This is an insane thought. It’s not uncommon to see a beloved, beautiful woman become the envy of St. Petersburg. Anna Karenina’s suicide is not something that happened by chance. The novel’s final chapters show Anna’s mental decline leading to her untimely demise. The question then becomes how could a woman with such a history of mental illness be able to have such vengeful, angry thoughts and subsequent actions? Although these thoughts weren’t directed at her, they were the last straw that led to her death. It is difficult to determine the origin of these thoughts or feelings, but it is possible to speculate. Anna Karenina (Leo Tolstoy): The scene where Anna almost dies in labor marks a turning-point in Anna’s mental health. This eventually led to her untimely passing.
People’s first impressions, rather than after her near-death experience with Annie, show Anna’s decline in mental health. Anna was a loving, kind woman, highly respected by all who had the opportunity to meet her before this tragic event. Part I sees Anna meeting Countess Vronsky. In Part I she says that “As a old woman all I can say is that I’m in love with” (Tolstoy 75). This is a great example of how easy it is to fall in love with the charming personality Anna had before her near death experience. Anna still inspires a lot of people to love her even though they have never met her before Annie. They also learn more about the tortured and emotional state of Anna. Part VII shows Levin thinking, right after she meets Anna, “What beautiful, sweet, pathetic women (Tolstoy 859)”. This clearly indicates that Anna is now unable to control her emotions and can be felt in her daily life. Anna’s inner turmoil was evident in her changing opinions about Annie and her relationship with Vronsky. Anna and Vronsky loved their relationship more than the pregnancy. They were inseparable and shared their love with no one. Part II features Anna and Karenin on their return from horse racing. Anna admits, “I listen to you and think about him.” I love him. He is my mistress. After they had sex, Anna shows her extreme devotion to Vronsky. Their relationship may appear to be lasting a lifetime because they were purely in love. However, this is far from the truth. Anna gives life to Annie after giving birth. His perception of their relationship changes as well. Vronsky discovers that Anna was totally different after her near-death experience. She had experienced moral and physical changes that were both devastating to her character” (Tolstoy 431). Vronsky clearly sees the changes Anna has made. He doesn’t like the person she is becoming. Vronsky says that she has been feeling jealousy lately, and that even though he tried his best to hide it they made her feel more distant from him. This clearly shows Vronsky is now more open to Anna’s mental health and has begun to change his feelings towards her. Anna and Vronsky now have a relationship that isn’t centered on their love, but rather their problems with one another. Vronsky will continue to suffer until Anna commits suicide to exact revenge on Vronsky. Anna and Vronsky changed their relationship after Annie was born. It is a reflection of Anna’s mental illness after the near-death experience.
Anna Karenina’s suicide story is an important topic. One theory is that Anna’s emotional break that caused her suicide was predicated on her watching the death of a peasant in Part I. While the event may have had an emotional impact, it seems that the idea for this was formulated much sooner than she realized when the freight train arrived at the station in part VII. Her mental decline after her near-death experience after having her daughter shows that she did not commit suicide rashly. She jumped under the train out of anger and revenge after seeing death in her face. Anna Karenina, a film by Leo Tolstoy. Anna’s near-death in labor causes her mental decline, which eventually leads her to untimely death.
