Family Happiness | Family Happiness

At a glance:

Author: Leo Tolstoy
First Published: 1859
Type of Work: Psychological realism
Time of Work: The 1850’s
Setting: A country estate, St. Petersburg, and a spa in Baden-Baden
Principal Characters: Marya “Masha” Alexandrovna, Sergei Mikhailych
Genres: Long fiction, Psychological fiction
Subjects: Maturation or coming of age, Love or romance, Nineteenth century, Marriage, Women’s issues, Germany or German people, Russia or Russian people, Houses, mansions, or manors
Locales: St. Petersburg, Russia, Baden-Baden, Germany

Family Happiness is divided into two parts. In the first, Masha, a girl of seventeen whose mother has just died, relates the story of her romance with her guardian, Sergei Mikhailych, a man of thirty-six and a former friend of her father (who has died some years earlier). The romance culminates in their engagement and marriage. The second part concerns Masha’s married life. The couple’s relationship temporarily deteriorates, as Masha is corrupted by the false values of high society in St. Petersburg but is eventually restored on a new,...

Family Happiness | Family Happiness

At a glance:

The Novel

Join eNotes