Discussion Topic

Exploring Characters, Themes, and Literary Experience in Anton Chekhov's "The Darling"

Summary:

In Anton Chekhov's "The Darling," the main character, Olenka, is explored through her relationships with men, highlighting themes of dependency and identity. Olenka's character is defined by her need to be loved and her tendency to adopt the opinions and interests of those she loves. The story examines how her lack of a personal identity impacts her life and relationships.

Expert Answers

An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

Who are the characters in Anton Chekhov's "The Darling"?

An example Anton Chekhov's depiction of the place of women in Russian society, "The Darling," has elicited varied interpretation from its critics. The story is a character sketch of Olenka Plemyanniakov, who assumes her persona from whomever she marries. In his parody of this character who "was always fond of some one and could not exist without loving," some critics feel that Chekhov inadvertently develops her into a worthy personage in her final devotion to the boy Sasha as a mother, a true woman.

Ivan Petrovitch Kukinis a boarder at Olenka's lodge.  He is the perennial pessimist, throwing his arms up whenever it is going to rain as he is the owner of an outdoor amphitheatre.  As Olenka listens to him, tears of sympathy form in her eyes, and his despair arouses a "deep and genuine" affection in Olenka's heart.  After their marriage, Olenka mimics everything that her husband says and feels.  When he despises the public for their ignorance, she, too, despises them.  Kukin loves her for her accord with him, calling her his pet. But, when he goes to Moscow to collect a new troupe, he suddenly dies.

Vassily Andreitch Pustovalov. the manager at the timber merchant's, accompanies Olenka from the funeral of her husband.  However, he appears more as a country gentleman than a tradesman.   With a sense of fate, he consoles Olenka, "it is the will of God, so we ought to have fortitude and bear it submissively."  After he leaves, his image remains with Olenka.  Shortly thereafter, an elderly lady came to have coffee with Olenka; this woman tells Olenka that Pustavalov is an excellent man.  When he comes to visit, Olenka he only stays ten minutes, but when he leaves "Olenka loved him so much that she lay awake all night in a perfect fever."  In the morning, she sends for the elderly lady and the marriage is arranged.  He and Olenka get on well and Olenka takes his place in the office when he is gone, discussing the timber as though she is the merchant. "Vassitchka's" ideas are hers, and she abandons her interest in the theatre that she has had with her first husband. However, after six years, Pustovalov goes out to the yard one day, caught cold and becomes fatally ill and dies.

Vladimir Platonitch Smirninis a veterinary surgeon whom Olenda meets after having lived an isolated life with her cook, Mavra. Unlike the other men in her life, Smirnin does not want Olenda talking with the other veterinarians when they visit. She asks, "What will I talk about then?"  Unhappy because she desires "a love that would absorb her whole being," Olenka is discontent. Smirnin is called to his regiment and is gone for years. But, one night Smirnin comes dressed as a civilian and says that he has reconciled with his wife.  Olenka gives them lodging; however, it is not long before the wife leaves again.

Sasha Smirnin is the son of the surgeon. While his father is away, Olenka cares for him, but she smothers him with attention.  When he goes to high school, Olenka finds that she "has opinions of her own" as she can discuss the school.  Later, when Sasha's mother sends for him, Olenka is in despair. 

But another minute would pass, voices would be heard:  it would turn out to be the veterinary surgeon coming home from the club.

"Well, thank God!" she would think. 

Olga Semyonovna, referred to as Olenka, has life only by attaching hers to whomever she is married and to Sasha, whom she smothers. (Her characterization is included with the husbands')

Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

What is the theme of Anton Chekhov's "The Darling"?

Two themes that are in Anton Chekhov's "The Darling" are Conformity to Others and the Nature of Love.

  • Conformity to Others and Dependency

A vapid character, Olenka Semyonovna assumes the personality of the men in her life, becoming but an extension of her husbands. When she marries her first husband, Snookin, the proprietor of the Tivoli Pleasure Gardens, loves true drama, so Olenka loves drama, also. When she speaks to her friends, she informs her friends that 

...nothing in the world was so remarkable, so important and necessary as the theatre, and only in the theatre could you experience real enjoyment and become an educated, civilized human being.

Whatever Snookin says about the theatre, Olenka echoes his opinions.

But, after Snookin dies while away on a business trip, Olenka is inconsolable. Soon, however, she meets Vasily Andreich Pustovalov, manager of Babakayev's lumber yard. She falls in love and is married shortly thereafter. Soon, she helps her husband, managing the accounts and dispatching orders. Now, Olenka feels that timber is the most important thing in life. "Whatever thoughts her husband had, she had also." Even when some friends suggest she go to the theatre, which she has claimed that she has always loved, Olenka replies, "Me and Vasya have no time for theatres." Because her new husband has no refinement, she now has none. Whenever he does express himself, Olenka mimics his opinions. But, when Pustovalov suddenly dies after having a cold, Olenka is again alone, and without opinions.

It was a horrible, bitter sensation....she saw objects round her and understood everything that was going on, but she could not form opinions about anything  or ...know what to talk about.

Emptiness and bitterness overcome Olenka. Finally, one day she meets a military veterinarian, Vladimir Platonich Smirnin, who rents a room from Olenka. Soon, they become friends, but he has an estranged wife and a child, called Sasha. 
Olenka becomes happy again, repeating the opinions of the veterinarian, much to his discomfort. So, he scolds Olenka and tell her to keep quiet when he speaks with his associates. Olenka is hurt, but soon she has a purpose in life as she watches the boy Sasha. Soon, she adopts the opinions of the boy, mimicking his complaints about homework and teachers. 
Later, when Sasha's mother calls for the boy to come live with her, Olenka is devastated, but she hears the voice of the vet returning. "Oh, thank God" she thinks. Foreshadowing more problems, though, are Sasha's talking in his sleep, "I'll show you! Get out! Stop fighting!"

  • The Nature of Love

Loves seems illusory in all of Olenka's relations as she is dependent upon the men she loves and nothing without them. There is something lacking in this kind of love that seeks nurture from those with whom she is in love. While she gives the men companionship and support, mirroring their sentiments, there is a selfishness to this love that makes it questionable. The boy Sasha senses this selfishness as he feels stifled by Olenka's love and cries out in his sleep, "I'll show you! Get out! Stop fighting!"

Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

What literary experience does Chekhov's short story The Darling offer?

A literary experience for a reader is what is called Reader-Response Criticism. This criticism relies upon how a reader relates to a text, how they interpret a text, and the impact the text has upon them (if any). The Reader-Response Criticism relies only on the reader and forgoes the author's intent for the piece. In essence, the reader has an active role in the text given it depends upon their engagement in order to explicate their literary experience.

Given that your question elicits a subjective answer, the one I will provide you with will speak to my own personal reading experience with Chekhov's short story The Darling.

Based upon the fact that Olga's life only has meaning for her when she is with a man, Olga can only identify with herself when married or in a relationship. Therefore, what I come to find is that the lives of many women today are not much different from those in 1899 (when the story was published). Given that I teach high school, I see this happen with many of my students. They, in essence, are identified by their relationships and the boy/young man with whom they are involved.

I find the story very sad. It weighs very heavily upon me knowing that some women lack the internal strength to identify themselves apart from their partner. I feel sorry for women like Olga given I support strong women. The story simply speaks to the weakness seen in women over time and how their oppression is understandable given their weaknesses regarding the opposite sex.

Get Ahead with eNotes

Start your 48-hour free trial to access everything you need to rise to the top of the class. Enjoy expert answers and study guides ad-free and take your learning to the next level.

Get 48 Hours Free Access
Approved by eNotes Editorial