Contemporary writers love to invent entirely new characters and worlds. But in the past, many fictional lives were based on real people. One such character is Anna Karenina
This tragic heroine is known around the world. In fact, she may even be more famous than Tolstoy’s other great work, War and Peace. But who inspired the character of Anna?
Anna Karenina's prototype
Surprisingly, Anna Karenina was based on not one, but several women.
As historians note, Tolstoy borrowed Anna’s looks and character traits from Maria Pushkina, the daughter of Alexander Pushkin.
The love story itself was inspired by Tolstoy’s own sister. She fell in love with the writer Ivan Turgenev while already married and raising children. Turgenev had no intention of marrying her, and this personal story sparked Tolstoy’s idea for the novel.
But the most dramatic part — Anna’s tragic end — was taken from the real-life story of Anna Stepanovna Pirogova.
Anna Pirogova was the common-law wife of Tolstoy’s neighbor. After discovering he was having an affair with the family’s governess, she left their home in emotional turmoil and threw herself under a train. That event sealed the fate of Tolstoy’s famous character.
Similarities and Differences Between Anna Karenina and Her Prototypes
| Trait | Anna Pirogova | Maria Tolstaya | Anna Karenina |
| Status | Common-law wife of A.N. Bibikov | Tolstoy’s sister | Married to Karenin, lover of Vronsky |
| Conflict | Jealousy over her partner | Affair with Turgenev | Divorce, public scandal |
| Ending | Suicide by train | Emotional crisis and inner struggle | Suicide by train |
| Influence | Inspired the novel’s tragic ending | Sparked the novel’s creation, moral themes | Central character of the novel |
Why Did These Women Face Such Fates?
Back then, romantic affairs caused just as much emotional chaos as they do today. But in the 19th century, these private issues often became public scandals — especially for women.
A woman could fall in love, but divorce was rarely an option. If she was cheated on, she carried the shame. When Anna Karenina found herself without a husband or a willing partner, she saw no other choice but death.
The same was true for Anna Pirogova. When she learned of her partner’s betrayal, the weight of shame drove her to suicide.
Tolstoy didn’t write fiction in a vacuum — he wrote from life. Anna Karenina is a composite of many women he saw around him. Women like Anna lived then, and still exist today.
Fortunately, modern women have far more freedom and support. Stories like Anna’s are becoming less common — and that’s something Tolstoy might have been glad to see.
