Love in Anton Chekhov’s The Lady with the Dog Essay

One of the sweet comforts in life is to curl up in a favorite chair with a short story that will briefly carry people away from their everyday lives. On rare occasions, a tale mirrors real life in such a way that one is strangely comforted by the normalcy reflected in the words. A perfect example of a story about ordinary life that will soothe the soul in search for some insight on understanding the human behavior is Anton Chekhov’s â€Å"The Lady with the Pet Dog.† This style of writing has such a mass appeal because the characters wear recognizable social masks and reflect an everyday reality. In his simple story of a chance meeting between a middle-aged, chauvinistic, repeat-offender adulterer, unhappily married man, and a young, naà ¯ve,†¦show more content†¦After becoming acquainted, Anna and Gurov â€Å"walked and talked of the strange light on the sea: the water was a soft, warm, lilac color and there was a golden band of moonlight upon it† ( Chekov 507). Later, when he is alone in his hotel room, Gurov reflects on her â€Å"slim, delicate throat, her lovely gray eyes† (Chekov 507) and his thoughts reveal that he has determined this young, vulnerable woman to be an ideal candidate for another one of his many affairs that he just cannot help becoming involved in. And as the story unfolds, the color gray reveals itself as an integral component in the sort of comfortable, yet, unresolved feeling that the relationship between Gurov and Anna emanates. Finally, when things are heating up between the two lonely travelers, so is the weather, which â€Å"was close indoors, while in the street the wind whirled the dust about† (Chekov 507) and their thirst is unrelenting no matter what they eat or drink to quench it. â€Å"One did not know what to do with oneself† (Chekov 507), seemingly, with the desire for one another that is beginning to blossom. On this particular evening, the couple makes way for the pier to watch the incoming ship. A crowd of people have gathered with many bouquets of flowers to greet arrivals. The churning ocean echoes the intensity of their attraction for each other, along with the mess of people surrounding them and Anna’s display of uneasiness and absentmindedness. As the crowd thins out,Show MoreRelatedLove in Anton Chekhov’s The Lady with the Dog1339 Words   |  6 Pages Love has always been a controversial issue throughout centuries. However, it was, and is, still one of the most popular topics in literature.One cannot help but be reminded of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet when that particular topic is brought up, which is one of the finest examples on this topic. Despite all the literary works written about love, love itself remains unexplained. The questions â€Å"why† and â€Å"when† is often asked –it can usually be answered vaguely or deeply, but sometimesRead MoreIrresponsible Love in Anto n Chekhov’s The Lady with the Dog1797 Words   |  8 Pages Anton Chekhov’s The Lady with the Pet Dog can be said to be one of the most controversial fictions in the way it the extramarital affairs and the mystery of love that plagues the 21st century families. By the use of imaginary characters, Chekhov explores the theme of immorality and irresponsible behaviors among married couples who seek real satisfaction in secrete yet intimate relationships with other married partners. Whereas the likes of Gurov poses as the spoilt seed of the collapsing societyRead MoreLove in Anton Chekhov’s The Lady with the Dog Essay example1542 Words   |  7 Pagestoward love during Chekhov’s time is very patriarchal and is considered normal to marry for practical reasons, parental pressures or other considerations rather than for love. The feelings that accompany love, such as passion and spirituality, are not a societal consideration and this institutional attitude toward human emotion is the catalyst for Chekhov’s story. When a person is deprived of love, he or she builds up a futility of life which consumes the human soul. In Anton Chekhov’s â€Å"The LadyRead MoreSimilarities Between Lady Of The Dog And The Lady With The Pet Dog1039 Words   |  5 PagesCertain people are unfaithful and feel there is nothing wrong with cheating on your significant other. One example of two unfaithful people is in the short story â€Å"The Lady with the Pet Dog† by Anton Chekhov. In this story Anna Sergeyevna and Dmitri Gurov have an affair together. Another similar example is in â€Å"The Lady with the Pet Dog† by Joyce Carol Oates. In her story Anna meets a man on the beach and they have an affair together. Both stories contain affairs and how each person deals with the situationRead MoreLiterary Anlysis1315 Words   |  6 Pagescircumstances to affect us dictates our life.   In Anton Chekhov’s â€Å"The Lady With the Little Dog, we are given a chance to take a look inside two charact ers not unlike ourselves.   As we are given insight into these two people, their character and nature unfolds, presenting us with people we can relate to.   Even if we fail to grasp the fullness of a feeling or circumstance, we are still touched on our own level, evidencing the brilliance of Chekhov’s writing. In the exposition of the story, ChekhovRead MoreAlong Parallel Paths in Chekhov’s, The Lady with the Dog515 Words   |  2 Pagestranslating works of literature, but in Chekhov’s, The Lady with the Dog which today is his best known, most translated short story. Chekhov tells the story of a chance meeting between Dmitri Gurov and Anna Sergeevna, both on vacation and both without their spouses. We get the feeling these two characters feel their lives are boring and mundane. When these two empty hearts meet they capture a glimpse of happiness that fines them accidental in love. Chekhov’s story takes place in late nineteenth-centuryRead MoreAnton Chekhov Lady with the Dog1355 Words   |  6 PagesAnton Chekhov in â€Å"the Lady with the Dog,† brilliantly displays the quest of one man to find happiness. Anton Chekhov’s short story, The Lady with the Little Dog, is the simple story of a philandering married man who finally falls in love with an unhappi ly married woman with whom he has an affair.   Though it is a remarkably simple plot, the story is compelling to read because Chekhov’s use of two effective plot devices with diction and symbolism. Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was born in the small seaportRead MoreSummary Of Anton Chekhovs Women In Despair1320 Words   |  6 PagesWomen In Despair Anton Chekhov is a well-known Russian author recognized for his revolutionary work as a writer of short stories and drama. In many of his pieces, Chekhov’s characters seem unhappy with their position in life. The common factor leading to this unhappiness in a majority of Chekhov’s stories is marriage. Chekhov’s â€Å"The Chemist’s Wife†, and â€Å"The Lady with the Dog†, both contain examples of loveless marriages. This element of the unhappy marriage permeates a large portion of his workRead MoreGender Roles Of Anton Chekhov s Works2015 Words   |  9 PagesGender Roles in Anton Chekhov’s Works In 19th century Russian literature there was often a gender inequality depicted between the male and female characters. Women were expected to get married, start a family, and obey their husbands. Women often made sacrifices and married men they weren’t fond of in order to support their families. Anton Chekhov’s writing questions these gender relationships. The female characters have a strong presence within Chekhov’s works, and they transcend typical genderRead MoreRealism In Anton Chekhovs The Lady With The Dog1639 Words   |  7 PagesAnton Chekhov hardly restrained from writing the dreary aspects of life during his writing career. Noted as one of Russia’s most prominent realist writers of the late 19th century, Chekhov’s work ranged from critical issues concerning the mental health system in â€Å"Ward No.6† to illustrating the tiresome cycle occurring for ordinary people sensing they are incomplete with their dull, normal life in †Å"The Lady with the Dog.† â€Å"The Lady with the Dog,† in particular portrays characters of Chekhov’s facing