--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That which for Vronsky had been almost a…" description: "\"“That which for Vronsky had been almost a whole year the one absorbing desire of his life, replacing all his old desires; that which for Anna had been ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d4/leo-tolstoy-55_happiness_that-which-for-vronsky-had-been-almost-a_1793248.jpg" --- # That which for Vronsky had been almost a whole year the… ![“That which for Vronsky had been almost a whole year the one absorbing desire of his life, replacing all his old desires; that which for Anna had been an impossible, terrible, and even for that reason more entrancing dream of bliss, that desire had been fulfilled. He stood before her, pale, his…” quote by Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d4/leo-tolstoy-55_happiness_that-which-for-vronsky-had-been-almost-a_1793248.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d4/leo-tolstoy-55_happiness_that-which-for-vronsky-had-been-almost-a_1793248.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d4/leo-tolstoy-55_happiness_that-which-for-vronsky-had-been-almost-a_1793248.jpg) > ““That which for Vronsky had been almost a whole year the one absorbing desire of his life, replacing all his old desires; that which for Anna had been an impossible, terrible, and even for that reason more entrancing dream of bliss, that desire had been fulfilled. He stood before her, pale, his lower jaw quivering, and besought her to be calm, not knowing how or why. “Anna! Anna!” he said with a choking voice, “Anna, for pity’s sake!…” But the louder he spoke, the lower she dropped her once proud and gay, now shame-stricken head, and she bowed down and sank from the sofa where she was sitting, down on the floor, at his feet; she would have fallen on the carpet if he had not held her. “My God! Forgive me!” she said, sobbing, pressing his hands to her bosom. She felt so sinful, so guilty, that nothing was left her but to humiliate herself and beg forgiveness; and as now there was no one in her life but him, to him she addressed her prayer for forgiveness. Looking at him, she had a physical sense of her humiliation, and she could say nothing more. He felt what a murderer must feel, when he sees the body he has robbed of life. That body, robbed by him of life, was their love, the first stage of their love. There was something awful and revolting in the memory of what had been bought at this fearful price of shame. Shame at their spiritual nakedness crushed her and infected him. But in spite of all the murderer’s horror before the body of his victim, he must hack it to pieces, hide the body, must use what he has gained by his murder.”” [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. A lover’s intense desire leads to overwhelming guilt and a desperate plea for forgiveness, reflecting the destructive power of shame. **In simple terms:** Intense desire creates guilt and a need for forgiveness. Key Takeaway Acknowledge and address shame early. Themes desire guilt forgiveness shame Mood tragic emotional Type literary psychological When to use this quote - marriage - infidelity - confession Key Concepts psychological torment moral conflict Questions to Reflect On - What role does shame play in our actions? - Can forgiveness heal after deep guilt? A Different Perspective Shame can dominate and damage relationships. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anna Pity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anna-pity-1965582/) [Desires Anna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desires-anna-1965585/) [Felt Sinful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt-sinful-1965584/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Shame Stricken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shame-stricken-1965583/) [Victim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victim/) ## Related quotes > [“That which for Vronsky had been almost a whole year the one absorbing desire of his life, replacing all his old desires; that which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/that-which-for-vronsky-had-been-almost-a-whole-year-the-one-absorbing/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Rest, nature, books, music...such is my idea of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/rest-nature-books-music-such-is-my-idea-of-happiness/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [It's kind of the yin and yang that fascinate me. 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If it were, there could be only one verdict: guilty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/a-criminal-trial-is-never-about-seeking-justice-for-the-victim-if-it/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [Once you convince people that they're victims, you really own them because you've just told them that whatever problems they have in life, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/once-you-convince-people-that-they-re-victims-you-really-own-them/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [“In every way, un-forgiveness makes us the victim—”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-karon/in-every-way-un-forgiveness-makes-us-the-victim/) [Jan Karon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-karon/) > [People project a grey energy that is very destructive to weaken you, to drain you - just as the snake uses position to capture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/people-project-a-grey-energy-that-is-very-destructive-to-weaken-you/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Sometimes, Ms. Lane," he said, "one must break with one's past to embrace one's future. 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Wells-Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ida-b-wells-barnett/) > [I dont want to be a victim, nor be portrayed as one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davina-mccall/i-dont-want-to-be-a-victim-nor-be-portrayed-as-one/) [Davina McCall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davina-mccall/) > [“The sole reason I stand to open it up now is that lots of people who are in pain just like I was, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/the-sole-reason-i-stand-to-open-it-up-now-is-that-lots-of-people-who/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [“To the extreme of this feeling I was ever a victim. The heavy responsibility, often suddenly and unexpectedly imposed—the struggle for success, when success…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-william-polidori/to-the-extreme-of-this-feeling-i-was-ever-a-victim-the-heavy/) [John William Polidori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-william-polidori/) > [“I can either be a victim—or a winner. Fuck victimhood. I don’t wear it well; it clashes with my wardrobe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/i-can-either-be-a-victim-or-a-winner-fuck-victimhood-i-don-t-wear-it/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) ## More by Leo Tolstoy > [These joys were so trifling as to be as imperceptible as grains of gold among the sand, and in moments of depression she saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/these-joys-were-so-trifling-as-to-be-as-imperceptible-as-grains-of/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The only significance of life consists in helping to establish the kingdom of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-only-significance-of-life-consists-in-helping-to-establish-the/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“I already love in you your beauty, but I am only beginning to love in you that which is eternal and ever precious –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-already-love-in-you-your-beauty-but-i-am-only-beginning-to-love-in/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Energy rests upon love; and come as it will, there's no forcing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/energy-rests-upon-love-and-come-as-it-will-there-s-no-forcing-it/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“If you only knew what those society women are, and women in general! 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She was standing talking to a lady at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/he-knew-she-was-there-by-the-rapture-and-the-terror-that-seized-on/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Rest, nature, books, music...such is my idea of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/rest-nature-books-music-such-is-my-idea-of-happiness/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“He was not to blame for being born with an irrepressible charachter and a mind some how constrained.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/he-was-not-to-blame-for-being-born-with-an-irrepressible-charachter/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [I ask one thing only: I ask for the right to hope, to suffer as I do. 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He stood before her, pale, his lower jaw quivering, and besought her to be calm, not knowing how or why. “Anna! Anna!” he said with a choking voice, “Anna, for pity’s sake!…” But the louder he spoke, the lower she dropped her once proud and gay, now shame-stricken head, and she bowed down and sank from the sofa where she was sitting, down on the floor, at his feet; she would have fallen on the carpet if he had not held her. “My God! Forgive me!” she said, sobbing, pressing his hands to her bosom. She felt so sinful, so guilty, that nothing was left her but to humiliate herself and beg forgiveness; and as now there was no one in her life but him, to him she addressed her prayer for forgiveness. Looking at him, she had a physical sense of her humiliation, and she could say nothing more. He felt what a murderer must feel, when he sees the body he has robbed of life. That body, robbed by him of life, was their love, the first stage of their love. There was something awful and revolting in the memory of what had been bought at this fearful price of shame. Shame at their spiritual nakedness crushed her and infected him. 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