Konstantin Dmitrievitch Levin

Stepan Arkadyevitch Oblonsky

A long-standing, affectionate friendship despite their contrasting worldviews and lifestyles.

Sergey Ivanovitch Koznishev

A half-brotherly relationship marked by intellectual disagreement but underlying familial loyalty.

Darya Alexandrovna Oblonskaya

A warm, trusting friendship based on mutual respect and shared rural family values.

Vassenka Veslovsky

Levin feels intense jealousy and hostility towards Veslovsky's frivolous flirtation with Kitty.

Nikolay Ivanovitch Sviazhsky

An intellectual acquaintance where Levin debates politics and agriculture with the liberal landowner Sviazhsky.

Stepan Arkadyevitch Oblonsky

A long-standing, affectionate friendship despite their contrasting worldviews and lifestyles.

Stepan Arkadyevitch Oblonsky

A long-standing, affectionate friendship despite their contrasting worldviews and lifestyles.

Sergey Ivanovitch Koznishev

A half-brotherly relationship marked by intellectual disagreement but underlying familial loyalty.

Sergey Ivanovitch Koznishev

A half-brotherly relationship marked by intellectual disagreement but underlying familial loyalty.

Darya Alexandrovna Oblonskaya

A warm, trusting friendship based on mutual respect and shared rural family values.

Darya Alexandrovna Oblonskaya

A warm, trusting friendship based on mutual respect and shared rural family values.

Vassenka Veslovsky

Levin feels intense jealousy and hostility towards Veslovsky's frivolous flirtation with Kitty.

V

Visits Oblonsky in Moscow, agitated and critical of city bureaucracy and social pretense. His deep embarrassment when asking about the Shcherbatskys reveals his unresolved feelings for Kitty.

Levin's Past and Present: The Shtcherbatsky Household and His Love for Kitty

Reveals his deep-seated insecurities and romantic idealism. He is in Moscow to propose to Kitty, tormented by feelings of unworthiness stemming from his lack of a conventional career and his self-perceived ordinariness.

Chapter VII

Arrives in Moscow, seeks his brother's advice but is drawn into a philosophical debate. He finds the abstract academic discussion frustrating as it avoids the profound personal questions of meaning that haunt him.

VIII

Visits his brother Sergey; feels unable to discuss his marriage plans; is horrified to learn of brother Nikolay's presence in Moscow and resolves to see him.

The Skating Rink

Overwhelmed with emotion at seeing Kitty; experiences rapturous happiness skating with her, followed by anxiety when her expression changes. His entire being is transformed by her smile and parting words.

Levin Confides in Oblonsky

Agitated and hopeful about proposing to Kitty. Seeks Oblonsky's counsel and confesses his feeling of unworthiness due to his past sins.

Chapter XI

His joyful mood is shattered by news of Vronsky. He expresses a rigid, black-and-white morality regarding women and infidelity, but shows inner conflict. He is resolved to propose to Kitty.

XII

Recalled as a serious suitor who visited frequently at the start of the winter but then abruptly departed. His shyness, unconventional opinions, and rural life made the Princess dislike him. His sudden return at the chapter's end creates a new source of anxiety for the Princess.

Chapter XIII

Arrives early to propose to Kitty alone. He is shy and powerful, his face becoming gloomy when he sees his chance. He blurts out his proposal and is utterly crushed by her refusal.

Chapter XIV

Trapped at the gathering after Kitty's refusal; observes Vronsky with a mix of admiration and pain; engages in a tense debate about spiritualism with Countess Nordston and Vronsky; feels hostility towards everyone, including himself and Kitty.

Chapter XV

Remembered by Kitty with dejection and kindness, and championed by the Prince as a man of serious intentions, in stark contrast to Vronsky.

Levin Visits His Brother Nikolay

Deeply depressed after Kitty's rejection, compares himself unfavorably to Vronsky. Seeks solace and connection with his estranged brother Nikolay, determined to understand and love him despite his flaws.

Chapter XXV

Visits his brother Nikolay, pained by his illness and erratic behavior. Tries to navigate the tense conversation, feeling pity and horror, and ultimately helps get Nikolay to bed.

Levin's Return Home

Returns home, resolves to change his life, battles self-doubt, and immerses himself in farm management.

XXVII

Reflects deeply on his ideal of marriage and family, inspired by his parents' life. He daydreams about a future farm and family life, resolves to move forward after his disappointment, and finds solace in his home and dog.

II

Mentioned by Dolly as having intended to propose to Kitty during his last visit, a fact Kitty did not share with her mother. His rejected offer is framed as a casualty of Kitty's obsession with Vronsky.

Kitty's Confession

Mentioned as the man whose proposal Kitty refused; his name triggers Kitty's final loss of composure during the argument with Dolly.

XII

Suffers from the lasting humiliation of his rejected proposal, seeks peace through work and solitude in the country, tends to his brother's health, and develops his agricultural theories.

Chapter XIII

Deeply engaged in the spring farm work. He is both frustrated by the inefficiencies and slovenliness of his laborers and bailiff, and profoundly cheered by the land's vitality and his own plans. His happiness is tied to physical labor and stewardship.

Chapter XIV

In a happy, productive spring mood at his estate, sharing his ideas on agriculture and life. He is cautiously hopeful about Kitty, grateful for Stiva's delicate avoidance of the subject.

XV

Deeply immersed in the sensory details of nature during the hunt. His peaceful mood is shaken by the news of Kitty's illness, though he tries to dismiss it.

Chapter XVI

Reveals a bitter satisfaction at Kitty's suffering. His detailed knowledge of forestry and merchant practices highlights his practical, rural values versus Oblonsky's urban carelessness. He is openly contemptuous of the deal and Ryabinin.

Chapter XVII

Deeply out of temper, his mood stems from the painful memory of Kitty's rejection and a sense of insult from Vronsky's perceived slight. He passionately argues his definition of true aristocracy (based on honorable ancestry and hard work) versus the new moneyed class, and is exasperated by Stiva's casual business dealings.

Kitty's Admiration and the Princess's Inquiry

Is seen in a heated, public argument with a doctor, shouting and causing a scene, which Varenka resolves. He is reported to be leaving the spa.

I

Glad to host his brother but feels uncomfortable with Sergey's idle, intellectual attitude towards country life. He is deeply involved in the practical labor of farming and has a complex, lived relationship with the peasants, seeing them as partners in work rather than an abstract concept.

II

Preoccupied with the impending harvest and mowing logistics. He is practical, dislikes talking about nature's beauty as it distracts him from his work, and is eager to return home to make arrangements.

Chapter III

Argues fiercely against participating in local government, viewing it as irrelevant, inefficient, and disconnected from genuine self-interest. He feels morally pinned and intellectually misunderstood by his brother.

Levin Mows with the Peasants

Seeks solace in physical labor, joins the peasants mowing, and finds a state of focused, thoughtless happiness in the demanding work.

V

Fully immerses himself in the physical labor of mowing, finding a transcendent, blissful state where the work feels effortless. He bonds with the peasants, shares their food and rest, and is driven by a competitive, joyful energy to accomplish as much as possible.

VI

Returns from a full day of mowing, filled with physical satisfaction and a sense of connection to the land and peasants. He is blissfully indifferent to his brother's intellectual arguments.

Chapter IX

Visits Dolly, is childlike and playful with her children. He is deeply affected when Dolly mentions Kitty's impending visit, immediately changing the subject to cows and farm management to hide his agitation.

Levin's Pride and Dolly's Misery

Visits Dolly; his old feelings for Kitty are painfully stirred by their conversation, but his pride prevents reconciliation. He judges Dolly's parenting methods as artificial.

Chapter XI

Actively manages his sister's estate, confronts the peasants over a dishonest hay division, and is deeply moved observing the harmonious work and love of Ivan Parmenov and his wife.

Chapter XII

In profound internal conflict, he idealizes peasant life but is pulled back to his own world upon seeing Kitty, realizing his love for her is his true path.

XXIV

Undergoes a crisis regarding his farming philosophy, seeing it as a hostile struggle with the peasants. He is also tormented by his unresolved feelings for Kitty and his pride, leading him to flee his estate.

XXV

Observes a successful peasant farm, comparing its methods and prosperity to his own and Sviazhsky's struggling estates. He is struck by the efficient use of resources and family labor.

Chapter XXVI

Visits Sviazhsky, is troubled by the contradictions in his friend's life and views, and feels awkward around the sister-in-law. He seeks answers about life and farming.

Chapter XXVII

Intensely argues for seeking new, productive relations with the peasant labor force, challenging European models and local complacency. He is frustrated by Sviazhsky's evasions.

Chapter XXVIII

Agitated by the land question; debates Sviazhsky on education and economics; formulates a plan to revolutionize his farming by engaging the peasants' self-interest, resolving to leave early to implement it.

Levin's Agricultural Experiment

Wholly absorbed in implementing his new agricultural partnership system; faces practical difficulties and peasant distrust; continues his theoretical studies but finds European economic theories inapplicable to Russia.

Levin's Work and the Prospect of Travel

Preparing for a research trip abroad, energized by his agricultural reforms but distracted by thoughts of Kitty and his book's significance.

The Arrival of Nikolay

Struggles with selfish disappointment at his brother's arrival, then pity. His evening with Nikolay forces him into a state of unnaturalness and false cheer. Afterward, he experiences a deep existential crisis, obsessing over the inevitability of death for himself and his brother.

Part 3, Chapter XXXII

Struggles to communicate honestly with his dying brother, leading to a quarrel over his agricultural plans. After the painful parting, he falls into deep despair, seeing death in everything and clinging to his work as his sole purpose.

Chapter VII

Recently returned from abroad; in a state of philosophical despair, discussing the insignificance of life and the inevitability of death with Stiva. He agrees to attend the dinner.

Chapter IX

Arrives full of dread and hope to see Kitty. Their reunion is intensely emotional for him; he feels exalted and giddy after speaking with her.

Chapter XI

Disengaged from intellectual debate, absorbed in his silent connection with Kitty. His perception of Turovtsin is transformed by Kitty's story, leading to a moment of sincere self-reproach.

Chapter XIII

Remains with the men after dinner but is wholly focused on Kitty. Engages in a profound, silent communication with her using initial letters, leading to their mutual confession of love.

Chapter XIV

In a state of euphoric happiness after Kitty's acceptance. His joy transforms his perception of the world, making everyone seem good-hearted. He struggles to pass the time until the wedding, seeking company and philosophizing about love with a servant.

XV

In a euphoric, disembodied state from lack of sleep and food, he perceives the world with mystical joy while waiting to propose. His happiness is complete when Kitty accepts him.

Chapter XVI

Overwhelmed with happiness and awkwardness as he navigates wedding preparations. Confesses his past to Kitty via his diary, feeling unworthy yet immensely happy.

I

Attends confession, wrestling with profound religious doubt and feeling hypocritical. His mind drifts to memories of Kitty's hand. He is gently challenged by the priest about faith and future paternal duties.

II

Tortured by last-minute doubts about Kitty's love, he rushes to confront her but is completely reassured by her explanation and affection.

The Wedding Day

Frantically searches for a clean shirt, pacing his hotel room in despair and fear of looking ridiculous, delaying his own wedding.

The Wedding Ceremony

Overwhelmed with emotion and dread, seeing only Kitty, feeling the ceremony's deep meaning, and realizing his previous ideas of marriage were childish.

V

The bridegroom; noted for behaving well, not being ridiculous or affected, and visibly moved.

VI

Overwhelmed with joy and disbelief during the wedding ceremony; feels a new, strange sense of closeness to Kitty after the kiss.

Chapter XIV

Reflects on the realities of married life, experiencing both disappointment and unexpected happiness. Struggles to understand Kitty's domestic focus and navigates their first painful quarrel, realizing the depth of their union.

Chapter XV

Struggles to focus on his writing about Russian agriculture, intoxicated by marital happiness. He later feels remorse for his idleness and momentarily misjudges Kitty's depth.

A Letter and a Quarrel

Receives the distressing news about his brother Nikolay's imminent death. He argues with Kitty about her accompanying him, feeling she is motivated by weakness, and is horrified at the thought of her meeting Marya Nikolaevna.

Chapter XVII

Horrified by his brother's condition and the squalid hotel. Initially ashamed and angry at the situation with Kitty and Marya, but is persuaded by Kitty's resolve to face the ordeal together.

Chapter XVIII

Overwhelmed with horror and helplessness at his brother's condition; feels agony in the sickroom but worse outside it; is moved to sobs by his brother's gesture of affection.

Chapter XIX

Reflects on his intellectual inadequacy in confronting death, feeling ashamed and helpless compared to Kitty's practical wisdom and faith.

The Agony of Nikolay Levin

Observes his brother's suffering with painful clarity, feeling the deceit of false hope. He grapples with his own unbelief, experiences emotional exhaustion, and feels a chilling detachment at the moment of death.

I

Feels his 'Levin world' is smothered by the influx of guests; plans to check on farm wagons while the others go mushroom picking.

II

Arrives on the terrace, feeling excluded from the women's private conversation and sharing Agafea Mihalovna's vexation over the jam-making method.

A Walk and a Conversation

Expresses a complex mix of deep happiness with Kitty and self-dissatisfaction, feeling his work on the estate and his book is now done halfheartedly as a 'task.' He envies his brother Sergey's sense of duty and contentment derived from a life lived for the public good.

V

Observes the aftermath of the failed proposal. Playfully discusses it with Kitty, using a metaphor of a bite that didn't happen.

VI

Deeply irritated by the festive arrival of Veslovsky and the social performance of everyone, including Kitty. He sees his estate work as serious and non-holiday business, in stark contrast to the visitors' mood. His jealousy is sparked by Veslovsky's gallantry toward Kitty.

Chapter VII

Consumed by intense, irrational jealousy of Veslovsky. Misinterprets Kitty's every word and gesture, leading to a painful argument and eventual reconciliation.

The Shooting Party Departs

Anxious and loving in parting from Kitty, then frustrated by the carpenter's incompetence. His mood transforms into the concentrated excitement of a sportsman as they depart, and he reassesses Veslovsky more charitably.

The Shooting Party

Hosts the shooting party; feels envy and irritation at Veslovsky's bumbling but consciously works to be more genial.

The Marsh

Frustrated and out of temper during the hunt; his shooting is poor, and he blames Veslovsky for his failure. He is physically exhausted and self-conscious.

Chapter XI

Engaged in a tense debate about social justice, wealth, and honest labor. He is disconcerted that his arguments are seen as sophistry and is left pondering if one can only be 'just negatively.' He refuses to join the others in seeking amusement.

Chapter XIII

Happy and successful after hunting; briefly vexed by lack of food but laughs it off; his animosity towards Veslovsky fades into friendliness.

Chapter XIV

Consumed by jealousy over Vassenka's attention to Kitty; feels oppressed by practical discussions about the baby; experiences a rapid shift from happiness to despair, then to reconciliation after a heartfelt talk with Kitty.

XV

Consumed by jealousy, he awkwardly but firmly expels Veslovsky. He feels ashamed of his rudeness but justified in protecting his domestic peace.

Dolly's Journey to Vozdvizhenskoe

Insists Dolly use his horses for her journey, demonstrating his practical care and concern for her well-being and finances.

Chapter XXV

Mentioned as owning a small part of the land in the Kashinsky province where the elections are held.

The Elections in Kashin

Attends the elections at his brother's urging; frustrated by bureaucratic delays in his sister's business; attempts to patiently observe and understand the political process rather than judge it.

The Election of the Marshal

Observes the election proceedings with confusion, trying to grasp the political strategies of the opposing parties.

The Election

Observes the election with confusion and distaste for the nobles' vicious excitement; feels pity for the defeated Marshal Snetkov; finds relief with the calm waiters.

Chapter XXIX

Feels depressed and alienated at the elections. Engages in a deep conversation with a landowner about the purpose and loss inherent in a landowner's work, seeing it as a duty.

The Provincial Election

Attends the election out of duty but is politically clumsy and socially awkward, especially around Vronsky. He finds the process boring and corrupt, leading to his early departure.

I

Restless, uneasy, and without occupation in Moscow; feels out of place. Initially distressed by Kitty's meeting with Vronsky but is reassured by her honesty and resolves to be friendly to Vronsky in future.

Chapter II

Reluctant to make social calls, worries about finances but reassures Kitty, preoccupied with his intellectual pursuits and meeting with Metrov.

Chapter III

Seeks intellectual validation for his agricultural theories but becomes disillusioned with academic discourse, realizing he must work independently.

IV

Visits Lvov, discusses education and fatherhood, is enlisted by Natalia for social outings.

V

Attends a concert, feels bewildered by the new music, and argues with Pestsov about the Wagnerian school's fusion of arts.

Chapter VI

Endures the awkward formalities of a social call, feeling 'ashamed and awfully stupid.' Later attends a public meeting, engages in society chatter, and is vexed by his own intellectual dishonesty in repeating a borrowed idea.

VII

Returns to the club after a long absence, immerses himself in its comfortable, carefree atmosphere, and enjoys simple, lively conversation. He feels a temporary reconciliation with Vronsky.

VIII

Observes the club's idle atmosphere, feels a sense of peace and ease after reconciling with Vronsky, agrees to be taken to meet Anna.

Levin's First Meeting with Anna

Agrees to visit Anna but is filled with doubt and guilt, wondering what Kitty would think. He is profoundly struck by Anna's portrait and then her living presence.

Levin Visits Anna

Visits Anna and is deeply impressed by her intelligence, beauty, and apparent sincerity. He feels a protective pity for her and justifies her situation in his mind.

Chapter XI

Deeply affected by his meeting with Anna, feeling profound pity and sympathy for her. He is defensive and evasive when telling Kitty about the visit, leading to a marital conflict. He later confesses to being influenced by Anna and the corrupting effects of Moscow society.

Chapter XII

Mentioned in reflection; Anna notes she successfully aroused a feeling of love in him during the evening, but ceases to think of him once he leaves.

The Beginning

Awakens to Kitty's labor; is struck by her sublime courage; feels guilt over his recent behavior; in his distress, he turns to prayer despite his usual disbelief.

The Agony of Waiting

In a state of extreme anxiety and distorted perception of time during Kitty's labor; feels helpless, prays constantly, and is frustrated by the indifference of others.

The Birth

Experiences the terror of Kitty's labor, believing she will die, then an overwhelming, tearful joy at her survival and the birth of their son, though he feels disconnected from the baby.

Chapter XVI

Struggles with his new identity as a father, feeling a profound sense of responsibility and apprehension rather than immediate joy upon seeing his son.

Anna's Desperate Visit

Mentioned by Anna in a malicious comment to Kitty, stating she liked him when he visited her. Kitty reveals he has returned to the country.

I

Mentioned as the brother Sergey Ivanovitch is preparing to visit in the country.

VII

Absent, at the bee-house. Kitty thinks of his spiritual struggles, solitude, and his essential goodness, especially his recent offer to help Dolly.

VIII

In the throes of a deep existential crisis, questioning the meaning of life and death. He feels his modern scientific beliefs are inadequate, envies the faith of those around him, and is tormented by a fleeting moment of prayer he experienced.

Chapter IX

In deep existential crisis; reads philosophers and theologians, finds only temporary comfort in their systems, and is driven to suicidal thoughts by the perceived meaninglessness of life.

Levin's Purpose in Country Life

Deeply immersed in the practical management of his estate and family duties, finding a resolute, if unexamined, purpose in daily work and moral instincts, while still haunted by existential questions.

Chapter XI

Deeply involved in managing the harvest, he is plagued by existential questions about the meaning of labor and life, culminating in a spiritual epiphany sparked by a peasant's words.

Chapter XII

Experiences a transformative spiritual awakening. He realizes the meaning of life is 'to live for God, for my soul,' rejecting his former reliance on rationalism and science. He reflects on his past despair and recognizes he has been living by spiritual truths all along without acknowledging them.

Chapter XIII

Undergoes a spiritual epiphany, moving from intellectual doubt to a heartfelt, grateful faith after comparing his philosophical struggles to children who take their sustenance for granted.

Chapter XIV

Seeks solitude at the bee-house to preserve his newfound spiritual peace, resolves to be more open with his brother but immediately feels awkward, and uses the bees as a metaphor for his internal struggle between spiritual freedom and worldly cares.

Chapter XV

Argues passionately against the volunteer movement, questioning whether it represents the true will of the Russian people and asserting that war is a matter for governments, not private sentiment.

Chapter XVI

Frustrated by the argument; believes public opinion and the press do not represent the true will of the people, especially concerning war. He feels intellectually naked against their 'armor' and is troubled by the moral implications of advocating violence.

The Storm

Panics during the storm, fearing for Kitty and Mitya's safety. His terror at the lightning strike and subsequent relief reveal his deep familial love and vulnerability.

Chapter XVIII

Experiences a profound, joyful inner peace that overshadows intellectual debates. His love for his son Mitya deepens from a sense of duty to a genuine, protective affection after witnessing the baby recognize him.

XIX

Experiences a moment of profound spiritual clarity and acceptance of his faith, deciding not to articulate it to Kitty.