The Lady with the Dog
Dmitri Dmitritch Gurov is a late-nineteenth century Russian womanizer in Anton Chekhov’s The Lady with the Dog. Unhappily married, Gurov has long been unfaithful to his wife. He views women as “the lower race”, therefore easily dispersing of his mistresses. He soon meets Anna Sergeyevna, or The Lady with the Dog, and develops an affair with her. Like Gurov, she too is married but unhappy. To both of their surprise, they soon realize that their affair is becoming more. Anton Chekhov vividly details this love story through Gurov‘s perspective and his realization of truly being in love.
Gurov lives in Moscow with his wife and kids. He doesn’t like to be home because he sees his wife as unintelligent and narrow. He doesn’t love her and he fears her. Women to him are “the lower race”, and he talks bad about them whenever they are brought up in conversations. Although he views them this way, he finds it hard to be without the company of one. He knows that women are drawn to him and easily throws themselves at him. It’s very easy to talk to them and once he grows weary and bored of them, he replaces one with another. For women to Gurov, are just there for his pleasure.
Anna and Gurov meet in a vacation resort called Yalta. They meet up every day and continue to grow closer together. When Anna is summoned home by her husband, they say their goodbyes with no intent on ever seeing each other again. For they are both married and live in different cities. Gurov returns home himself and begins to get back into is normal routine. Thinking that he would forget about Anna like all the others, he soon realizes that he can’t. The memory of her haunts him every day. Then it hits him that he is truly, madly in love with her and wants to see her again.
After meeting up with her in St. Petersburg, Gurov returns home to wait for her to visit him. Anna soon does and they secretly meet in a hotel room. Gurov‘s and Anna’s affair is becoming more of a relationship. They love each
Gurov lives in Moscow with his wife and kids. He doesn’t like to be home because he sees his wife as unintelligent and narrow. He doesn’t love her and he fears her. Women to him are “the lower race”, and he talks bad about them whenever they are brought up in conversations. Although he views them this way, he finds it hard to be without the company of one. He knows that women are drawn to him and easily throws themselves at him. It’s very easy to talk to them and once he grows weary and bored of them, he replaces one with another. For women to Gurov, are just there for his pleasure.
Anna and Gurov meet in a vacation resort called Yalta. They meet up every day and continue to grow closer together. When Anna is summoned home by her husband, they say their goodbyes with no intent on ever seeing each other again. For they are both married and live in different cities. Gurov returns home himself and begins to get back into is normal routine. Thinking that he would forget about Anna like all the others, he soon realizes that he can’t. The memory of her haunts him every day. Then it hits him that he is truly, madly in love with her and wants to see her again.
After meeting up with her in St. Petersburg, Gurov returns home to wait for her to visit him. Anna soon does and they secretly meet in a hotel room. Gurov‘s and Anna’s affair is becoming more of a relationship. They love each
Cited: Chekhov, Anton. “The Lady with the Dog.” The Norton Introduction to Literature, Portable Tenth Edition. Ed. Allison Booth and Kelly J. Mays. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. 165-178. 2011. Print.