Chapter 71
A small household accident starts the chapter: Agafea Mihalovna spr...
Early in June it happened that Agafea Mihalovna, the old nurse and housekeeper, in carrying to the cellar a jar of mushrooms she had just pickled, slipped, fell, and sprained her wrist. The district doctor, a talkative young medical student, who had just finished his studies, came to see her. He examined the wrist, said it was not broken, was delighted at a chance of talking to the celebrated Sergey Ivanovitch Koznishev, and to show his advanced views of things told him all the scandal of the district, complaining of the poor state into which the district council had fallen.…
Public-domain chapter text, formatted for reading.
Master this chapter. Complete your experience
Purchase the complete book to access all chapters and support classic literature
Available in paperback, hardcover, and e-book formats
Now let's explore the literary elements.
Key Quotes & Analysis
"He examined the wrist, said it was not broken, was delighted at a chance of talking to the celebrated Sergey Ivanovitch Koznishev, and to show his advanced views of things told him all the scandal of the district, complaining of the poor state into which the district council had fallen."
Context: The doctor shifts from treatment to politics at Levin's house.
Tolstoy shows how quickly practical care becomes status talk once an audience appears.
In Today's Words:
A routine checkup turns into a performance the moment an influential listener is in the room. Instead of stopping at Agafea Mihalovna's wrist, the doctor pivots to district scandal to display insight and ambition, the same move you see in meetings where people answer the task and then pitch their worldview.
"Words for him took away the beauty of what he saw."
Context: Levin listens to Sergey praising the woods during their drive.
Levin values direct perception over commentary, revealing a core split between the brothers.
In Today's Words:
Levin is not anti beauty, he is anti overexplaining. He experiences the woods more vividly when he is quiet and scanning real conditions, then feels the image collapse when it becomes a speech. Many people feel this at work when long framing talk replaces the plain facts in front of everyone.
"No, indeed, Konstantin Dmitrich! All we can do to keep our own! This is the second swarm that has flown away.... Luckily the lads caught them. They were ploughing your field. They unyoked the horses and galloped after them."
Context: Fomitch reports bee trouble while Levin crosses the meadow road.
The line grounds the chapter in seasonal risk, where losses are normal and recovery depends on quick collective action.
In Today's Words:
Fomitch speaks like someone living in constant operational reality: things drift, you scramble, and the day is saved by whoever reacts first. His matter of fact report about swarms and plowmen captures a practical culture where resilience is not a slogan but the routine of losing, adapting, and continuing.
"Even though one catches nothing, it’s nice. That’s the best thing about every part of sport, that one has to do with nature. How exquisite this steely water is!"
Context: Sergey urges Levin to linger at the river despite no fish.
Sergey treats the outing as contemplative leisure, unlike Levin's urgent planning mindset.
In Today's Words:
Sergey can enjoy the activity even when the result is zero, because the point for him is atmosphere and cultivated feeling. Levin cannot afford that posture in this moment, since labor and weather are pressing. The clash mirrors teams where one person values reflection while another is tracking deadlines and consequences.
Thematic Threads
Class
In This Chapter
Levin finds more authentic connection with his peasant workers than with aristocratic society
Development
Continues his struggle with social expectations versus personal values
In Your Life:
You might feel more comfortable with coworkers than management, or prefer practical people over those focused on status
Identity
In This Chapter
Physical labor reveals Levin's true self—someone who values honest work over social performance
Development
Building on his earlier discomfort in Moscow society
In Your Life:
You might discover your authentic self not through thinking but through doing what feels genuinely meaningful
Healing
In This Chapter
Sweat and exhaustion provide better medicine for heartbreak than brooding or social distractions
Development
Introduced here as Levin's coping mechanism
In Your Life:
You might find that working with your hands helps you process emotional pain better than talking it through
Purpose
In This Chapter
The rhythm of meaningful work restores Levin's sense of what matters in life
Development
Emerging as his core need for authentic engagement
In Your Life:
You might feel most yourself when doing work that has clear, immediate value rather than abstract or bureaucratic tasks
Connection
In This Chapter
Working alongside the peasants gives Levin genuine human fellowship without pretense
Development
Contrasts with his isolation in aristocratic circles
In Your Life:
You might find deeper friendships through shared work or common struggles than through social networking
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
What sets Sergey in an eager mood before the brothers drive to the meadow?
analysis • surfaceOne way to read it
The district doctor treats Agafea Mihalovna and then launches into political scandal, which gives Sergey a fresh audience and revives his debating energy.
- 2
Why does Levin inwardly resist Sergey's descriptions of the woods and river?
analysis • mediumOne way to read it
Levin feels that language can flatten direct perception, and he is preoccupied with immediate farm judgments about carts, grass, and mowing timing.
- 3
Where in your own work do you see the same split between elegant talk and operational urgency?
application • mediumOne way to read it
One common example is long planning meetings where everyone refines framing while deadlines approach. The chapter suggests naming one concrete next step before discussion expands.
- 4
How does the exchange with Fomitch about bees and mowing sharpen the chapter's core tension?
application • deepOne way to read it
Fomitch speaks from practical risk management: swarms escape, people react, weather decides outcomes. That grounding makes Sergey's reflective mood feel even farther from Levin's responsibility to act.
- 5
What is Levin actually choosing at the end when he answers, "I don't know the riddle," wearily?
reflection • deepOne way to read it
He is choosing labor over lyrical conversation and accepting that his duty now is preparation, not interpretation. The weariness marks a limit he sets on talk.
Critical Thinking Exercise
Design Your Healing Toolkit
Create a personal action plan for the next time you face major disappointment or rejection. List three types of meaningful physical work or activities you could turn to, explaining why each one would help you reconnect with your values and rebuild your sense of worth. Consider what's actually available to you - your skills, your schedule, your resources.
Consider:
- •Choose activities that align with your personal values, not what others expect
- •Think about work that engages your body and gives your mind space to process
- •Consider how each activity might help you remember your strengths and capabilities
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when physical work or activity helped you get through a difficult period. What made that particular work healing for you? How did it change your perspective on the situation you were facing?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 72
While Levin finds peace in the fields, the drama in Moscow continues to unfold. Anna and Vronsky's dangerous attraction is about to reach a turning point that will change everything.
