An Analysis of the Short Story The Darling by Anton Chekhov Essay

The short story, "The Darling" by Anton Chekhov, centers on the life of a woman name Olenka. Olenka is a gentle and compassionate girl who needs to be always fond of someone. Her first husband Kukin is a manager for an outside theater. They are good together, and Olenka not only helps her husband in his business, but also imitates his opinions about everything. Unfortunately, Kukin dies on a business trip to Moscow. After receiving the telegram about his death, Olenka is devastated. For a time, she is very heart-broken and lonely, until she grows affection for Pustovalov. Pustovalov is a timber merchant who helps Olenka through the loss of Kukin. Once again Olenka marries, and is seen adopting someone else s beliefs and opinions as she does in Pustovalov s case. For the second time, she finds happiness, but again disaster transpires as Pustovalov is stricken with illness, from which he doesn't recover. After Pustovalov dies, Olenka then begins an affair with Smirnin, veterinary surgeon. Smirnin has a wife, from whom he is separated, and a son. Again, Olenka s views transform into the views of the person she begins to care about. Eventually Smirnin is relocated, and Olenka is left behind. For many years, she is alone. Olenka is left with no views, no opinions of her own. Years later, Smirnin returns with his wife and son for a place to stay. Olenka offers her place and loves Sasha, Smirnin s son, as her own child. Once again, Olenka has someone to love, and once again she has views and opinions to share. Olenka has no intellectual life of her own, she is a woman without a self. A person shouldn t have to use someone else s views and opinions heshe should have hisher own identity.Olenka Semyonovna is the main character. Her character is static, unchanging through to the end. Olenka s appearance, personality, and behavior are not half bad...

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