Russian literature has long been highly regarded. The masterpieces of writers conquered more than one country in the world and became real bestsellers. Based on the motives of many works, excellent films were made - premieres occupy leading positions in the ranking of the best. No exception, Leo Tolstoy is a unique Russian writer who has created many amazing novels. Among them, such as “Anna Karenina”, “War and Peace”, “Resurrection” and others are clearly distinguished.
Today, the schools study the works of Leo Tolstoy. This is due to the fact that they carry a deep meaning that can teach the young generation the truth of life and feel all the emotions with which a talented man wrote. Very often the question arises regarding the work "Anna Karenina": "Who wrote the divine novel?" For a wonderful book, Tolstoy worked for four years. In 1878, the first edition of the sentimental novel took place.
The Bestseller Origin
One February morning, Leo Tolstoy planned to write a novel about the relations of the nobles, private life, but he realized his dream three years later. A little later, after finishing the book, he tried to publish it in Russky Vestnik, and the idea was a success - the first volume went to print. Gradually, Tolstoy’s novel became very popular, readers liked the manner in which Lev Nikolaevich described his heroes and their share, sensitivity and depth of the work.
Naturally, everyone was looking forward to the continuation of the novel “Anna Karenina,” since it was known that the work consists of three volumes. By 1878, Leo Tolstoy fully published his brainchild. The last part was not so much liked by readers, since it contained a description of the Serbo-Montenegrin-Turkish war, to which officer Vronsky, Anna's lover, was sent.
Tolstoy’s novel “Anna Karenina” combines the most conflicting feelings and morals of people. The writer himself several times noted that with the help of the work he wants to show how today's and future world is divided into two parts: good and evil, which fight against each other every day and in vain try to destroy the enemy.
The uniqueness of the novel
The work "Anna Karenina" appeals to many people. After all, it is about the tragic love of a married woman and a brilliant officer. At the same time, one cannot help but experience a deep feeling directly in the family life of the nobles. The story takes place in the second half of the nineteenth century in Moscow and St. Petersburg. But the writer as clearly as possible displays all the emotions, principles and morality of his novel.
Many adored Anna Karenina, namely because most people saw themselves in this woman, they were close to the story of the writer, which penetrated into the very depths of the soul. Therefore, Tolstoy wrote modern literature, a book that, in his opinion, could always be popular - for all times and peoples.
Oddly enough, Lev Nikolaevich foresaw that change was coming, namely for the nobles. He knew, felt that the current society and customs were beginning to crumble, and people should prepare for this.
Idea of ​​a novel
All the people surrounding Leo Tolstoy became an idea for the birth of a completely different novel. The writer's society could be recognized by the environment of Anna Oblonskaya – Karenina. Observing the thoughts of his friends, their feelings and concepts, Tolstoy created his first characters, which in the future were so loved by readers.
Many who are not familiar with the work "Anna Karenina", whose author tried to create a real masterpiece for different age categories of people, have repeatedly heard about the unique novel. But for some reason, most people get the impression that this is a book about a woman who committed suicide due to her bright and passionate feelings for her lover, with whom honor and conscience did not allow her to be.
Actually, it’s not at all described in the novel Anna Karenina. The content of the book consists of dozens of interesting chapters, a description of past noble life, the struggle between good and evil, the mores and morals of people who lived in the nineteenth century.
Meet the characters
The wonderful work "Anna Karenina." Who wrote it is known to almost every resident of the CIS countries, but not everyone read it. Although many have heard of an unusual novel and know the main characters of the book.
To begin with, the main character, Anna, arrives in Moscow to reconcile her brother Steve, who was allegedly convicted of treason, with his wife. As soon as Karenina got off her train, she finds out that a guard is dying on the railway tracks. This is considered a terrible omen. After a while, the main character will understand what this sign meant - she will be considered a “criminal woman”, and she will not be able to live with it calmly. Nevertheless, the charming, kind and gentle Anna Karenina (the author first depicts her as a blameless, honest and perfect woman) goes to visit her brother and tries to reconcile him with his wife Dolly.
Meanwhile, a young and charming Count Alexei Vronsky comes to visit Steve. Do not forget to visit the beloved princess Kitty Shcherbitskaya and Konstantin Levin, who wholeheartedly wants to marry a sweet girl. But, in his opinion, this is impossible, since he is a simple landowner, and his main rival is the brilliant representative of St. Petersburg Vronsky. In fact, Count Aleksey did not even intend to make an offer to Kitty, since all his thoughts were occupied by the guest who had just arrived from St. Petersburg.
The work written by Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina, clearly and deeply describes the feelings and emotions that the main character experiences. She is unusually in love with Count Vronsky, but offers him only friendship, since a loving husband and child are waiting for her at home. The main dream of Anna, which is impossible to come true, was to be with the two most beloved people on earth - Alexei and son Seryozha.
Love karenina
As already noted, Anna Karenina arrived from St. Petersburg with an already clouded mood. On the train, she met a sweet woman who kept telling her about her beloved son, Alexei. At that time, Karenina did not attach the slightest importance to this, but a little later it became clear to her that the adored child of the fellow traveler was her inaccessible count Vronsky.
After meeting with her lover, she firmly decided to go back to St. Petersburg, because she knew that trouble awaited her in Vronsky's lovely and deep eyes, which could absorb the whole woman’s soul. But young Alexei follows right behind her: he longs for a meeting, not paying attention to prying eyes, the presence of a husband and child with a lover. Noticing the count that spins near Karenina, society begins to suspect their connection. Anna, whose heart is breaking inside, could not restrain herself and yet indulged in love with her sweet, gentle and sensual Alexei. This was soon found out by everyone in the district, including the legal husband of the main character.
A little later it became known that Karenina was expecting a child from Vronsky. Upon learning the news, Alex asked her to leave her husband and leave with him. At the same time, until recently, the friendly and kind mother of Vronsky was no longer so kind to Anna. On the contrary, she is indignant at what is happening, and does not wish her son such a fate. Karenina, a tormented woman, is glad to leave everything and leave with the Count, but she loves Alexei as much as her son Seryozha. Anna falls into despair, she is tormented by the most conflicting feelings. Karenina does not know what to do ...
During childbirth, the main character became very ill and miraculously survived. Seeing her condition, the legitimate husband shows compassion and pity for his wife, after which he allows her to live in his house. Karenin forgives Anna and her act and even agrees to keep everything a secret so as not to disgrace the honest name of their family. Karenina, however, does not stand the generosity of her husband and escapes with Vronsky to Europe. Soon, two people who once loved each other realized that they had absolutely nothing to do, and they had nothing in common. It was at this moment that Anna realizes what mistake she made and how much she betrayed and dishonored her husband. In St. Petersburg, nothing good is waiting for her, there she is now an outcast. Gaining courage, Karenina still comes back.
The problems with Vronsky are becoming more serious, and it’s simply impossible to live on. If the column got away with everything, Anna despises everyone in society. She sleeps poorly, suffers from her son, realizing that she will never see him again.
The fate of Anna Karenina
After a kiss with Vronsky, Karenina’s state changed: she became happy, rejuvenated, inspired, but couldn’t go on like that! Attempts to keep a son and divorce a tyrannical and strict husband were unsuccessful. Poor Anna, not knowing herself from grief, became completely lifeless. She rushes between two fires: an evil and a husband who hates her for treason, and a young, gentle and charming Alexei, who promises to give her the whole world. But the mother will never leave her son, so Karenina believed that she could not give herself to carefree love and leave Vronsky far from her husband.
But fate turned so that, on the one hand, Anna got what she wanted - love, Vronsky, happiness, and on the other, lost the most important thing - her son Seryozha. A depressing atmosphere, relationships that were unsuccessful, the hatred of society towards her person, push a woman to a desperate act - suicide.
Often people do not want to read the entire Anna Karenina novel. The description is a few pages from a huge work that briefly and superficially talk about heroes and current events. But in order to feel all those emotions with which Tolstoy wrote, to change his worldview and become a little better, it is recommended to read the novel from cover to cover. This is not difficult to do, since it absorbs completely, and time flies unnoticed.
Evaluation of the novel "Anna Karenina"
Many critics did not like Anna Karenina and her fate. Some considered her a symbol of dishonor and shame, while others did not like the image of Vronsky. There were also those who considered the novel to be scandalous, empty and representing nothing. Of course, the work of critics is to find inaccuracies, be dissatisfied, and write reviews about works. But, fortunately, there were those who believed that the novel that Leo Tolstoy brought to life, Anna Karenina, was the best hope of Russian literature. Critics supported the writer and ridiculed the main character. Then they said that such feelings that were in Anna’s soul should plunge every woman who dared to change her husband, having a child and a family respected in society.
Among the critics who admired Tolstoy’s work was Nikolai Nekrasov. He saw in the writer a real talent, a man with an inexplicable gift who could change the lives of other people with his works. Nekrasov correctly predicted everything, since today few are wondering who Anna Karenina is, who wrote the novel. This is because most of the population read a book or watched brilliant plays, films that influenced the worldview of people and, possibly, even changed their lives. Leo Tolstoy’s novels always produced an extraordinary effect on their fans. Such creations, which were written by a talented thinker, can not be found anywhere else.
Theatrical productions and adaptations of the novel
The work of L. Tolstoy was noticed already in 1910. A few years later, people could attend the first performances of Anna Karenina. Time passed, and various directors perfected the plays, changed actors and experimented with productions. Original performances, dramatic musicals were created by such professionals as R. Viktyuk, O. Shikshin, M. Roshchin and others.
Many readers and viewers liked Anna Karenina, whose quotes were even recorded and pronounced at dinner parties and meetings. As for the film adaptation of the popular novel, the film about the tragic love in Germany in 1910 was first shot. Then representatives of such countries as Russia, Hungary, Italy, the USA, Great Britain, India and others tried to depict the picture. In total, over three dozen films about Karenina were shot. The last of them was presented by directors of Great Britain. The main role was Keira Knightley, who unusually subtly and sensually played Anna. Also today you can find series about Karenina.
One cannot help but say that there is a place to be staged by the ballet Anna Karenina. In 2010, the premiere took place at the Mariinsky Theater. Nevertheless, the best production is considered to be the work of Boris Eifman, who received the award "Best Performance in Ballet" in 2005.
Nowadays, the novels of L.N. Tolstoy is very popular, and various musicals, plays, and films are made on them. But “Anna Karenina” broke all kinds of records and became a real masterpiece in Russian literature and art in general.
Interesting Facts
It is believed that the daughter of Pushkin (Maria Alexandrovna Gartung) is the main character of the novel - Anna Karenina. L.N. Tolstoy was inspired by the appearance of the girl and decided to transfer her image to paper.
It is also interesting to know that in 1916 they tried to remove the continuation of a sentimental story about a tragic love called “The daughter of Anna Karenina”. In addition, the principle of the novel is often used in science, which is based on the aphorism that opens the work: “All happy families are alike, each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. Everything mixed up in the Oblonsky’s house. ”
In 2013, a certain continuation of the novel entitled “Anna Karenina-2” was published. The author was Alexander Zolotko, who told readers the story of the daughter of the main character, who was called the same as her mother. For some critics, this caused a lot of emotions and indignation, because it is completely unknown what happened to the girl who was born from a relationship with Count Vronsky. And Leo Tolstoy did not mention the name of the newborn. However, these are just some of the opinions of critics, the author himself has the right to change the details of the plot. There are those who believe that the novel "Anna Karenina-2" is worth reading.
Nevertheless, the second part of the book is simply incomparable with the first, since this is a completely different story and another heroine, although with the same name - Anna Karenina. Only a few know who wrote it, since the publication of Alexander Zolotko is rather small, and he himself did not try to create a masterpiece that is able to overshadow the work of Leo Tolstoy.
The role of Tolstoy’s novel in the life of each of us
Roman L. N. Tolstoy was written in the genre of realism. He clearly conveyed the character traits and intentions of the people of the second half of the nineteenth century. In the character of Levin, he saw himself, about which he repeatedly mentioned. The hero himself was endowed with the best character traits, which made him an example to follow. The writer wanted to tell his fans about this - that no matter what place a person occupies in society, he should always remain a person: worthy, honest, fair and kind.
“Anna Karenina” is a novel of all time, which has won thousands, millions of hearts around the world. For the first time, a writer so accurately conveyed relationships between people who are familiar to almost every person. 137 years have passed since the publication of the work, but for a single day it was not forgotten by readers. I want to read and reread it, look on the screen and on the stage, admire the heroine’s courage and sincerely condole with her. The simple language, the inimitable style of writing and the depth of character characters are truly masterpieces. No wonder the novel belongs to the classics of world literature.