Chapter 201
After guests leave Anna walks the room rather than sitting
After taking leave of her guests, Anna did not sit down, but began walking up and down the room. She had unconsciously the whole evening done her utmost to arouse in Levin a feeling of love—as of late she had fallen into doing with all young men—and she knew she had attained her aim, as far as was possible in one evening, with a married and conscientious man. She liked him indeed extremely, and, in spite of the striking difference, from the masculine point of view, between Vronsky and Levin, as a woman she saw something they had in common,…
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Now let's explore the literary elements.
Key Quotes & Analysis
"arouse in Levin a feeling of love"
Context: Anna's unconscious aim throughout Levin's visit
Jealousy tool.
In Today's Words:
Anna had done her utmost to arouse in Levin a feeling of love as lately with all young men, knowing she attained aim with Levin. Tolstoy reveals Anna as active in jealousy game. Unconsciously softens cruelty yet strategy remains. Levin's won over state becomes weapon against Vronsky.
"how I feel on the brink of calamity, how afraid I am of myself"
Context: Words that won victory over Vronsky earlier
One-use weapon.
In Today's Words:
Anna remembers these words gave victory and saw weapon dangerous, could not be used second time. Tolstoy marks limit of self-dramatizing plea. Calamity and afraid of myself move Vronsky once. Repetition would dull power. Calamity and afraid of myself worked once on Vronsky because fresh fear moves lovers, but repetition would expose manipulation and dull the plea.
"some evil spirit of strife"
Context: Between Anna and Vronsky after Levin evening
Rivalry lodged.
In Today's Words:
The narrator says beside love grew some evil spirit of strife she could not exorcise from his heart or hers. Tolstoy names persistent fight beyond affection. Spirit suggests possession not argument. Levin visit fed strife. Strife beside love suggests their bond now includes combat neither can banish by affection alone after Levin's visit.
"could not be used a second time."
Context: About brink of calamity phrase with Vronsky
Weapon spent.
In Today's Words:
Anna thought calamity words could not be used a second time after Vronsky seemed to regret surrender. Tolstoy shows Anna calculating emotional arsenal. One-time weapons define desperate intimacy. She must find new tactics like Levin love. Knowing the phrase cannot be used twice forces Anna toward new tactics like arousing respectable men's feelings to reclaim Vronsky's attention.
Thematic Threads
Jealousy agency
In This Chapter
Anna uses Levin.
Development
Escalates Anna-Vronsky crisis.
In Your Life:
Provoking admiration can harm three people.
One-time weapons
In This Chapter
Calamity phrase spent.
Development
Forces new manipulation.
In Your Life:
Dramatic pleas lose power when repeated.
Strife spirit
In This Chapter
Cannot exorcise from hearts.
Development
Foreshadows tragedy.
In Your Life:
Some fights persist inside love.
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
This is not a test. Five prompts guide you through the chapter, from how it opens to how it closes, so you notice context and rhythm rather than facts to memorize. Sit with each question in your own words. When you see "One way to read it," treat it as a starting point, not the only answer.
- 1
Why does Anna arouse Levin's love?
analysis • surfaceOne way to read it
Lately she falls into doing so with young men to feel desired and to affect Vronsky through jealousy.
- 2
What are calamity words?
analysis • mediumOne way to read it
How I feel on the brink of calamity, how afraid I am of myself, which moved Vronsky once but cannot repeat.
- 3
What is evil spirit of strife?
application • mediumOne way to read it
Persistent rivalry between Anna and Vronsky that grows beside love and she cannot remove from either heart.
- 4
Is Anna conscious or not?
application • deepOne way to read it
Narrator says unconsciously yet she tracks weapons and aims, mixing genuine fear with calculated effect.
- 5
When have you seen jealousy use a third person?
reflection • deepOne way to read it
The Levin prop pattern names triangulation that poisons more than it heals.
Critical Thinking Exercise
Anna's Two Weapons
Contrast Levin love arousal and calamity phrase limits; note strife spirit.
Consider:
- •Include arouse feeling of love
- •Include brink of calamity
- •Include evil spirit of strife
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time affection and fighting coexisted and could not be separated.
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 202
Anna's jealousy and Levin's Moscow drift will keep converging toward crisis. There are no conditions to which a man cannot become used, especially when everyone around lives the same way. Levin could not have believed he would sleep quietly after drinking at the club, forming inappropriately friendly relations with Vronsky, and calling on a woman who could only be called a lost woman, yet.
