Anna Karenina/Quotes

Anna Karenina

 * I was eighteen when I got married, but it was not love.
 * I am not ashamed of who I am or what I've done. Are you ashamed for me?
 * Oh, God! Oh, forgive me! It's the end of everything. I've got nothing left except you, remember that.

Alexi Karenin

 * I consider jealousy to be insulting to you and degrading to me. I have no right to inquire into your feelings. They concern only your conscience. But it's my duty to remind you we are bound together by God, and this bond can only be broken by a crime against God.


 * I will not have a scandal. Therefore... You will not see... this man again. You will behave in such a way that nothing is known against you, by society or by the servants. In return, you will keep the privileges of a wife — and the duties.


 * It would be a sin to help you destroy yourself.

Other

 * Countess Lydia: Your husband is a saint and we must all cherish him for Russia's sake.


 * Countess Nordston: Anna isn't a criminal, but she broke the rules!


 * Levin: Sensual desire indulged for its own sake is the misuse of something sacred.

Dialogue

 * Anna: It's the first time I've left my little boy.
 * Countess Vronsky: So you are leaving your son and I am returning to mine. I am Countess Vronsky. I've been in St. Petersburg for the christening of a granddaughter — my elder son married Princess Chirkov. You're a charming creature. Why don't I know you?
 * Anna: I've never been in Moscow society, really.
 * Countess Vronsky: But you know my name?
 * Anna: I've heard you mentioned.
 * Countess Vronsky: Talked about, you mean. Ah, love!
 * Anna: Was it love?
 * Countess Vronsky: Always. My sons are ashamed of me. But I'd rather end up wishing I hadn't than end up wishing I had — wouldn't you?


 * Kitty: Look at me! I'm receiving for Papa and Maman who are late to dress. It’s my first reception.
 * Levin: Princess Ekaterina! Delighted, delighted!
 * Kitty: [formal] I'm so pleased you were able to be with us, Konstantin Dmitrich!
 * Levin: Kitty... you look... you look...
 * Kitty: Stiva told us you were back. How long are you staying?
 * Levin: I don't know. It depends on you.
 * Kitty: On me?
 * Levin: What I mean to say— I came with only one purpose— I want to— will you be my wife? I’m sorry— sorry— wrong moment— but will you?
 * Kitty: I can't. I'm sorry.
 * Levin: Yes. It was impossible.


 * Dolly: Kitty's coming by to see you. She's all grown-up, and a bit frightened of you — the belle of St. Petersburg society!
 * Anna: Is that who I am? Dolly... Stiva has told me. [Dolly bursts into tears. Anna embraces her.] Dolly, I'm so sorry from the bottom of my heart.
 * Dolly: I don't know what to do.
 * Anna: I know, I know.
 * Dolly: I can't bear to be with him. And he doesn't care, he's got what he wants.
 * Anna: What he wants is you. He loves you, Dolly. You and the children are everything to him.
 * Dolly: Are we? And there is room for a governess?
 * Anna: That was shameful, disgraceful. But it was not love. It was the animal in man, not the soul. Stiva's remorse is from the soul.
 * Dolly: What about me? Does his remorse make it easier for me?
 * Anna: I know you are suffering. But, Dolly, you must tell me... is there enough love left in your heart... enough to forgive him?
 * Dolly: When I think of them together, I can't forgive him, no!
 * Anna: My poor lamb. So you'd rather accept your fate...
 * Dolly: My fate? But I haven't done anything! It’s him who's—
 * Anna: Do you love him, Dolly? [Dolly nods tearfully.] You love him, and he loves you, but you can't forgive, so your lives must continue like this forever, with both of you wretched.


 * Vronsky: Dance with me.
 * Anna: I am not used to being spoken to like that by a man I met once at a railway station.
 * Vronsky: I dare say, but if I'm not to dance with you, I'm getting out of this operetta and going home.
 * Anna: Then, for Kitty’s sake.


 * Vronsky: Can I be of service to you?
 * Anna: Why are you leaving Moscow?
 * Vronsky: What else can I do? I have to be where you are.
 * Anna: Stop that's enough. Go back to Kitty.
 * Vronsky: No
 * Anna: This is wrong
 * Vronsky: It makes no difference
 * Anna: You have no right
 * Vronsky: It makes no difference
 * Anna: You must forget me, if you are a good man you'll forget everything
 * Vronsky: And you, will you forget?
 * Anna: Yes


 * Lisa Merkalova: Now, there's a phenomenon, look — Anna's shadow has arrived before Anna!
 * Anna's Friend: I'm Anna's friend... but this making up one's mind to it in public is not polite to a distinguished man like Karenin.
 * Princess Myagkaya: In my opinion Karenin is a fool, and Anna is the best of us.
 * Lisa Merkalova: And we all love you for your contrary opinions, Princess.


 * Vronsky: Were you glad to see me or not?
 * Anna: This must stop. You make me feel as if I were guilty of something.
 * Vronsky: What do you want me to do?
 * Anna: I want you to go to Moscow and beg Kitty to forgive you.
 * Vronsky: No, that's not what you want. Moscow? I can do better than that. Tonight I refused a posting to Tashkent. I can change my mind, and you'll never see me again.
 * Anna: If you have any thought for me, you will give me back my peace.
 * Vronsky: I have no peace to give. There can be no peace for us— only misery or the greatest happiness.


 * Karenin: I stayed up to talk to you.
 * Anna: What about? It's late. Where's Annushka?
 * Karenin: I sent her off.
 * Anna: Well, if you want to talk, but we should go to bed.
 * Karenin: I must warn you of something.
 * Anna: Warn me? Oh, it's really rather late.
 * Karenin: I wish to warn you that you may inadvertently, by indiscretion and carelessness, give the world occasion to talk about you.
 * Anna: I'm not a committee. Please say what you want to tell me.
 * Karenin: You and Count Vronsky attracted attention tonight.
 * Anna: Oh, you don't like it when I don't talk to people, and you don't like it when I do.
 * Karenin: I didn't notice anything, myself. But I saw that everyone else noticed. I consider jealousy to be insulting to you and degrading to me. I have no right to inquire into your feelings. They concern only your conscience. But it's my duty to remind you that we are bound together by God, and this bond can only be broken by a crime against God.
 * Anna: I have nothing to say to you.
 * Karenin: And you have a son.
 * Anna: And I'm tired.
 * Karenin: If I am wrong, I ask your pardon.
 * Anna: I don't know what you're talking about, and it's really too late for this. Excuse me, please.


 * Oblonsky: Ah— potage aux choux a la Russe! [Agafia comes in with the roast fowl.] Agafia!— if you opened up in Moscow, l'Angleterre would go out of business. Do you want news of Moscow?
 * Levin: Of Babylon? No.
 * Oblonsky: You're right, what do you care? You love the country— you've got it. You love agriculturing, and, Lord knows, you've got it. You love shooting— you’ve got it. You've got everything you want!
 * Levin: All right, go on, then. Have you stopped stealing bread rolls?
 * Oblonsky: Ballet girl, oriental type. How can I help it?
 * Levin: So, nothing new to tell me. How is— how are the Shcherbatskys?
 * Oblonsky: You mean Kitty.
 * Levin: I... Is she engaged now?
 * Oblonsky: No. Vronsky went back to St. Petersburg.
 * Oblonsky: Kitty will be at Ergoshovo visiting Dolly in the summer. You could...
 * Levin: Oh yes, as if I had time in the summer! And I've got extra land this year at Kashin for the haymaking.
 * Oblonsky: Kashin? That’s on the Ergoshovo road, isn't it? Won't you call when Kitty is there?
 * Levin: Especially not then. I humiliated myself once.
 * Oblonsky: Damn you, Kostya, you love Kitty and you can't forgive her because, first, you funked it, then you bungled it, then you ran away from an eighteen-year-old girl who was made a fool of by a uniform. It's Kitty I'm sorry for— not you!
 * Levin: Her heart told her no. Did you come to shoot snipe or criticize me?


 * Anna: I want you to. I don't care about it.
 * Vronsky: You should care. Anyway, someone might be watching.
 * Anna: But I'm damned anyway.
 * Vronsky: I'm not. I’m blessed.
 * [Anna pushes him onto his back and straddles him.]
 * Anna: You love me.
 * Vronsky: Yes.
 * Anna: Only me.
 * Vronsky: No.
 * Anna: Apart from Frou-Frou.
 * Vronsky: Yes.
 * Anna: But me more than your horse?
 * Vronsky: Yes.
 * Anna: Are you happy?
 * Vronsky: Yes.
 * Anna: And you love me?
 * Vronsky: Yes.
 * Anna: How much?
 * Vronsky: This much.
 * Anna: This much?
 * Vronsky: Yes.
 * Anna: This much?
 * Vronsky: Yes.
 * Anna: This much?
 * Vronsky: Yes.
 * Anna: This much? And this much? And this much?
 * Vronsky: Yes.
 * Anna: And... this... much ...? So this is love. This.