Constantine Levin, a hero of Tolstoy's Anna Karenina, aspires to discover a harmonious part of himself through the experience of the peasant way of life. He believes there is something deeply rewarding in the simple act of working according to one's needs. By working with and alongside farmers during a full day of mowing his own fields, Levin seeks to gain a certain simple peace of mind that he believes the lower agricultural classes enjoy. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay However, Levin's motivations for mowing are markedly different from those of hired workers. Levin feels that he must mow as a sort of remedy for the type of aristocratic life he leads. His first experience of this activity occurred when he "lost his temper and, to calm himself, he used his own remedy: he took the scythe of one of the peasants and himself began to mow”. Levin mows to relieve himself of the pressures of working within his own class (giving orders to his steward, indirectly managing his farm through intermediaries). Not only does he mow to relieve his stress, but also to give himself a greater sense of connection with his land and his agricultural process. Levin does not understand why Russian peasants do not fully commit themselves to the well-being of the farm - why some men can be so careless as to handle equipment so that it breaks, or why they would defy orders and harvest a field that was easier to farm. finish than that which they were to harvest. Peasants work for their direct benefit: they spend a day working in the fields, earn a certain amount of money. It doesn't matter to them the exact amount of work done. But for Levin, work translates more ambiguously into gain. What matters is how well the fields are mown and what is done by each man. Levin stands to gain or lose wealth depending on the quality and quantity of his aid. This is a great stress for him, and he longs to be more connected to the land and its rewards, as the farmers are. In this way, Levin's mowing relieves his own work-related stress and creates a positive connection between him and the land. Thanks to mowing, he can work and see a direct result. Russian farmers must mow to be able to provide for themselves and their families. For Levin, mowing is almost as necessary. He doesn't need to work to be able to eat, but he does need to work to feel at peace with himself and his own role. Yet to outsiders, a day spent mowing appears like a kind of aristocratic game. Levine is aware of this and is even intimidated enough that he "doubts whether to go mowing or not" when Koznyshev arrives. He “fears that his brother will make fun of him.” Levin is embarrassed by his deviation from his upper-class role while he is embarrassed by his high status itself. He experiences a clear confusion caused by his innate role as “boss” in conflict with his desire to get lost like a cog in a wheel. This confusion is perhaps at the origin of his abnormal relations with his peasants. He places his possessions under their control and even decides for a time that he must become one of them. Koznyshev embodies aristocratic opinion without confusion. He and Levin talk freely about the pleasure of the work until he realizes that Levin intends to mow "all day, just like the farmers", instead of playing until one is tired. He reproaches Levine that "it's a splendid physical exercise", butthat he “will barely be able to hold on.” Considering shearing as a benefit of exercise rather than as a necessity of work shows the extent to which the aristocratic and peasant classes clearly distanced themselves from each other. Levin exists as an intermediary between the two ways of thinking. Levin desires to mow hard all day and is motivated by the desire to "follow" the farmers and exist as their equals. Levin seeks not only the emotional gain, but also the real benefits of the harvest. Levin has a somewhat aristocratic outlook when he gets involved; he comments: “I need physical exercise; without that, my character is quite spoiled. » Here, instead of focusing on the value and direct reward of work, Levin seeks to address the physical frustrations of an upper-class inner life spent primarily in celibacy. Levin experiences certain moments where he views shearing as a kind of prescription for his stifled, frustrating life as an aging man without a wife in a salon. Not only does this way of thinking undermine the true work of mowing and the healing properties it can offer, it shows a temporary misunderstanding between Levin and nature. Faucher ultimately cannot heal his frustrations with his current life. Mowing once, or even several times, can only provide temporary relief from emotional turmoil. To be completely cured by mowing, Levine would have to devote himself fully to it and become a farmer himself. And although Levin dreams of doing just that, he can never fully commit. Even if Levin's nanny was a peasant, her blood would still be blue. Everything Levin wants in life is always wrapped up in the duplication of the aristocratic family life he led with his mother and father. While he may use mowing to escape what is missing in his daily life, Koznyshev and the other peasants are ultimately right: mowing cannot save an aristocrat. This can only transform him into a peasant. Before he begins mowing, Levin is clearly confused between aristocratic and peasant modes of reasoning and necessity. Although the decision to mow causes some anxiety and confusion for Levin, the more he works at it, the deeper he gets into the rhythm. of the scythe, the more he feels at peace. As Levin approaches the field where the men have already worked and where everyone has already finished "his second swath," Levin sees the farmers "following one another in a long, scattered line, some in coats, others in shirts, each » swinging his scythe in his own way. Levin views each mower as a distinct individual. He notices specific men who have previously worked on his farm. He notices each man's different clothing and each man's distinct shearing technique. He considers each of the peasant mowers, and undoubtedly himself, as distinct and individual men, which in this case has a connotation of inefficiency, to the extent that the "scattered" men cannot mow a field; only a group can. Only in the middle of a full day of mowing is Levin able to leave this vision behind and experience the feeling of a group of men working as one and losing themselves in their work. technique -- some are younger and newer and therefore mow more rigorously, while others are older and more experienced and know how to mow so well that they seem "in play" -- we realize that this is not the individual who is important in the act of mowing. A “tall old man with a shriveled, beardless face” advises Levin to “Master the mind! Once you've put your hand to the plow, don't go back! », suggesting a rejection of the idea of ​​mowing for health or for play. . Levin promises to "try to"not lag behind", that is, over the next few hours he will leave behind his "master" status and instead respect the wisdom and authority that the oldest and the most experienced. He starts to mow badly at first, because he feels scrutinized as different from the other mowers. He is conscious of the desire to prove himself and therefore mows too “vigorously” and with too much thought. performing is what keeps him from achieving his goal An experienced mower knows that the best way is to let the scythe “mow by itself.” As the day progresses, Levin realizes that he “needs to swing less.” the scythe with [his] arms.”and even more so with [his] whole body” This is his first major step toward freeing himself from his unnecessary pretensions of proving himself and his own level of skill. with the whole of one's body implies the end of action outside the tense part of the mind and body and the beginning of the use of one's whole being. Shortly after Levin's realization, he begins to devote himself entirely to his task as Titus, the. The man Levin put in charge mows faster and longer, apparently as a challenge, Levin begins to think "of nothing and [desire] nothing except to not lag behind and do his job as best as possible. Nothing exists at all but.” the task of mowing in front of and all around him. All of Levin's senses are dominated by mowing, and he hears "only the rustling of the scythes and [sees] only the convex semicircle of the mowed patch in front of him, and the grasses and flower heads falling in waves around the blade of his scythe." Mowing becomes all of nature. The sounds and shapes in the field are produced by the scythe, and the grass and flowers only exist when the scythe hits them. They move by "waves", a term which alludes to another large part of nature: the ocean, whose movements can be imitated by the swing of the scythe. In a sense, the mowing field begins to embody the whole world. With shearing as the world and Levin working on it, the whole experience is bathed in innocence and purity. Nothing matters but the work. At one point, Levin is “suddenly aware of a pleasant coolness on his warm shoulders. and sweating, without knowing what it was or where it came from.” Such a description bears some resemblance to the biblical content, and ultimately to Eden. Levin “looks to the sky” to find its origin. Everything is beautiful and merciful towards Levin. He works hard, and finally comes rest at the end of the windrow. The work, the rest and the swing of the scythe itself take on a certain rhythm that runs through Levin's soul. In this state of peace, the scythe begins to “mow by itself,” and the work becomes more like a “game.” ". Immersing yourself in this world of mowing is no longer a chore. The work becomes its own reward when you can get this close. Even kvass ("warm water with green substances floating in it and tastes like a rusty tin can) tastes better to Levin than anything else, because of the work he did to earn it. The rhythm involved in the movement of the scythe, the steps on. The fallen grass in Titus's footprints and rests at the end of each row create a harmonious experience. Another part of the rhythm of mowing is the respect given to the older, more experienced man. stronger might normally be considered optimal for physical labor in another field, in the art of shearing an older, experienced and therefore competent man is considered most valuable. The emphasis on experience shows that. mowing is indeed an art where skill can be valued over.