Anna Karenina

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

—

Title

Anna Karenina

Language

en

Book source

Global Grey

Description max 80 words

Set against the backdrop of Imperial Russia, this powerful nineteenth-century novel explores the complexities of love, duty, and society through the intertwined lives of its characters. Tolstoy masterfully contrasts the chaotic unhappiness of the Oblonsky family with the profound spiritual awakening of Levin, offering a sweeping critique of aristocratic hypocrisy and a deep inquiry into the meaning of life and faith.

Summary up to 500 words

Leo Tolstoy's *Anna Karenina* opens with the domestic chaos of the Oblonsky household, where Prince Stepan Arkadyevitch struggles to reconcile his infidelity with his wife Dolly's refusal to forgive him. The narrative quickly shifts to introduce Anna Karenina, Stepan's sister, whose arrival offers a glimmer of hope for reconciliation. Parallel to this domestic drama, the novel introduces Konstantin Levin, a landowner grappling with profound existential questions regarding faith, the role of the Slavic people in history, and the nature of happiness. Levin's journey is marked by a spiritual crisis that leads him to a personal revelation: the universality of moral law exists independently of organized religion, accessible to all humanity regardless of their specific faith. The romantic arc of Levin and Kitty Shcherbatskya unfolds alongside these broader social observations. Their relationship moves from a passionate courtship through a terrifying storm incident that tests their commitment, ultimately leading to their marriage. The novel juxtaposes these intimate dramas with the plight of the peasantry and the moral decay of high society. Through Levin's evolving consciousness and the tragic trajectory of Anna, Tolstoy examines the tension between individual desire and societal duty. While Anna's story, implied by the title and thematic structure, serves as a cautionary tale of passion unchecked by duty, Levin's path suggests that true fulfillment lies in selfless service and a connection to the divine found within everyday struggles. The text highlights that happy families are alike, while every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way, a truth realized through the contrasting fates of the Oblonskys, the Shcherbatskys, and the Karenins.

LLM editorial rating

4.8/5

Download URL

https://www.globalgreyebooks.com/ebooks/leo-tolstoy_anna-karenina.epub

Local file path

data/epubs/url-f50a278aabb28076.epub

Download EPUB

Downloaded at

2026-07-01 13:46 UTC

Categories

• Classics
• Fiction