Just two weeks ago, I began reading a novel called, “Anna Karenina” by Leo Tolstoy. Even in such a short time, it has become one of my favourite novels from 19th Century Russian authors. This novel explores the themes of families, death and love. Especially love, I don’t think I have ever read a book where such a multitude of protagonists who have so many troubles with love. The novel follows a woman named Anna Karenina, a married woman, who falls in love with the charming officer Vronsky. The quotation I chose is of Dolly, Anna’s sister-in-law telling Anna about her husband, Oblonsky’s recent affair with their governess,
“‘Everything is at an end and that’s all’ said Dolly. ‘And the worst of it is, you understand, that I can’t leave him: there are the children, and I am bound. Yet I can’t live with him; it is torture for me to see him.'” (Pg. 67).
I chose this quotation because it is an introduction to the ideas of adultery of married individuals and the societal norms of the time stopping women from getting divorced. As Anna is being sympathetic with Dolly in this scene it feels very hypocritical because as the reader we know Anna is not faithful to her husband. To me, this felt like a way for Tolstoy to try to share his idea of humans’ tendency to be contradictory in their values and desires.
I agree with everything you say, but . . . Anna does not fall in love with Vronsky until *after* the conversation with Dolly that you quote.
Indeed, Anna had not fallen in love with Vronsky yet, however, it is made quite obvious in the description or the introduction of the novel that Anna would commit adultery in the future. Perhaps I should have chosen a different part of Anna’s character development to comment on that does not rely on the readers already having that information. Do you happen to have any suggestions for a quotation I could have used?
I think the passage you chose is fine; it’s just a bit unfair, at that point to call Anna hypocritical, as she has been a faithful and devoted wife to Karenin.