Anna is a beautiful, deeply emotional aristocrat in her late twenties married to a much older senior government official. She travels to Moscow to mediate a marital dispute for her brother, bringing her natural charm and empathetic nature to the fractured household. Though she presents an image of perfect grace and stability, her encounter with a young cavalry officer stirs dormant passions that threaten her comfortable, socially respectable existence.

Levin is an introverted, prosperous nobleman who manages his family's agricultural estate in the Russian provinces. He harbors a deep disdain for the shallow conventions of Moscow society and prefers the physical labor of farm life. Plagued by social awkwardness and spiritual questions, he comes to the city with the singular purpose of proposing to the woman he has long loved.

Kitty is an eighteen-year-old debutante enjoying the height of her social success in Moscow. She is a beautiful and youthful woman, entirely secure in her aristocratic position. Currently entertaining the attentions of two very different suitors, she faces immense pressure from her parents and her own heart to secure an advantageous future.

Vronsky is a wealthy, charismatic cavalry officer accustomed to a life of privilege and casual romance. He moves easily through Moscow's high society, entirely unconcerned with the serious emotional consequences of his flirtations. Accustomed to getting what he wants, his sudden infatuation with a married woman from St. Petersburg introduces an obsessive, destabilizing force into his previously carefree existence.

Karenin is a senior civil servant in the tsarist government, twenty years older than his wife. He organizes his life around strict routines and a rigid adherence to social propriety. Emotionally chilly and obsessed with his public reputation, he views any deviation from respectable conduct as a personal affront and a threat to his orderly world.

Stiva is a cheerful, debt-ridden civil servant whose hedonistic approach to life frequently places him in precarious situations. He holds a comfortable government post through family connections and maintains a liberal attitude that excuses his own irresponsibility. Despite causing significant pain to his family, his natural charm and good humor make it difficult for his peers to stay angry with him.

Dolly is a devoted mother of five who finds her domestic world shattered by the discovery of her husband's affair with a governess. Overwhelmed by financial anxieties and her husband's emotional betrayal, she feels completely trapped by her dependence on her marriage. She pours her energy into raising her children, bearing the moral and practical weight of the family alone.

Nikolai is Levin's estranged younger brother, a former religious zealot who has become an impoverished radical. Suffering from severe tuberculosis, he lives in squalor and relies heavily on alcohol. His physical deterioration and confrontational politics serve as a constant source of guilt and existential dread for his brother.

Countess Lydia is a prominent St. Petersburg society figure known for her intense, sometimes hypocritical religious devotion. She involves herself heavily in church politics and the private lives of her aristocratic peers. She harbors a quiet, long-standing affection for Karenin and quickly assumes a protective stance over him when scandals arise.

Sergei is an esteemed intellectual and writer who spends his time debating Russian identity, politics, and the rights of the peasantry. He lives a comfortable life in the city, treating the countryside as a place for summer recreation rather than serious labor. He often condescends to Levin's practical farming concerns, preferring abstract philosophy over hands-on work.

Princess Betsy is a wealthy, highly connected St. Petersburg socialite who hosts exclusive salons. She represents the liberal, morally flexible faction of Russian aristocracy, openly facilitating romantic liaisons and affairs among her peers. She provides a glamorous space for couples to meet away from the rigid eyes of traditionalists.

The Scherbatskys are traditional Moscow aristocrats navigating the changing rules of courtship and marriage for their daughters. The Princess prefers modern, wealthy military men, while the Prince favors old-fashioned, steady landowners with deep roots in the Russian countryside. Their differing opinions create tension in their household as they try to secure Kitty's future.

Serezha is the eight-year-old son of Anna and Karenin. He is an affectionate, sensitive child who thrives on warmth and attention, which he receives entirely from his mother rather than his formal, distant father. He remains largely unaware of the complex adult conflicts swirling around his family.

Varenka is a serene, pious young woman who lives as the ward of Madame Stahl. Having suffered her own romantic heartbreak in the past, she devotes her life to serving others and avoiding aristocratic vanity. She provides a model of selfless service for Kitty during her recovery abroad.

Madame Stahl is a supposedly disabled invalid who adopts an intensely spiritual persona while living abroad. She claims to have dedicated her life to religious contemplation after experiencing personal tragedies, though some suspect her piety is merely a theatrical performance designed to secure social power.

Marya is a former sex worker who acts as Nikolai Levin's devoted companion and caretaker. Despite her marginalized social status, she possesses a practical, grounded nature and manages Nikolai's volatile moods and failing health with remarkable patience.

Vasenka is a distant cousin of the Scherbatskys who embodies the shallow, flirtatious culture of St. Petersburg youth. He views the countryside merely as a playground for hunting and casual romance, utterly failing to grasp the serious, sacred nature of domesticity that his hosts value.

The Countess is Vronsky's wealthy, aristocratic mother who commands significant influence over his life and finances. She initially finds Anna charming but quickly turns hostile when her son's affair threatens his military career and social standing.

Sviyazhsky is a wealthy landowner and local political figure who seamlessly bridges the gap between traditional farming and modern bureaucracy. He participates actively in local elections and maintains an efficient estate, seemingly untroubled by the philosophical contradictions that paralyze Levin.

Yashvin is a cavalry officer, a notorious gambler, and one of Vronsky's closest friends in the military. He adheres to a rough, masculine code of conduct, supporting Vronsky's romantic pursuits while maintaining a cynical view of formal marriage and polite society.

Mikhailov is a dedicated, passionate Russian artist living in Italy. He works from deep personal conviction and resents wealthy aristocrats who treat art as a mere mechanical hobby or a superficial sign of cultural sophistication.

Katavasov is a university professor and old friend of Levin. He approaches Russian social issues entirely through the lens of academic theory and European capitalism, providing a stark contrast to Levin's hands-on, localized experience with agriculture.

Landau is a French spiritualist and medium who has been adopted by a Russian noble family, acquiring a title in the process. He exercises immense power over certain factions of St. Petersburg society, dictating the major life decisions of prominent officials through his supposed trances.