Perhaps one of the greatest novels ever written, "Anna
Karenina" follows the self-destructive path of a beautiful,
popular, and sensual Russian aristocrat. The lovely Anna seems set
in a respectable marriage with the powerful statesman Karenin, yet
their lack of passion breeds the discontent she fully faces upon
meeting the elegant and affluent officer Count Vronsky. Soon
convinced that allowing herself to deeply love this man will enable
her to find the meaning and truth of her life, Anna defies the
conventions of Russian society and leaves her husband and children
for her lover. Tolstoy juxtaposes this ill-fated couple with the
melancholy Levin and his new wife Kitty. Levin is also searching
for the fulfillment and happiness in his life, and he ultimately
finds a happiness that Anna's love does not. A portrait of
marriage and infidelity in imperial Russia, "Anna
Karenina" explores love, life, and the depths of the human
soul in a tale as illuminating as it is tragic.
