Anna Karenina part.2

Anna Karenina. 2

Author

Tolstoy (author)

Publisher

Minumsa | Published 2009-09-04

Category

Novel

Book intro

A masterpiece concentrating the thought and reflections of the great writer Tolstoy! Russia's great writer Tol...

The main content of Volume 2 (Parts 3, 4, 5) can largely be called 'Nikolai and Levin,' 'Levin and Kitty,' and 'Anna and Vronsky, and Alexandrovich.' Stepan Arkadyich and Dolly's relationship improves greatly, and I'd like to say they move somewhat away from this book's 'tragedy' and 'became happy.' Within these stories there was rural life (Levin and Dolly), there was a turning toward the power of religion (Kitty and Alexandrovich), there was a profound contemplation of death (Levin and Kitty, and Nikolai), and there was a sharing of the deep wounds of infidelity (Dolly and Alexandrovich). Handling numerous themes in depth, I begin part.2 wondering whether Tolstoy wasn't trying to intensively reproduce within this novel the 'Russian society' of the time that he had thought of and depicted.

Konstantin Levin has two brothers: one is Nikolai Levin and the other is Sergei Ivanovich. The figures of Nikolai Levin and Sergei Ivanovich are starkly contrasting; when Nikolai appears in Parts 3, 4, and 5, he appears to Kostya (Konstantin) with a look that somewhat anticipates death, whereas Sergei Ivanovich appears as a man still lively, healthy, and clever. In the end, unlike Nikolai who meets 'death' and departs, giving Kitty and Levin the 'opportunity' to unite more perfectly (he made this possible through death), Sergei Ivanovich tells Levin that after marriage it will be hard to pour attention into his desire for 'freedom' and into his life and work (referring to his actions concerning the 'new agriculture' he had been thinking about—such as mowing grass all day alongside the peasants, or collective farming through regional agricultural cooperatives), holds something like a bachelor party, and watches over him at Levin's wedding.

Levin's passion for 'agriculture' could be found in the following part.

'I just have to walk steadfastly toward my goal. Then I will reach that goal,' Levin thought. 'There's a reason of its own in working and striving. This work isn't my personal matter but a matter concerning the public good. All of agriculture, and above all the condition of the people, must completely change. Instead of poverty, the wealth and contentment of all; instead of enmity, harmony and a unity of understanding are needed. In a word, this is a bloodless revolution. It begins in the small domain of our district, but later it will become a great revolution that spreads to the province and Russia, and further to the whole world. Because a correct idea cannot fail to bear fruit. Yes, this is precisely a goal worth striving for. And the fact that the one doing this work is none other than me, Kostya Levin—the very man who, after going to a ball wearing a black tie and being rejected by Shcherbatskaya, regarded himself as a pitiful and useless being—this is no problem at all. I'm certain even Franklin couldn't have believed in himself wholly as I do. This means nothing. But surely he too must have had his own Agafya Mikhailovna. Someone to whom he could confide his plans......

The part where he thus reveals his views and speaks his thoughts was very impressive and moving to me. At the same time, I could feel how great the passion he holds for 'agriculture' is, and how great the value he places on agriculture is. Whereas the agriculture I generally knew was something approached purely from a 'materialist' concept of just planting rice seedlings and reselling the rice that comes out to society, through this book I was able to learn to some extent about the beginnings of 'agriculture' in Russian society of the time, and at the same time to understand the situation in which Russia's industrialization was later than other countries'. Since I haven't yet read Tolstoy's complete works and don't know what thoughts and values he holds, I don't know how much Levin reflects 'Tolstoy's' thinking, but according to several papers I've read, it seems safe to regard Levin as Tolstoy's alter ego.

I began to look upon Alexei Alexandrovich with pity. He really is a pitiable man. In truth, it's true that he was absorbed in his 'work,' but it's not that he neglected his 'wife.' At the same time, he absolutely never engaged in casting glances at other women, and faithfully fulfilled his duties to family and marriage. The fact that the wife of such an Alexei Alexandrovich, 'Anna,' refuses and breaks her duty and, through hypocritical conduct, falls in love with Vronsky intensifies this novel's 'tragedy' all the more. The protagonist—the figure hanging on the book's very title—falls into infidelity...... that is, it tells us that her husband will suffer greatly. From the moment he first heard Anna's confession while riding in the carriage at the racetrack, Alexei's anxiety became reality, and through it I could tell that he was deeply hurt and struggled, suffering even though he didn't want to suffer. The fact that such a man regained the calm of his heart through 'religious sublimation' was an event that made me glad and brought me relief. While Anna fell ill after giving birth, Vronsky also comes to visit, and just before Vronsky leaves, the part where Alexandrovich takes his hand, opens up his heart, and forgives him was impressive.

"Hear me out to the end. You must listen. So that you do not misunderstand me, I must explain to you the feeling that has guided me and will continue to guide me. As you know, I resolved on divorce and have already begun the proceedings. I'll speak without hiding anything. When I began the legal proceedings, I hesitated and agonized. I confess to you: I was seized by the thought that I must take revenge on you and on my wife. After receiving the telegram, I set out for this place still harboring the same feeling. Shall I speak more plainly? I wished for her to die. But......" He fell silent for a moment, wavering over whether to disclose his feelings. "But after seeing my wife, I forgave her. And the happiness of forgiveness showed me my duty. I have completely forgiven. I want to offer the other cheek as well. To the one who takes my caftan, I want to hand over my shirt too. I only pray to God that He not take from me the happiness of forgiveness!" Tears welled in his eyes. His clear, serene gaze deeply moved Vronsky. "This is my position. You may trample me into the mud and make me the laughingstock of the world. I will not abandon my wife, and I will never speak a word of reproach to you," he continued. "My duty has been clearly set before me. I must be with her and will continue to be. If she wishes to see you, I will let you know. But for now, I think it best that you leave."

He stood up. Then sobs cut off his words. Vronsky rose and, in a stooped posture, glanced up at him. He was overwhelmed. He could not understand Alexei Alexandrovich's feeling, but he felt it was something supreme, something his own worldview could not even reach.

How tremendous religious sublimation is—the greatness and wonder of the moment when Alexei overcomes his suffering, if only momentarily, and forgives Anna and Vronsky was conveyed to me as well. It gave me the possibility that perhaps most of my feelings about my girlfriend could be sublimated through this very 'religion,' and led me to the conclusion that, when I marry later, 'religion' is a considerably influential 'something' in fulfilling one's duties to family and marriage.

The second reason Alexei Alexandrovich was pitiable is because of the part where, as the book enters the latter half of Volume 2, his past story appears, however briefly. Seeing that he grew up as an orphan in his childhood (the father is nowhere to be seen, the mother died early, and the older brother died right after his own marriage), that a man who was something like Karenin's uncle raised him, that he had to propose marriage to fulfill his duty on the grounds of giving up his principles and having sullied Anna's honor, and that because of the attachment he felt for Anna, the last desire in his heart for 'sincere relationships' with other people had disappeared—after seeing all this, his background and behavior became understandable.

Because of Alexei's magnanimity, Anna and Vronsky cannot help but act with even greater guilt, and Vronsky even attempts suicide. But such thoughts and actions are brief, and ultimately, as it rushes toward the latter half of Part 5, when Alexei and Anna face each other, they once again feel the surge of anguish and anger, and confirm that they must not meet. Because of this, Anna feels an even greater longing for 'Vronsky' and grows anxious, while Alexei, amid temporary turmoil, regains peace once more and feels even greater passion in his work and works.

In Parts 3, 4, and 5, the Levin brothers talk about 'death.' At the time Kostya was pouring his passion into agriculture in the countryside, in the part where Nikolai visits once, Kostya intuits that his brother will meet 'death' before long. From his brother's appearance, voice, and behavior, he hears in his heart his brother saying, 'I'm dying.' Then, when his brother departs, Levin once again realizes that 'death' is soundlessly approaching him too. He's not of an age to die immediately, but it wasn't difficult to realize that 'everything is ultimately heading toward death.' I wonder whether the fact that Chapter 20 of Part 5 bears the title 'Death,' which other chapters didn't have, was to convey to Levin—who reflects Tolstoy himself—what meaning 'a brother's death' carries as it approaches. By going together to Nikolai, Kitty and Levin became even more 'one,' and at the same time the two came to think more about 'death.' Namely, that one can do nothing and can only be helpless.

Now only the final Volume 3 (Parts 7, 8) awaits me. Anna's death and Levin's happiness will be waiting. The first Tolstoy novel I've encountered since reading 'Ivan the Fool,' 'Anna Karenina,' has made me happy all week. I think I'll probably be able to encounter the next novel, 'Sophie's Choice,' soon.

Related post: Anna Karenina part.1