More than Epilogue: Part Eight of ???Anna Karenina??? Revisited

The eighth and final part of Anna Karenina has been regarded idiosyncratic for the absence of the heroine and its heavily philosophical treatment of Levin's contemplations. Moreover, the anti-war sentiment toward the Russo-Turkish war ignited a heated discussion upon its publication. Against the background of these reservations, this paper aims at defending Part Eight by examining its critical role in the novel. Part Eight is not devoid of the eponymous heroine as her presence is as powerful as before, given the impact of her memory on Vronsky. Her legacy as the revengeful judge is finalized and hereby Anna's opposition to Levin is also finalized. Their contrast stands out in Levin's interior monologue, a counterpart to Anna's in Part Seven. Levin's monologue spells out what drives Anna to self-destruction, while Levin survives the tormenting doubts about life. Unlike Anna, Levin does not fall prey to the "swindling of reason." Along this line, the theme of war serves as a platform to disclose the hypocrisy pervasive in the society. In the end, it is significant that the final part of the novel ends in Levin's "family happiness," embracing individual, social and family dimensions, and thereby marking an appropriate finale to the novel dealing with happy as well as unhappy families.clos