I finished my first Russian classic, Anna Karenina. As someone remarked earlier on this blog, this novel is not mainly about Anna Karenina. I decided to read it on the advice of a Russian friend who thought it would educate me on the realities of man-woman interaction. Err... yes... ;)
Kindness always moves me, and what remains with me at the end of the story is the humaneness that permeates Levin, his own spiritual journey, his awakening to his place in the world. Such a lovable man.
And about Anna: "The candle, by the light of which she had been reading that book filled with anxieties, deceptions, grief, and evil, flared up with a brighter light, lit up for her all that had before been dark, crackled, began to flicker, and went out forever."
Tolstoy's translation of intangible thoughts and passions into words brought me back to my first reading of Vikram Seth, a contemporary match to any classic. It's delightful!
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Bordeaux-based, via Moscow, Mauritius, Cambridge, Montreal, and Toronto, with some Indian and French thrown into the mix. Amusing musings, givings and misgivings... Your comments are most welcome. Please be kind enough to identify yourself.
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2 comments:
There are Hollywood films that employ cheap tricks, such as car chases, special effects and nudity, but still have a solid message to deliver. It is understood that the 'cheap tricks' are there to make the masses watch the film and generate revenue. The message remains there for the interested to grasp.
Sometimes I feel that Tolstoi put Anna with all her beauty, lust and rebellion on the cover page simply to make sure that the lesser mortals read the novel. No too many people would pickup and read something titled "The Spiritual Journey of Constantine Levine". Tolstoi was in love with Levine, but he could not write a book explicitly about him. Something scandalous was necessary to ensure the popularity of the novel. I guess Tolstoi was good at Marketing, after all.
Yes, I guess he was. I wonder what hides behind "War and Peace". But for now I've jsut started Orwell's "1984", which is already proving to be an eyebrow-raiser!
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