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Part 4, Chapter 22
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
Vronsky’s wound missed the heart, but it was still dangerous; he is touch-and-go for a while, but he eventually becomes conscious again. He no longer feels so humiliated, but he does realize that he can no longer stand between Anna and Karenin: they must reconcile. He accepts a new post in the middle of Russia and prepares to leave.
Vronsky’s heart is still intact, both emotionally and physically. Like Anna, he almost dies, but ends up recovering. The failed suicide makes him realize that he has no place in Anna and Karenin’s existence as a married couple.
Themes
Betsy tells Vronsky that Karenin is granting Anna a divorce, and Vronsky rushes to visit the Karenins’ house. He and Anna embrace. However, later, Anna believes there is something terrible in their happiness, and she tells Vronsky that Karenin is being too generous with her and they she cannot accept his offer of divorce. Vronsky refuses the position in central Russia and resigns his commission. Anna and Vronsky go abroad to Italy, leaving Seryozha in the house alone with Karenin.
When Vronsky thinks that Karenin will divorce Anna, he sees a clear mode of existence for himself and Anna as a couple, and he abandons his career ambitions, choosing instead to follow his selfish societal and emotional ambitions. Vronsky always decides to live his life for his own benefit and by what he desires. Yet Anna experiences Karenin’s generosity as a kind of affront, and so refuses his offer.
Themes
