Idle Minds and Wagging Tongues: Conversation in Anna Karenina :: Essays Papers

Idle Minds and Wagging Tongues parley in Anna K arninaPerhaps one of the most striking scenes in Anna Karenina is that of kitten and Levins silent declarations of love to each other, etched out enigmatically in chalk on a card table, with each disposition innately the exact words the other was saying (362). With the relationship amongst Kitty and Levin serving as Tolstoys model for a severe and successful love, it appears odd that such a relationship should be founded on silence, and in such sharp contrast to the chatter of Society ring the couple at the party. How then are we to understand the significance of converse in the novel, if the most sincere relationships and understandings are not founded upon dialogue, but on unspoken knowledge? Entire subplots and themes are conveyed through conversations between the charactersthe crank problem and farm management, religion, marriage and faithfulness. Everyone is trying to grasp what a costly life is, but the ideas expressed in conversation, however, appear quite lots to contradict some(prenominal) the inner monologue of the characters and their actions, or fall pathetically short of expressing the power of the feelings of characters. For most of the characters, neither Society banter nor expert discourse does justice to their real passions, and even personal exchanges are steeped in insincerity. Unless they find a means to express their passions some other way, they are doomed to a life of dissatisfaction at best, or a sad end at worst.Within the opening conflict of the novelStivas affair with the French governess and his wifes reaction when learning of itTolstoy source presents this tension between honesty and speech. Before Dolly and Oblonskys exchanges, Tolstoy interposes a short confrontation between Oblonsky and his son, Grisha. Oblonsky is conscious of not caring as much for the boy as for the girl, but does his best to treat them both alike (7). Although he says, Good morning to Grisha, Obl onskys words are insufficient to mask his inner feelings, and his actions betray him through a iciness smile (7). Grisha, significantly, does not reply. To reply with some pleasantness would be to claim that Oblonsky was sincere in his greeting, and Grisha is too nave to use speech to do anything but to tell the truth. Short of accusing his father of not lovable him, which he is already old enough to understand would be wholly inappropriate, he can only remain silent.