Anna Karenina is perhaps most famous for its opening line: “All happy families are alike, each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way” (1). The work opens with Stiva and Dolly’s marriage in such disarray even their servants are weighing in, and some have quit in protest. Dolly frequently contemplates leaving her husband, but recognizes her financial dependence and logistical obstacles: Her parents are her only possible refuge, and she has many children. But, Tolstoy notes, “deceiving herself, she kept choosing things and pretending she was going to leave” (10). Anna reconciles the pair, assuring Dolly her brother is contrite. But, even before this, Dolly herself knows she has little power to truly alter her life. Though unhappily married, Anna emerges as a savior of domesticity, and the friendship between the two women that emerges from this moment remains deeply significant for both. Dolly is somewhat haunted and embittered by the infidelity, while Stiva is perpetually cheerful. The dynamic between them emphasizes Dolly’s dependence: She cannot even be certain her children will have winter coats because of her husband’s debts and profligate spending.

Anna initially views her pursuit of Vronsky as a kind of freedom, even as she understands how precarious it will make her life.