(334 words) Of course, when it comes to the famous novel by L.N. Tolstoy "Anna Karenina", everyone remembers the images of Anna herself and her lover Vronsky. But her husband, Alexei Karenin, is dishonestly forgotten. Despite his small role in the work, the significance of the hero is great.
The hero is 20 years older than his wife. Karenina has been married for a long time. They have a son - eight-year-old Seryozha. At the very beginning of the novel, Tolstoy mentions that the family lives happily, but soon we realize that this is not so. Alexey Karenin holds an honorable position and has a high status in society. The hero is respected, and his opinion is listened to. But because of the abundance of affairs and problems, he does not have time for his wife and son. He is constantly busy and does not pay due attention to the family, because for him the most important thing is his career and work. Meanwhile, the young and romantic Anna realizes that her husband does not allow her to live normally. It only exists without love and attention. The heroine is trying to resist the pressure of Vronsky, but gradually she comes to the conclusion that she does not need to do this at all. Karenin, who was confident in his love for Anna, feels miserable when he learns about his wife’s betrayal. True, it is not clear what worries him more: that his position in society will deteriorate sharply, or that his wife is leaving him. Be that as it may, he wants Anna to remain in the family. When a heroine gives birth to a daughter from Vronsky, for the first time he feels pity for her, helpless and broken in a fever. He forgives betrayal, but the spouse does not accept his sacrifice. Then Karenin forbids Seryozha to meet with his mother, and others - to mention her. At the same time, he does not give her a divorce, having completely crossed out her future with Vronsky. After the death of Anna, Alexei shows nobility and takes his daughter Karenina and Vronsky to him.
So, the hero manifests himself both on the good and the bad side. He is characterized by virtues, but he is ready to demonstrate them only in extreme cases, when he will be pitied. Usually, he closes himself from the world with coldness, pride and arrogance, estranging himself from all loved ones. It was this feature of him that crossed out the Karenins family happiness.
