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: : Anna Karenina, by Leo Tolstoy, is a saga of love, agony, and deceit. Yet, within : : the intricacy of these ideas lies an unmistakable, underlying theme of death. : : Death is influential and weighs upon the minds of many of the characters. The : : inextricable situations and conflicts that possesses the characters of Anna : : Karenina are the components that highlight the central theme of death. Death is : : entirely imminent throughout the novel by several references; Anna, Vronsky, : : Nikolai, and Karenin refer to death as a respite, as a source of comfort, and as a : : solution. : : As other alternatives slip their grasps, Anna and Karenin turn toward : : death. Anna is initially frightened and saddened by her dream where she is : : foretold to die during childbirth, but finds comfort and solace with the idea of : : dying. Her trouble would come to an end with the end of her life. She sees : : herself as the source of unhappiness to Karenin, Vronsky, and herself, thus, : : death would be the easy solution. Death would be her mercy. As Karenin : : discovers his wife’s grave condition after the childbirth, he looks toward Anna’s : : death with hope. This possible option would be beneficial for Karenin because : : there would be no need for a complicated divorce nor a tormenting life with his : : estranged wife. Karenin hopes for Anna’s death reflects his wish for an : : absolution and that all would be resolved, but his wish is not one based on : : vengeance. Although society has made it difficult for Karenin and Anna to cleanly : : divorce, the natural lulls of death appears as an inviting, simple remedy to erase : : their problems, but hoping for death is also the way of a coward for one is trying : : to shed oneself of all responsibility. : : Vronsky follows the path of Anna and Karenin to the alluring release that : : death provides, but simultaneously proves his cowardice. Vronsky’s attempt at : : suicide is an act that is shameful and degrading to his character. Vronsky was : : not able to handle the torment of his life nor act any solutions to the awkward : : situation amongst Anna, Karenin, and himself, hence, he finds suicide as an : : easier route. Though he sees himself with much potential as a man of the : : military, he does not exhibit the bravery of such a man. He instructs his friend to : : dispel the rumors that he has attempted suicide which is an indication of his : : shame. Whereas Anna and Karenin have pively sought death’s inviting arms, : : Vronsky has taken action. For Vronsky, there is no alternative but death. He : : cannot leave the woman he loves, and it is doubtful that he could challenge : : Karenin to a duel and act upon his own intentions. Even though suicide is the : : coward’s escape, it is an escape nonetheless. : : Nikolai, on the other hand, faces death with both hope and hesitation. It is : : a refuge for his tired, ill body, but is also an end for him. When Kitty attempts to : : restore his good health, Nikolai looks unto her with hope. He desires vitality, but : : also wants to die. Karenin, Vronksy, and Anna seek death for selfish reasons : : and to solve their own problems, yet Nikolai struggles with the end of his life in : : conflict between the agony of life and the finality of death. He feels he will be at : : peace when time comes for him to p away, but he also cherishes his time : : alive, especially with Levin. It is hard to decide what choice would be the better : : one since living and dying, to Nikolai, both have their attractive sides, but in the : : end he has no choice. : : Death, in this novel, has taken many forms. Death embodies hope, : : solution, desire, and cowardice. One would expect that man would fight against : : death and do all possible to ward it away from his being, yet, in Anna Karenina : : the characters welcome it. This reversal shows the desperation of the characters’ : : situations. They are in a place where they feel they have no alternative. Their true : : despair is uncloaked as each goes toward death. Death is their revealer.

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