7. Compare Levin and Kitty's marriage with Anna and Vronsky's relationship

[Kristel]

Why does Tolstoy counterpose Levin and Kitty's marriage with Anna and Vronsky's relationship?

[John]

Real love opposed to illicit lust?

[Kristel]

Real love for Kitty and Levin where Anna and Vronsky is not love at all but as John says, illicit cravings of the flesh.

[Patrick]

This is the main theme of the novel, the contrasts between Levin and Kitty's marriage (which mimics Tolstoi's own marriage) and Anna and Vronsky's illicit affair. True love vs not so true love.

[Becky]

I can't remember where in the book this takes place, but Stiva and Levin discuss their views on marriage over a meal. Levin describes it as sacred whereas Stiva has a less Biblical perspective. (Please let me know if anyone remembers where in the book this took place.)

I believe Levin has placed marriage on a strong foundation of mature love and respect whereas Anna and Vronsky, as John said, have based it on lust and passion.

[Pip]

I tried to find the place, unsuccessfully, because I remember it too. I think that Tolstoy is more nuanced than the proposition that Levin and Kitty will live happily ever after and Anna and Vronsky's grand passion was all evil. With Stiva and Dolly's troubles, with Levin being surprised that he didn't instantly love his son, and with Anna's study to be informed about Vronsky's interests, such as the hospital, Tolstoy shows how complicated lives are. Kitty and Levin have fulfilled society's expectations, so far, but their relationship is much newer than that of Vronsky and Anna. The very passion that ignited their affair caused Anna's grief. Tolstoy describes Anna's jealousy so vividly and so truthfully. Today they would not be shunned by society in the same way. Tolstoy was showing the hypocrisy of society, especially during the scene at the opera.

[[deleted user]]

I would also add that Levin and Kitty had friendship they had known each other a long time and at least partly understood each other, Anna and Vronsky were very spur of the moment.

I also found it interesting that like Anna, Levin was also jealous and unhappy and often considered death as a way out.