Leo Tolstoy - novel - 1873-77 - p. 3

This Russian opus was published in serial form and has been hailed as a major milestone in realist fiction. The title character is a member of the aristocratic class who is married to a government official, Karenin, but who is conducting an affair with another wealthy man, Count Vronsky. She leaves her husband for the latter and is met with scorn from her peers, though her own brother has committed comparable ills with relative impunity. The sociocultural and political institutions shaping Anna’s identity include the Russian Orthodox Church, mores of the elite class, gendered double standards, and her fears about Vronsky’s possible infidelity.
 
The novel employs a parallel structure, with stories that follow different characters through their own personal ordeals. It engages with Russian history, including accounts of Napoleon’s ill-fated attempt to invade Russia; it also thematizes the rapid industrial development taking place throughout Europe at the time, including the development of railroads and a nascent business class.
 
Key elements: Europe, infidelity, marriage, suicide​