The Lady with the Pet Dog

by Joyce Carol Oates

Start Free Trial

Student Question

How does Anna differ in Oates' versus Chekov's "The Lady with the Dog"?

Quick answer:

In Joyce Carol Oates' version of "The Lady with the Dog," Anna differs from Anton Chekhov's Anna in her psychological makeup and setting. Oates' Anna seeks a private retreat due to personal inadequacies and marital unhappiness, becoming suicidal during her affair. In contrast, Chekhov's Anna is more public, dealing with moral failure and despair after her affair. These differences highlight cultural and psychological distinctions between the characters across time and place.

Expert Answers

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

Joyce Carol Oates' Anna in "The Lady with the Pet Dog" corresponds in many ways to Anton Chekhov's Anna in "The Lady with the Dog," but just like Oates added a word to the title, she added a thing or two to Anna's character traits. First both Anna's are away from their husbands for awhile because both are disappointed with their marriages. Chekhov's Anna (C-Anna) goes to a public recreation place for a vacation whereas Oates' Anna (O-Anna) goes to a secluded family beach house.

This not only reflects cultural differences between countries and time periods, it also lends a different psychology to the Annas. C-Anna is still a public wife and searching for a public way to incorporate her role of wife with her private inner self; it is inevitable that any introductions or acquaintanceships will begin with her identity as a wife. Whereas, O-Anna seeks a private retreat that shows her concern is adjusting to her private agony stemming from an unhappy marriage and founded on private inner self-doubt and insecurity. On the other hand, C-Anna only feels self-doubt and insecurity after she has succumbed to the affair and has disappointed herself morally.

O-Anna becomes suicidal during the loss of and even the resumption of the affair because of her private inner feelings underpinning her marital unhappiness. C-Anna gives into despair because she has failed morally as well as having sorrow at her separation from Gurov on top of her public sorrow at a badly chosen marriage. In other words, the psychological make up of the two women is different: O-Anna's psychological reality has roots in personal inadequacy, whereas C-Anna's has roots in failing herself morally.

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