “broad and free novel,” using Pushkin’s term “free novel.” This is a clear indication of the genre origins of the work. Tolstoy's "broad and free novel" is different from Pushkin's "free novel". In Anna Karenina, for example, there are no lyrical, philosophical or journalistic authorial digressions. But there is an undoubted continuity between Pushkin’s novel and Tolstoy’s novel, which manifests itself in the genre, plot, and composition.

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Plot and composition of the novel In the novel “Anna Karenina”, from the very beginning, attention is directed to events in which the characters’ characters are clarified. The aphorism - “all happy families are alike, each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way” - is a philosophical introduction to the novel. The second (event) introduction is contained in one single phrase: “Everything was mixed up in the Oblonskys’ house.” And finally, the next phrase sets up the action and defines the conflict. The accident that revealed Oblonsky's infidelity entails a chain of necessary consequences that make up the plot line of the family drama.

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The plot and composition of the novel The chapters of the novel are arranged in cycles, between which there is a close connection both thematically and in plot terms. Each part of the novel has its own “idea node”. The main points of the composition are the plot and thematic centers, successively replacing each other. In the first part of the novel, cycles are formed in connection with conflicts in the lives of the Oblonskys (chap. I-V), Levin (chap. VI-IX), and the Shcherbatskys (chap. XII-XVI). The development of the action is determined by the events caused by Anna Karenina's arrival in Moscow (chap. XVII-XXIII), Levin's decision to leave for the village (chap. XXIV-XXVII) and Anna's return to St. Petersburg, where Vronsky followed her (chap. XXVIII- XXX1U). These cycles, following one after another, gradually expand the scope of the novel, revealing the patterns of development of conflicts. In the first part, each cycle occupies five or six chapters, which have their own “boundaries of content.” This creates a rhythmic change of episodes and scenes.

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The plot and composition of the novel The first part is one of the most remarkable examples of a “cool romantic plot.” The logic of events, which never violates the truth of life, leads to drastic and inevitable changes in the destinies of the heroes. If before Anna Karenina’s arrival Dolly was unhappy and Kitty was happy, then after Anna’s appearance in Moscow “everything got mixed up”: reconciliation of the Oblonskys became possible - Dolly’s happiness, and Vronsky’s break with Kitty inevitably approached - the misfortune of Princess Shcherbatskaya. The plot of the novel is built on the basis of major changes in the lives of the characters and captures the very meaning of their existence. The plot and thematic center of the first part of the novel is the depiction of the “confusion” of family and social relations, turning the life of a thinking person into torment and evoking the desire to “get away from all the vileness, confusion, both one’s own and that of others.” This is the basis for the “concatenation of ideas” in the first part, where the knot of further events is tied.

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The plot and composition of the novel The second part has its own plot and thematic center. This is the “abyss of life”, before which the heroes stop in confusion, trying to free themselves from the “confusion”. The action of the second part takes on a dramatic character from the very beginning. The range of events here is wider than in the first part. The episodes change at a faster pace. Each cycle includes three to four chapters. The action moves from Moscow to St. Petersburg, from Pokrovskoye to Krasnoe Selo and Peterhof, from Russia to Germany.

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The plot and composition of the novel The third part of the novel depicts the heroes after the crisis they experienced and on the eve of decisive events. The chapters are combined into cycles, which can be divided into periods. The first cycle consists of two periods: Levin and Koznyshev in Pokrovskoye (I-VI) and Levin’s trip to Ergushevo (Ch. VII-XII). The second cycle is devoted to the relationships between Anna and Karenin (chap. XIII-XVI), Anna and Vronsky (chap. XVII-XXIII). The third cycle again returns attention to Levin and is divided into two periods: Levin’s trip to Sviyazhsky (chap. XXV-XXVIII) and Levin’s attempt to create a new “science of economics” (chap. XXIX-XXXP).

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Plot and composition of the novel The fourth part of the novel consists of three main cycles: the life of the Karenins in St. Petersburg (chap. I-V), the meeting of Levin and Kitty in Moscow in the Oblonsky house (chap. VII-XVI); the last cycle, dedicated to the relationship between Anna, Vronsky and Karenin, has two periods: the happiness of forgiveness” (chap. XVII-XIX) and the break (chap. XX-XXIII). In the fifth part of the novel, the focus is on the fate of Anna and Levin. The heroes of the novel achieve happiness and choose their own path (Anna and Vronsky’s departure to Italy, Levin’s marriage to Kitty). Life changed, although each of them remained himself. “There was a complete break with all previous life, and a completely different, new, completely unknown life began, while in reality the old one continued.”

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The plot and composition of the novel The plot and thematic center represents the general concept of a given plot state. In each part of the novel there are repeated words - images and concepts - which represent the key to the ideological meaning of the work. “The Abyss” appears in the second part of the novel as a metaphor for life, and then goes through many conceptual and figurative transformations. The word “confusion” was the key word for the first part of the novel, “web of lies” for the third, “mysterious communication” for the fourth, “choosing a path” for the fifth. These repeated words indicate the direction of the author’s thought and can serve as “Ariadne’s thread” in the complex transitions of a “broad and free novel.” The architecture of the novel “Anna Karenina” is distinguished by the natural arrangement of all interconnected structural parts. There is an undeniable meaning in the fact that the composition of the novel Anna Karenina was compared to an architectural structure. I. E. Zabelin, characterizing the features of originality in Russian architecture, wrote that for a long time in Rus', houses, palaces and temples “were not built according to the plan that was thought up in advance and drawn on paper, and the construction of the building rarely fully responded all the real needs of the owner. They were built most of all according to the plan of life itself and the free outline of the very everyday life of the builders, although every individual structure was always executed according to the drawing.

In the Moscow house of the Oblonskys, where “everything was mixed up” at the end of winter 1873, they are waiting for the owner’s sister, Anna Arkadyevna Karenina. The reason for the family discord was that Prince Stepan Arkadyevich Oblonsky was caught by his wife in adultery with the governess. Thirty-four-year-old Stiva Oblonsky sincerely feels sorry for his wife Dolly, but, being a truthful person, he does not assure himself that he repents of what he has done. Cheerful, kind and carefree Stiva has long been no longer in love with his wife, the mother of five living and two dead children, and has long been unfaithful to her.

Stiva is completely indifferent to the work he is doing, serving as a boss in one of the Moscow offices, and this allows him to never get carried away, not make mistakes and perform his duties perfectly. Friendly, tolerant of human shortcomings, charming Steve enjoys the favor of people in his circle, subordinates, bosses and, in general, everyone with whom his life brings him together. Debts and family troubles upset him, but cannot spoil his mood enough to make him refuse dinner at a good restaurant. He has lunch with Konstantin Dmitrievich Levin, who has arrived from the village, his peer and friend from his youth.

Levin came to propose to eighteen-year-old Princess Kitya Shcherbatskaya, Oblonsky's sister-in-law, with whom he had long been in love. Levin is sure that a girl like Kitty, who is above all earthly things, cannot love him, an ordinary landowner, without, as he believes, special talents. In addition, Oblonsky informs him that he apparently has a rival - a brilliant representative of the St. Petersburg “golden youth”, Count Alexei Kirillovich Vronsky.

Kitty knows about Levin's love and feels light and free with him; with Vronsky she experiences an incomprehensible awkwardness. But it's hard for her to figure it out own feelings, she doesn't know who to give preference to. Kitty does not suspect that Vronsky does not intend to marry her, and dreams of a happy future with him force her to refuse Levin. Meeting his mother, who has arrived from St. Petersburg, Vronsky sees Anna Arkadyevna Karenina at the station. He immediately notices the special expressiveness of Anna’s entire appearance: “It was as if an excess of something so filled her being that, against her will, it was expressed either in the brilliance of her gaze or in a smile.” The meeting is overshadowed by a sad circumstance: the death of a station watchman under the wheels of a train, which Anna considers a bad omen.

Anna manages to persuade Dolly to forgive her husband; A fragile peace is established in the Oblonskys' house, and Anna goes to the ball together with the Oblonskys and Shcherbatskys. At the ball, Kitty admires Anna's naturalness and grace, admires that special, poetic inner world, which appears in her every movement. Kitty expects a lot from this ball: she is sure that during the mazurka Vronsky will explain himself to her. Suddenly she notices how Vronsky is talking with Anna: in each of their glances one can feel an irresistible attraction to each other, every word decides their fate. Kitty leaves in despair. Anna Karenina returns home to St. Petersburg; Vronsky follows her.

Blaming himself alone for the failure of the matchmaking, Levin returns to the village. Before leaving, he meets with his older brother Nikolai, who lives in cheap rooms with a woman he took from a brothel. Levin loves his brother, despite his uncontrollable character, which causes a lot of trouble for himself and those around him. Seriously ill, lonely, drinking, Nikolai Levin is passionate about the communist idea and the organization of some kind of metalworking artel; this saves him from self-contempt. A date with his brother aggravates the shame and dissatisfaction with himself that Konstantin Dmitrievich experiences after the matchmaking. He calms down only in his family estate Pokrovsky, deciding to work even harder and not allow himself luxury - which, however, never existed in his life before.

The usual life in St. Petersburg, to which Anna returns, causes her disappointment. She had never been in love with her husband, who was much older than her, and had only respect for him. Now his company becomes painful for her, she notices the slightest of his shortcomings: his ears are too big, his habit of cracking his fingers. Her love for her eight-year-old son Seryozha does not save her either. Anna tries to regain her peace of mind, but she fails - mainly because Alexey Vronsky tries in every possible way to achieve her favor. Vronsky is in love with Anna, and his love intensifies because an affair with a lady of high society makes his position even more brilliant. Despite the fact that his entire inner life is filled with passion for Anna, outwardly Vronsky leads the ordinary, cheerful and pleasant life of a guards officer: with the Opera, the French theater, balls, horse races and other pleasures. But their relationship with Anna is too different in the eyes of others from easy social flirting; strong passion causes universal condemnation. Alexey Alexandrovich Karenin notices the attitude of the world towards his wife’s affair with Count Vronsky and expresses his dissatisfaction to Anna. Being a high-ranking official, “Alexei Alexandrovich lived and worked all his life in official areas dealing with reflections of life. And every time he came across life itself, he distanced himself from it.” Now he feels in the position of a man standing above the abyss.

Karenin's attempts to stop his wife's uncontrollable desire for Vronsky, Anna's own attempts to restrain herself are unsuccessful. A year after the first meeting, she becomes Vronsky's mistress - realizing that they are now connected forever, like criminals. Vronsky is burdened by the uncertainty of the relationship and persuades Anna to leave her husband and join her life with him. But Anna cannot decide to break with Karenin, and even the fact that she is expecting a child from Vronsky does not give her determination.

During a race, where all the high society is present, Vronsky falls from his horse Frou-Frou. Not knowing how serious the fall is, Anna expresses her despair so openly that Karenin is forced to take her away immediately. She announces to her husband her infidelity and disgust for him. This news gives Alexey Alexandrovich the impression of a sore tooth being pulled out: he finally gets rid of the suffering of jealousy and leaves for St. Petersburg, leaving his wife at the dacha awaiting his decision. But after going through everything possible options future - a duel with Vronsky, a divorce - Karenin decides to leave everything unchanged, punishing and humiliating Anna with the requirement to maintain a false appearance of family life under the threat of separation from her son. Having made this decision, Alexey Alexandrovich finds enough peace to devote himself, with his characteristic stubborn ambition, to thinking about the affairs of the service. Her husband's decision causes Anna to burst into hatred towards him. She considers him a soulless machine who does not think that she has a soul and the need for love. Anna realizes that she is driven into a corner because she is unable to exchange her current position for that of a mistress who abandoned her husband and son and deserves everyone’s contempt.

The continuing uncertainty of the relationship is also painful for Vronsky, who deep down loves order and has an unshakable set of rules of behavior. For the first time in his life, he does not know how to behave further, how to bring his love for Anna into agreement with everyday rules. If he joins her, he will be forced to resign, and this is also not easy for him: Vronsky loves regimental life, enjoys the respect of his comrades; besides, he is ambitious.

The lives of three people are entangled in a web of lies. Anna alternates pity for her husband with disgust; she cannot help but meet with Vronsky, as Alexey Alexandrovich demands. Finally, childbirth occurs, during which Anna almost dies. Lying in childbed fever, she asks Alexei Alexandrovich for forgiveness, and at her bedside he feels pity for his wife, tender compassion and spiritual joy. Vronsky, whom Anna unconsciously rejects, experiences burning shame and humiliation. He tries to shoot himself, but is saved.

Anna does not die and, when the mental softening caused by the proximity of death passes, she again begins to be burdened by her husband. Neither his decency and generosity, nor his touching care for the newborn girl relieves her of irritation; she hates Karenin even for his virtues. A month after her recovery, Anna goes abroad with the retired Vronsky and her daughter.

Living in the village, Levin takes care of the estate, reads, and writes a book about agriculture and undertakes various economic rearrangements that do not find approval among the peasants. For Levin, the village is “a place of life, that is, joys, sufferings, labor.” The men respect him, go forty miles to him for advice - and they strive to deceive him for their own benefit. There is no deliberateness in Levin’s attitude towards the people: he considers himself part of the people, all his interests are connected with the peasants. He admires the strength, meekness, and justice of the peasants and is irritated by their carelessness, sloppiness, drunkenness, and lies. In disputes with his half-brother Sergei Ivanovich Koznyshev, who came to visit, Levin proves that zemstvo activities do not benefit the peasants, because they are not based on knowledge of their true needs, nor on the personal interests of the landowners.

Levin feels his merging with nature; he even hears the growth of spring grass. In the summer he mows with the men, feeling the joy of simple labor. Despite all this, he considers his life idle and dreams of changing it to a working, clean and common life. Subtle changes are constantly taking place in his soul, and Levin listens to them. At one time it seems to him that he has found peace and forgotten his dreams of family happiness. But this illusion crumbles to dust when he learns about Kitty’s serious illness, and then sees her herself, going to her sister in the village. The feeling that seemed dead again takes possession of his heart, and only in love does he see the opportunity to solve great mystery life.

In Moscow, at a dinner with the Oblonskys, Levin meets Kitty and realizes that she loves him. In a state of supreme elation, he proposes to Kitty and receives consent. Immediately after the wedding, the newlyweds leave for the village.

Vronsky and Anna travel around Italy. At first Anna feels happy and full of the joy of life. Even the knowledge that she was separated from her son, lost her good name and became the cause of her husband’s misfortune, does not darken her happiness. Vronsky is lovingly and respectfully towards her, he does everything to ensure that she is not burdened by her position. But he himself, despite his love for Anna, experiences melancholy and grasps at everything that can give his life significance. He begins to paint, but, having enough taste, he knows his mediocrity and soon becomes disillusioned with this activity.

Upon returning to St. Petersburg, Anna clearly feels rejected: they don’t want to accept her, her acquaintances avoid meeting her. Insults from the world also poison Vronsky’s life, but, busy with her worries, Anna does not want to notice this. On Seryozha’s birthday, she secretly goes to see him and, finally seeing her son, feeling his love for herself, she understands that she cannot be happy apart from him. In despair, in irritation, she reproaches Vronsky for having stopped loving her; It takes him a lot of effort to calm her down, after which they leave for the village.

The first time of married life turns out to be difficult for Kitty and Levin: they have difficulty getting used to each other, charms are replaced by disappointments, quarrels are replaced by reconciliations. Family life It seems to Levin like a boat: it’s nice to watch gliding on the water, but it’s very difficult to steer. Suddenly, Levin receives news that brother Nikolai is dying in the provincial town. He immediately goes to him; Despite his protests, Kitty decides to go with him. Having seen his brother and experienced painful pity for him, Levin still cannot get rid of the fear and disgust that the proximity of death evokes in him. He is shocked that Kitty is not at all afraid of the dying man and knows how to behave with him. Levin feels that only his wife’s love saves him these days from horror.

During Kitty's pregnancy, which Levin learns about on the day of his brother's death, the family continues to live in Pokrovskoye, where relatives and friends come for the summer. Levin values the spiritual closeness he has established with his wife, and is tormented by jealousy, afraid of losing this closeness.

Dolly Oblonskaya, visiting her sister, decides to visit Anna Karenina, who lives with Vronsky on his estate, not far from Pokrovsky. Dolly is amazed at the changes that have occurred in Karenina; she feels the falseness of her current way of life, especially noticeable in comparison with her previous liveliness and naturalness. Anna entertains the guests, tries to take care of her daughter, reading, and setting up the village hospital. But her main concern is to replace Vronsky with herself for everything that he left for her sake. Their relationship is becoming more and more tense, Anna is jealous of everything that he is interested in, even of zemstvo activities, which Vronsky is engaged in mainly in order not to lose his independence. In the fall they move to Moscow, awaiting Karenin's decision on divorce. But, offended in his best feelings, rejected by his wife, finding himself alone, Alexey Alexandrovich falls under the influence of the famous spiritualist, Princess Myagkaya, who persuades him, for religious reasons, not to give his criminal wife a divorce. In the relationship between Vronsky and Anna there is neither complete discord nor agreement. Anna blames Vronsky for all the hardships of her situation; attacks of desperate jealousy are instantly replaced by tenderness; Quarrels break out every now and then. In Anna's dreams, the same nightmare is repeated: some man bends over her, pronounces meaningless French words and does something terrible to her. After a particularly difficult quarrel, Vronsky, against Anna’s wishes, goes to visit his mother. In complete confusion, Anna sees her relationship with him as if in a bright light. She understands that her love is becoming more and more passionate and selfish, and Vronsky, without losing his love for her, is still burdened by her and tries not to be dishonest towards her. Trying to achieve his repentance, she follows him to the station, where she suddenly remembers the man crushed by the train on the day of their first meeting - and immediately understands what she needs to do. Anna throws herself under a train; her last vision is of a muttering man. After this, “the candle, by which she was reading a book full of anxiety, deception, grief and evil, flared up with a brighter light than ever, illuminated for her everything that had previously been in the darkness, crackled, began to fade and went out forever.”

Life becomes hateful for Vronsky; he is tormented by unnecessary, but indelible repentance. He volunteers to fight the Turks in Serbia; Karenin takes his daughter to live with him.

After Kitty's birth, which became a deep spiritual shock for Levin, the family returns to the village. Levin is in painful discord with himself - because after the death of his brother and the birth of his son, he cannot resolve the most important questions for himself: the meaning of life, the meaning of death. He feels that he is close to suicide and is afraid to walk with a gun so as not to shoot himself. But at the same time, Levin notes: when he does not ask himself why he lives, he feels the presence of an infallible judge in his soul, and his life becomes firm and definite. Finally, he understands that the knowledge of the laws of good, given personally to him, Levin, in the Gospel Revelation, cannot be grasped by reason and expressed in words. Now he feels able to put an undeniable sense of goodness into every minute of his life.