What among the following is not true about Anna Karenina?

The correct option is: The novel was published in 1872.

To understand why this statement is not true, let us review the publication history and key facts of Leo Tolstoy's masterpiece, Anna Karenina:

1. Publication Date: Anna Karenina was first published in serial installments in the periodical The Russian Messenger (Russkiy Vestnik) between 1873 and 1877. The complete novel in book form was later published in 1878, not 1872. Therefore, the statement claiming it was published in 1872 is incorrect (not true).
2. Structure: The novel is indeed structured and written in eight distinct parts, which trace the parallel lives and relationships of its characters.
3. Major Characters: The narrative is famously split, focusing primarily on two major characters: Anna Karenina (whose tragic story explores passion and social conventions) and Konstantin Levin (whose storyline explores faith, agriculture, and domestic happiness).
4. Treatment of Women: The novel is widely considered revolutionary in its complex, sympathetic, and psychological treatment of women, portraying Anna's desires, constraints, and social alienation with unprecedented depth.