The Darling

2 Pages 588 Words

Li 2
Anton Chekhov’s short story “The Darling?illustrates the life of a woman named Olenka Semyonovna£¬who because of her reliance on others, lives a empty life. She is a person who changes her attitude as she falls in love with different men. She always needs to be fond of someone and does not posses a personality of her own; therefore, she only finds happiness in reflecting the belief of her husbands. Olenka is portrayed as a conventional woman who is reliant, diligent and idealess.
Olenka is a dependent woman who needs the love of others. In earlier days, she had loved many people such as her aunt, the school’s French master and even her father. Later on, she becomes attracted by her first husband Kukin, and “without him she [can] not sleep, but [sit] all night at her window, looking at the stars?(250). Thus, Olenka cannot feel comfort when there is no one for her to attach to. After Kukin past away in Moscow, she is expected to be heartbroken and sorrowful afterwards. Ironically, Olenka immediately seeks and falls in love with her next mate, Pustovalov. Once again, she becomes delighted and “[misses] him dreadfully, [lies] awake and [cries]?(252) when he is away on business trips. Olenka easily becomes lonely and desperate for male affection; she has to have someone who can take care of her.
Olenka works hard to bring successes to her husband business. She assists in the daily activities in the theater, Tivoli, such as “[taking] part in the rehearsals, and [correcting] the actors?(249). She has become so occupied with Tivoli that she cannot detach herself from it. However, when she begins to engage with Pustovalov,
Li 3
Tivoli has somehow vanished from her mind. She starts to focus all of her attentions into Pustovalov’s lumber industry. While he is away, she takes his place and works in the office to make necessary arrangements. Olenka puts so much passion into her work that s...