Anna Karenina opens in the heart of a household crisis. Dolly has found that that Stiva is having an affair with the French governess, and she is threatening divorce. Stiva's sister, Anna Karenina, comes to their home for a visit. There, she works some magic and convinces Dolly to patch things up with Stiva.
Also, Konstantin Levin, an old friend of Stiva's from years past, arrives in Moscow to propose marriage to Kitty Shcherbatsky, Dolly's sister. Kitty refuses him, as she is sure she's destined to be with the smashing Count Vronsky. From the beginning, Kitty is impressed with Anna's charm, style, and kindness. Little does Kitty know, however, that Anna will steal Vronsky's heart. By the end of Part I, there are a great many "love" issues: Stiva and Dolly have managed to construct a shaky balance in their relationship; Levin's heart is torn over Kitty; Kitty is torn over Vronsky; and Anna is torn between her passion for the dashing count and her obligation to her own family-her husband and son.
