Anna Karenina

AnnaKarenina(АннаКаренина)isanovelbytheRussianwriterLeoTolstoyfirstpublishedinperiodicalinstallmentsfrom1875to1877.ThenovelfirstappearedasaserialintheperiodicalRuskiiVestnik("RussianMessenger")--butTolstoyclashedwithitseditorMikhailKatkovoverissuesthataroseinthefinalinstallment.Therefore,thenovel'sfirstcompleteappearancewasinbookform.Widelyregardedasapinnacleinrealistfiction,Tolstoyconsideredthisbookhisfirsttruenovel.ThecharacterofAnnawaslikelyinspired,inpart,byMariaHartung(1832–1919),theelderdaughteroftheRussianpoetAlexanderPushkin.Soonaftermeetingheratdinner,TolstoystartedreadingPushkin'sproseandoncehadafleetingdaydreamof"abareexquisitearistocraticelbow",whichprovedtobethefirstintimationofAnna'scharacter.AlthoughmostRussiancriticspannedthenovelonitspublicationasa"triflingromanceofhighlife",FyodorDostoevskydeclaredittobe"flawlessasaworkofart".HisopinionissecondedbyVladimirNabokov,whoespeciallyadmired"theflawlessmagicofTolstoy'sstyle"andthemotifofthemovingtrain,whichissubtlyintroducedinthefirstchapters(thechildrenplayingwithatoytrain)andinexorablydevelopedinsubsequentchapters(Anna'snightmare),thusheraldingthenovel'smajesticfinale.Amagnificentdramaofvengeance,infidelity,andretribution,"AnnaKareninaportraysthemovingstoryofpeoplewhoseemotionsconflictwiththedominantsocialmoresoftheirtime.Sensual,rebelliousAnnafallsdeeplyandpassionatelyinlovewiththehandsomeCountVronsky.Whensherefusestoconductthediscreetaffairthathercold,ambitioushusband(andRussianhighsociety)wouldcondone,sheisdoomed.SetagainstthetragicloveofAnnaandVronsky,theplightofthemelancholynoblemanKonstantineLevinunfolds.Indoubtaboutthemeaningoflife,hauntedbythoughtsofsuicide,Levin'sstrugglesechoTolstoy'sownspiritualcrisis.ButAnna'sinnerturmoilmirrorstheownemotionalimprisonmentandmentaldisintegrationofawomanwhodarestotransgressthestricturesofapatriarchalworld.In"AnnaKareninaLeoTolstoybroughttoperfectionthenovelofsocialrealismandcreatedamasterpiecethatbaredtheRussiansoul.