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Dolly is Kitty\'s sister, Stiva\'s wife, and Anna\'s
sister-in-law. She represents the long-suffering betrayed wife
and devoted mother. In many ways, Dolly is heroic. She makes
do with little money, she raises good children, she is, in
general, clear--though unhappy--about her lot in life. Her
husband\'s infidelities have robbed her of dignity, financial and
emotional security, and a sense of herself as an attractive
woman. Yet she carries on with almost no bitterness. In spite
of Stiva\'s failings, she loves and is true to him. You might
say that Dolly is a fool, but given the society she lives in,
she makes the best of her options (which are, anyway, very
few).
Dolly is also compassionate and a true friend. Although
everyone else avoids Anna, she visits her and remains her
friend.
Dolly devotes herself to those she loves, which makes her a
type of heroine according to Tolstoy. Many readers feel she
gets a raw deal in the novel.
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