Anna Karenina: Themes
Leo Tolstoy Writes about Social Conflict, his Times, and Happiness
The story of Levin, Kitty, Anna, Vronsky, Karenin, and Dolly, by one of the greatest Russian writers, is one of the world's most famous novels.
Anna Karenina takes on difficult themes of what it means to be human. And, while the two plots of the novel appear relatively unrelated, they are thematically tied. Here, these complex themes are broken down most simply.
(to review the plot before considering the themes, click here)
Happiness in Family Life
In Anna Karenina God, not romance, leads to a happy union. While Anna seems to believe in the power of love as a life purpose, Levin, in the end, takes a different view: that God is the ultimate purpose of life and worldly love is simply part of his plan, something tangible through which we may perceive something higher (Seifrid, p. 441). Anna’s love of Vronsky cannot redeem her. Levin’s love of God redeems him and leads to a happy and loving family life.
Conservative, Russian Values versus Liberal, Westernized Politics
A number of sub-themes fall under this larger heading.
Orthodox Christianity versus Atheism: Throughout Anna Karenina, Levin struggles with his religious views. Western atheism is in vogue with forward-thinking members of the Russian upper classes. Leo Tolstoy (and eventually Levin) side with the peasants, who live simply and trust in God.
Feminism: The level of a woman’s control over her own life is a controversy in Anna Karenina. Anna and Dolly have both found themselves in unhappy marriages due to the old system, in which a woman did not have much say in her fate. Kitty is part of a younger generation that has a bit more freedom, though her right to choose her own husband is still openly debated. Kitty’s initial rejection of Levin indicates that young people may not always decide best for themselves. However, society’s snobbish rejection of Anna for living life on her own terms is unquestionably criticized by Tolstoy.
Peasants and the Class System: Western values of freedom, democracy, and technological advancement are also in vogue during the time of Anna Karenina. Levin tries to put these ideas into action by introducing new farming techniques, working side-by-side with his farmers, and introducing democratic principles on his estate. However, these efforts prove futile against years of Russian tradition. The ideas are admirable, but Tolstoy proves that social change is easier discussed than created, especially in the short term.
Society versus Individual Passion
Another thing that makes sense of the unconnected plots is the way that the characters interact with their society; “It is the novel’s consistent awareness of the tension in the individual between the freedom and excitement of his or her own passionate imaginings… and the need to be part of a social context… that makes Anna Karenina a unified artistic whole.” (Jahn, p. 149)
Tolstoy does not believe that this tension can be completely resolved. Even the most exemplary characters are caught up in the conflict between their own wishes and the perception of society. Dolly, for instance, wishes for the freedom and passion with which Anna seems to live her life, even as she worries for Anna’s health. However, Anna’s fallen status indicates that these kinds of choices, however appealing, lead to social hardship. Levin, too, experiences the conflict between his own perspective and that of society when he decides to retreat from public life and risk a poor public perception of his life in the country.
Many of these themes are not only evident in the characters actions, but also blatantly discussed in social situations, such as Betsy’s parties.
Tolstoy, Leo. Anna Karenina. New York: Norton Critical Editions, 1995. 0-393-96642-0.
Jahn, Gary R. “The Unity of Anna Karenina.” Russian Review 41.2 (1982): 144-158.
Seifrid, Thomas. “Gazing on Life’s Pages: Perspectival Vision in Tolstoy.” PMLA 113.3 (1998): 436-448.
