Tolstoy is one of those authors whose books literally weigh so much that many prospective readers will not even attempt his novels. So many characters dwell within those pages that many who attempt to read them are put off by remembering them, as well as all the permutations of those names. For instance, Princess Darya Alexandrovna may be referred to as Dolly, as Darya, as Princess, or many other ways....and you have to get used to that.
Those difficulties set aside, Tolstoy is so easy to read! His novels may be long, but they are easy reads, in sentence structure and in content. The action is easy to follow and the characters are very human.
Anna Karenina is a delight. It is set in the Russian Nobility during the second half of the nineteenth century. The main characters are contrasted in pairs. Both couples are sympathetically drawn, with strengths and weaknesses revealed in each individual. One of Tolstoy's critics describe his style as one of being able to make us feel the humanity of each character, sympathizing with each one. In these pairs, so much potential for their lives is clear...for their benefit or to their detriment.
Morality is a theme that is so engrossing in Anna Karenina. Tolstoy asks from whence comes morality? If it comes through a cultural set of values which is traditional and not heartfelt, then it is meaningless to those within the system. If morality is adopted as a result of faith, then it is meaningful and worth following. Morality ignored can lead to great suffering, which can lead to faith and adoption of morality. Requiring those around you to conform to your idea of morality without them first adopting the faith...leads to rebellion.
In Anna Karenina, the characters search for good things: lack of conflict, beauty, love, peace, faith, family, good reputation, faithful landownership, profitable landownership, reconciliation and forgiveness.
We find, through the trials and errors of the characters that these things, without the moral compass can go awry. Even selflessness itself can fail...as with Levin and his workers and with Vronsky's willingness to die to help his love, and even seen with Levin's association with his dying brother. It is only through faith (and faith in a Sovereign God) that these desires for selfless giving can become a success.
Another thing which interested me are the questions the characters face which are still worth asking today. For example Levin, a landowner, asks himself these things: How do you get employees to care about the work they do for you? Does giving them a share in the profits help? How can you get them to trust you? How can you be trustworthy? If you want to be a trustworthy employer, you have to understand their situation, their education and their desires. But how? Is education the answer? How could education as a gentleman be undesirable for the workers? desirable? What benefit is there for the wealthy to work alongside the workers? Does is breed contempt for the employer? Is it worthwhile even so?...it is clearly good for the employer to get out and do physical labor.
There are no simple answers. And each set of people are different, but the questions should be asked.
Is Anna Karenina a book worth reading for today's casual readers of Oprah book recommendations? Yes! If you like modern literature, try Anna too. (Just make sure you write down the various names of each character!
ETA: I just found out it is actually on Oprah's book club. Interesting!
3 comments:
good review, thanks, i never would have tried it.
I remember reading this in college in a literature class on the novel in the 19th century; the professor focused on how the industrial revolution affected both novels as well as culture in a broader sense, and living at that time. He also focused more narrowly on "the fallen woman." (We read six novels all at the same time from different countries in Europe-it was a very wonderful class, probably my favorite.) I also remember he had us focus on the symbolism of eggs (!) but that may have been a different book...this was a while ago! Anyway, I loved the story as well. No one writes like that anymore, or Victor Hugo-amazing.
I had this book on my "to read" list last summer, but never got to it. You have re-ignited the desire to do so. I'm glad for the suggestion to write down names... should have done that when I read the Bros. Karamazov and didn't think of it until too late. Those Russians!
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