--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Levin was almost of the same age as…" description: "\"“Levin was almost of the same age as Oblonsky; their intimacy did not rest merely on champagne. Levin had been the friend and companion of his early yo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75c/leo-tolstoy-55_friendship_levin-was-almost-of-the-same-age-as-oblo_2544686.jpg" --- # Levin was almost of the same age as Oblonsky; their… ![“Levin was almost of the same age as Oblonsky; their intimacy did not rest merely on champagne. Levin had been the friend and companion of his early youth. They were fond of one another in spite of the difference of their characters and tastes, as friends are fond of one another who have been…” quote by Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75c/leo-tolstoy-55_friendship_levin-was-almost-of-the-same-age-as-oblo_2544686.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75c/leo-tolstoy-55_friendship_levin-was-almost-of-the-same-age-as-oblo_2544686.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75c/leo-tolstoy-55_friendship_levin-was-almost-of-the-same-age-as-oblo_2544686.jpg) > ““Levin was almost of the same age as Oblonsky; their intimacy did not rest merely on champagne. Levin had been the friend and companion of his early youth. They were fond of one another in spite of the difference of their characters and tastes, as friends are fond of one another who have been together in early youth. But in spite of this, each of them—as is often the way with men who have selected careers of different kinds—though in discussion he would even justify the other's career, in his heart despised it. It seemed to each of them that the life he led himself was the only real life, and the life led by his friend was a mere phantasm. Oblonsky could not restrain a slight mocking smile at the sight of Levin. How often he had seen him come up to Moscow from the country where he was doing something, but what precisely Stepan Arkadyevitch could never quite make out, and indeed he took no interest in the matter. Levin arrived in Moscow always excited and in a hurry, rather ill at ease and irritated by his own want of ease, and for the most part with a perfectly new, unexpected view of things. Stepan Arkadyevitch laughed at this, and liked it. In the same way Levin in his heart despised the town mode of life of his friend, and his official duties, which he laughed at, and regarded as trifling. But the difference was that Oblonsky, as he was doing the same as every one did, laughed complacently and good-humoredly, while Levin laughed without complacency and sometimes angrily.”” [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Two friends from different worlds respect each other’s choices outward secretly judge them, revealing how personal values shape perception of others’ lives. **In simple terms:** Friends may admire but also resent each other's paths. Key Takeaway Recognize and discuss hidden biases in friendships. Themes friendship class career perception bias Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - career discussions - family gatherings - urban vs rural life - philosophical debates Key Concepts social identity cognitive dissonance self‑concept Questions to Reflect On - How do you reconcile admiration with hidden resentment? - What assumptions do you make about others’ choices? A Different Perspective Friends may truly understand each other's inner motivations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arkadyevitch Laughed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arkadyevitch-laughed-1464878/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Levin Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/levin-friend-1464876/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Oblonsky Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oblonsky-doing-1464877/) [Oblonsky Intimacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oblonsky-intimacy-1464874/) [Phantasm Oblonsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phantasm-oblonsky-1464875/) [Real life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-life/) ## Related quotes > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [When the Strokes first started playing gigs, instead of getting into a costume for the shows, we talked about how we should dress every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-casablancas/when-the-strokes-first-started-playing-gigs-instead-of-getting-into-a/) [Julian Casablancas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-casablancas/) > [That's what all art's about - a sense of moving away from boundaries that you can't in real life. 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Levin had been the friend and companion of his early youth. They were fond of one another in spite of the difference of their characters and tastes, as friends are fond of one another who have been together in early youth. But in spite of this, each of them—as is often the way with men who have selected careers of different kinds—though in discussion he would even justify the other's career, in his heart despised it. It seemed to each of them that the life he led himself was the only real life, and the life led by his friend was a mere phantasm. Oblonsky could not restrain a slight mocking smile at the sight of Levin. How often he had seen him come up to Moscow from the country where he was doing something, but what precisely Stepan Arkadyevitch could never quite make out, and indeed he took no interest in the matter. Levin arrived in Moscow always excited and in a hurry, rather ill at ease and irritated by his own want of ease, and for the most part with a perfectly new, unexpected view of things. Stepan Arkadyevitch laughed at this, and liked it. In the same way Levin in his heart despised the town mode of life of his friend, and his official duties, which he laughed at, and regarded as trifling. 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