Analysis of Theme Through The Protagonist's Conflicts in Leo Tolstoy's 'Anna Karenina'.
ABSTRACT
Tugas akhir ini disusun untuk memenuhi persyaratan kelulusan di Jurusan
sastra Inggris, Fakults Sastra, Universitas Kristen Maranatha.
Dalam tugas akhir ini, saya memilih novel karya Leo Tolstoy yang
berjudul Anna Karenina untuk dianalisis.
Melalui karya ini, Leo Tolstoy menggambarkan kehidupan seorang tokoh
wanita kelas atas, Anna Karenina, yang telah mempunyai suami dan seorang
anak, tetapi terlibat hubungan terlarang dengan seorang pria, Count Vronsky.
Kisah percintaan dimulai pada pertemuan-pertemuan yang membuat mereka
semakin dekat dan akhirnya saling jatuh cinta.
Buku ini mengisahkan tentang bagaimana seorang wanita berjuang untuk
cintanya untuk mendapatkan kebahagian, karena selama dia berkeluarga dengan
Karenin, dia hanya merasakan kebahagiaan semu, yakni kecukupan materi tanpa
rasa cinta. Konflik-konflik pun bermunculan seiring dengan perjalanan cintanya,
baik konflik dengan dirinya sendiri maupun konflik dengan orang lain.
Kisah ini berakhir dengan kematian tokoh utama setelah ia berjuang dan
mengorbankan apa yang dia miliki selama ini. Usahanya untuk mendapatkan
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kebahagiaan dalam cintanya terhalang oleh norma-norma masyarakat yang
berlaku pada jaman itu.
Kesungguhan hatinya dalam mempertahankan cintanya tidak cukup untuk
merubah pandangan masyarakat sehingga akhirnya dia mengalami depresi dan
melakukan bunuh diri dengan cara melemparkan dirinya saat kereta api sedang
melaju dengan kencang.
Melalui konflik batin maupun konflik sosial yang dialami tokoh utama
dari novel ini, Leo Tolstoy mengungkapkan tema bahwa kita tidak akan bahagia
bila kita tidak menyesuaikan diri dengan norma-norma yang ada di masyarakat.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS …………...……………………………………
i
TABLE OF CONTENTS …………………………………………………..
ii
ABSTRACT ………………………………………………………………….
iii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study ……………………………………………...
Statement of the Problem …………………………………………......
Purpose of the Study …………………………………………………..
Method of Research …………………………………………................
Organization of the Thesis ………………………………………….....
1
2
3
3
3
CHAPTER
TWO:
ANALYSIS OF THEME THROUGH THE
PROTAGONISTS’
CONFLICTS
IN
LEO
TOLSTOY’S ANNA KARENINA ………………….
4
CHAPTER THREE: CONCLUSION……………………………………....
15
BIBLIOGRAPHY ……………………………………………………………
18
APPENDICES:
Synopsis of Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina ……………….…………...
Biography of Leo Tolstoy… …………………………………….……
19
21
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APPENDICES
SYPNOSIS OF ANNA KARENINA
The story begins in Oblonsky’s family; Dolly has discovered that her husband has
an affair with their children’s former Governess. Oblonsky writes to his sister, Anna
Karenina, to ask her to come to Moscow and help him to solve the problem. Ironically,
her arrival is the beginning of her own problem, instead of helping to fix the marriage
problem of Oblonsky and Dolly.
Anna’s first meeting with Vronsky at the railway station makes both Anna and
Vronsky unable to stop thinking about each other. Consequently, it brings them to have
forbidden love. Unconsciously, their love grows and Vronsky wants to be with and even
marry her. Being aware of the love affair, Alexis Karenin warns his wife, Anna, when he
meets her together with Vronsky in a ball. Anna by now feels guilty and sinful, yet deep
in her heart she cannot get rid of her passion for Vronsky.
One day, Anna announces that she is pregnant. Hearing the news, Vronsky asks
Anna to leave her husband. However, Anna faces a dilemma, whether she should follow
her true love and face social judgment or maintain her husband and her son, Seryozha.
When Anna survives after giving birth to a baby girl, Vronsky tries to shoot
himself but fails. Anna and Vronsky later leave Russia and stay in Italy for some time.
After Anna and Vronsky return to St. Petersburg, people gossip everywhere. The couple
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often argues and in her depression, Anna finally accuses Vronsky of being unfaithful to
her. Anna feels lonely in her life. She blames Vronsky because she has sacrificed herself
for him, but Vronsky does not appreciate her effort. She has ruined her marriage, her
relationship with her son, as well as her social position.
Her life that is full of bitterness gives her no place to turn to. She cannot decide
whether to stay with Vronsky or to return to her husband. Being unable to solve the
problems, she goes to the railway station. Standing on the platform and watching the train
pass, she decides to commit suicide by jumping into the coming train. In this case, she
feels she has punished Karenin, Vronsky and herself and escaped from the bitter reality
of life.
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BIOGRAPHY OF LEO TOLSTOY
Count Leo Nikolayevich Tolstoy was born on 28 August, 1928 at Yasnaya
Polyana, his father’s estate in Tula Province, about two hundred miles from Moscow.
Both his parents belonged to the Russian nobility. His mother died when he was two
years old and his father died when he was nine. Tolstoy served in the army in the
Caucasus and the Crimea. After leaving the army, he travelled and studied educational
theories. While in the service, Tolstoy wrote Childhood, a short, semi-autobiographical
novel. This was well received, and he continued to write other stories after he had left
the army.
He and Sophie Behrs were married in 1862 and had 13 children. For the next 15
years Tolstoy lived as a farmer and a gentleman and devoted himself to writing. War and
Peace was written from 1864 to 1869 and Anna Karenina in 1873-1876. Tolstoy went
through a serious spiritual crisis; afterwards, he wrote his autobiography entitled A
Confession. Other works from this time are What Then Must We Do? and The Kingdom
of God is Within You. His relationship with his wife became strained because of his new
beliefs and fame as a pacifist. In 1910, he left home at the age of 82 and died of
pneumonia at a local railway station.
Tolstoy’s writings have influenced much of the twentieth-century literature, and
his ethical and religious works have influenced the beliefs of many spiritual and political
leaders. In addition to his famous novels, Tolstoy has written many plays, stories and
sketches, autobiographical and educational works, ethical and religious books and essays,
and social and political essays.
Maranatha Christian University
Tugas akhir ini disusun untuk memenuhi persyaratan kelulusan di Jurusan
sastra Inggris, Fakults Sastra, Universitas Kristen Maranatha.
Dalam tugas akhir ini, saya memilih novel karya Leo Tolstoy yang
berjudul Anna Karenina untuk dianalisis.
Melalui karya ini, Leo Tolstoy menggambarkan kehidupan seorang tokoh
wanita kelas atas, Anna Karenina, yang telah mempunyai suami dan seorang
anak, tetapi terlibat hubungan terlarang dengan seorang pria, Count Vronsky.
Kisah percintaan dimulai pada pertemuan-pertemuan yang membuat mereka
semakin dekat dan akhirnya saling jatuh cinta.
Buku ini mengisahkan tentang bagaimana seorang wanita berjuang untuk
cintanya untuk mendapatkan kebahagian, karena selama dia berkeluarga dengan
Karenin, dia hanya merasakan kebahagiaan semu, yakni kecukupan materi tanpa
rasa cinta. Konflik-konflik pun bermunculan seiring dengan perjalanan cintanya,
baik konflik dengan dirinya sendiri maupun konflik dengan orang lain.
Kisah ini berakhir dengan kematian tokoh utama setelah ia berjuang dan
mengorbankan apa yang dia miliki selama ini. Usahanya untuk mendapatkan
Maranatha Christian University
kebahagiaan dalam cintanya terhalang oleh norma-norma masyarakat yang
berlaku pada jaman itu.
Kesungguhan hatinya dalam mempertahankan cintanya tidak cukup untuk
merubah pandangan masyarakat sehingga akhirnya dia mengalami depresi dan
melakukan bunuh diri dengan cara melemparkan dirinya saat kereta api sedang
melaju dengan kencang.
Melalui konflik batin maupun konflik sosial yang dialami tokoh utama
dari novel ini, Leo Tolstoy mengungkapkan tema bahwa kita tidak akan bahagia
bila kita tidak menyesuaikan diri dengan norma-norma yang ada di masyarakat.
Maranatha Christian University
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS …………...……………………………………
i
TABLE OF CONTENTS …………………………………………………..
ii
ABSTRACT ………………………………………………………………….
iii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study ……………………………………………...
Statement of the Problem …………………………………………......
Purpose of the Study …………………………………………………..
Method of Research …………………………………………................
Organization of the Thesis ………………………………………….....
1
2
3
3
3
CHAPTER
TWO:
ANALYSIS OF THEME THROUGH THE
PROTAGONISTS’
CONFLICTS
IN
LEO
TOLSTOY’S ANNA KARENINA ………………….
4
CHAPTER THREE: CONCLUSION……………………………………....
15
BIBLIOGRAPHY ……………………………………………………………
18
APPENDICES:
Synopsis of Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina ……………….…………...
Biography of Leo Tolstoy… …………………………………….……
19
21
Maranatha Christian University
APPENDICES
SYPNOSIS OF ANNA KARENINA
The story begins in Oblonsky’s family; Dolly has discovered that her husband has
an affair with their children’s former Governess. Oblonsky writes to his sister, Anna
Karenina, to ask her to come to Moscow and help him to solve the problem. Ironically,
her arrival is the beginning of her own problem, instead of helping to fix the marriage
problem of Oblonsky and Dolly.
Anna’s first meeting with Vronsky at the railway station makes both Anna and
Vronsky unable to stop thinking about each other. Consequently, it brings them to have
forbidden love. Unconsciously, their love grows and Vronsky wants to be with and even
marry her. Being aware of the love affair, Alexis Karenin warns his wife, Anna, when he
meets her together with Vronsky in a ball. Anna by now feels guilty and sinful, yet deep
in her heart she cannot get rid of her passion for Vronsky.
One day, Anna announces that she is pregnant. Hearing the news, Vronsky asks
Anna to leave her husband. However, Anna faces a dilemma, whether she should follow
her true love and face social judgment or maintain her husband and her son, Seryozha.
When Anna survives after giving birth to a baby girl, Vronsky tries to shoot
himself but fails. Anna and Vronsky later leave Russia and stay in Italy for some time.
After Anna and Vronsky return to St. Petersburg, people gossip everywhere. The couple
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often argues and in her depression, Anna finally accuses Vronsky of being unfaithful to
her. Anna feels lonely in her life. She blames Vronsky because she has sacrificed herself
for him, but Vronsky does not appreciate her effort. She has ruined her marriage, her
relationship with her son, as well as her social position.
Her life that is full of bitterness gives her no place to turn to. She cannot decide
whether to stay with Vronsky or to return to her husband. Being unable to solve the
problems, she goes to the railway station. Standing on the platform and watching the train
pass, she decides to commit suicide by jumping into the coming train. In this case, she
feels she has punished Karenin, Vronsky and herself and escaped from the bitter reality
of life.
Maranatha Christian University
BIOGRAPHY OF LEO TOLSTOY
Count Leo Nikolayevich Tolstoy was born on 28 August, 1928 at Yasnaya
Polyana, his father’s estate in Tula Province, about two hundred miles from Moscow.
Both his parents belonged to the Russian nobility. His mother died when he was two
years old and his father died when he was nine. Tolstoy served in the army in the
Caucasus and the Crimea. After leaving the army, he travelled and studied educational
theories. While in the service, Tolstoy wrote Childhood, a short, semi-autobiographical
novel. This was well received, and he continued to write other stories after he had left
the army.
He and Sophie Behrs were married in 1862 and had 13 children. For the next 15
years Tolstoy lived as a farmer and a gentleman and devoted himself to writing. War and
Peace was written from 1864 to 1869 and Anna Karenina in 1873-1876. Tolstoy went
through a serious spiritual crisis; afterwards, he wrote his autobiography entitled A
Confession. Other works from this time are What Then Must We Do? and The Kingdom
of God is Within You. His relationship with his wife became strained because of his new
beliefs and fame as a pacifist. In 1910, he left home at the age of 82 and died of
pneumonia at a local railway station.
Tolstoy’s writings have influenced much of the twentieth-century literature, and
his ethical and religious works have influenced the beliefs of many spiritual and political
leaders. In addition to his famous novels, Tolstoy has written many plays, stories and
sketches, autobiographical and educational works, ethical and religious books and essays,
and social and political essays.
Maranatha Christian University