首页>> 文化生活>> 外国经典>> 列夫·托爾斯泰 Leo Tolstoy   俄羅斯 Russia   俄羅斯帝國   (1828年九月9日1910年十一月20日)
安娜·卡列宁娜 Anna Karenina
  《安娜·卡列尼娜》(俄语:Анна Каренина)是俄国作家列夫·托尔斯泰于1875年-1877年间创作的小说,被广泛认为是写实主义小说的经典代表。《安娜·卡列尼娜》完稿于1877年,1875年1月开始连载于〈俄罗斯公报〉上。小说甫发表就引发了热烈的讨论。托尔斯泰的堂姑母亚历山德拉·安得烈叶夫娜·托尔斯泰娅曾写道:“《安娜·卡列尼娜》的每个篇章都轰动了整个社会,引起了热烈的争论,毁誉参半,褒贬不一。似乎议论的是他们的切身问题一样。”作品共分八章,开场白“幸福的家庭都是相似的,不幸的家庭各有各的不幸”(Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way),是托氏对婚姻和家庭的悟言。
  《安娜·卡列尼娜》-简介
  
  在托尔斯泰全部作品中,《战争与和平》、《安娜·卡列尼娜》、《复活》是三个里程碑,也是他的三部代表作品。《安娜·卡列尼娜》在这三部代表作中有其特殊的重要性,它是三部巨著之中艺术上最为完整的一部,并且体现了托氏思想和艺术发展道路的过渡与转变,可以称之为代表作中的代表作。它通过女主人公安娜追求爱情而失败的悲剧,和列文在农村面临危机而进行的改革与探索这两条线索,描绘了俄国从莫斯科到外省乡村广阔而丰富多彩的图景,先后描写了150多个人物,是一部社会百科全书式的作品。
  《安娜·卡列尼娜》-作家简介
  
  列夫·尼古拉耶维奇·托尔斯泰(1828-1910)是俄国批判现实主义文学最伟大的代表,世界文学史上最伟大的作家之一。在世界文坛中堪与莎士比亚、歌德、巴尔扎克并肩而立的作家当首推列夫托尔斯泰。他那三部鸿篇巨著无疑代表了19世纪世界现实主义文学的最高水平。列夫·托尔斯泰是俄国文学史上最伟大的文豪之一,他在文学方面的成就受到举世瞩目的认同。
  《安娜·卡列尼娜》-内容梗概
  
  《安娜·卡列尼娜》通过女主人公安娜追求爱情而失败的悲剧,和列文在农村面临危机而进行的改革与探索这两条线索,描绘了俄国从莫斯科到外省乡村广阔而丰富多彩的图景,先后描写了150多个人物,是一部社会百科全书式的作品。
  
  故事以双线进行,一为安娜,一为列文。托氏以二人为轴,描写出不同的婚姻和家庭生活,更进一步则写出当时俄国政治,宗教,农事景像。
  
  在文中,列文为托氏之化身,代表着1860,70年代的社会转型催生者。列文重视农事,对贵族生活不甚投入,住在乡村和指导农民工作。列文热爱吉蒂,起初求婚被拒,但几经波折,终抱得美人归,并一同住在乡下。
  
  女主人翁安娜,年青时和丈夫亚历山大.卡列宁(Alexei Alexandrovich Karenin)结合,本婚姻美满,育有一子。卡列宁在仕途上成功,安娜亦于交际场上光茫四射。故事始于奥布朗斯基公爵和英国家庭女教师恋爱,与妻子道丽闹翻,求助于其妺安娜。安娜从圣.彼得堡到莫斯科替二人调解,在车站认识了年轻军官佛伦斯基(Alexei Kirillovich Vronsky)。并在莫斯科一次舞会中和佛伦斯基发生致命的恋情,自此不能自拔,最后身败名列并自杀身亡。佛伦斯基为求得美人,追随安娜至圣彼得堡,最后两人陷入热恋。他俩频频幽会,最后安娜怀孕,并向丈夫承认了私情。卡列宁一度想与妻子分居,但为存面子,拒绝离婚并要求妻子终止恋情。然而安娜分娩时几乎难产而濒临死亡,在死亡面前,卡列宁原谅了她。安娜病后无法压抑自己对佛伦斯基的爱,终于离家出走。佛伦斯基带着安娜前往意大利旅行,这时安娜感到无比的幸福。其后回到俄罗斯,于儿子生日时,按捺不住偷偷会见自己的儿子。却无法见容于俄国社会,上流社会把安娜看作堕落的女人,断绝和她的往来。安娜只得移居乡下,靠写作打发时间。二人共处日久,佛伦斯基和安娜在生活上的不信任日增。安娜感到很难过,认为情人为前途名誉离她而去,沮丧失望之下,安娜为处罚佛伦斯基,在火车驶近时跳下火车月台自杀。葬礼之后,亚历山大·卡列宁带走她的女儿,佛伦斯基受到良心的谴责,大病一场,后来志愿从军,前往巴尔干参战,但求一死。
  《安娜·卡列尼娜》-创作背景资料
  
  在世界文学的巍巍群山中,堪与莎士比亚、歌德、巴尔扎克这几座高峰比肩而立的俄国作家当首推列夫·托尔斯泰。托尔斯泰是一位有思想的艺术家,也是一位博学的艺术大师。他的作品展现的社会画面之广阔,蕴含的思想之丰饶,融会的艺术、语言、哲学、历史、民俗乃至自然科学等各种知识之广博,常常令人望洋兴叹。《安娜·卡列尼娜》是他的一部既美不胜收而又博大精深的巨制。
  
  巨大的思想和艺术价值,使得这部巨著一发表便引起巨大社会反响。托尔斯泰并没有简单地写一个男女私通的故事,而是通过这个故事揭示了俄国社会中妇女的地位,并由此来鞭挞它的不合理性。作品描写了个人感情需要与社会道德之间的冲突。1877年,小说首版发行。据同代人称,它不啻是引起了“一场真正的社会大爆炸”,它的各个章节都引起了整个社会的“跷足”注视,及无休无止的“议论、推崇、非难和争吵,仿佛事情关涉到每个人最切身的问题”。
  
  但不久,社会就公认它是一部了不起的巨著,它所达到的高度是俄国文学从未达到过的。伟大作家陀思妥耶夫斯基兴奋地评论道:“这是一部尽善尽美的艺术杰作,现代欧洲文学中没有一部同类的东西可以和它相比!”他甚至称托尔斯泰为“艺术之神”。而书中的女主人公安娜·卡列尼娜则成为世界文学史上最优美丰满的女性形象之一。这个资产阶级妇女解放的先锋,以自己的方式追求个性的解放和真诚的爱情,虽然由于制度的桎梏,她的悲剧只能以失败而告终。但她以内心体验的深刻与感情的强烈真挚,以蓬勃的生命力和悲剧性命运而扣人心弦。
  
  《安娜·卡列尼娜》的构思始于1870年,而到1873年托尔斯泰才开始动笔。这是他一生中精神困顿的时期。最初,托尔斯泰是想写一个上流社会已婚妇女失足的故事,但随着写作的深入,原来的构思不断被修改。小说的初步创作不过仅用了短短的50天时间便得以完成,然而托尔斯泰很不满意,他又花费了数十倍的时间来不断修正,前后经过12次大的改动,迟至4年之后才正式出版。这时,小说废弃的手稿高达1米多!“全部都应当改写,再改写”,这是托尔斯泰经常挂在嘴边的一句话。显然,一部《安娜·卡列尼娜》与其说是写出来的,不如说是改出来的。
  
  正是在作者近乎苛刻的追求中,小说的重心有了巨大的转移,安娜由最初构思中的“失了足的女人”(她趣味恶劣、卖弄风情,品行不端),变成了一个品格高雅、敢于追求真正的爱情与幸福的“叛女”形象,从而成为世界文学中最具反抗精神的女性之一。
  
  《安娜·卡列尼娜》通过安娜追求爱情而失败的悲剧,列文在农村面临危机而进行的改革与探索这两条线索,描绘了俄国从莫斯科到外省乡村广阔而丰富多彩的图景,先后描写了150多个人物,是一部社会百科全书式的作品。小说艺术上最突出的特点是首次成功地采用了两条平行线索互相对照、相辅相成的“拱门式” 结构,并在心理描写上细致入微、精妙绝伦。小说中那大段的人物内心独白,无疑都是现实主义描写的典范。
  《安娜·卡列尼娜》-人物形象
  
  安娜
  
  《安娜·卡列尼娜》是由两条主要的平行线索和一条联结性次要线索结构而成的,整体上反映了农奴制改革后“一切都翻了一个身,一切都刚刚安排下来”的那个时代在政治、经济、道德、心理等方面的矛盾。小说通过安娜—— 卡列宁——渥伦斯基线索展示了封建主义家庭关系的瓦解和道德的沦丧;通过列文——吉提线索描绘出资本主义势力侵入农村后,地主经济面临危机的情景,揭示出作者执着地探求出路的痛苦心情。而道丽——奥勃朗斯基这一次要线索巧妙地联结两条主线,在家庭思想上三条线索相互对应、参照,勾勒出三种不同类型的家庭模式和生活方式。作者以这种建筑学而自豪,圆拱将两座大厦联结得天衣无缝,“使人觉察不出什么地方是拱顶”。
  主人公安娜·卡列尼娜是世界文学史上最优美丰满的女性形象之一。她以内心体验的深刻与感情的强烈真挚,以蓬勃的生命力和悲剧性命运而扣人心弦。
  
  安娜第一次出现时的音容笑貌令人难以忘怀:她姿态端丽、温雅,一双浓密的睫毛掩映下的眼睛中“有一股被压抑的生气在她的脸上流露……仿佛有一种过剩的生命力洋溢在她的全身心,违反她的意志”,在眼神和微笑中显现出来。在这幅出色的肖像中展现了安娜的精神美,也提示我们去探究她的生活之谜。安娜父母早逝,在姑母包办下嫁给了比她大二十岁的大官僚卡列宁。婚后在宗法思想支配下她曾安于天命,只是把全部感情寄托在儿子身上。渥伦斯基唤醒了她晚熟的爱情。她渴望自由而大胆地爱,不愿像别特西公爵夫人那样在家宴上公开接待情人;也不愿接受丈夫的建议仍然保持表面的夫妻关系,偷偷与情人往来;终于冲出家庭与渥伦斯基结合,公然与整个上流社会对抗。从此安娜失去了一个贵族妇女在社交界的一切地位和权利,除了渥伦斯基的爱,她一无所有,因此,她热烈而执着地献身于这种爱。确实,在国外,在渥伦斯基的庄园里,安娜曾体验过短暂的“不可原谅的幸福”。她丢弃母亲的天职,但内心无法平息因失去爱子而产生的悲伤;她想昂起骄傲的头,宣称她是幸福的女人,但却摆脱不掉有罪的妻子的意识。她的灵魂一直受到折磨。而孤注一掷的、囿于自我的对渥伦斯基的爱又不可能得到相应的感情反响,安娜绝望了,她在临终前满含怨愤地喊出:“一切全是虚伪、全是谎言、全是欺骗、全是罪恶。”
  
  安娜的形象在作家创作过程中有过极大变化:从一个低级趣味的失足女人改写成真诚、严肃、宁为玉碎、不为瓦全的女性。托尔斯泰通过安娜的爱情、家庭悲剧寄寓了他对当时动荡的俄国社会中人的命运和伦理道德准则的思考。作家歌颂人的生命力,赞扬人性的合理要求;同时,他又坚决否定一切政治、社会活动(包括妇女解放运动)对改善人们命运的作用,强调母亲——妇女天职的重要性。作家世界观的矛盾构成安娜形象的复杂性。一百多年来各国作家按自己的理解把安娜搬上舞台、银幕、荧光屏。安娜形象一直激动着不同时代、不同民族的读者,这正说明安娜形象的艺术生命力是不朽的。
  
  列文
  
  列文则是托尔斯泰式主人公中自传性特别强的一个人物,他在托尔斯泰的创作中起着承前启后的作用,在他身上艺术地再现了作家世界观激变前夕的思想感情和生活感受,从结构安排来看,列文的幸福家庭与安娜的不幸家庭互为对照,但从思想探索来看,列文婚后却产生了精神危机,他为贵族阶级自甘败落而忧心忡忡。他研究劳动力在农业生产中的作用,制定“不流血的革命”方案,探讨人生的目的,但却毫无出路。罗曼·罗兰指出,列文不仅体现了托尔斯泰看待事物的既保守又民主的观点,而且“列文和吉提的恋爱,他俩婚后的头几年生活,就是作家自己家庭生活回忆的搬演。同样,列文哥哥之死也是托尔斯泰的哥哥德米特里之死的痛苦追忆”。而作品的尾声“则是作者本人趋向精神革命的过渡”。
  《安娜·卡列尼娜》-主题思想
  
  关于列夫·托尔斯泰,马原有一个说法,他认为托尔斯泰是小说史上争议最少的作家。这里所说的争议最少,指的是他在文学史上的地位。也就是说,你可以喜欢或不喜欢托尔斯泰的作品,但似乎无人能够否认他作为一位杰出思想家和第一流小说家的地位。
  
  《安娜·卡列尼娜》在列夫·托尔斯泰的所有作品中,是写得最好的。《战争与和平》也许更波澜壮阔、更雄伟、更有气势,但它不如《安娜·卡列尼娜》那么纯粹、那么完美。顺便说一句,列夫·托尔斯泰并不是一个出色的文体家,但他的文体的精美与和谐无与伦比,这并非来自作者对小说修辞、技巧、叙述方式的刻意追求,而仅仅源于艺术上的直觉。
  
  在《安娜·卡列尼娜》这部小说中,列夫·托尔斯泰塑造了许多在文学史上光芒四射的人物:安娜、渥伦斯基、吉提、列文、卡列宁、奥布浪斯基公爵……在这些人物中,惟一一个在生活中左右逢源,带有点喜剧色彩的就是奥布浪斯基公爵,其他的人物无不与死亡主题有关。如果我们简单地归纳一下,这部作品主要写了两个故事:其一,是安娜与渥伦斯基从相识、热恋到毁灭的过程,以及围绕这一进程的所有社会关系的纠葛,其二是列文的故事以及他在宗教意义上的展开个人思考。
  
  正如那句著名的开场白所显示的一样,作者对现实的思考是以家庭婚姻为基本单位而展开的,至少涉及到了四种婚姻或爱情答案:卡列宁夫妇,安娜和渥伦斯基,奥布浪斯基夫妇,列文与吉提。每一个答案都意味着罪恶和灾难。安娜是惟一经历了两种不同婚姻(爱情)形式的人物。在作者所赋予的安娜的性格中,我以为激情和活力是其基本的内涵,正是这种压抑不住的活力使美貌纯洁的吉提相形见绌;正是这种被唤醒的激情使她与卡列宁的婚姻、甚至彼得堡习以为常的社交生活、甚至包括孩子谢辽沙都黯然失色。
  
  与这种激情与活力相伴而来的是不顾一切的勇气。当小说中写到渥伦斯基在赛马会上摔下马来,安娜因失声大叫而暴露了"奸情"之时,对丈夫说出下面这段话是需要一点勇气的,“我爱他,我是他的情妇……随你高兴怎么样把我处置吧。”托尔斯泰对这种激情真是太熟悉了,我们不妨想一想《战争与和平》中的娜塔莎,《复活》中的卡秋莎,还有蛰伏于作者心中的那头强壮的熊--它的咆哮声一直困扰着列夫·托尔斯泰。
  
  马丁·杜伽尔曾认为,托尔斯泰是最具洞察力的作家,他的目光十分锐利,能够穿透生活的壁垒而发现隐含其中的"真实"。但我却倾向于认为,从根本上来说,托尔斯泰是一个图解自我观念的作家,不管是早期还是晚期作品,主题上的联系十分清晰,尤其是《战争与和平》、《安娜·卡列尼娜》两部巨著,其中的人物、情节、主题多有雷同之处,他的观念的疆域并不宽广,他的素材也不丰富,但这并不妨碍托尔斯泰的伟大,正如塞万提斯的狭隘主题并不妨碍《堂吉诃德》的伟大一样。小说的真实来自他的智慧,敏感而浩瀚的心灵,而更为重要的是他的诚实。维特根斯坦在读完《哈泽·穆拉特》以后曾感慨地说: “他(托尔斯泰)是一个真正的人,他有权写作。”
  
  托尔斯泰与《安娜·卡列尼娜》
  
    关于列夫·托尔斯泰,马原有一个说法,他认为托尔斯泰是小说史上争议最少的作家。我理解他的意思,这里所说的争议最少,指的是他在文学史上的地位。也就是说,你可以喜欢或不喜欢托尔斯泰的作品,但似乎无人能够否认他作为一位杰出思想家和第一流小说家的地位。
    在我的学生中间,对托尔斯泰不屑一顾的大有人在。有一次碰到一位学生,依我看他的导师是一名颇有学问的俄国文学专家,不知何故,该生却对恩师颇为不满,提出是否可以转到我的名下,让我给他指导。我问他为何要更换导师,他便列举了原导师的几个罪状,其中一条是:他竟然让我去读什么《安娜·卡列尼娜》。可见,在这些言必称美国的学生们的头脑中,老托尔斯泰显然已经是一个不中用的古董了。我对他说,导师就不必换了。因为如果我当你的导师,第一本推荐的书恐怕还是《安娜·卡列尼娜》。
    《安娜·卡列尼娜》不仅是我最喜欢的长篇小说,而且我也认为,在列夫·托尔斯泰的所有作品中,它也是写得最好的。《战争与和平》也许更波澜壮阔、更雄伟、更有气势,但它不如《安娜·卡列尼娜》那么纯粹、那么完美。顺便说一句,列夫·托尔斯泰并不是一个出色的文体家,但他的文体的精美与和谐无与伦比,这并非来自作者对小说修辞、技巧、叙述方式的刻意追求,而仅仅源于艺术上的直觉。
    在《安娜·卡列尼娜》这部小说中,列夫·托尔斯泰塑造了许多在文学史上光芒四射的人物:安娜、渥伦斯基、吉提、列文、卡列宁、奥布浪斯基公爵……在这些人物中,惟一一个在生活中左右逢源,带有点喜剧色彩的就是奥布浪斯基公爵,其他的人物无不与死亡主题有关。如果我们简单地归纳一下,这部作品主要写了两个故事:其一,是安娜与渥伦斯基从相识、热恋到毁灭的过程,以及围绕这一进程的所有社会关系的纠葛,其二是列文的故事以及他在宗教意义上的展开个人思考。
    正如那句著名的开场白所显示的一样,作者对现实的思考是以家庭婚姻为基本单位而展开的,至少涉及到了四种婚姻或爱情答案:卡列宁夫妇,安娜和渥伦斯基,奥布浪斯基夫妇,列文与吉提。每一个答案都意味着罪恶和灾难。安娜是惟一经历了两种不同婚姻(爱情)形式的人物。在作者所赋予的安娜的性格中,我以为激情和活力是其基本的内涵,正是这种压抑不住的活力使美貌纯洁的吉提相形见绌;正是这种被唤醒的激情使她与卡列宁的婚姻、甚至彼得堡习以为常的社交生活、甚至包括孩子谢辽沙都黯然失色。
    与这种激情与活力相伴而来的是不顾一切的勇气。当小说中写到渥伦斯基在赛马会上摔下马来,安娜因失声大叫而暴露了“奸情”之时,对丈夫说出下面这段话是需要一点勇气的,“我爱他,我是他的情妇……随你高兴怎么样把我处置吧。”托尔斯泰对这种激情真是太熟悉了,我们不妨想一想《战争与和平》中的娜塔莎,《复活》中的卡秋莎,还有蛰伏于作者心中的那头强壮的熊——它的咆哮声一直困扰着列夫·托尔斯泰。
    马丁·杜伽尔曾认为,托尔斯泰是最具洞察力的作家,他的目光十分锐利,能够穿透生活的壁垒而发现隐含其中的"真实"。但我却倾向于认为,从根本上来说,托尔斯泰是一个图解自我观念的作家,不管是早期还是晚期作品,主题上的联系十分清晰,尤其是《战争与和平》、《安娜·卡列尼娜》两部巨著,其中的人物、情节、主题多有雷同之处,他的观念的疆域并不宽广,他的素材也不丰富,但这并不妨碍托尔斯泰的伟大,正如塞万提斯的狭隘主题并不妨碍《堂吉诃德》的伟大一样。小说的真实来自他的智慧,敏感而浩瀚的心灵,而更为重要的是他的诚实。维特根斯坦在读完《哈泽·穆拉特》以后曾感慨地说:“他(托尔斯泰)是一个真正的人,他有权写作。”


  Anna Karenina (Russian: Анна Каренина; Russian pronunciation: [ˈanə kɐˈrʲenʲɪnə]) (sometimes Anglicised as Anna Karenin) is a novel by the Russian writer Leo Tolstoy, published in serial installments from 1873 to 1877 in the periodical The Russian Messenger. Tolstoy clashed with its editor Mikhail Katkov over issues that arose in the final installment; therefore, the novel's first complete appearance was in book form.
  
  Widely regarded as a pinnacle in realist fiction, Tolstoy considered Anna Karenina his first true novel, when he came to consider War and Peace to be more than a novel. The character of Anna was likely inspired, in part, by Maria Hartung (Russian spelling Maria Gartung, 1832–1919), the elder daughter of the Russian poet Alexander Pushkin.[citation needed] Soon after meeting her at dinner, Tolstoy began reading Pushkin's prose and once had a fleeting daydream of "a bare exquisite aristocratic elbow", which proved to be the first intimation of Anna's character.
  
  Although Russian critics dismissed the novel on its publication as a "trifling romance of high life", Fyodor Dostoevsky declared it to be "flawless as a work of art". His opinion was shared by Vladimir Nabokov, who especially admired "the flawless magic of Tolstoy's style", and by William Faulkner, who described the novel as "the best ever written".[citation needed] The novel is currently enjoying popularity as demonstrated by a recent poll of 125 contemporary authors by J. Peder Zane, published in 2007 in The Top Ten, which declared that Anna Karenina is the "greatest novel ever written".
  
  The title: Anna Karenin vs Anna Karenina
  
  The title has been translated as both Anna Karenin and Anna Karenina. The first instance naturalizes the Russian name into English, whereas the second is a direct transliteration of the actual Russian name. As Vladimir Nabokov explains: "In Russian, a surname ending in a consonant acquires a final 'a' (except for the cases of such names that cannot be declined) when designating a woman".
  
  Nabokov favours the first convention - removing the Russian 'a' to naturalize the name into English - but subsequent translators mostly allow Anna's actual Russian name to stand. Larissa Volokhonsky, herself a Russian, prefers the second option, while other translators like Constance Garnett and Rosemary Edmonds prefer the first solution.
  Main characters
  
   * Anna Arkadyevna Karenina – Stepan Oblonsky's sister, Karenin's wife and Vronsky's lover. She is also a minor character in War and Peace. [citation needed]
   * Count Alexei Kirillovich Vronsky – Lover of Anna
   * Prince Stepan Arkadyevitch Oblonsky ("Stiva") – a civil servant and Anna's brother.
   * Princess Darya Alexandrovna Oblonskaya ("Dolly") – Stepan's wife
   * Alexei Alexandrovich Karenin – a senior statesman and Anna's husband, twenty years her senior.
   * Konstantin Dmitrievitch Levin ("Kostya") – Kitty's suitor and then husband.
   * Nikolai Levin – Konstantin's brother
   * Sergius Ivanich Koznyshev – Konstantin's half-brother
   * Princess Ekaterina Alexandrovna Shcherbatskaya ("Kitty") – Dolly's younger sister and later Levin's wife
   * Princess Elizaveta ("Betsy") – Anna's wealthy, morally loose society friend and Vronsky's cousin
   * Countess Lidia Ivanovna – Leader of a high society circle that includes Karenin, and shuns Princess Betsy and her circle. She maintains an interest in the mystical and spiritual
   * Countess Vronskaya – Vronsky's mother
   * Sergei Alexeyitch Karenin ("Seryozha") – Anna and Karenin's son
   * Anna ("Annie") – Anna and Vronsky's daughter
   * Varenka – a young orphaned girl, semi-adopted by an ailing Russian noblewoman, whom Kitty befriends while abroad
  
  Plot summary
  
  The novel is divided into eight parts. The novel begins with one of its most quoted lines:
  “ Happy families are all alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. ”
  Part 1
  
  The novel opens with a scene introducing Prince Stepan Arkadyevitch Oblonsky, "Stiva", a Moscow aristocrat and civil servant who has been unfaithful to his wife Darya Alexandrovna, nicknamed "Dolly". Dolly has discovered his affair - with the family's governess - and the house and family are in turmoil. Stiva's affair and his reaction to his wife's distress shows an amorous personality that he cannot seem to suppress.
  
  In the midst of the turmoil, Stiva reminds the household that his married sister, Anna Arkadyevna Karenina is coming to visit from Saint Petersburg.
  
  Meanwhile, Stiva's childhood friend Konstantin Dmitrievich Levin ("Kostya") arrives in Moscow with the aim of proposing to Dolly's youngest sister Princess Katerina Alexandrovna Shcherbatskaya, "Kitty". Levin is a passionate, restless but shy aristocratic landowner who, unlike his Moscow friends, chooses to live in the country on his large estate. He discovers that Kitty is also being pursued by Count Alexei Kirillovich Vronsky, an army officer.
  
  At the railway station to meet Anna, Stiva bumps into Vronsky. Vronsky is there to meet his mother. Anna and the Countess Vronskaya have travelled together in the same carriage and talked together. As the family members are reunited, and Vronsky sees Anna for the first time, a railway worker accidentally falls in front of a train and is killed. Anna interprets this as an "evil omen." Vronsky is infatuated with Anna. Anna, who is uneasy about leaving her young son, Seryozha, alone for the first time, talks openly and emotionally to Dolly about Stiva's affair and convinces Dolly that her husband still loves her, despite his infidelity. Dolly is moved by Anna's speeches and decides to forgive Stiva.
  
  Dolly's youngest sister, Kitty, comes to visit her sister and Anna. Kitty, just 18, is in her first season as a debutante and is expected to make an excellent match with a man of her social standing. Vronsky has been paying her considerable attention, and she expects to dance with him at a ball that evening. Kitty is very struck by Anna's beauty and personality and is infatuated with her. When Levin proposes to Kitty at her home, she clumsily turns him down, because she believes she is in love with Vronsky and that he will propose to her.
  
  At the ball, Vronsky pays Anna considerable attention, and dances with her, choosing her as a partner instead of Kitty, who is shocked and heartbroken. Kitty realises that Vronsky has fallen in love with Anna, and that despite his overt flirtations with her he has no intention of marrying her and in fact views his attentions to her as mere amusement, believing that she does the same.
  
  Anna, shaken by her emotional and physical response to Vronsky, returns at once to Saint Petersburg. Vronsky travels on the same train. During the overnight journey, the two meet and Vronsky confesses his love. Anna refuses him, although she is deeply affected by his attentions to her.
  
  Levin, crushed by Kitty's refusal, returns to his estate farm, abandoning any hope of marriage, and Anna returns to her husband Alexei Alexandrovich Karenin, a senior government official, and their son Sergei ("Seryozha") in Petersburg.
  Tatiana Samoilova as Anna in the 1967 Soviet screen version of Tolstoy's novel.
  
  On seeing her husband for the first time since her encounter with Vronsky, Anna realises that she finds him repulsive, noting the odd way that his ears press against his hat.
  Part 2
  
  The Shcherbatskys consult doctors over Kitty's health which has been failing since she realizes that Vronsky did not love her and that he did not intend to propose marriage to her, and that she refused and hurt Levin, whom she cares for, in vain. A specialist doctor advises that Kitty should go abroad to a health spa to recover. Dolly speaks to Kitty and understands that she is suffering because of Vronsky and Levin. Kitty, humiliated by Vronsky and tormented by her rejection of Levin, upsets her sister by referring to Stiva's infidelity and says she could never love a man who betrayed her.
  
  Stiva stays with Levin on his country estate when he makes a sale of a plot of land, to provide funds for his expensive city lifestyle. Levin is upset at the poor deal he makes with the buyer and his lack of understanding of the rural lifestyle.
  
  In St. Petersburg, Anna begins to spend more time with the fashionable socialite and gossip Princess Betsy and her circle, in order to meet Vronsky, Betsy's cousin. Vronsky continues to pursue Anna. Although Anna initially tries to reject him, she eventually succumbs to his attentions.
  
  Karenin warns Anna of the impropriety of paying too much attention to Vronsky in public, which is becoming a subject of society gossip. He is concerned about his and his wife's public image, although he believes that Anna is above suspicion.
  
  Vronsky, a keen horseman, takes part in a steeplechase event, during which he rides his mare Frou-Frou too hard and she falls and breaks her back. Vronsky escapes with minimal injuries but is devastated that his mare must be shot. Anna tells him that she is pregnant with his child, and is unable to hide her distress when Vronsky falls from the racehorse. Karenin is also present at the races and remarks to her that her behaviour is improper. Anna, in a state of extreme distress and emotion, confesses her affair to her husband. Karenin asks her to break off the affair to avoid society gossip and believes that their relationship can then continue as previously.
  
  Kitty goes with her mother to a resort at a German spa to recover from her ill health. There they meet the Pietist Madame Stahl and the saintly Varenka, her adopted daughter. Influenced by Varenka, Kitty becomes extremely pious, but is disillusioned by her father`s criticism. She then returns to Moscow.
  Part 3
  
  Levin continues his work on his large country estate, a setting closely tied to his spiritual thoughts and struggles. Levin wrestles with the idea of falseness, wondering how he should go about ridding himself of it, and criticising what he feels is falseness in others. He develops ideas relating to agriculture and the unique relationship between the agricultural labourer and his native land and culture. He believes that the agricultural reforms of Europe will not work in Russia because of the unique culture and personality of the Russian peasant.
  
  Levin pays Dolly a visit, and she attempts to understand what happened between him and Kitty and to explain Kitty's behaviour to him. Levin is very agitated by Dolly's talk about Kitty, and he begins to feel distant from her as he perceives her behaviour towards her children as false. Levin resolves to forget Kitty and contemplates the possibility of marriage to a peasant woman. However, a chance sighting of Kitty in her carriage as she travels to Dolly's house makes Levin realise he still loves her.
  
  In St. Petersburg, Karenin crushes Anna by refusing to separate from her. He insists that their relationship remain as it was and threatens to take away their son Seryozha if she continues to pursue her affair with Vronsky.
  Part 4
  
  Anna continues to pursue her affair with Vronsky. Karenin begins to find the situation intolerable. He talks with a lawyer about obtaining a divorce. In Russia at that time, divorce could only be requested by the innocent party in an affair, and required either that the guilty party confessed (which would ruin Anna's position in society) or that the guilty party was discovered in the act. Karenin forces Anna to give him some letters written to her by Vronsky as proof of the affair. However, Anna's brother Stiva argues against it and persuades Karenin to speak with Dolly first.
  
  Dolly broaches the subject with Karenin and asks him to reconsider his plans to divorce Anna. She seems to be unsuccessful, but Karenin changes his plans after hearing that Anna is dying after a difficult childbirth. At her bedside, Karenin forgives Vronsky. Vronsky, embarrassed by Karenin's magnanimity, attempts suicide by shooting himself. He fails in his attempt but wounds himself badly.
  
  Anna recovers, having given birth to a daughter, Anna ("Annie"). Although her husband has forgiven her, and has become attached to the new baby, Anna cannot bear living with him. She hears that Vronsky is about to leave for a military posting in Tashkent and becomes desperate. Stiva finds himself pleading to Karenin on her behalf to free her by giving her a divorce. Vronsky is intent on leaving for Tashkent, but changes his mind after seeing Anna.
  
  The couple leave for Europe - leaving behind Anna's son Seryozha - without obtaining a divorce.
  
  Much more straightforward is Stiva's matchmaking with Levin: he arranges a meeting between Levin and Kitty which results in their reconciliation and betrothal.
  Part 5
  
  Levin and Kitty marry and immediately go to start their new life together on Levin's country estate. The couple are happy but do not have a very smooth start to their married life and take some time to get used to each other. Levin feels some dissatisfaction at the amount of time Kitty wants to spend with him and is slightly scornful of her preoccupation with domestic matters, which he feels are too prosaic and not compatible with his romantic ideas of love.
  
  A few months later, Levin learns that his brother Nikolai is dying of consumption. Levin wants to go to him, and is initially angry and put out that Kitty wishes to accompany him. Levin feels that Kitty, whom he has placed on a pedestal, should not come down to earth and should not mix with people from a lower class. Levin assumes her insistence on coming must relate to a fear of boredom from being left alone, despite her true desire to support her husband in a difficult time. Kitty persuades him to take her with him after much discussion, where she proves a great help nursing Nikolai for weeks over his slow death. She also discovers she is pregnant.
  
  In Europe, Vronsky and Anna struggle to find friends who will accept their situation. Whilst Anna is happy to be finally alone with Vronsky, he feels suffocated. They cannot socialize with Russians of their own social set and find it difficult to amuse themselves. Vronsky, who believed that being with Anna in freedom was the key to his happiness, finds himself increasingly bored and unsatisfied. He takes up painting, and makes an attempt to patronize an émigré Russian artist of genius. Vronsky cannot see that his own art lacks talent and passion, and that his clever conversation about art is an empty shell. Bored and restless, Anna and Vronsky decide to return to Russia.
  
  In Petersburg, Anna and Vronsky stay in one of the best hotels but take separate suites. It becomes clear that whilst Vronsky is able to move in Society, Anna is barred from it. Even her old friend, Princess Betsy - who has had affairs herself - evades her company. Anna starts to become very jealous and anxious that Vronsky no longer loves her.
  
  Karenin is comforted – and influenced – by the strong-willed Countess Lidia Ivanovna, an enthusiast of religious and mystic ideas fashionable with the upper classes. She counsels him to keep Seryozha away from Anna and to make him believe that his mother is dead. However, Seryozha refuses to believe that this is true. Anna manages to visit Seryozha unannounced and uninvited on his ninth birthday, but is discovered by Karenin.
  
  Anna, desperate to resume at least in part her former position in Society, attends a show at the theatre at which all of Petersburg's high society are present. Vronsky begs her not to go, but is unable to bring himself to explain to her why she cannot go. At the theatre, Anna is openly snubbed by her former friends, one of whom makes a deliberate scene and leaves the theatre. Anna is devastated.
  
  Unable to find a place for themselves in Petersburg, Anna and Vronsky leave for Vronsky's country estate.
  Part 6
  
  Dolly, her mother the Princess Scherbatskaya, and Dolly's children spend the summer with Levin and Kitty on the Levins' country estate. The Levins' life is simple and unaffected, although Levin is uneasy at the "invasion" of so many Scherbatskys. He is able to cope until he is consumed with an intense jealousy when one of the visitors, Veslovsky, flirts openly with the pregnant Kitty. Levin tries to overcome his jealousy but eventually succumbs to it and in an embarrassing scene evicts Veslovsky from his house. Veslovsky immediately goes to stay with Anna and Vronsky, whose estate is close by.
  
  Dolly also pays a short visit to Anna at Vronsky's estate. The difference between the Levins' aristocratic but simple home life and Vronsky's overtly luxurious and lavish country home strikes Dolly, who is unable to keep pace with Anna's fashionable dresses or Vronsky's extravagant spending on the hospital he is building. However, all is not quite well with Anna and Vronsky. Dolly is also struck by Anna's anxious behaviour and new habit of half closing her eyes when she alludes to her difficult position. When Veslovsky flirts openly with Anna, she plays along with him even though she clearly feels uncomfortable. Vronsky makes an emotional request to Dolly, asking her to convince Anna to divorce her husband so that the two might marry and live normally. Dolly broaches the subject with Anna, who appears not to be convinced. However, Anna is becoming intensely jealous of Vronsky, and cannot bear it when he leaves her for short excursions. The two have started to quarrel about this and when Vronsky leaves for several days of provincial elections, a combination of boredom and suspicion convinces Anna she must marry him in order to prevent him from leaving her. She writes to Karenin, and she and Vronsky leave the countryside for Moscow.
  Part 7
  
  The Levins are in Moscow for Kitty's confinement. Despite initial reservations, Levin quickly gets used to the fast-paced, expensive and frivolous Moscow society life. He starts to accompany Stiva to his Moscow gentleman's club, where drinking and gambling are popular pastimes. At the club, Levin meets Vronsky and Stiva introduces them. Levin and Stiva pay a visit to Anna, who is occupying her empty days by being a patroness to an orphaned English girl. Levin is uneasy about the visit and not sure it is the proper thing to do, and Anna easily puts Levin under her spell. When he confesses to Kitty where he has been, she accuses him falsely of falling in love with Anna. The couple are reconciled, realising that Moscow life has had a negative, corrupting effect on Levin.
  
  Anna, who has made a habit of inducing the young men who visit her to fall in love with her, cannot understand why she can attract a man like Levin, who has a young and beautiful new wife, but cannot attract Vronsky in the way she wants to. Anna's relationship with Vronsky is under increasing strain, as whilst he can move freely in Society - and continues to spend considerable time doing so to stress to Anna his independence as a man - she is excluded from all her previous social connections. She is estranged from baby Annie, her child with Vronsky and her increasing bitterness, boredom, jealousy and emotional strain cause the couple to argue. Anna uses morphine to help her sleep, a habit we learned she had begun during her time living with Vronsky at his country estate. Now she has become dependent on it.
  
  After a long and difficult labour, Kitty gives birth to a son, Dmitri, nicknamed Mitya. Levin is both extremely moved and horrified by the sight of the tiny, helpless baby.
  
  Stiva visits Karenin to encourage his commendation for a new post he is seeking. During the visit he asks him to grant Anna a divorce, but Karenin's decisions are now governed by a French "clairvoyant" – recommended by Lidia Ivanovna – who apparently has a vision in his sleep during Stiva's visit, and gives Karenin a cryptic message that is interpreted as meaning that he must decline the request for divorce.
  
  Anna becomes increasingly jealous and irrational towards Vronsky, whom she suspects of having love affairs with other women, and of giving in to his mother's plans to marry him off to a rich Society woman. There is a bitter row, and Anna believes that the relationship is over. She starts to think of suicide as an escape from her torments. In her mental and emotional confusion, she sends a telegram to Vronsky asking him to come home to her, and pays a visit to Dolly and Kitty. Anna's confusion overcomes her, and in a parallel to the railway worker's accidental death in part 1, she commits suicide by throwing herself in the path of a train.
  Part 8
  
  Stiva gets the job he desired so much, and Karenin takes custody of baby Annie. A group of Russian volunteers, including Vronsky, who does not plan to return alive, depart from Russia to fight in the Orthodox Serbian revolt that has broken out against the Turks. Meanwhile, a lightning storm occurs at Levin's estate while his wife and newborn son are outside, causing him to fear for the safety of both of them, and to realize that he does indeed love his son similarly to how he loves Kitty. Also, Kitty's family concerns, namely, that a man as altruistic as her husband does not consider himself to be a Christian, are also addressed when Levin decides after talking to a peasant that devotion to living righteously as decreed by the Christian God is the only justifiable reason for living. After coming to this decision, but without telling anyone about it, he is initially displeased that this change of thought does not bring with it a complete transformation of his behavior to be more righteous. However, at the end of the book he comes to the conclusion that this fact, and the fact that there are other religions with similar views on goodness that are not Christian, are acceptable and that neither of these things diminish the fact that now his life can be meaningfully oriented toward goodness.
  Style
  
  Tolstoy's style in Anna Karenina is considered by many critics to be transitional, forming a bridge between the realist and modernist novel. The novel is narrated from a third-person-omniscient perspective, shifting between the perspectives of several major characters, though most frequently focusing on the opposing lifestyles and attitudes of its central protagonists of Anna and Levin. As such, each of the novel's eight sections contains internal variations in tone: it assumes a relaxed voice when following Stepan Oblonsky's thoughts and actions and a much more tense voice when describing Levin's social encounters. Much of the novel's seventh section depicts Anna's thoughts fluidly, following each one of her ruminations and free associations with its immediate successor. This groundbreaking use of stream-of-consciousness would be utilised by such later authors as James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, and William Faulkner.
  
  Also of significance is Tolstoy's use of real events in his narrative, to lend greater verisimilitude to the fictional events of his narrative. Characters debate significant sociopolitical issues affecting Russia in the latter half of the nineteenth century, such as the place and role of the Russian peasant in society, education reform, and women's rights. Tolstoy's depiction of the characters in these debates, and of their arguments, allows him to communicate his own political beliefs. Characters often attend similar social functions to those which Tolstoy attended, and he includes in these passages his own observations of the ideologies, behaviors, and ideas running through contemporary Russia through the thoughts of Levin. The broad array of situations and ideas depicted in Anna Karenina allows Tolstoy to present a treatise on his era's Russia, and, by virtue of its very breadth and depth, all of human society. This stylistic technique, as well as the novel's use of perspective, greatly contributes to the thematic structure of Anna Karenina.[citation needed]
  Major themes
  
  Anna Karenina is commonly thought to explore the themes of hypocrisy, jealousy, faith, fidelity, family, marriage, society, progress, carnal desire and passion, and the agrarian connection to land in contrast to the lifestyles of the city. Translator Rosemary Edmonds wrote that Tolstoy doesn't explicitly moralise in the book, he allows his themes to emerge naturally from the "vast panorama of Russian life." She also writes that a key message is that "no one may build their happiness on another's pain," which is why things don't work out for Anna.
  
  Levin is often considered as a semi-autobiographical portrayal of Tolstoy's own beliefs, struggles and life events. Tolstoy's first name is "Lev", and the Russian surname "Levin" means "of Lev". According to footnotes in the Pevear/Volokhonsky translation, the viewpoints Levin supports throughout the novel in his arguments match Tolstoy's outspoken views on the same issues. Moreover, according to W. Gareth Jones, Levin proposed to Kitty in the same way as Tolstoy to Sophie Behrs. Additionally, Levin's request that his fiancée read his diary as a way of disclosing his faults and previous sexual encounters, parallels Tolstoy's own requests to his fiancée Sophie Behrs.
  Anna Karenina and Tolstoy's A Confession
  Alla Tarasova as Anna Karenina in 1937
  
  Many of the novel's themes can also be found in Tolstoy's A Confession, his first-person rumination about the nature of life and faith, written just two years after the publication of Anna Karenina.
  
  In this book, Tolstoy describes his dissatisfaction with the hypocrisy of his social class:
  “ Every time I tried to display my innermost desires – a wish to be morally good – I met with contempt and scorn, and as soon as I gave in to base desires I was praised and encouraged. ”
  
  Tolstoy also details the acceptability of adulterous "liaisons" in aristocratic Russian society:
  “ A dear old aunt of mine, the purest of creatures, with whom I lived, was always saying that she wished for nothing as much as that I would have a relationship with a married woman. "Rien ne forme un jeune homme comme une liaison avec une femme comme il faut." ("Nothing educates a young man better than an affair with a woman established in society.") ”
  
  Another theme in Anna Karenina is that of the aristocratic habit of speaking French instead of Russian, which Tolstoy suggests is another form of society's falseness. When Dolly insists on speaking French to her young daughter, Tanya, she begins to seem false and tedious to Levin, who finds himself unable to feel at ease in her house.
  
  In a passage that could be interpreted as a sign of Anna's eventual redemption in Tolstoy's eyes, the narrator explains:
  “ For in the end what are we, who are convinced that suicide is obligatory and yet cannot resolve to commit it, other than the weakest, the most inconsistent and, speaking frankly, the most stupid of people, making such a song and dance with our banalities? ”
  
  A Confession contains many other autobiographical insights into the themes of Anna Karenina. A public domain version of it is here.
  Film, television, and theatrical adaptations
  For more details on this topic, see Adaptations of Anna Karenina.
  
   * Operas based on Anna Karenina have been written by Sassano (Naples, 1905), Leoš Janáček (unfinished, 1907), Granelli (1912), E. Malherbe (unperformed, 1914), Jeno Hubay (Budapest, 1915), Robbiani (Rome, 1924), Goldbach (1930), Iain Hamilton (London, 1981) and David Carlson (Miami, 2007).
   * Love, a 1927 silent film based loosely on the novel. The film starred Greta Garbo and John Gilbert.
   * Anna Karenina, a critically acclaimed 1935 film, directed by Clarence Brown. The film stars Greta Garbo, Fredric March, and Maureen O'Sullivan.
   * Anna Karenina, a 1948 film directed by Julien Duvivier with Vivien Leigh, Ralph Richardson and Kieron Moore.
   * "MGM Theater Of The Air - Anna Karenina (Radio Broadcast)" (Broadcast 12/09/1949; on American radio, starring Marlene Dietrich
   * "Nahr al-Hob" (or River of Love; 1960; an Egyptian movie starring Omar Sharif and Faten Hamama
   * Anna Karenina, a 1967 Russian film directed by Aleksandr Zarkhi and starring Tatyana Samojlova, Nikolai Gritsenko and Vasili Lanovoy.
   * Anna Karenina (1968) a ballet composed by Rodion Shchedrin
   * Anna Karenina, a 1977 TV version in ten episodes. Made by the BBC it was directed by Basil Coleman and starred Nicola Pagett, Eric Porter and Stuart Wilson.
   * Anna Karenina, a 1985 TV film directed by Simon Langton and starring Jacqueline Bisset, Paul Scofield and Christopher Reeve.
   * Anna Karenina, a 1992 Broadway musical starring Ann Crumb and John Cunningham
   * Anna Karenina, a 1997 British-American production filmed in St. Peterburg, Russia, by director Bernard Rose with Sophie Marceau as Anna Karenina.
   * Anna Karenina, a 2000 TV version in four episodes. It was directed by David Blair and starred Helen McCrory, Stephen Dillane and Kevin McKidd.
   * Anna Karenina a 2005 ballet with choreography by Boris Eifman and music drawn from the works of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
  
  Anna Karenina in literature
  
   * Quirk Classics transformed Anna Karenina into the book 'Android Karenina' (other past transformations have included 'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies' and 'Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters')
   * The novel is referenced in Vladimir Nabokov's Ada or Ardor: A Family Chronicle.
   * Repeated reference is made explicitly to Leo Tolstoy and Anna Karenin in Muriel Barbery's Elegance of the Hedgehog
   * Anna Karenina is also mentioned in R. L. Stine's Goosebumps series Don't Go To Sleep.
   * Mikhail Bulgakov makes reference to the Oblonsky household and Tolstoy in The Master and Margarita.
   * In Jasper Fforde's novel Lost in a Good Book, a recurring joke is two unnamed "crowd-scene" characters from Anna Karenina discussing its plot.
   * In the short-story "Sleep" by Haruki Murakami, the main character, an insomniac housewife, spends much time reading through and considering "Anna Karenina". Furthermore, in the short story "Super-Frog Saves Tokyo", by the same author, the character of Frog references "Anna Karenina" when discussing how to beat Worm.
   * Martin Amis's character Lev, in the novel House of Meetings, compares the protagonist with Anna Karenina's Vronsky.
   * In the novel The Unbearable Lightness of Being Anna Karenina is compared with the novel like beauty of life, and Tereza arrives at Tomas's apartment with a copy of the book under her arm. In addition, Tereza and Tomas have a pet dog named Karenin, after Anna's husband.
   * In the novel What Happened to Anna K. Irina Reyn loosely transfers the Anna Karenina story to a setting in modern-day New York City.
   * Anna Karenina plays a central role in Nilo Cruz's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Anna in the Tropics (2002), set in 1929, as a new lector, Juan Julian, reads the text as background for cigar rollers in the Ybor City section of Tampa, FL. As he reads the story of adultery, the workers' passions are inflamed, and end in tragedy like Anna's.
   * In "The Slippery Slope", the 10th book in A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket, the Baudelaire orphans Violet, Klaus and the third Quagmire triplet Quigley need to use the central theme of "Anna Karenina" as the final password to open the Vernacularly Fastened Door leading to the V.F.D. Headquarters. Klaus remembered how his mother had read it to him one summer when he was young as a summer reading book. Klaus summarized the theme with these words: "The central theme of Anna Karenina is that a rural life of moral simplicity, despite its monotony, is the preferable personal narrative to a daring life of impulsive passion, which only leads to tragedy." Esme Squalor later said she once was supposed to read the book over the summer, but she decided it would never help her in her life and threw it in the fireplace.
   * Guns, Germs, and Steel (by Jared Diamond) has a chapter (#9) on the domestication of large mammals, titled "Zebras, Unhappy Marriages, and the Anna Karenina Principle." This chapter begins with a variation on the quote, above.
   * in Nicholas Sparks's book The Last Song, the main character, Ronnie, reads Anna Karenina and other Tolstoy books throughout the story.
  
  Further reading
  Translations
  
   * Anna Karenina, Translated by Constance Garnett. Still widely reprinted.
   * Anna Karenina, Translated by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky (Allen Lane/Penguin, London, 2000)
   * Anna Karénina, Translated by Margaret Wettlin (Progress Publishers, 1978)
   * Anna Karenina, Translated by Joel Carmichael (Bantam Books, New York, 1960)
   * Anna Karenina, Translated by David Magarshack (A Signet Classic, New American Library, New York and Scarborough, Ontario, 1961)
   * Anna Karenina, Translated by Louise and Aylmer Maude (Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1918)
   * Anna Karenin, Translated by Rosemary Edmonds (Penguin Classics, Harmondsworth, Middlesex, 1954)
   * Anna Karénina, Translated by Nathan Haskell Dole (Thomas Y. Crowell & Co., New York, 1886)
   * Anna Karenina, Translated by Kyril Zinovieff (Oneworld Classics 2008) ISBN 978-1-84749-059-9
  
  Biographical and literary criticism
  
   * Bakhtin, Mikhail, The Dialogic Imagination, ed. Michael Holquist, trans. Caryl Emerson and Michael Holquist (University of Texas Press, Austin, 1981)
   * Bayley, John, Tolstoy and the Novel (Chatto and Windus, London, 1966)
   * Berlin, Isaiah, The Hedgehog and the Fox: An Essay on Tolstoy's View of History (Simon and Schuster, New York, 1966; Weidenfeld and Nicolson, London, 1967)
   * Eikhenbaum, Boris, Tolstoi in the Seventies, trans. Albert Kaspin (Ardis, Ann Arbor, 1982)
   * Evans, Mary, Anna Karenina (Routledge, London and New York, 1989)
   * Gifford, Henry, Tolstoy (Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1982)
   * Gifford, Henry (ed) Leo Tolstoy (Penguin Critical Anthologies, Harmondsworth, 1971)
   * Leavis, F. R., Anna Karenina and Other Essays (Chatto and Windus, London, 1967)
   * Mandelker, Amy, Framing 'Anna Karenina': Tolstoy, the Woman Question, and the Victorian Novel (Ohio State University Press, Columbus, 1993)
   * Morson,Gary Saul, Anna Karenina in our time: seeing more wisely (Yale University Press 2007) read parts at Google-Books
  
   * Nabokov, Vladimir, Lectures on Russian Literature (Weidenfeld and Nicolson, London and Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, New York, 1981)
   * Orwin, Donna Tussing, Tolstoy's Art and Thought, 1847-1880 (Princeton University Press, Princeton, 1993)
   * Speirs, Logan, Tolstoy and Chekhov (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1971)
   * Strakhov, Nikolai, N., "Levin and Social Chaos", in Gibian, ed., (W.W. Norton & Company New York, 2005).
   * Steiner, George, Tolstoy or Dostoevsky: An Essay in Contrast (Faber and Faber, London, 1959)
   * Thorlby, Anthony, Anna Karenina (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge and New York, 1987)
   * Tolstoy, Leo, Correspondence, 2. vols., selected, ed. and trans. by R. F. Christian (Athlone Press, London and Scribner, New York, 1978)
   * Tolstoy, Leo, Diaries, ed. and trans. by R. F. Christian (Athlone Press, London and Scribner, New York, 1985)
   * Tolstoy, Sophia A., The Diaries of Sophia Tolstoy, ed. O. A. Golinenko, trans. Cathy Porter (Random House, New York, 1985)
   * Turner, C. J. G., A Karenina Companion (Wilfrid Laurier University Press, Waterloo, 1993)
   * Wasiolek, Edward, Critical Essays on Tolstoy (G. K. Hall, Boston, 1986)
   * Wasiolek, Edward, Tolstoy's Major Fiction (University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1978)
前言
  《安娜·卡列宁娜》是文学中希世的瑰宝,也是世界艺术宝库中璀璨夺目的明珠。
   小说中有两条平行的线索,当时有人说它没有“建筑术”,有人说它是“两部小说”。作者委婉地拒绝了这些批评。他说,该书结构之妙正在于圆拱衔接得天衣无缝——两条线索有“内在的联系”。对此众说纷纭。依我看,指的是有一个统一的主题,即当时资本主义迅猛发展带来的、作者所认为的灾难性的后果:一方面是贵族受资产阶级思想侵蚀,在家庭、婚姻等道德伦理观念方面发生激烈变化,卷首“奥布隆斯基家里一切都混乱了”一语有象征意义;另一方面是农业受资本主义破坏,国家面临经济发展的道路问题,也就是列文说的:“一切都翻了一个身,一切都刚刚开始安排。”以安娜为中心的线索(包括奥布隆斯基、卡列宁、弗龙斯基以至谢尔巴茨基等家族)和列文的线索,分别表现了这两方面的问题。
   限于篇幅,下面只简单地谈谈男女两位主人公以及有关创作艺术的点滴看法。
   小说以安娜·卡列宁娜命名,她的形象在小说中确实居于中心的位置。安娜不仅天生丽质,光艳夺人,而且纯真、诚实、端庄、聪慧,还有一个“复杂而有诗意的内心世界”。可是她遇人不淑,年轻时由姑母作主,嫁给一个头脑僵化、思想保守、虚伪成性并且没有活人感情的官僚卡列宁。在婚后八年间,她曾努力去爱丈夫和儿子。而现在由于“世风日变”,婚姻自由的思想激起了这个古井之水的波澜。与弗龙斯基的邂逅,重新唤醒了她对生活的追求。她要“生活”,也就是要爱情。她终于跨越了礼教的樊篱。作为已婚的端庄的妇女,要跨出这一步,需要有很大的决心和勇气,虽则在当时上流社会私通已司空见惯了。但她的勇气主要在于,不愿与无耻的贵族妇女同流合污,不愿像她们那样长期欺骗丈夫,毅然把暧昧的关系公开。这不啻向上流社会挑战,从而不见容于上流社会,同时也受到卡列宁的残酷报复:既不答应她离婚,又不让她亲近爱子。她徒然挣扎,曾为爱情而牺牲母爱,可这爱情又成了镜花水月。她终于越来越深地陷入悲剧的命运。
   不过,虽说造成她的悲剧的是包括卡列宁、弗龙斯基在内的上流社会,安娜作为悲剧人物,本身也不是没有“过错”;再说她的性格后来还发生了令人惋惜的变化。这位留里克王室的后裔,受时代的洗礼而敢于为“生活”而同社会抗争,但她自己却未能完全挣脱旧思想意识的桎梏,她不仅一再对卡列宁怀有负罪感,而且也不能割断同上流社会的血缘关系,因此以见逐于它而感到无地自容。实际上她也没有真正学会爱。同弗龙斯基的一见钟情,似乎因他慷慨好施,主要却是倾心于他的仪表、风度,出于自己旺盛的生命力的自发要求,并不基于共同的思想感情。这种爱情是盲目的,实际上几乎全是情欲,而情欲是难以持久的。弗龙斯基初时为了虚荣心而猎逐她,一度因安娜的真挚的爱而变得严肃专一,但不久就因功名之心的蠕动而厌弃她。而安娜把爱情当作整个生活,沉溺其中,要弗龙斯基与她朝夕厮守一起,甚至甘为他的“无条件的奴隶”。于是她的精神品质渐渐失去了光彩。为了重新唤起弗龙斯基的爱,竟不惜以姿色的魅力编织“爱情的网”,并且逐渐习惯于“虚伪和欺骗的精神”。最后,她的爱越来越自私,以致在“不满足”时变成了恨。不过,我们不能因此而责备安娜,须知她生活在历史的转折时期。如果说她同社会的外在矛盾,是由于新事物受旧事物压制,那么,她自身的矛盾,则是新萌发的意识未能战胜根深蒂固的旧意识。何况当时能代替旧的道德观念的新观念尚未形成。因此可以说,她身上集中了时代的各种矛盾。她的自杀,从主观上说是寻求解脱,也是对弗龙斯基的报复及对上流社会的;客观上则是由于集中了各种时代的矛盾而无法克服,从而无可避免地成为这个转折时期祭坛的牺牲。这种必然性表明了安娜悲剧的深度。
   列文也是深刻矛盾的人物。他鄙视彼得堡的宫廷贵族,却以出身世袭贵族而自豪;他不满于上流社会的荒淫和虚伪,却认为奢侈是贵族的本分;他反对以农奴制的“棍子”压制农民,却又向往于贵族的古风旧习;他厌恶资本主义并否定资本主义在发展的必然性,但他自己的农业经营显然是资本主义方式;他断言资产阶级所得的是“不义之财”,而自己却和劳动者进行“残酷的”斗争。这些正是这位“有心灵”、有道德感情的贵族在历史转折时期而背对历史发展所必然产生的思想矛盾。
   与安娜不同,列文可以说是获得了真正的爱情和家庭的幸福。然而,良心的痛苦在折磨着他,在自己富裕同人民贫困对比下,他深深抱有负罪感。只是他不同于一般的忏悔贵族,他积极探索同人民接近的道路,并探索通过“不流血的”以达到与农民合作、共同富裕的道路。这种历史唯心主义的幻想在残酷的现实面前破灭了。他转而怀疑自己生存的意义,从社会经济的探索转向思想和道德的探索,要在各种哲学和宗教中寻求答案,却毫无所获。失望之余,他甚至要以自杀来解脱,最后从宗法制农民那里得到启示:要“为灵魂而活着”。他的不安的心灵似乎得到了归宿,但这归宿纯然是空想,无助于实际矛盾的解决,只不过是心灵悲剧的麻醉剂罢了。清醒的现实主义使作者在这里把小说煞住。如果情节再朝前进展,人物会从麻醉中苏醒过来,心灵的悲剧必定照旧在他面前展开。
   与这两位主人公相联系的、亦即在他们这两条线索上的一些次要的人物,是伴随着他们出场并围绕他们而活动的。与安娜—卡列宁和安娜—弗龙斯基相联系的,主要是彼得堡上流社会的三个圈子和军界的某些贵族;与列文相联系的,主要是外省贵族、地主、农民以及个别商人。一般说来,安娜这条线索上的人物大多涉及道德伦理问题,列文这条线索上的人物大多涉及社会经济问题。当然,两者间有时也相互交叉。这些人物决不仅是两位主人公的陪衬或对照物,而且常常居于前景,在情节中占有相当重要的位置。正是赖有他们,作品才得以超出家庭关系的范围,突破家庭小说的框架,成为作者所说的“内容广泛的、自由的小说”,从而成为广泛反映十九世纪六七十年代社会生活的史诗性杰作。
   就艺术来说,《安娜·卡列宁娜》确实令人叹为观止。它的融合无间、互相呼应的两条线索的结构,继《战争与和平》之后,又一次成为“背离欧洲形式”、找到“新的框架”的不世之作。再则这部小说的每一场面、每一插曲、每一画面,一般不只是“背景”或偶然的“布景”,而是整体的有机部分,这也显示出结构的严密性和完整性。
   书中的人物性格,大都于典型性中见个性。但这么说未免简单了些。不仅奥布隆斯基、弗龙斯基、卡列宁等形象丰满、鲜明、生动,呼之欲出,就连寥寥几笔画成的插曲式人物,如一系列贵族、地主,彼得堡社交界的妇女,无不各具特色,历历在目;更不用说复杂、矛盾而又完整的安娜了。安娜这个形象在世界文学中,即使不说无与伦比,恐怕也罕有畴匹。这些人物虽是精雕细琢,但不像工笔画那样带有匠气。作者使用“积累的方法”,并非机械地凭借一次又一次的叙述,而是通过直接观察者的眼光或感受来描写。例如安娜,她先后在达里娅、弗龙斯基、基蒂、卡列宁、列文以及米哈伊罗夫等人心目中,分别呈现自己的一个侧面,正是这些不同的侧面“积累”成一个立体的、以至多角度的形象。同时,这些直接观察者由主观的不同的角度看到的不同侧面,何者符合真实,由于作者不置一词,给读者留下广阔想象的余地,又给这个形象蒙上了一层迷雾,客观上增添了它的复杂性。托尔斯泰还从进展中刻画性格。不过,奥布隆斯基和列文等是固有品质的逐渐展示,安娜和弗龙斯基的性格则是发展和变化的。
   《安娜·卡列宁娜》是完全意义上的心理小说。不仅人物的内心生活描写充分,就是人物间的冲突也大都是心理上的,或是通过心理来表现的,因此全书心理描写的密度很大。虽则一般使用传统手法,即作者间接叙述或由人物的语言、动作或表情等直接表现,但笔墨十分细腻。例如总是在动态中写心理过程,一般是展示过程中的每一环节或每一横断面,把人物内心的每一颤动显现出来。这些过程一般不是直线式的,而其曲折反复也不是循环,而是螺旋形的进展,因此令人感到的不是繁复累赘,而是步步深入。而在不少场合,人物心理还是前后截然相反的,借用批评家巴赫金的术语来说,是“对话”式的。这种“对话”有时表现于较长的心理过程的始与终,是逐渐变化的结果;有时则是突然转折。前者如达里娅去探望安娜的那一插曲,后者如科兹内雪夫向瓦莲卡的求爱。但无论是渐进或是突变,都符合人物的性格或心理的规律。有时也进入半下意识的领域,如安娜从莫斯科回彼得堡的车上的那种迷离恍惚的心态。而在一些属于传统手法的内心独白中也有所创新。奥布隆斯基在利季娅·伊万诺夫娜伯爵夫人晚会上那段断断续续的内心独白,表现了人物头脑处于半睡眠的消极状态的凌乱的意识之流。特别是安娜在自杀前驱车经过街上时的心理活动:街上瞬息变换的各种外在印象不断引起她的自由联想,她不断由一种感触或回忆蓦地跳到另一种感触和回忆,她强烈激动、心烦意乱、百感交集的心境跃然纸上。作者是如此巧妙地运用了意识流手法的跳跃性,省略了许多不必要的环节和焊接点,使得人物的思路迅速转换而又十分自然,各种思绪断断续续,此起彼伏,互不连贯而又不凌乱无序。这可以说是文学中的意识流的神来之笔。
   小说中还有许多脍炙人口的场面,许多描写生动的插曲,以及文笔的自然、质朴和真实……总之,可谈者尚多。
   《安娜·卡列宁娜》问世一百多年了。这部出自巨匠之手的艺术杰作,不但没有减色,反而显得更为瑰丽。
   陈 燊
   1994.4


  Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.
   Everything was in confusion in the Oblonskys' house. The wife had discovered that the husband was carrying on an intrigue with a French girl, who had been a governess in their family, and she had announced to her husband that she could not go on living in the same house with him. This position of affairs had now lasted three days, and not only the husband and wife themselves, but all the members of their family and household, were painfully conscious of it. Every person in the house felt that there was so sense in their living together, and that the stray people brought together by chance in any inn had more in common with one another than they, the members of the family and household of the Oblonskys. The wife did not leave her own room, the husband had not been at home for three days. The children ran wild all over the house; the English governess quarreled with the housekeeper, and wrote to a friend asking her to look out for a new situation for her; the man-cook had walked off the day before just at dinner time; the kitchen-maid, and the coachman had given warning.
   Three days after the quarrel, Prince Stepan Arkadyevitch Oblonsky--Stiva, as he was called in the fashionable world-- woke up at his usual hour, that is, at eight o'clock in the morning, not in his wife's bedroom, but on the leather-covered sofa in his study. He turned over his stout, well-cared-for person on the springy sofa, as though he would sink into a long sleep again; he vigorously embraced the pillow on the other side and buried his face in it; but all at once he jumped up, sat up on the sofa, and opened his eyes.
   "Yes, yes, how was it now?" he thought, going over his dream. "Now, how was it? To be sure! Alabin was giving a dinner at Darmstadt; no, not Darmstadt, but something American. Yes, but then, Darmstadt was in America. Yes, Alabin was giving a dinner on glass tables, and the tables sang, Il mio tesoro--not Il mio tesoro though, but something better, and there were some sort of little decanters on the table, and they were women, too," he remembered.
   Stepan Arkadyevitch's eyes twinkled gaily, and he pondered with a smile. "Yes, it was nice, very nice. There was a great deal more that was delightful, only there's no putting it into words, or even expressing it in one's thoughts awake." And noticing a gleam of light peeping in beside one of the serge curtains, he cheerfully dropped his feet over the edge of the sofa, and felt about with them for his slippers, a present on his last birthday, worked for him by his wife on gold-colored morocco. And, as he had done every day for the last nine years, he stretched out his hand, without getting up, towards the place where his dressing-gown always hung in his bedroom. And thereupon he suddenly remembered that he was not sleeping in his wife's room, but in his study, and why: the smile vanished from his face, he knitted his brows.
   "Ah, ah, ah! Oo!..." he muttered, recalling everything that had happened. And again every detail of his quarrel with his wife was present to his imagination, all the hopelessness of his position, and worst of all, his own fault.
   "Yes, she won't forgive me, and she can't forgive me. And the most awful thing about it is that it's all my fault--all my fault, though I'm not to blame. That's the point of the whole situation," he reflected. "Oh, oh, oh!" he kept repeating in despair, as he remembered the acutely painful sensations caused him by this quarrel.
   Most unpleasant of all was the first minute when, on coming, happy and good-humored, from the theater, with a huge pear in his hand for his wife, he had not found his wife in the drawing-room, to his surprise had not found her in the study either, and saw her at last in her bedroom with the unlucky letter that revealed everything in her hand.
   She, his Dolly, forever fussing and worrying over household details, and limited in her ideas, as he considered, was sitting perfectly still with the letter in her hand, looking at him with an expression of horror, despair, and indignation.
   "What's this? this?" she asked, pointing to the letter.
   And at this recollection, Stepan Arkadyevitch, as is so often the case, was not so much annoyed at the fact itself as at the way in which he had met his wife's words.
   There happened to him at that instant what does happen to people when they are unexpectedly caught in something very disgraceful. He did not succeed in adapting his face to the position in which he was placed towards his wife by the discovery of his fault. Instead of being hurt, denying, defending himself, begging forgiveness, instead of remaining indifferent even--anything would have been better than what he did do--his face utterly involuntarily (reflex spinal action, reflected Stepan Arkadyevitch, who was fond of physiology)--utterly involuntarily assumed its habitual, good-humored, and therefore idiotic smile.
   This idiotic smile he could not forgive himself. Catching sight of that smile, Dolly shuddered as though at physical pain, broke out with her characteristic heat into a flood of cruel words, and rushed out of the room. Since then she had refused to see her husband.
   "It's that idiotic smile that's to blame for it all," thought Stepan Arkadyevitch.
   "But what's to be done? What's to be done?" he said to himself in despair, and found no answer.
一-1
  幸福的家庭都是相似的,不幸的家庭各有各的不幸。
   奥布隆斯基家里一切都混乱了。妻子发觉丈夫和他们家从前的法国女家庭教师有暧昧关系,她向丈夫声明她不能和他再在一个屋子里住下去了。这样的状态已经继续了三天,不只是夫妻两个,就是他们全家和仆人都为此感到痛苦。家里的每个人都觉得他们住在一起没有意思,而且觉得就是在任何客店里萍水相逢的人也都比他们,奥布隆斯基全家和仆人更情投意合。妻子没有离开自己的房间一步,丈夫三天不在家了,小孩们像失了管教一样在家里到处乱跑。英国女家庭教师和女管家吵架,给朋友写了信,请替她找一个新的位置。
   厨师昨天恰好在晚餐时走掉了,厨娘和车夫辞了工。
   在吵架后的第三天,斯捷潘·阿尔卡季奇·奥布隆斯基公爵——他在交际场里是叫斯季瓦的——在照例的时间,早晨八点钟醒来,不在他妻子的寝室,却在他书房里的鞣皮沙发上。他在富于弹性的沙发上把他的肥胖的、保养得很好的身体翻转,好像要再睡一大觉似的,他使劲抱住一个枕头,把他的脸紧紧地偎着它;但是他突然跳起来,坐在沙发上,张开眼睛。
   “哦,哦,怎么回事?”他想,重温着他的梦境。“怎么回事,对啦!阿拉宾在达姆施塔特①请客;不,不是达姆施塔特,而是在美国什么地方。不错,达姆施塔特是在美国。不错,阿拉宾在玻璃桌上请客,在座的人都唱Ilmiotesoro②,但也不是Ilmiotesoro,而是比那更好的;桌上还有些小酒瓶,那都是女人,”他回想着。
   --------
   ①达姆施塔特,现今西德的一个城市。
   ②意大利语:我的宝贝。
   斯捷潘·阿尔卡季奇的眼睛快乐地闪耀着,他含着微笑沉思。“哦,真是有趣极了。有味的事情还多得很,可惜醒了说不出来,连意思都表达不出来。”而后看到从一幅罗纱窗帷边上射入的一线日光,他愉快地把脚沿着沙发边伸下去,用脚去搜索他的拖鞋,那双拖鞋是金色鞣皮的,上面有他妻子绣的花,是他去年生日时她送给他的礼物;照他九年来的习惯,每天他没有起来,就向寝室里常挂晨衣的地方伸出手去。他这才突然记起了他没有和为什么没有睡在妻子的房间而睡在自己的书房里。微笑从他的脸上消失,他皱起眉来。
   “唉,唉,唉!”他叹息,回想着发生的一切事情。他和妻子吵架的每个细节,他那无法摆脱的处境以及最糟糕的,他自己的过错,又一齐涌上他的心头。
   “是的,她不会饶恕我,她也不能饶恕我!而最糟的是这都是我的过错——都是我的过错;但也不能怪我。悲剧就在这里!”他沉思着。“唉,唉,唉!”他记起这场吵闹所给予他的极端痛苦的感觉,尽在绝望地自悲自叹。
   最不愉快的是最初的一瞬间,当他兴高采烈的,手里拿着一只预备给他妻子的大梨,从剧场回来的时候,他在客厅里没有找到他妻子,使他大为吃惊的是,在书房里也没有找到,而终于发现她在寝室里,手里拿着那封泄漏了一切的倒霉的信。
   她——那个老是忙忙碌碌和忧虑不安,而且依他看来,头脑简单的多莉①,动也不动地坐在那里,手里拿着那封信,带着恐怖、绝望和忿怒的表情望着他。
   “这是什么?这?”她问,指着那封信。
   回想起来的时候,斯捷潘·阿尔卡季奇,像常有的情形一样,觉得事情本身还没有他回答妻子的话的态度那么使他苦恼。
   那一瞬间,在他身上发生了一般人在他们的极不名誉的行为突如其来地被揭发了的时候所常发生的现象。他没有能够使他的脸色适应于他的过失被揭穿后他在妻子面前所处的地位。没有感到受了委屈,矢口否认,替自己辩护,请求饶恕,甚至也没有索性不在乎——随便什么都比他所做的好——他的面孔却完全不由自主地(斯捷潘·阿尔卡季奇是喜欢生理学的,他认为这是脑神经的反射作用②)——完全不由自主地突然浮现出他那素常的、善良的、因而痴愚的微笑。
   --------
   ①多莉是他的妻子达里娅的英文名字。
   ②在《安娜·卡列宁娜》写成之前不久,在的一份杂志上,《脑神经的反射作用》的作者谢切诺夫教授正和其他的科学家进行着激烈的论战。对于这种事情一知半解的奥布隆斯基都轻而易举地想起这个术语,可见这场论战曾引起了当时公众的充分注意。
   为了这种痴愚的微笑,他不能饶恕自己。看见那微笑,多莉好像感到肉体的痛苦一般颤栗起来,以她特有的火气脱口说出了一连串残酷的话,就冲出了房间。从此以后,她就不愿见她丈夫了。
   “这都要怪那痴愚的微笑,”斯捷潘·阿尔卡季奇想。
   “但是怎么办呢?怎么办呢?”他绝望地自言自语说,找不出答案来。 二
   斯捷潘·阿尔卡季奇是一个忠实于自己的人。他不能自欺欺人,不能使自己相信他后悔他的行为。他是一个三十四岁、漂亮多情的男子,他的妻子仅仅比他小一岁,而且做了五个活着、两个死了的孩子的母亲,他不爱她,这他现在并不觉得后悔。他后悔的只是他没有能够很好地瞒过他的妻子。但是他感到了他的处境的一切困难,很替他的妻子、小孩和自己难过。他也许能想办法把他的罪过隐瞒住他的妻子,要是他早料到,这个消息会这样影响她。他从来没有清晰地考虑过这个问题,但他模模糊糊地感到他的妻子早已怀疑他对她不忠实,她只是装做没有看见罢了。他甚至以为,她只是一个贤妻良母,一个疲惫的、渐渐衰老的、不再年轻、也不再美丽、毫不惹人注目的女人,应当出于公平心对他宽大一些。结果却完全相反。
   “唉,可怕呀!可怕呀!”斯捷潘·阿尔卡季奇尽在自言自语,想不出办法来。“以前一切是多么顺遂呵!我们过得多快活;她因为孩子们而感到满足和幸福;我从来什么事情也不干涉她;随着她的意思去照管小孩和家事。自然,糟糕的是,她是我们家里的家庭女教师。真糟!和家里的家庭女教师胡来,未免有点庸俗,下流。但是一个多漂亮的家庭女教师呀!(他历历在目地回想着罗兰姑娘的恶作剧的黑眼睛和她的微笑。)但是毕竟,她在我们家里的时候,我从来未敢放肆过。最糟的就是她已经……好像命该如此!唉,唉!但是怎么,怎么办呀?”
   除了生活所给予一切最复杂最难解决的问题的那个一般的解答之外,再也得不到其他解答了。那解答就是:人必须在日常的需要中生活——那就是,忘怀一切。要在睡眠中忘掉忧愁现在已不可能,至少也得到夜间才行;他现在又不能够回到酒瓶女人所唱的音乐中去;因此他只好在白昼梦中消愁解闷。
   “我们等着瞧吧,”斯捷潘·阿尔卡季奇自言自语,他站起来,穿上一件衬着蓝色绸里的灰色晨衣,把腰带打了一个结,于是,深深地往他的宽阔胸膛里吸了一口气,他摆开他那双那么轻快地载着他的肥胖身体的八字脚,迈着素常的稳重步伐走到窗前,他拉开百叶窗,用力按铃。他的亲信仆人马特维立刻应声出现,把他的衣服、长靴和电报拿来了。理发匠挟着理发用具跟在马特维后面走进来。
   “衙门里有什么公文送来没有?”斯捷潘·阿尔卡季奇问,接过电报,在镜子面前坐下。
   “在桌上,”马特维回答,怀着同情询问地瞥了他的主人一眼;停了一会,他脸上浮着狡狯的微笑补充说:“马车老板那儿有人来过。”
   斯捷潘·阿尔卡季奇没有回答,只在镜里瞥了马特维一眼。从他们在镜子里交换的眼色中,可以看出来他们彼此很了解。斯捷潘·阿尔卡季奇的眼色似乎在问:“你为什么对我说这个?你难道不知道?”
   马特维把手放进外套口袋里,伸出一只脚,默默地、善良地、带着一丝微笑凝视着他的主人。
   “我叫他们礼拜日再来,不到那时候不要白费气力来麻烦您或他们自己,”他说,他显然是事先准备好这句话的。
   斯捷潘·阿尔卡季奇看出来马特维想要开开玩笑,引得人家注意自己。他拆开电报看了一遍,揣测着电报里时常拼错的字眼,他的脸色开朗了。
   “马特维,我妹妹安娜·阿尔卡季耶夫娜明天要来了,”他说,做手势要理发匠的光滑丰满的手停一会,他正在从他的长长的、鬈曲的络腮胡子中间剃出一条淡红色的纹路来。
   “谢谢上帝!”马特维说,由这回答就显示出他像他的主人一样了解这次来访的重大意义,那就是,安娜·阿尔卡季耶夫娜,他所喜欢的妹妹,也许会促使夫妻和好起来。
   “一个人,还是和她丈夫一道?”马特维问。
   斯捷潘·阿尔卡季奇不能够回答,因为理发匠正在剃他的上唇,于是举起一个手指来。马特维朝镜子里点点头。
   “一个人。要在楼上收拾好一间房间吗?”
   “去告诉达里娅·亚历山德罗夫娜:她会吩咐的。”
   “达里娅·亚历山德罗夫娜?”马特维好像怀疑似地重复着。
   “是的,去告诉她。把电报拿去;交给她,照她吩咐的去办。”
   “您要去试一试吗,”马特维心中明白,但他却只说:
   “是的,老爷。”
   当马特维踏着那双咯吱作响的长靴,手里拿着电报,慢吞吞地走回房间来的时候,斯捷潘·阿尔卡季奇已经洗好了脸,梳过了头发,正在预备穿衣服。理发匠已经走了。
   “达里娅·亚历山德罗夫娜叫我对您说她要走了。让他——就是说您——高兴怎样办就怎样办吧,”他说,只有他的眼睛含着笑意,然后把手放进口袋里,歪着脑袋斜视着主人。
   斯捷潘·阿尔卡季奇沉默了一会。随即一种温和的而又有几分凄恻的微笑流露在他的好看的面孔上。
   “呃,马特维?”他说,摇摇头。
   “不要紧,老爷;事情自会好起来的。”马特维说。
   “自会好起来的?”
   “是的,老爷。”
   “你这样想吗?谁来了?”斯捷潘·阿尔卡季奇问,听见门外有女人的衣服的究n声。
   “我,”一个坚定而愉快的女人声音说,乳母马特廖娜·菲利蒙诺夫娜的严峻的麻脸从门后伸进来。
   “哦,什么事,马特廖娜?”斯捷潘·阿尔卡季奇问,走到她面前。
   虽然斯捷潘·阿尔卡季奇在妻子面前一无是处,而且他自己也感觉到这点,但是家里几乎每个人(就连达里娅·亚历山德罗夫娜的心腹,那个乳母也在内,)都站在他这边。
   “哦,什么事?”他忧愁地问。
   “到她那里去,老爷,再认一次错吧。上帝会帮助您的。她是这样痛苦,看见她都叫人伤心;而且家里一切都弄得乱七八糟了。老爷,您该怜悯怜悯孩子们。认个错吧,老爷。这是没有办法的!要图快活,就只好……”
   “但是她不愿见我。”
   “尽您的本分。上帝是慈悲的,向上帝祷告,老爷,向上帝祷告吧。”
   “好的,你走吧,”斯捷潘·阿尔卡季奇说,突然涨红了脸。“喂,给我穿上衣服。”他转向马特维说,毅然决然地脱下晨衣。
   马特维已经举起衬衣,像马颈轭一样,吹去了上面的一点什么看不见的黑点,他带着显然的愉快神情把它套在他主人的保养得很好的身体上。 三
   斯捷潘·阿尔卡季奇穿好了衣服,在身上洒了些香水,拉直衬衣袖口,照常把香烟、袖珍簿、火柴和那有着双重链子和表坠的表分置在各个口袋里,然后抖开手帕,虽然他很不幸,但是他感到清爽,芬芳,健康和肉体上的舒适,他两腿微微摇摆着走进了餐室,他的咖啡已摆在那里等他,咖啡旁边放着信件和衙门里送来的公文。
   他阅读信件。有一封令人极不愉快,是一个想要买他妻子地产上的一座树林的商人写来的,出卖这座树林是绝对必要的;但是现在,在他没有和妻子和解以前,这个问题是无法谈的。最不愉快的是他的金钱上的利害关系要牵涉到他急待跟他妻子和解的问题上去。想到他会被这种利害关系所左右,他会为了卖树林的缘故去跟他妻子讲和——想到这个,就使他不愉快了。
   看完了信,斯捷潘·阿尔卡季奇把衙门里送来的公文拉到面前,迅速地阅过了两件公事,用粗铅笔做了些记号,就把公文推在一旁,端起咖啡;他一面喝咖啡,一面打开油墨未干的晨报,开始读起来。
   斯捷潘·阿尔卡季奇定阅一份自由主义派的报纸,不是极端自由主义派的而是代表大多数人意见的报纸。虽然他对于科学、艺术和并没有特别兴趣,但他对这一切问题却坚持抱着与大多数人和他的报纸一致的意见。只有在大多数人改变了意见的时候,他这才随着改变,或者,更严格地说,他并没有改变,而是意见本身不知不觉地在他心中改变了。
   斯捷潘·阿尔卡季奇并没有选择他的主张和见解;这些主张和见解是自动到他这里来的,正如他并没有选择帽子和上衣的样式,而只是穿戴着大家都在穿戴的。生活于上流社会里的他——由于普通在成年期发育成熟的,对于某种精神活动的要求——必须有见解正如必须有帽子一样。如果说他爱自由主义的见解胜过爱他周围许多人抱着的保守见解是有道理的,那倒不是由于他认为自由主义更合理,而是由于它更适合他的生活方式。自由党说一切都是坏的,的确,斯捷潘·阿尔卡季奇负债累累,正缺钱用。自由党说结婚是完全过时的制度,必须改革才行;而家庭生活的确没有给斯捷潘·阿尔卡季奇多少乐趣,而且逼得他说谎做假,那是完全违反他的本性的。自由党说,或者毋宁说是暗示,宗教的作用只在于箝制人民中那些野蛮阶层;而斯捷潘·阿尔卡季奇连做一次短短的礼拜,都站得腰酸腿痛,而且想不透既然现世生活过得这么愉快,那么用所有这些可怕而夸张的言词来谈论来世还有什么意思。而且,爱说笑话的斯捷潘·阿尔卡季奇常喜欢说:如果人要夸耀自己的祖先,他就不应当到留里克①为止,而不承认他的始祖——猴子,他喜欢用这一类的话去难倒老实的人。就这样,自由主义的倾向成了斯捷潘·阿尔卡季奇的一种习癖,他喜欢他的报纸,正如他喜欢饭后抽一支雪茄一样,因为它在他的脑子里散布了一层轻雾。他读社论,社论认为,在现在这个时代,叫嚣急进主义有吞没一切保守分子的危险,叫嚣政府应当采取适当措施扑灭的祸害,这类叫嚣是毫无意思的;正相反,“照我们的意见,危险并不在于假想的的祸害,而在于阻碍进步的墨守成规,”云云。他又读了另外一篇关于财政的论文,其中提到了边沁和密勒②,并对政府某部有所讽刺。凭着他特有的机敏,他领会了每句暗讽的意义,猜透了它从何而来,针对什么人,出于什么动机而发;这,像平常一样,给予他一定的满足。
   --------
   ①留里克(死于879),的建国者,留里克王朝(869—1598)的始祖。
   ②边沁(1748—1832),英国资产阶级法律学家和伦理学家,功利主义的代表人物。密勒(1806—1372),英国哲学家,活动家,经济学家。在伦理学上他接近边沁的功利主义。
   但是今天这种满足被马特廖娜·菲利蒙诺夫娜的劝告和家中的不如意状态破坏了。还在报上看到贝斯特伯爵①已赴威斯巴登②的传说,看到医治白发、出售轻便马车和某青年征求职业的广告;但是这些新闻报导并没有像平常那样给予他一种宁静的讥讽的满足。
   --------
   ①贝斯特伯爵(1809—1886),奥匈帝国首相,俾斯麦的政敌。
   ②威斯巴登,德国西部的城市,在莱茵河畔,是矿泉疗养地。
   看过了报,喝完了第二杯咖啡,吃完了抹上黄油的面包,他立起身来,拂去落在背心上的面包屑,然后,挺起宽阔的胸膛,他快乐地微笑着,并不是因为他心里有什么特别愉快的事——快乐的微笑是由良好的消化引起的。
   但是这快乐的微笑立刻使他想起了一切,他又变得沉思了。
   可以听到门外有两个小孩的声音(斯捷潘·阿尔卡季奇听出来是他的小男孩格里沙和他的大女儿塔尼娅的声音),他们正在搬弄什么东西,打翻了。
   “我对你说了不要叫乘客坐在车顶上。”小女孩用英语嚷着,“拾起来!”
   “一切都是乱糟糟的,”斯捷潘·阿尔卡季奇想,“孩子们没有人管,到处乱跑。”他走到门边去叫他们。他们抛下那当火车用的匣子,向父亲走来。
   那小女孩,她父亲的宝贝,莽撞地跑进来,抱住他,笑嘻嘻地吊在他的脖颈上,她老喜欢闻他的络腮胡子散发出的闻惯的香气。最后小女孩吻了吻他那因为弯屈的姿势而涨红的、闪烁着慈爱光辉的面孔,松开了她的两手,待要跑开去,但是她父亲拉住了她。
   “妈妈怎样了?”他问,抚摸着他女儿的滑润柔软的小脖颈。“你好,”他说,向走上来问候他的男孩微笑着说。
   他意识到他并不怎么爱那男孩,但他总是尽量同样对待;可是那男孩感觉到这一点,对于他父亲的冷淡的微笑并没有报以微笑。
   “妈妈?她起来了,”女孩回答。
   斯捷潘·阿尔卡季奇叹了口气。“这么说她又整整一夜没有睡,”他想。
   “哦,她快活吗?”
   小女孩知道,她父亲和母亲吵了架,母亲不会快活,父亲也一定明白的,他这么随随便便地问她只是在作假。因此她为她父亲涨红了脸。他立刻觉察出来,也脸红了。
   “我不知道,”她说。“她没有说要我们上课,她只是说要我们跟古里小姐到外祖母家去走走。”
   “哦,去吧,塔尼娅,我的宝宝。哦,等一等!”他说,还拉牢她,抚摸着她的柔软的小手。
   他从壁炉上取下他昨天放在那里的一小盒糖果,拣她最爱吃的,给了她两块,一块巧克力和一块软糖。
   “给格里沙?”小女孩指着巧克力说。
   “是,是。”又抚摸了一下她的小肩膀,他吻了吻她的发根和脖颈,就放她走了。
   “马车套好了,”马特维说,“但是有个人为了请愿的事要见您。”
   “来了很久吗?”斯捷潘·阿尔卡季奇问。
   “半个钟头的光景。”
   “我对你说了多少次,有人来马上告诉我!”
   “至少总得让您喝完咖啡,”马特维说,他的声调粗鲁而又诚恳,使得人不能够生气。
   “那么,马上请那个人进来吧,”奥布隆斯基说,烦恼地皱着眉。
   那请愿者,参谋大尉加里宁的寡妻,来请求一件办不到的而且不合理的事情;但是斯捷潘·阿尔卡季奇照例请她坐下,留心地听她说完,没有打断她一句,并且给了她详细的指示,告诉她怎样以及向谁去请求,甚至还用他的粗大、散漫、优美而清楚的笔迹,敏捷而流利地替她写了一封信给一位可以帮她忙的人。打发走了参谋大尉的寡妻以后,斯捷潘·阿尔卡季奇拿起帽子,站住想了想他忘记什么没有。看来除了他要忘记的——他的妻子以外,他什么也没有忘记。
   “噢,是的!”他垂下头,他的漂亮面孔带着苦恼的表情。
   “去呢,还是不去?”他自言自语;而他内心的声音告诉他,他不应当去,那除了弄虚作假不会有旁的结果;要改善、弥补他们的关系是不可能的,因为要使她再具有魅力而且能够引人爱怜,或者使他变成一个不能恋爱的老人,都不可能。现在除了欺骗说谎之外不会有旁的结果;而欺骗说谎又是违反他的天性的。
   “可是迟早总得做的;这样下去不行,”他说,极力鼓起勇气。他挺着胸,拿出一支纸烟,吸了两口,就投进珠母贝壳烟灰碟里去,然后迈着迅速的步伐走过客厅,打开了通到他妻子寝室的另一扇房门。 四
   达里娅·亚历山德罗夫娜穿着梳妆短衣站在那里,她那曾经是丰满美丽、现在却变稀疏了的头发,用发针盘在她的脑后,她的面容消瘦憔悴,一双吃惊的大眼睛,因为她面容的消瘦而显得更加触目。各式各样的物件散乱地摆满一房间,她站在这些物件当中一个开着的衣柜前面,她正从里面挑拣什么东西。听到她丈夫的脚步声,她停住了,朝门口望着,徒然想要装出一种严厉而轻蔑的表情。她感觉得她害怕他,害怕快要到来的会见。她正在企图做她三天以来已经企图做了十来回的事情——把她自己和孩子们的衣服清理出来,带到她母亲那里去——但她还是没有这样做的决心;但是现在又像前几次一样,她尽在自言自语地说,事情不能像这样下去,她一定要想个办法惩罚他,羞辱他,哪怕报复一下,使他尝尝他给予她的痛苦的一小部分也好。她还是继续对自己说她要离开他,但她自己也意识到这是不可能的;这是不可能的,因为她不能摆脱那种把他当自己丈夫看待、而且爱他的习惯。况且,她感到假如在这里,在她自己家里,她尚且不能很好地照看她的五个小孩,那么,在她要把他们通通带去的地方,他们就会更糟。事实上,在这三天内,顶小的一个孩子因为吃了变了质的汤害病了,其余的昨天差不多没有吃上午饭。她意识到要走开是不可能的;但是,还在自欺欺人,她继续清理东西,装出要走的样子。


  Stepan Arkadyevitch was a truthful man in his relations with himself. He was incapable of deceiving himself and persuading himself that he repented of his conduct. He could not at this date repent of the fact that he, a handsome, susceptible man of thirty-four, was not in love with his wife, the mother of five living and two dead children, and only a year younger than himself. All he repented of was that he had not succeeded better in hiding it from his wife. But he felt all the difficulty of his position and was sorry for his wife, his children, and himself. Possibly he might have managed to conceal his sins better from his wife if he had anticipated that the knowledge of them would have had such an effect on her. He had never clearly thought out the subject, but he had vaguely conceived that his wife must long ago have suspected him of being unfaithful to her, and shut her eyes to the fact. He had even supposed that she, a worn-out woman no longer young or good-looking, and in no way remarkable or interesting, merely a good mother, ought from a sense of fairness to take an indulgent view. It had turned out quite the other way.
   "Oh, it's awful! oh dear, oh dear! awful!" Stepan Arkadyevitch kept repeating to himself, and he could think of nothing to be done. "And how well things were going up till now! how well we got on! She was contented and happy in her children; I never interfered with her in anything; I let her manage the children and the house just as she liked. It's true it's bad HER having been a governess in our house. That's bad! There's something common, vulgar, in flirting with one's governess. But what a governess!" (He vividly recalled the roguish black eyes of Mlle. Roland and her smile.) "But after all, while she was in the house, I kept myself in hand. And the worst of it all is that she's already...it seems as if ill-luck would have it so! Oh, oh! But what, what is to be done?"
   There was no solution, but that universal solution which life gives to all questions, even the most complex and insoluble. That answer is: one must live in the needs of the day--that is, forget oneself. To forget himself in sleep was impossible now, at least till nighttime; he could not go back now to the music sung by the decanter-women; so he must forget himself in the dream of daily life.
   "Then we shall see," Stepan Arkadyevitch said to himself, and getting up he put on a gray dressing-gown lined with blue silk, tied the tassels in a knot, and, drawing a deep breath of air into his broad, bare chest, he walked to the window with his usual confident step, turning out his feet that carried his full frame so easily. He pulled up the blind and rang the bell loudly. It was at once answered by the appearance of an old friend, his valet, Matvey, carrying his clothes, his boots, and a telegram. Matvey was followed by the barber with all the necessaries for shaving.
   "Are there any papers form the office?" asked Stepan Arkadyevitch, taking the telegram and seating himself at the looking-glass.
   "On the table," replied Matvey, glancing with inquiring sympathy at his master; and, after a short pause, he added with a sly smile, "They've sent from the carriage-jobbers."
   Stepan Arkadyevitch made no reply, he merely glanced at Matvey in the looking-glass. In the glance, in which their eyes met in the looking-glass, it was clear that they understood one another. Stepan Arkadyevitch's eyes asked: "Why do you tell me that? don't you know?"
   Matvey put his hands in his jacket pockets, thrust out one leg, and gazed silently, good-humoredly, with a faint smile, at his master.
   "I told them to come on Sunday, and till then not to trouble you or themselves for nothing," he said. He had obviously prepared the sentence beforehand.
   Stepan Arkadyevitch saw Matvey wanted to make a joke and attract attention to himself. Tearing open the telegram, he read it through, guessing at the words, misspelt as they always are in telegrams, and his face brightened.
   "Matvey, my sister Anna Arkadyevna will be here tomorrow," he said, checking for a minute the sleek, plump hand of the barber, cutting a pink path through his long, curly whiskers.
   "Thank God!" said Matvey, showing by this response that he, like his master, realized the significance of this arrival--that is, that Anna Arkadyevna, the sister he was so fond of, might bring about a reconciliation between husband and wife.
   "Alone, or with her husband?" inquired Matvey.
   Stepan Arkadyevitch could not answer, as the barber was at work on his upper lip, and he raised one finger. Matvey nodded at the looking-glass.
   "Alone. Is the room to be got ready upstairs?"
   "Inform Darya Alexandrovna: where she orders."
   "Darya Alexandrovna?" Matvey repeated, as though in doubt.
   "Yes, inform her. Here, take the telegram; give it to her, and then do what she tells you."
   "You want to try it on," Matvey understood, but he only said, "Yes sir."
   Stepan Arkadyevitch was already washed and combed and ready to be dressed, when Matvey, stepping deliberately in his creaky boots, came back into the room with the telegram in his hand. The barber had gone.
   "Darya Alexandrovna told me to inform you that she is going away. Let him do--that is you--as he likes," he said, laughing only with his eyes, and putting his hands in his pockets, he watched his master with his head on one side. Stepan Arkadyevitch was silent a minute. Then a good-humored and rather pitiful smile showed itself on his handsome face.
   "Eh, Matvey?" he said, shaking his head.
   "It's all right, sir; she will come round," said Matvey.
   "Come round?"
   "Yes, sir."
   "Do you think so? Who's there?" asked Stepan Arkadyevitch, hearing the rustle of a woman's dress at the door.
   "It's I," said a firm, pleasant, woman's voice, and the stern, pockmarked face of Matrona Philimonovna, the nurse, was thrust in at the doorway.
   "Well, what is it, Matrona?" queried Stepan Arkadyevitch, going up to her at the door.
   Although Stepan Arkadyevitch was completely in the wrong as regards his wife, and was conscious of this himself, almost every one in the house (even the nurse, Darya Alexandrovna's chief ally) was on his side.
   "Well, what now?" he asked disconsolately.
   "Go to her, sir; own your fault again. Maybe God will aid you. She is suffering so, it's sad to hee her; and besides, everything in the house is topsy-turvy. You must have pity, sir, on the children. Beg her forgiveness, sir. There's no help for it! One must take the consequences..."
   "But she won't see me."
   "You do your part. God is merciful; pray to God, sir, pray to God."
   "Come, that'll do, you can go," said Stepan Arkadyevitch, blushing suddenly. "Well now, do dress me." He turned to Matvey and threw off his dressing-gown decisively.
   Matvey was already holding up the shirt like a horse's collar, and, blowing off some invisible speck, he slipped it with obvious pleasure over the well-groomed body of his master.
首页>> 文化生活>> 外国经典>> 列夫·托爾斯泰 Leo Tolstoy   俄羅斯 Russia   俄羅斯帝國   (1828年九月9日1910年十一月20日)