Although one of the greatest novels of Russian realism, Anna Karenina by L. N. Tolstoy simultaneously contains the characteristics of modernism, which can be seen, among other things, in the symbolic use of certain motifs. Certainly, the most intriguing among them is the motif of a muzhik, that is, a peasant with a dishevelled beard. Many interpreters of the novel have explained it differently, most often as a representation of Tolstoy's views on the consequences of industrialization on traditional Russian life or as a symbol of Anna's disappointments and delusions about her own life. In this thesis, firstly the muzhik’s appearance is presented and the context as well as the connection with the title character are briefly explained. Then the related motifs of the candle, i.e. light or darkness, bag (meshok), as well as the motifs of iron and railways, are analysed. Finally, the motif of the muzhik is analysed as a symbol of the heroine's punishment and downfall, which is inseparable from the socio-political context of the second half of the 19th century in Russia and Tolstoy's views.