# Countess Lidia Ivanovna — Anna Karenina character guide

> Countess Lidia Ivanovna in Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy.

**Role:** minor

**Also known as:** Countess Lidia Ivanovna, Lidia Ivanovna, Lidia

**First appearance:** 0034-part-ii-i

## Who they are

A pious society lady who becomes Karenin's close confidante and advisor after his separation from Anna.

## In the story

### [Chapter XXXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/anna_karenina_se/chapters/part-i-xxxii)

Visits Anna, speaking of her philanthropic and religious endeavors with a tone of self-important martyrdom, revealing the pettiness and intrigue surrounding her work. Anna perceives her as always angry despite her Christian aims.

### [The Circles of Society](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/anna_karenina_se/chapters/part-ii-iv)

The center of the pious, ambitious circle Anna finds insufferable. Her set is mocked by Princess Betsy as a 'house of charity.'

### [XXVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/anna_karenina_se/chapters/part-ii-xxvi)

Hints to Karenin about the unsuitability of Anna's intimacy with Betsy and Vronsky, but is sternly cut short. She secretly sends a doctor to examine Karenin.

### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/anna_karenina_se/chapters/part-iv-iii)

Mentioned as a figure whose disapproval does not prevent 'Liza' from visiting Anna.

### [The Confrontation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/anna_karenina_se/chapters/part-iv-iv)

Mentioned as having influenced Karenin's thinking, having hinted that divorce is the best solution to his predicament, showing her role in his social and personal decisions.

### [Chapter XXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/anna_karenina_se/chapters/part-v-xxii)

Arrives as Karenin's fervent supporter. She offers to manage his household, provides moral and religious consolation, and successfully turns him into an adherent of her new mystical Christian views. She tells Seryozha his mother is dead.

### [XXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/anna_karenina_se/chapters/part-v-xxiii)

Receives Anna's letter, is outraged by its tone and contents. Her backstory reveals a pattern of passionate attachments to notable figures, with her current, most intense love being for Karenin. She is actively working to protect him from Anna.

### [XXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/anna_karenina_se/chapters/part-v-xxiv)

Karenin's devoted and ecstatic supporter. She delivers the painful news of Anna's presence in Petersburg and discusses Seryozha's education with him, serving as his 'island' of love in a hostile world.

### [Chapter XXV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/anna_karenina_se/chapters/part-v-xxv)

Acts as Karenin's spiritual advisor and manipulator. She feigns piety and concern for Seryozha to persuade Karenin to refuse Anna's request, then writes a hypocritically cruel letter designed to wound Anna, achieving her hidden objective.

### [Seryozha's Birthday Eve](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/anna_karenina_se/chapters/part-v-xxvi)

Mentioned as the sender of a birthday present for Seryozha, indicating her continued involvement in the Karenin household.

### [Seryozha's Lesson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/anna_karenina_se/chapters/part-v-xxvii)

Mentioned as the one who, along with Karenin, told Seryozha his mother was 'dead' to him because she was wicked. Her niece, Nadinka, is part of Seryozha's social circle.

### [Anna's Desperate Reunion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/anna_karenina_se/chapters/part-v-xxix)

Her silent, then explicitly malicious, response to Anna's letter exemplifies the cold, hypocritical social judgment that excludes Anna and 'tortures' Seryozha with deception, pushing Anna to drastic action.

### [Chapter XXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/anna_karenina_se/chapters/part-vi-xxiv)

Mentioned as the influential figure preventing Karenin from granting Anna a divorce.

### [Stepan Arkadyevitch in Petersburg](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/anna_karenina_se/chapters/part-vii-xx)

Described as having 'lost her heart' to Landau; now a key influence over Karenin, controlling access and decisions.

### [Chapter XXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/anna_karenina_se/chapters/part-vii-xxi)

Hosts the gathering, fervently champions Karenin's spiritual rebirth and the power of faith. She acts as a spiritual guide and intermediary, preparing to read from a religious book.

### [XXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/anna_karenina_se/chapters/part-vii-xxii)

Hosts the gathering where Landau goes into a trance. She is deeply invested in the mystical proceedings, excited by Landau's state, and instructs Karenin to take his hand.

### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/anna_karenina_se/chapters/part-viii-ii)

Mentioned as the sponsor sending the young man for whom the princess seeks Koznishev's assistance.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/anna_karenina_se/characters/lidia_ivanovna
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/anna_karenina_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/anna_karenina_se/characters