Anna Karenina: Part 4, Chapter 4
The recap, key beats, and evidence for Part 4, Chapter 4, without reopening the whole book.
Section recap · 1 min read
What happens in Part 4, Chapter 4.
Oblonsky visits Karenin again and pushes him toward granting Anna a divorce. Karenin, who had experienced genuine forgiveness, is now retreating back into formality and wounded pride. He is influenced by a society figure, Countess Lydia Ivanovna, who encourages him to see himself as the wronged party and to refuse any concessions. The chapter shows how quickly Karenin's moment of grace gets swallowed by his social environment and his own need for self-justification.
The beats worth remembering.
Oblonsky pushes for divorce
Oblonsky comes to Karenin hoping to negotiate a divorce that would free Anna to be with Vronsky, but Karenin is no longer in the forgiving mood of the sickroom.
Countess Lydia Ivanovna's influence
Lydia Ivanovna, a pious and socially powerful woman who has attached herself to Karenin, reinforces his sense of victimhood and steers him away from any generous settlement.
Karenin refuses to grant the divorce
By the end of the chapter, Karenin decides not to give Anna the divorce. His reasons are mixed: genuine hurt, pride, and Lydia Ivanovna's manipulation all play a part.
The moments you can actually use later.
Lydia Ivanovna steering Karenin
Countess Lydia Ivanovna frames Karenin as a Christian martyr wronged by an immoral wife, and Karenin accepts this framing, which makes generosity toward Anna feel like weakness.
Oblonsky's second failed mission
Oblonsky leaves without the divorce agreement he came for, making it clear that the window of reconciliation or clean separation has closed.
What to carry forward.
Social influence overrides personal feeling
Karenin's forgiveness was real, but it couldn't survive contact with his social circle. Lydia Ivanovna's role shows how much Karenin's decisions are shaped by those around him.
The divorce refusal drives the plot forward
By refusing to let Anna go legally, Karenin traps her in a limbo that will define the rest of her life. This decision is the hinge on which Anna's fate turns.
Ask about this chapter
Keep the question locked to Part 4, Chapter 4 instead of the whole book.
How this guide is built
This guide is built from the original text to help you get oriented fast. It is designed for recall, paper planning, and getting unstuck, but it is still a paraphrased guide, not a substitute for the reading itself. Double-check anything important before you turn in formal work.