The comparison between Dolly and Anna in this section shows the judgment of Tolstoy the moralist who finds a woman's happiness and source of fulfillment is through raising children. He portrays Anna in her luxurious idleness as if she is one of the guests at Vronsky's estate. Implying she is kept as a high class courtesan where everything is arranged according to Vronsky's tastes and interests, Tolstoy shows that even in daily life Vronsky does not include Anna as an integral part of his career. Confronting Anna's insecurity and suffering, Dolly finds her own routine life with her unloving husband preferable to Anna's life of frivolity. Dolly is also shocked that Anna denies the birth of future children. Her wonderment expresses for Tolstoy the decadence and immorality of Anna's relationship with Vronsky.
Yet this is what Vronsky demands, although he is unaware of it. Considering himself as a resolute family man, Vronsky tells Dolly he would like to marry Anna and legitimize his children. But Anna is aware he would become bored with her if she became a housewife like Dolly: Dolly is very nice, says Vronsky, but "too much terre á terre." With this understanding, Anna must remain attractive, avoid pregnancy, and live only for her lover. Though she is honored as a married woman, her position is yet that of a courtesan. The hopeless dilemma is complicated by her inability to choose between Seriozha and Vronsky. Since nothing else matters unless she can have them both, Anna can recklessly live a day by day existence. Her new habit of flirting is a guilt acknowledging gesture which exercises the charm that ties her to Vronsky. Tolstoy thus shows how Anna is already on the road to self-destruction. Dolly's departure, representing Anna's leavetaking of her virtuous past, shows her further commitment to the course of decadence and eventual suicide.
