AP English Lit/Mr. Kirby
Name: Madison Rhodes
LITERARY ANALYSIS DATA SHEET
Significant biographical details about the author:
Title: Anna Karenina
Author: Leo Tolstoy
Date of Publication: 1877
Sources: Wikipedia, biography.com,
sparknotes.com, cliffnotes.com
-Was born in Tula Province, Russia.
-Also wrote War and Peace and The Death of Ivan Ilyich
-Lived from 1828-1910
-Lost his mother, father, and aunt in early years
-Received primary education from at-home tutors
-Failed to succeed in school due to bad grades and excess
partying. Also attempted to be a farmer but failed there as well.
-Idealized his childhood in many of his writings
Information about the period (literary, historical, artistic,
philosophical, etc.):
Identify the genre and specify how this work fits its
characteristics:
The rapid transformations imaged in the novel are in
result to the liberal reforms being set into place by
Emperor Alexander II of Russia, which includes the
Emancipation Reform of 1861. There were new
developments to rapidly come to be, such as
railroads, banks, and industry. There were things
such as the woman’s question, Pan-Slavism
movement, and other liberal ideas that are discussed
and brought to attention in the novel.
This novel is seen as a tragedy novel, or even in the
psychological group. The plot of the novel is based
off of the themes of adultery, fidelity, and social
issues that lend its way into the tragedy genre.
Provide a brief synopsis (include exposition, main conflict(s), climax, resolution, and major plot points):
A crisis develops in the Oblonsky household when Dolly finds out about her husband's affair. Stiva's sister, Anna Karenina, arrives to
reconcile the couple and dissuades Dolly from getting a divorce. Konstantin Levin, Stiva's friend, arrives in Moscow to propose to the
eighteen year old Kitty Shtcherbatsky. She refuses him, for she loves Count Vronsky, a dashing army officer who has no intentions of
marrying. Meeting the lovely Madame Karenina, Vronsky falls in love and begins to pursue her. Anna, followed by Vronsky, returns to
her husband and son in St. Petersburg, while the disappointed Levin returns to his country estate. Kitty falls ill after her humiliating
rejection by Vronsky. At the German spa where she takes a rest cure she tries to deny her womanly nature by becoming a religious dogooder. Realizing the hypocrisy of this new calling, Kitty returns to Russia cured of her depression and ready to accept her ultimate
wifehood. Consummating her union with Vronsky, Anna steps into a new life with much foreboding for the future. By the time she
confesses her adultery to the suspecting Karenin, she is already pregnant with Vronsky's child. Devoting himself to farming, Levin tries
to find life meaningful without marriage. He expends his energies in devising a cooperative landholding system with his peasants to
make the best use of the land. Seeing his brother Nicolai hopelessly ill with tuberculosis, he realizes he has been working to avoid facing
the problem of death. He also realizes he will always love Kitty. Vronsky's career ambitions rival his love, and as he has not chosen
between them, he is still uncommitted to Anna. Having rejected her husband, but still unable to depend on Vronsky, Anna finds her
situation desperate. Her life is in a state of suspension. Kitty and Levin are engaged to marry. Karenin, who has tried to maintain
appearances of domestic tranquillity, finally builds up enough anger to hire a divorce lawyer. Anna is confined of a daughter, but
dangerously ill from puerperal fever. At her deathbed, Karenin forgives her and feels sanctified by this surge of humanity and Christian
charity. At this sudden reversal of their roles Vronsky feels so humiliated he attempts suicide. These incidents form the turning point of
the novel. After Anna's recovery, the lovers go abroad and Anna refuses divorce (though Karenin agrees to it) for fear of giving up her
son. Levin and Kitty, after some initial difficulties, adjust to being married. Nicolai's death affects Levin deeply, and he realizes that
emotional commitment, not reason, enables one to overcome life's problems. As if to underscore his life-affirmation, they learn Kitty is
pregnant. After they honeymoon in Italy, Anna and Vronsky return to Petersburg. Violently affected from seeing her son again, Anna's
love for Vronsky becomes more desperate now that she has no one else. Despite his objections, she boldly attends the theater as if to
affirm her love before conventional society. Humiliated at the opera, she blames Vronsky for lacking sympathy with her suffering, while
he is angry at her indiscretion. This keynotes the decline of their relationship, although it is temporarily restored as they go to live in the
country Among Levin's summer visitors is a socialite who pays so much attention to Kitty that Levin asks him to leave. Visiting Anna at
Vronsky's estate, Dolly finds her own drab life preferable to the formal luxury and decadence of Anna's. Complaining that Vronsky is
eager for independence, Anna tells Dolly she must rely on her beauty and her love to keep his interest. Vronsky feels especially burdened
by the demands of Anna's love when she calls him home from a refreshing political convention. Kitty gives birth to a son. Karenin, under
the influence of his fanatically devout friend, Countess Lydia Ivanovna, becomes religious and uses his hypocritical faith as a crutch to
overcome his humiliation and loneliness. Anna, seeing the irreversible decline of her love affair, has no more will to live and commits
suicide. Vronsky volunteers for service in the Russo-Turkish war. Tolstoy uses this part of the novel to express his pacifist principles.
Levin discovers salvation" when he resolves to "live for his soul" rather than for selfish goals. He realizes the meaning of life consists in
living according to the goodness inherent in every individual. Understanding death as part of a reality-oriented life, Levin is at peace
with himself.
Literary Analysis Data Sheet
page 2
Identify and explain the use and effect of three literary
techniques:
1) Symbolism
2) Double-Plot
3) Stream of Conciousness
Cite and quote one example of each:
1) Throughout the whole novel, the symbol of a
train is carried out to symbolize the Anna/Vronsky
storyline.
2) Tolstoy switches from the storyline of
Anna/Karenin/Vronsky to Kitty/Levin consistently
throughout the novel.
3)Tolstoy uses the technique of inner monologue
within the major characters to highlight previous
experiences and issues to help contribute to the
present plot.
Significant Quotes
Cite and quote three significant passages:
1) “All happy families are alike;
each unhappy family is unhappy in
its own way.”
2) “In that brief glance Vronsky
had time to notice the restrained
animation that played over her face
and fluttered between her shining
eyes and the barely noticeable
smile that curved her red lips. It
was as if a surplus of something so
overflowed her being that it
expressed itself beyond her will,
now in the brightness of her
glance, now in her smile.”
(Part 1, Chapter 18)
3) “Respect was invented to cover
the empty place where love should
be. But if you don’t love me, it
would be better and more honest
to say so.”
(Part 7, Chapter 24)
Explain the significance of each passage or explain how it relates to
the work as a whole:
1) This quote allowed Tolstoy to highlight family values
and the issues revolving around them. The major theme
of the novel is family issues because that is a major issue
elaborated on by young liberals in Russia around this
time.
2) This passage illustrated Anna and Vronsky’s first
meeting at the train station. Tolstoy used this to illustrate
the theme “love at first sight”. He used traditional
romantic aspects of the setting; her having red lips and a
curved smile, and him being the gazer and her the object
being gazed at.
3) This passage is when Anna is approaching Vronsky
about his preference for his mother over herself. She
contrasts the thought of love and respect, criticizing
Vronsky for his decisions.
Literary Analysis Data Sheet
page 3
Characters
Record information for each significant major character in the work
Name
1) Anna Karenina
2) Karenin
3) Vronsky
Role in the story
Significance or Purpose
Adjectives
1) Main Character. She
is an aristocratic married
woman to Karenin, but
has an affair with
Vronsky. Later she
divorces Karenin and
goes away with Vronsky,
having his child, and
later committing suicide.
1) She is used as a major conflict that
introduces the issues of adultery and
fidelity. She also exemplifies the picture
of love, as she continually believes in not
only romantic love, but friendship and
family as well.
1) Beautiful,
adulterous, intelligent,
literate, physically
ravishing, tastefully
reserved.
2) Karenin is very narrow-minded, not
showing much interest or passion in any
subject. This is used to contract Anna
Karenina, who is a very emotional and
passionate woman. This is what
contributes to the adulterous problem.
2) Important, formal,
duty-bound, narrowminded, empty.
5) Kitty
2) Husband to Anna
Karenina. He is a high
ranking government
minister. He later
attempts to divorce Anna
Karenina, but ultimately
forgives her on her what
should have been “death
bed”.
6) Stiva
3) Anna Karenina’s
lover. Military officer
whose passion influences
Anna to have an affair.
4)Levin
7) Dolly
4) Landowner who
ultimately marries Kitty
and has a happy
marriage.
8) Seryozha
5) Woman who is
courted by both Levin
and Vronsky, but
ultimately marries Levin.
9) Nikolai Levin
6) Anna’s brother. An
aristocrat and minor
government official who
is married to Dolly.
7) Stiva’s wife and Kitty’s
older sister. Finds her
husband having an affair,
but choses to forgive
him.
8) Karenin and Anna’s
young son.
9) Levin’s sickly brother.
3) Vronsky is very passionate, yet
somewhat of a loner. While Anna wants
to get married, Vronsky is more
passionate and willing to work towards
his work goals, not so much his
emotional goals. This leads to more of an
issue in Anna Karenina’s love life.
3)Wealthy, dashing,
passionate.
4) Socially-awkward,
generous-hearted,
intellectual,
philosophical,
productive.
4) Levin first proposes to Kitty, and fails.
He is brokenhearted and buys land in
hopes of getting over it. But ultimately
end up having a happy marriage with
Kitty.
5) Beautiful, young,
sensitive, overprotective, courage,
compassion.
5) Kitty is said to have personified
Tolstoy’s wife, having a sensitive front
but having to be courageous in time of
need.
6) Pleasure-loving,
incorrigible, morally
lax.
6) Has the tendency to place personal
pleasure before social duties. His moral
laxity is used to exemplify the corruption
of St. Petersburg of this time.
7) Dolly’s forgiving and optimistic spirit
contribute to the few positive aspects of
Anna’s life after her affair goes public.
8) Seryozha is treated coldly by his father
after he discovers of Anna adulterous
behavior. But on the contrary, Anna
shows him great love, risking herself by
sneaking into the Karenin household to
give him his birthday present.
9)Nikolai exemplifies the liberal thinking
of the period, by his free-thinking ways
and by having a reformed-prostitute
girlfriend. He becomes very thin and
sickly, and ends up dying in the novel.
7) Kind, sympathetic,
positive.
8) Young, goodnatured.
9) Thin, sickly, freethinking, liberal,
unconventional.
Literary Analysis Data Sheet
page 4
Describe the setting(s) and explain its/their significance:
Identify and explain the theme(s) of the work:
The setting of the novel is in 19th century Russia, a time
where the intellectual movements were contributing to
the question of how and where Russian should move its
culture, economy, and social status towards. This
allowed the novel to open issues of family, faith,
morality, and others into the plot.
1) Social Change in 19th Century Russia:
Due to all the social reform happening in
Russia at this time, Tolstoy uses this to set up his plot of
adultery and self-discovery.
Identify and explain key metaphors, symbols, or motifs:
1) Train: the train shows up many times in the novel
giving a negative vibe. Anna and Vronsky have their
first ill-fated acquaintance at a train station.
2) Family Life:
From the struggle between Anna and the
longing of her son, to Kitty and Levin’s ultimate happy
marriage, the struggles of family life continually pop up
in Tolstoy’s novel. This allows the themes of adultery,
forgiveness, and many others to make an appearance in
the plot.
3) Forgiveness:
From situations as intense as Anna having an
affair, to Kitty refusing Levin’s first proposal, forgiveness
comes into play throughout the novel.
2) Love: Many characters in the novel struggle with the
contrasting view of pleasure and duties, all pertaining to
who to love and devote themselves to.
Write at least three questions or topics for class discussion:
1) How do you understand the popular quote at the beginning of the novel, “All happy families are
alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”? How do you believe it fits into the novel?
2) Compare and Contrast the relationship between Anna/Karenin and Anna/Vronsky. Which
relationship do you see as the healthiest/better?
3) In which ways is Vronsky appropriate to be with Anna Karenina, and in which ways does he fall
short to perfectly fit her wants and needs in a relationship? Where does the ease derive, and also the
conflict within the relationship?