n direct conflict with the rigid societal norms of 19th-century Russia. Adultery is treated as a grave offense for women, while men like Oblonsky face minimal consequences for similar actions. Anna's fall from grace illustrates the double standards of her society.

She is humiliated publicly at the opera. Once the center of attention and admiration, Anna becomes a social outcast. Her realization of this isolation deepens her despair. The societal rejection not only punishes her but also isolates her emotionally, leaving her with no support system outside of Vronsky.

Trapped by Nature: Anna is also a victim of natural forces, such as her emotional intensity and human instincts. Her passionate nature leads her to seek love at all costs. She becomes desperate for Vronsky.

“I love him, I am his mistress, I cannot stand you ... I hate you.”

Anna says this to Karenin when he insists that she leave the arena after Vronsky falls off his horse at the steeplechase. Anna’s blunt confession marks the complete breakdown of their marriage.

However, passion becomes destructive for Anna when her relationship with Vronsky begins to deteriorate. She becomes consumed by jealousy and paranoia. She starts believing Vronsky no longer loves her. She is unable to control her emotional insecurities.

Furthermore, Anna’s maternal love for her son, Seryozha, creates another source of torment. Though she adores him, she sacrifices her connection with him to be with Vronsky, a choice that haunts her. Her inability to reconcile her natural maternal instincts with her desire for romantic love exemplifies the conflict between nature and societal expectations.

Trapped by Fate: Fate also plays a significant role in Anna’s downfall. From the beginning, there are ominous signs that her story will end tragically. When Anna and Vronsky first meet, a railway worker is killed in an accident. This event foreshadows Anna’s eventual death, as the image of the train recurs throughout the novel as a symbol of doom.

Despite her efforts to find happiness, Anna’s choices seem to lead inevitably to her tragic end. Her paranoia drives a wedge between her and Vronsky. Her increasing dependence on opium to escape her emotional pain worsens her mental state. Her belief that Vronsky is unfaithful becomes unbearable. It leads her to throw herself under a train, fulfilling the foreshadowed tragedy.

A Sympathetic Tragic Heroine: Anna’s downfall is not purely the result of her own decisions but also of the societal and natural forces she cannot control. Her tragedy lies in her desire for love and freedom in a society that denies these to women. Tolstoy’s use of interior monologue allows readers to see the world from Anna’s perspective. It evokes empathy despite her flaws. The readers feel her pain and understand the depth of her suffering.

To wrap up, Anna Karenina is a tragic figure caught between her desires, societal expectations, and natural instincts. Her story highlights the harsh consequences of defying societal norms and the emotional toll of being unable to reconcile personal needs with external pressures. Tolstoy’s portrayal of Anna as both flawed and deeply sympathetic solidifies her place as one of literature’s most compelling tragic heroines.