Take, for example, tolstoys famous opening from anna karenina 187377. The meaning of anna kareninas first line book riot. It begins with one of the most famous lines in literature. Upon reading anna karenina richard gilbertrichard gilbert. Tolstoys paragraphs of the week richard gilbertrichard gilbert. Love and happiness in anna karenina rock the vizcomm. Tolstoy is way too crafty for that while anna is one focus of tolstoys intense psychological analysis, the novel is about a lot more than just one woman. Tolstoy thought that anna karenina was his first true novel. Jan 30, 2014 as i said in my first post about reading anna karenina, i picked the translation by richard pevear and larissa volokhonsky based on its opening lineall happy families are alike. We learn in the first paragraph that everything had gone wrong in the oblonsky. She cheats with vronsky, who wishes to escape the life laid out for him by his family.
Why do people consider anna karenina to be such a good book. Kitty turns down levin in favor of vronsky, but not long after, vronsky meets anna karenina and falls in love with her instead of kitty. Tolstoys paragraphs of the week richard gilbertrichard. Following from the anna karenina principle, there are many ways to ruin an ecological risk assessment, but only a few pathways to success p. Anna arrives at the train station with an elderly woman named countess vronsky, whose son, alexis or alexei vronsky is immediately smitten with anna. In anna karenina, leo tolstoy presents marriage in a realistic sense, marriage is not an easy institution. Most unpleasant of all was the first minute when, on coming, happy and goodhumored. Our selection of wise and witty opening words from 30 brilliant classic novels. However and shoot me now, aficionados i have a bone to pick. Visualizing love and happiness in anna karenina visual. Essay on tolstoys anna karenina 3020 words bartleby. Stepan arkadyevitch was a truthful man in his relations with himself. I actually found it took more brain power to read a paragraph of emma than of anna karenina. Anna karenina consists of more than the story of anna karenina, a married socialite, and her affair with the affluent count vronsky, though their story is a very strong component of the plot.
Tolstoys first line introduces the domestic strife that drives the storys tragic events, using a bold, sweeping statement. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of. After anna karenina, tolstoy concentrated on christian themes, and his later novels such as the death of ivan ilyich 1886 and what is to be done. In looking for the best opening lines, we took all of this into consideration. This statement sets the tone for the complex plot that follows. Some people say anna karenina is the single greatest novel ever written, which makes about as much sense to me as trying to determine the worlds greatest color. It is impossible to express everything i felt and experienced and learned from inhaling every word of anna karenina and yet i remain. The first sentence of tolstoys novel anna karenina is. Anna, miserable in her loveless marriage, does the barely. Anna karenina has one of the greatest opening lines in all of literature. Its hard to find a novel more beloved and more firmly entrenched in the canon than anna karenina. Literature network leo tolstoy anna karenina chapter 1. It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that ive been turning over in.
Why do people consider anna karenina to be such a good. Levin tortures himself over his brothers quarrelling, as one brother refuses to love anyone but himself and the other has loved quite too much and frequently below himself. The story starts when she arrives in the midst of a family broken up by her brothers unbridled womanizingsomething that prefigures her own later. I decided to simply investigate love and happiness in anna karenina.
The last paragraph of leo tolst oys anna kar enina ill get angry in the same way with the coachman ivan, argue in the same way, speak my mind inappropriately, there will be the same wall between my souls holy of holies and other people, even my wife, ill accuse her in the same way of my own fear and then regret it, ill fail in the same way to understand with my reason why i pray. Known for its scope and intricacies of character and plot, anna karenina begins. Anna karenina interweaves two major storiesthe story of the destruction of anna s marriage and life and the making of levins life and marriage. From melville to didion, these first sentences from famous books created. Goodreads forum topic discussing best english translations. The project gutenberg ebook of anna karenina, by leo tolstoy this ebook is for the use of. Thoughts on reading anna karenina, a massive, but unnecessarily daunting, task. Falling in love with anna karenina books the guardian. Meanwhile, dollys younger sister, kitty, is courted by two suitors. It is not a narrative beginning that tells a story.
Because of this, the opening sentence of anna karenina can also be. Anna karenina is a multiple character study on the nature of family, sexuality, and what it means to be russian. The story begins with annas brother stiva oblonsky, who is caught having an affair. Stiva is somewhat remorseful but mostly dazed and uncomprehending. Anna karenina is a long, intricately patterned novel divided into eight parts, each consisting of a series of short chapters. Tolstoys paragraphs of the week you have to wonder about when, in his writing process, tolstoy came up with anna karenina s killer first lineall happy families are alike. Mcclay and balciunas 2005 apply the principle to the area of biological control of weeds. Opening lines of love story by erich segal what can you say about a twentyfiveyearold girl who died. The opening sentence of leo tolstoys anna karenina constance garnett translation is another famous first line from classic fiction. From the very opening chapters, where a watchman is accidentally run over by a train at moscows petersburg station, to the final, climactic scenes of arbitrary destruction when levin searches for kitty in a. Anna karenina 1878 it was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of. Anna karenina thesis statements and essay topics below you will find four outstanding thesis statements paper topics for anna karenina by leo tolstoy can be used as essay starters. After leo tolstoy first conceived of anna karenina it took him seven years to finish the novel, the last four of which were spent in the task of writing. But there is no doubt that anna karenina, generally considered tolstoys best book, is definitely one ripping great read.
Oct 18, 2012 and it pains me to link to oprahs book club, but. Join now log in home literature essays anna karenina tolstoys ideal woman in anna karenina anna karenina tolstoys ideal woman in anna karenina anonymous 12th grade all happy families are alike. The first sentence of any piece of writing is arguably the most important both in terms of hooking the reader in and of doing justice to the 27 best opening lines in books, from rebecca to the. Many writers consider anna karenina the greatest work of li. If theres one thing that all great writers how to do, its writing good opening hooks. It may be the silliest damn sentence ever set down by a great author, leo tolstoys opening of anna karenina. Opening lines from classical literature that hook your attention. Anna karenina is presented for the first time in englishrussian parallel text, complete and unabridged in eight volumes. But it is the novels third story, concerning annas brother, stiva, and his wife, dolly, that provides the books moral compass. Most unpleasant of all was the first minute when, on coming, happy and goodhumored, from the theater, with a huge pear in his hand for his wife, he had not. First sentences establish a contract with the reader about what is to come. The first sentence of leo tolstoys novel anna karenina is. Aug 17, 2012 tolstoys masterpiece of realism, the great novel of the 19th century. Regaining control in anna karenina regaining control in anna karenina anna karenina features significant clusters of scenes, all of which describe notable moments in the development of the novels major figures.
Anna karenina essay tolstoys ideal woman in anna karenina. Opening lines from classical literature that hook your. Anna karenina is a novel that beguiles and intrigues, i have read anna karenina many times, yet i always fall in love with anna on first sight, just as vronsky and kitty fall in love with her when they first see her. First sentences establish a contract with the reader. What are the best opening paragraphs in literature. Anna karenina by leo tolstoy, first 2paragraphs, all happy. Anna karenina is a story of split, conflict, schism and divide. Endeavors of the heart may be the most dangerous of all, resulting in dismay. Konstantin levin, an awkward landowner, and alexei vronsky, a dashing military man. The wife had found out that the husband was having an affair with the french governess formerly in their house. It took me a couple of weeks to read the 817pager, and.
All four incorporate at least one of the themes found in anna karenina and are broad enough so that it will be easy to find textual support, yet narrow. Many authors consider anna karenina the greatest work of literature ever written, and tolstoy. Stiva oblonskys sister, anna karenina, wife of alexis or alexei karenin, is taking a train from petersburg to act as a marriage counselor. Anna karenina is often called a love story, which it is, within the context of marriage and family life. 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. Eventually, anna is able to bring stiva and dolly to a reconciliation. Based on the title of the novel, youd probably assume that the whole book is about anna karenina. Annas battle for love, her struggle between what she needs and what she desires, her hatred of lies and her usage of them, her vacillation between libre penseur liberal values and old patriarchal and moral values all reinforce the theme of internal conflict that leads to inevitable destruction. First and foremost, anna karenina is a russian novel. First sentences, of course, have different functionsto amuse, to frighten, to mystifyand the mechanics a writer uses to achieve this connection vary from genre to genre. Actually, im listening to it in audio with my blind dad id never pick up that tome as a book. Sensuous, driven anna s tragic love for count vronsky is presented in stark contrast to konstantin levins passionate search for spiritual meaning in leo tolstoys classic tale of infidelity, hope, hypocrisy, vengeance and redemption.
As he sipped his coffee, he opened a still damp morning paper, and began reading it. Levin, depressed after having been rejected by kitty, withdraws to his estate in the country. Moreover, this opening sentence of anna karenina sets a philosophical tone that persists throughout the work. Thoughts on the opening of anna karenina postcards from. So i first gathered the data simply measuring the overall happiness of the key characters on a chapter by chapter basis, and simultaneously capturing when those key characters entered and exited the scene and when they thought or spoke about their counterparts when. Anna karenina, novel by leo tolstoy, published in installments between 1875 and 1877 and considered one of the pinnacles of world literature. These famous opening lines of anna karenina hearken back to the genre of the family novel, a type of work that had been popular in russia several decades earlier but was already outmoded by the 1870 s. He was incapable of deceiving himself and persuading himself that he repented of his conduct. The 27 best opening lines in books, from rebecca to the. This sets the scene for the opening of the novel with a situation that is common in many familiesoblonsky, annas brother, is having an affair.
I am going to try to shortlist my 10 favorites, so here we go 1. Anna karenina is a 2012 british historical romantic drama film directed by joe wright. Dreams in particular are bad read full symbol analysis. Leaviss essay on anna karenina appeared in the first issue of the cambridge quarterly, 1 and the intervening years have seen their fair share of published writing in english both on tolstoy in general and on anna karenina in particular. Making a deep philosophical statement right off the bat is a very powerful way to begin your story. I remember writing and rewriting the opening line to my humor book oh boy, youre having a girl over and over again until i finally felt like i nailed it with this. Anna karenina is a long book with a number of themes, characters, plots, and subplots, and it takes a certain amount of effort to appreciate what tolstoy has done here. Adapted by tom stoppard from leo tolstoys 1877 novel of the same name. Your guide to understanding anna karenina war and peacethis marks one more book for the classics club, as well as a book translated from its original language for the 2012 back to the classics challenge. Start your 48hour free trial to unlock this anna karenina study. The story starts when she arrives in the midst of a family broken up by her brothers unbridled womanizingsomething that prefigures her own later situation, though she would experience less tolerance by others. In fairytales, witches always wear silly black hats and black coats, and they ride on broomsticks. Anna karenina symbols from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. It is not a narrative beginning that tells a story about particular characters and their actions.
Tolstoy revisits this old genre in order to give his own spin on family values, which were a popular target of attack for young russian liberals. Writing the first line to your book is an incredibly daunting task. True faith and religious belief are a serious theme throughout anna karenina, and tolstoy takes questions of religion seriously. 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. The beginning of it carries the daunting task of hooking the prospective reader in and has a very brief window of time to do so. Sensuous, driven annas tragic love for count vronsky is presented in stark contrast to konstantin levins passionate search for spiritual meaning in leo tolstoys classic tale of infidelity, hope, hypocrisy, vengeance and redemption. The narrative centres on the adulterous affair between anna, wife of aleksey karenin, and count vronsky, a young bachelor. The power of the happy family in tolstoys anna karenina.
W ith these captivating words, the supreme russian artist, leo tolstoy, opens his magnificent masterpiece, anna karenina, and grips at my heart from that first paragraph until the closing words, 963 pages later. More than that, the characters we meet are interested in their russianness, and they debate what it means to be russian. Most unpleasant of all was the first minute when, on coming, happy and goodhumored, from the theater, with a huge pear in his hand for his wife, he had not found his wife in the drawingroom, to his surprise had not found her in the study either, and saw her at. The first line, of course, focuses obviously on the first theme of family. Shes had a second career touring the world, dropping in on television studios and movie sets, portrayed by greta garbo, sophie marceau, vivien leigh, and jacqueline bisset, among others. Anna karenina essay if you need to find out how to write a good dissertation, you need to learn this opt for the service, and our professional scholars will accomplish your order excellently receive a 100% authentic, nonplagiarized thesis you could only imagine about in our paper writing assistance. Literature network leo tolstoy anna karenina chapter 2. What novels have the best opening lines or opening paragraphs. I think the first chapter of anna karenina would be stronger without its iconic opening line. Anna karenina by leo tolstoy follows the lives of several families who live in 18th century russia, each coming from different social groups and classes. But it is the novels third story, concerning anna s brother, stiva, and his wife, dolly, that provides the books moral compass.
Tolstoy infamously starts the novel anna karenina with the line, all happy families are alike. Anna is intelligent and charming and beautiful and wonderfully dressed and clearly fundamentally good. Tolstoys masterpiece of realism, the great novel of the 19th century. Anna karenina, by leo tolstoy, is first a tragedy, by which is meant a story about a fall from a high place in this case the high place is the status of anna and her husband, karenin. Ten great opening lines in literature the irish times.
Thoughts on the opening of anna karenina posted on march 28, 2014 by lfpbe i think the first chapter of anna karenina would be stronger without its iconic opening line. If youre a guy and youve opened this book, you either have a daughter, are on the verge of having a. He could not at this date repent of the fact that he, a handsome, susceptible man of thirtyfour, was not. Petersburg government official karenin, arrives at the oblonskys to mediate. Rather, it is a generalization, much like a philosophical or scientific argument. Anna kareninas first line is one of the most famous openings to a novel. Here tolstoy means that for a family to be happy, several key aspects must be given such as good health of all family members.
Its often said that a book shouldnt be judged by its cover, but what about its opening lines. Everything was in confusion in the oblonskys house. Hemingway, when asked what three books a writer should read, answered. Anna karenina interweaves two major storiesthe story of the destruction of annas marriage and life and the making of levins life and marriage. Anna is simply not satisfied with her husband she finds no love for him, for she never sees him. Its not just that the characters happen to be russian, dress in furs, eat caviar, and drink vodka. However, tolstoy is much more skeptical about dreams and spiritualism. A very prominent theme deals with ethics and how to live a good life. The story is also a tragedy because the alluring heroine, who cannot make the decision to leave her psychological prison of loneliness and dependency, takes her own life. Leo tolstoy, anna karenina 1877 this is a classic example you will find in any anthology listing the best first lines.
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