Anna Karenina · Chapter
XXVII explained
Anna, in a state of intense anxiety after Vronsky's departure, writes him a desperate note and sends a messenger.
What happens
Anna, in a state of intense anxiety after Vronsky's departure, writes him a desperate note and sends a messenger. When the messenger fails to find him, she sends a telegram and decides to go to Dolly's to escape her own tormenting thoughts. The chapter details her frantic mental state, her momentary confusion in the nursery, and her growing terror of being alone.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Falling action.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
Levin reaches an emotional and intellectual crisis where his abstract, fearful understanding of death is shatt…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Isolation and Misunderstanding
Anna's frantic attempts to reach Vronsky and her terror of being alone underscore her profound emotional isolation and the breakdown in communication.
- Love and Marriage
Anna's desperation reveals the fragility and intense emotional dependency of her relationship with Vronsky, now outside the bounds of conventional marriage.
Characters to notice
- Anna Arkadyevna Karenina
In a state of panic and desperation after Vronsky leaves; sends notes and a telegram begging him to return; feels terrified of being alone and decides to visit Dolly.
- Annushka
Anna's maid who offers sympathy and practical advice, suggesting Anna go for a drive to cheer up.
- Seryozha Karenin
Mentioned in Anna's thoughts; she mistakenly expects to see him in the nursery, highlighting her distracted, agitated state.
- Darya Alexandrovna Oblonskaya
Anna's intended destination, as she seeks refuge from her own mind and home.
Key passages
“"He has gone! It is over!" Anna said to herself...”
Anna's immediate, catastrophic interpretation of Vronsky's departure.
Shows her tendency toward dramatic, fearful conclusions.
“"I was wrong. Come back home; I must explain. For God’s sake come! I’m afraid."”
The text of Anna's desperate note to Vronsky.
Highlights her willingness to assume blame and her overwhelming fear.
“"Yes, I mustn’t think, I must do something, drive somewhere, and most of all, get out of this house,"”
Anna's resolution to act and escape her own thoughts.
Demonstrates her attempt to use physical action to manage psychological turmoil.
