The Lady And The Dog Essay, Research Paper
In reading the short story The Lady With The Pet Dog by Anton Chekhov
and A
Respectable Woman by Kate Chopin one can see key similarities of the
two
works. The short story by Anton Checkov deals with a man and a woman
who are
both married but regardless of this fact they fall in love with each
other
and have a secret affair. The short story by Kate Chopin deals with a
married woman who is tempted to have an affair with one of her husbands
friends, but she resist unlike the characters in The Lady With The Pet
Dog.
Both of the works deal with the fact that each of the characters are
involved in committed relationships, but they are tempted to cheat in
their
relationships. The characters in the short story The Lady With The Pet
Dog
fall in love with each other and have an affair regardless of the fact
that
both of the individuals are married. A lady arrives in town with a
little
white dog, which would give her her name initially since no one knew of
her
true identity. “She walked along, always wearing the same beret and
always
with the white dog no one knew who she was and everyone called her
simply
‘the lady with the pet dog’”(194). The man that has an acute interest
in
this young woman is named Dmitrich Gurov who is married with a daughter
twelve years old, and two sons away at school. He is dissatisfied to
say the
least with his present situation and his marriage to his wife.
“…while he
privately considered her of limited intelligence, narrow-minded, dowdy,
was
afraid of her, and did not like to be at home”(294). This man would
often
cheat on his wife because he is unhappy and thought very little of his
wife.
“He had begun being unfaithful to her long ago-had been unfaithful to
her
often and, probably for that reason, almost always spoke ill of women,
and
when they were talked of in his presence used to call them ‘the
inferior
race’”(194).
When this man seen a new woman in his town he decides to introduce
himself
and find out about the lady with the pet dog. As the two of them become
closer and closer the relationship becomes more serious. They often
walked
in the park together which made their friendship grow stronger each
day.
“…afterwards he meet her in the square several times a day”(193).
After
many acquaintances and talks he learns that this woman grew up in
Petersburg
and married two years previously. “In the evening when the wind had
abated
they went out on the pier to watch the steamer come in”(195). He soon
learns
that her name is Anna Sergeyevna. Also she will be staying in Yalta for
about a month and she is there to take a well needed rest away from her
husband, as he is in need of one too.
He begins to make passes at her that she didn’t notice at first such as
offering to buy her a soft drink or some ice cream. “…Gurov often
went
into the restaurant and offered Anna Sergeyvna a soft drink or ice
cream”(195). As they grow closer they finally go far beyond the limits
of a
friendship. “Then he looked at her intently, and suddenly embraced her
and
kissed her on the lips, and the moist fragrance of her flowers
enveloped him
at once he looked round him anxiously, wondering if anyone had seen
them”(196). This sudden move was truly unexpected from the both of them
and
Gurov was afraid that someone would see them together for he is married
as
she is too and this is not tolerated in marriage. He is truly crossing
the
line and realizes that it is dangerous to be with Anna in public,
because
someone could see them. Anna felt tremendously guilty after this kiss
from
another man besides her husband. “‘It’s not right,’
she said. ‘You don’t respect me now, you first of all….’God forgive
me,’
she said, and her eyes filled with tears. ‘It’s terrible’”(196).
Although
she felt horrible she felt just in her actions because of the way that
her
husband has treated her. Events like these continue on for weeks, up
until
the day it is time for Anna to go back home to her husband. “…a
letter
came from him saying that he had eye-trouble, and begging his wife to
return
home as soon as possible. Anna Sergeyevna made haste to go”(198). She
is
truly not ready to leave the companion that she has met and fell madly
in
love with in her short stay in Yalta. “‘It’s a good thing I’m leaving’,
she
said to Gurov. ‘It’s the hand of Fate”‘(198). As much as she hates to
leave
her newly acquired friend she knows it’s best for the both of them.
They are
both married and this type of behavior can’t be tolerated. “We are
parting
forever-it has to be, for we ought never have met”(198). She was going
out
of his life forever he thought, all he has left are sweet memories of
his
young loving companion. “And his memories glowed more and more
vividly”(199). It seems as though he can’t get Anna off of his mind
even
though she has been away for several months now. “When he shut his eyes
he
saw her before him as though she were there in the flesh, and she
seemed to
him lovelier, younger, tenderer than she had been…”(198).
He can no longer be without her and he decides to go and find the woman
that
he misses and loves so much. He is terribly unhappy when she leaves and
he
continues to be unhappy with his family and wife. “He was fed up with
his
children…In December during the holidays he prepared to take a trip.
He
wanted to see Anna Sergeyevna and talk with her, to arrange a
rendezvous if
possible”(200). He finally meets with her at an orchestra, but she is
with
her
husband so he has to secretly meet with her. During intermission her
husband
leaves the theater, and Gurov makes his move to go and talk to her.
Anna was
truly shocked to see Dmitrich and was frightened that he has shown up
while
her husband is around. “She glanced at him and turned pale, then looked
at
him again in horror, unable to believe her eyes, and gripped the fan
and the
lorgnette tightly in her hands, evidently trying to keep herself from
fainting”(202). She agrees to visit him in Moscow, but he must leave
her at
once before her husband returns and sees the two of them together and
becomes suspicious of this stranger that is talking to his wife. “I
will
come see you in Moscow”(202). After the meeting in Moscow both of them
agree
to visit each other regularly. The love and friendship they share those
short few weeks is a bond that couldn’t be broken. “And Anna Sergeyevna
began coming to see him in Moscow”(202).
The character in the short story A Respectable Woman is a housewife
that is
happily married unlike the man and woman in The Lady With The Pet Dog.
This
woman is pleased with her husband and home environment and has no
intentions
of cheating on her husband. Her husband invites one of his college
friends
that he has told his wife so much about to visit for a few weeks. He is
a
very busy man and needs a rest away from his work so he can relax and
enjoy
himself. From the stories that her husband has told her she formed a
picture
of him in her head and from this visualization she dislikes this man.
“But
she had unconsciously formed an image of him in her mind”(205).
Although
when the man actually comes to visit she takes a liking to him and
realizes
what she thought before not to be true of this man at all. “And she
rather
liked him when he first presented himself”(205). What her husband has
told
her didn’t match up with this man that appears before her when he
arrives.
After the man arrives she truly is surprised at what the man is
actually
like. The man is not as much trouble as she expects and she begins to
take a
liking to this college friend of her husbands. “Gouvernail’s
personality
puzzled Mrs. Baroda, but she liked him”(206). She didn’t know what to
think
of this man who didn’t speak much and makes no direct contact with her
except the occasional hello or good evening. Mrs. Baroda has mixed
feelings
about this man who had come to visit her husband.
“She had never known her thoughts or intentions to be so
confused”(206). One
night while sitting outside on a bench Governail comes and sits down
with
her for a talk and to deliver a white scarf her husband has sent. While
the
two of them sit down for a talk she fells strongly attracted to this
man. It
seems as if she wants to reach out and touch him, and have him hold her
closely in his arms. The strong impulse seems to overwhelm her but she
resist. “The stronger the impulse grew to bring herself near him, the
further, in fact, did she draw away from him. But she did not yield to
temptation”(207). When the time is right she rises and leaves Governail
outside on the bench by himself. She fells that she needs to get away
from
him, and stay somewhere else until he leaves her home. To get away from
this
temptation she leaves and goes to her Aunt Octavies until her husbands
visitor would be gone and she would not have this awful temptation to
be
with this man. When the two men awaken the next morning she is already
gone
to her Aunt’s house. She has escaped this terrible temptation that
overwhelmed her that night on the bench outside and wouldn’t have to
worry
about it again.
In conclusion the similarities of theses two stories is remarkable.
Both of
the works deal with committed people in relationships that are tempted
to be
with someone other than their spouse. In one of the story’s the spouse
resist the temptation and in the other the temptation is far too great
and
can’t be resisted. Although in both of the works the temptation to
cheat is
present and greatly considered