Anna Karenina follows the intertwined lives of Russian aristocracy, focusing on Anna's passionate affair and the contrasting search for meaning by Levin. Through vivid character portraits and social critique, the novel examines love, morality, and the clash between tradition and modernity, establishing it as a cornerstone of realist literature.
Try these questions
- How does Tolstoy explore the conflict between personal desire and societal expectations in the novel?
- What motivates Anna Karenina’s choices, and how do they reflect her inner conflicts?
- In what ways does the novel reflect the social and political climate of 19th‑century Russia?
- How does Tolstoy’s use of multiple perspectives and detailed realism affect the storytelling?
Anna Karenina
Leo Tolstoy