This article presents a comparative analysis of Leo Tolstoyʼs

“Anna Karenina” and George Eliotʼs “Middlemarch.” Both works, as

exemplary specimens of 19th-century realism, artistically illuminate

human relationships and the complex connections between society

and the individual. While “Middlemarch” portrays the socio-political

life of English society, along with the aspirations and spiritual quests

of various social classes, “Anna Karenina” depicts the moral values

of Russian society, family relations, and the tragic consequences of

love. Nevertheless, both novels reveal societal constraints through

their female protagonists: the characters of Dorothea and Anna

embody the limitations placed on womenʼs freedom during their

respective eras. The key difference lies in their focus: Eliot

emphasizes the spirit of social reform and enlightenment, while

Tolstoy centers on the clash between human passions and moral

responsibility. This article analyzes these similarities and differences,

uncovering the novelsʼ universal themes and national characteristics.

Although these two realistic works were written in the same era but

in different settings, they share several similar events and characters.

The novels primarily express the laws and norms of society, personal

and psychological experiences, and the differences and similarities in

the portrayal of women.