Lesoon- 2 About Love Anton Chekov
Characters:
Alyohin: Narrator who works as a
farmer and later works as a
judge
Nikanor: male servant works for
Alyohin & loves Pelageya
Pelageya: maid working in Alyohin's
house & loves Nikanor
Dimrty Luganovich: assistant president
of the circuit court where
Alyohin works
Anna Alexeyevna: Luganovich's(he is in
his early forties)
beautiful wife who is in
her early twenties
Burkin & Ivan: guests of Alyohin whom
he narrated the story to
Points for discussion
Three types of love with example
Nikanor & Pelageya (Violent)
Alyohin & college girl (materialistic/selfish)
Alyohin & Anna (spiritual)
Alyohin's definition of love: a hindrance and a source of dissatisfaction and irritation
Alyohin's feeling like squirrel in a cage
Summary
“About Love” is a famous Russian story written by Anton Chekhov. In the story, Chekhov presents the difference between three love stories and his two guests-Burkin and Ivan were having breakfast in a country house.
Alyohin told about the violent love affair between his two servants Nikanor and Pelageya. Pelageya didn’t want to marry Nikanor but she was ready to live with him just so. But Nikanor couldn’t stay with her before marriage for religious reasons. Alyohin says that love is a hindrance and a source of dissatisfaction and irritation. To justify his statement, he began his own story.
Alyohin had to work hard at Sofyino to pay his debt as his father had spent a lot of money on his education by mortgaging the land. Though he was a landowner, Alyohin had to work hard in the farm with his servants. Many years before, he had been elected honorary justice for peace and sometimes he had to go to the town to take part in the court session.
Luganovich was one his friends. He invited him for dinner. There, he was attracted by the young and beautiful Anna Alexeyevna, the wife of Luganovich. In the later days, he frequently visited her and they spent much time together talking for hours and going to the theatre. Though they couldn’t miss the company of each other, they didn’t express their desires, love and feelings. They hid feelings fearing that it would ruin both of their lives.
At last, as a result of unexpressed feelings, Anna had got mental sickness. She had to go to Crimea for treatment. Many people gathered at the railway station to say goodbye to Anna. When the train started to move, Alyohin ran to Anna with her basket which she had forgotten. Their emotional eyes met together and their spiritual strength couldn’t stop them falling in each other’s arms. They kissed each other and expressed their deep love. However, they parted faorever and Alyohin returned to his village being sad and he would never meet her again in his life. The true love of Alyohin is the means of living. The moment of her memory often relieved Alyohin in his life.
