Who Says This Quote?

Stepan Oblonsky says this, and the sentence suits him perfectly. Stiva is not built for austerity. He loves warmth, conversation, food, flirtation, pleasure, and the easy current of society. His gift is charm. His danger is the same charm.

Why It Matters

The quote is not simply false. A life without love would be diminished, and Tolstoy affirms the need for affection, delight, and tenderness.

But Stiva turns a beautiful idea into permission. For him, love can become a word that softens appetite and disguises responsibility. He wants the sweetness of life without its full moral cost. Tolstoy makes him memorable because the temptation is recognizable: to give our desires noble names and then ask others to bear the consequences.