for Kitty’s affection in Count Vronsky, a very wealthy
Chapter 1: Oblonsky, an upper-class government official,
has had an affair with his children’s French teacher. Dolly,
his wife, is furious. Oblonsky’s sister, Anna Karenina,
married to an older aristocrat of high reputation, comes to
Moscow to try and persuade Dolly to forgive her husband.
In turn, Oblonsky’s old friend, Constantine Levin, an
easy-going middle class young man, is madly in love with
Kitty Scherbatsky, Dolly’s sister. Oblonsky encourages
him to propose to her, but warns him that he has a rival
aristocrat. Levin tells Kitty what he feels. She turns him
down and indirectly lets him know that she is in love with
Vronsky.
Chapter 2: Oblonsky meets Vronsky at the train station
while he is eagerly waiting for his sister. When Vronsky
sees Anna, he falls in love at first sight. He impresses
Anna as well with his sensitivity and generosity, as he
ostentatiously gives money to the widow of a station guard
who dies in a railway accident while they are still at the
station. Anna considers the railway incident a bad omen
and she is soon shocked to find that Vronsky, the stranger
who has captivated her, may marry Dolly’s young sister
Kitty. Anna successfully persuades Dolly to give another
chance to Oblonsky. Kitty visits the Oblonskys and meets
Anna, who congratulates her on her potential betrothal to
Vronsky and tells her that she should look forward to the
forthcoming ball. At the dance, Kitty dances with Vronsky
and expects him to propose to her. However, he fails to
do so and he asks Anna to dance with him. Kitty is deeply
disappointed and fearful that Vronsky and Anna have
fallen in love.
Chapter 3: Realising that she has spoilt things between
Kitty and Vronsky, Anna decides to leave Moscow as
soon as possible. She is surprised to meet Vronsky on the
train. He has decided to follow her. At first, Anna rejects
Vronsky’s advances, but she eventually succumbs and
their relationship is publicly known. Anna is pregnant
with Vronsky’s baby but refuses to get a divorce for fear
of losing her son. At the races, Vronsky, one of the riders,
has a terrible accident. Karenin is infuriated to see Anna’s
reaction and she then confesses to her him that she is
Vronsky’s mistress.
Chapter 4: Kitty is emotionally shattered after the ball
and falls seriously ill, so her parents take her to Europe.
In the meantime, Levin, secluded in the country, tries to
devote all his time to working. Yet, he is glad to receive
a letter from Oblonsky telling him that Kitty is alone
and asking him to visit her at the family’s country house,
where his wife and children will spend the summer. Levin
helps Dolly with several house repairs. Dolly tells him that
he should not lose hope and that he should come to visit
them soon. Levin declines the invitation and decides he
will do his best to forget Kitty. He even thinks of marrying
a peasant, but, hard as he tries, he cannot forget Kitty
