ABOUT LOVE
ENGLISH | THE HERITAGE OF WORDS
Anton Chekhov
Plot (Analysis)
- Alyohin – narrator/speaker of the story
- Talking with his guests Burkin and Ivan Ivanych about Russina perspective of love.
- Initiates the story of two servants Nikanor, the cook and the beautiful girl Palageya. It's like a mismatch of love. The girl Palageya was so beautiful whereas Nikanor was clumsy, fat and very bad looking.
- Alyohin presents the violent love affair between two servants where the cook Nikanor was high temper. She didn’t want to marry him but live with him. When he was in drunk; he used to swear and beat her and she would hide in down stair and sob.
- Alyohin analyses the love between the servants. Why did not she fall in love with somebody more like herself inwardly and outwardly? Personal happiness does not count in love and it is uncertain and vague as well as mysterious. Love is not the absolute solution of happiness and several questions regarding love are unanswered.
- The speaker continues to state more about love on Russian perspective. “Russians who are cultivated have a weakness for these questions that remained unanswered. Love is usually poeticized, embellished with roses, nightingales; but we Russians embellish our love with these fatal questions, and choose the least interesting of them, at that.”
- He recalled that he was fallen in love with a girl when he was a student in Moscow but she did not perform the act of love. “When we are in love, we never asked ourselves whether it is honorable or dishonorable, sensible or stupid, what this love will lead to, and so on”
- When Alyohin was telling a story about love to his guest; the atmosphere was not good. There was grey sky and drenched (wet) tree and he was telling a story being so lonely.
- He continued that he returned to his home at Sofyino; after he graduated from the University and started farming to pay off the debt of his father for his education. While staying in village; he was a bookish fellow who read The Messenger of Europe.
- He was elected as honorary justice of peace and went to town for circuit court and met several educated people; lawyers including Luganovich; the assistant president of circuit court.
- Luganovich invited Alyohin for dinner where he had an opportunity to meet with Anna Alexeyevna; wife of Luganovich. Alyohin was fascinated by the beauty of Anna even after she gave birth to child in the age of 22.
- Both husband and wife were so fond of him. He regularly visited their home for dinner. Alyohin was quite positive to save innocent people from the arson (firing in house) case in the court.
- Alyohin was restless because of the natural; and elegant beauty of Anna; so he couldn’t stop meeting her and soon returned to town from his home Sofyino. He was in love with her despite the fact that she was married.
- He received the parcel from Anna and remained so much excited. He thought that the Luganovichs understood his loneliness. So they became his friends. They also asked him if he required money; they would feel happy to help him.
- He said that he was always thinking of Anna why she married the dull and simple hearted man of over forty and had children for him. Alyohin said the beauty of Anna didn’t match with her husband Luganovich.
- He said that he had loved her tenderly, deeply, but he had reflected and kept asking himself what their love could lead to if they did not have the strength to fight against it.
- Alyohin said that if she said her feeling to him and her husband; the result would be terrible.
- As time rolled on; Anna had two children and the grown up children hung on his neck saying Uncle Pavel Konstantinovich.
- He recalled that they had gone to theatre together and watched opera sitting side by side.
- Anna tried to run away from her husband and children and stayed at her mother or sister. It was the dissatisfaction towards her own life and means of approach to Alyohin.
- They did not utter their love to each other and remained silent.
- Later Luganovich received an appointment in Western Province and they had to sell their villa and everything to go there. Several people were there to bid good bye to Anna Alexeyevna.
- Alyohin rushed to station to bid good bye and to give her the forgotten basket.
- Finally they met; and embraced with burning pain in their hearts. Alyohin finally confess his love to her. Before they parted forever; he kissed her and pressed her hands. The train was moving and he was wandering here and there in the station and crying.
- At last; according to Alyohin; he went to Sofyino missing her much. Burking and Ivan Ivanych expressed pity over him whose condition was like the squirrel in the cage.
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