When we are first introduced to Anna’s character, she seems just as perfect as she is described by the other characters of the novel: beautiful, kind, and liberated. She is classified unique, in a class all her own. She is commended for saving Oblonsky and Dolly’s relationship. As the storyline progresses, we see that Anna’s ways of life are somewhat dictated by society. She is polite and her grandeur impresses all those who she meets, but upon meeting Vronsky, her emotions pull through much more strongly. After starting her affair with Vronsky, her personality did change, it may even be noted that she became more of an individual, and less a victim of Russian code of society of a woman. It became known to most of her society that she was having an sexual relations with a man other than her husband as she was seen with Vronsky on numerous occasions.
From the outsider’s point of view, freshness is what is seen in Anna Karenina, but when closely examined, it does become obvious that Anna is guided solely by her jealous love for Vronsky. As she is no longer accepted in society, Anna only has Vronsky to turn to. She believes that Vronsky has taken advantage of her, doesn’t really love her, and has caused only depravity in her life. To make matters worse, she no longer has her Russian society to lean back on for support that she is so used to. This too, Anna believes, is part of Vronsky’s wrongdoings. She therefore, only relies on her own slightly delusional view on events, which imprisons her thoughts. As Vronsky is accepted in society, he often has meetings to attend, which ultimately offends Anna. This jealousy is never resolved and in due course, she commits suicide due to the “imprisonment of her thoughts”.
Anna Karenina is ultimately shown as both a unique and liberating woman and a repressed woman of imprisoned thoughts although realistically, we see more of her character reacting on impulse as that of one of very repressed feelings.. There can be a definite separation of where she transforms from being liberated to becoming repressed- as her relationship with Vronsky grows stronger- but we do see somewhat of a repressed character in the old Anna and we also see slight liberation in the new Anna.
