When the reader first encounters the Countess at the Shcherbatsky home in Moscow, she is shown in an unfavorable way. “She was a thin, sallow, nervous, ailing woman with shining black eyes” (Maude, 48). By introducing the Countess with this unflattering language Tolstoy shows how she is a character to be disliked. Furthermore, by telling the reader about her eyes he implies that she is cunning.

Later on in this first meeting with the Countess Nordston, Tolstoy explains the hostility between Levin and her. Tolstoy does this by Levin expressing in his mind what he thinks towards her. “Levin really could not bear her and despised her for the very thing she was proud of and regarded as a merit, that is, her nervousness and refined conte

Like Kitty’s mother, the Countess wishes to see Kitty married to the dashing Vronsky. If she were to marry Vronsky, Kitty would most likely live in a city rather than on Levin’s country estate. In Kitty’s eventual marriage to Levin it can be seen that Tolstoy believes that living in the country is better. In a discussion with the Countess referring to Moscow as Babylon Levin shows his contempt for materialistic and worldly things in life. He dislikes being in a city and prefers husbandry on his estate. In this dialogue with Levin, the Countess belittles him and his views as she frequently does when they meet each other. This polite yet unmistaken animosity between the two is typical when two mature adults loathe each other. Referring to Moscow as Babylon is somewhat humorous and this particular vocabulary is relaxing to the reader after the tension of Levin’s failed marriage proposal to Kitty.

However, the Countess Nordston isn’t entirely benevolent to Kitty. On finding out that her dear friend is to be married to Levin, the Countess becomes cold in her feelings towards her. On addressing the Princess Lvova at Kitty’s wedding, the Countess lets her feelings on the couple be known:

The Countess knows she is going to lose Kitty to Levin and she can’t get over her animosity to him to continue the friendship. Many friends and family visit Levin and Kitty’s country estate, yet the Countess never does

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