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Part 3, Chapter 17
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Anna Karenina, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Marriage and Family Life
Adultery and Jealousy
Physical Activity and Movement
Society and Class
Farming and Rural Life
Compassion and Forgiveness
Summary
Analysis
The ladies at Betsy’s party are beautiful and brilliant, with gorgeous clothes. Anna finds Liza more attractive than the others. Liza confesses to Anna that she’s bored and asks Anna to tell her her secret, as Anna never appears to be bored. Although Anna is at ease being the sparkling center of this company, she knows that Vronsky is waiting at the rendezvous she has arranged on Betsy’s note.
Among the other beautiful ladies at Betsy’s party, Anna shines. Anna is not dependent on the other women’s opinions for her power and charm; rather, she maintains her charisma precisely because she doesn’t appear to need them. The fire of the secret affair allows her to remain a bit aloof from the cares of others.
Themes
