Anna Karenina (Literature Classics Series). Leo Tolstoy

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СКАЧАТЬ he sees that "the most costly needs of his life, vanity and relief from ennui," have vanished, and that his health is improved, in spite of his age. He decides that our arts and sciences and improvements of the pleasures of life are mere attempts to deceive the moral demands of man, and he refers to a peasant of his district who lost his wits through beholding the luxury of official life, and who now declares that he "lives to pass the time." Tolstoi declares that he gazes on this crazy muzhik as in a mirror. He has, accordingly, divided his days into four portions. The first is to be occupied with some heavy labor, of a nature to produce perspiration; the second, with labor of hands and wrists, some sort of artisan toil; the third, with exercise of the mind and imagination; and the fourth, in communion with others, since no one has a right to devote himself to a specialty, unless he feels within himself an irresistible impulse, and a demand is made by others, when he is justified in making this sacrifice to his breathren.

      Count Tolstoi's hope is that if a number of his "caste" engage in a similar life, young people will be induced to follow their example. He argues that as it is now the fashion to do many things for one's self which no gentleman thought of doing when he was a boy, so it is a mere question of fashion when gentlemen will feed their own cows and hens, dig, plant potatoes, clean their boots, and wash their shirts; and he defines property as that which cannot be taken from a man, - in other words, his own person alone. It is worth noting that he permits the use of scientific improvements, and his perfect man will use a steam plough, if obtainable, or will scratch the soil with a hoe, if nothing better be within his reach; and people, perceiving his efforts, will strive to render his work as profitable as possible. Others, observing a handful of "lunatics tilling the soil and making shoes, instead of smoking cigarettes and playing cards," will comprehend what it behooves them to do, will cease to ruin each other, and will find happiness. He predicts that before long people of his class will consider it not disgraceful to make calls in boots made with the outside of the leather in, but disgraceful to wear overshoes in the presence of people who have no shoes at all; that it is not disgraceful to be ignorant of French, but disgraceful to eat bread, and not to know how it is made; that it is not disgraceful not to have starched shirts and clean clothes, but disgraceful to about in clean clothes, thereby demonstrating one's idleness; that it is not disgraceful to have dirty hands, but disgraceful not to have callouses on the hands. And all this will come about when public opinion demands it, like the emancipation of serfs and the destruction of other errors which concealed the truth. This section of the book closes with the author's views on the duties of women, which are expressed in the plainest of language. Their duty is to their family solely, and he concludes, "Yes, ye mothers, in your hands, more than in those of all others, rests the salvation of the world." There is much more that is worth quoting, in this volume, since it is pervaded with the strong personality of the great author, who has endeared himself to thousands of hearts outside of his own country, in spite of the disadvantages under which they have learned to know him, and who is revered by other thousands at home; but nothing less than a full translation would convey a complete idea of its contents, especially of the striking Moscow article.

      Characters in Order of Appearance

       Table of Contents

      With stress-accents marked to show which syllable should be emphasized (This list of characters was published with the Maude translation in 1918.)

      Oblónsky, Prince Stephen Arkádyevich (‘Stiva’)

      Oblónskaya, Princess Dárya Alexándrovna (‘Dolly’), his wife; eldest daughter of Prince Shcherbátsky

      Matthew, a valet

      Karénina, Anna Arkádyevna

      Karénin, Aléxis Alexándrovich, her husband

      Matréna Filimónovna, servant at the Oblónskys'

      Tánya, Oblónsky’s daughter

      Grisha, Oblónsky’s son

Nikítin, Philip Ivánich*

      Grinévich, Michael Stanislávich*

* Colleagues of Oblónsky’s

      Lévin, Constantine Dmítrich (‘Kóstya’)

      Koznyshév, Sergius Ivánich, Lévin’s half-brother

      Shcherbátsky, Prince Alexander

      Shcherbátskaya, Princess

      Shcherbátskaya, Princess Catherine Alexándrovna (‘Kitty’), their youngest daughter

      Shcherbátsky, the young Prince Nicholas

      Lvóva, Princess Nataly Alexándrovna, Prince Shcherbátsky’s second daughter

      Lvov, Prince (‘Arséney’)

      Lévin, Nicholas, Constantine’s brother

      Prokófy, a servant

      Mlle Linon, governess at the Shcherbátskys’

      Vrónsky, Count Aléxis Kirílich

      Countess Nórdston

      Countess Vrónskaya, Vrónsky’s mother

      Karénin, Sergey Alexéyich (‘Serézha,’ ‘Kútik’), Anna’s son

      Lavrénty, major-domo to Countess Vrónskaya

      George Korsúnsky, dirigeur at the ball

      Lída Korsúnskaya, his wife

      Krítsky, an acquaintance of Nicholas Lévin’s

      Mary Nikolávna (‘Másha’), living with Nicholas

      Ignát, Lévin’s coachman

      Agatha Mikháylovna, Lévin’s housekeeper

      Kuzmá, Lévin’s man-servant

      Vasíly Fédorich, Lévin’s steward

      Prókhor

      Ánnushka, Anna’s maid

      Mariette, the Karénins’ governess

      Countess Lydia Ivánovna, Karénin’s friend

      Kondráty, the Karénins’ man-servant

      Princess Elizabeth Fédorovna Tverskáya (‘Betsy’)

      Lieutenant Petrítsky, Vrónsky’s friend

      Baroness Chilton

      Captain Kameróvsky

      Démin, Colonel of Vrónsky’s regiment

      Prince Alexander Vrónsky

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