"The Darling"

Anton Chekhov, a famous Russian playwright, wrote "The Darling" not for the plot and action packed reading, but for the atmosphere and character of a story and how one seemingly ordinary event can have a huge impact on everyday lives (Chekhov 557). "The Darling" tells the story of a woman who is dependent on others and can not have an opinion of her own (Bloom). As her husbands go through different ends, Olenka goes through withdraws as her center of the universe dies or leaves her. This story reminds me of "The Story of an Hour", but the women are complete opposites. Mrs. Mallard is a strong independent woman, but Olenka needs a man to love to survive in the world. When Mr. Mallard dies, Mrs. Mallard is ecstatic about her new found "freedom" that comes with the news (Chopin 555). When Olenka finds out that her first husband, Snookin Vanya, died in Moscow, she breaks down and mourns for him and screams out "Who is going to look after your poor wretched Olenka now you've abandoned her" (Chekhov 560). Olenka had some serious clingy relationship issues as she repeats that cycle three more times with a total of three men and one child (Chekhov 565). Unfortunately for Olenka, she does not have the same "luck" as Mrs. Mallard. After proclaiming her freedom, she composed herself and went downstairs to be startled by her "dead" husband walking in the door (Chopin 555). Olenka would have rejoiced to the high heavens that her beloved husband was still alive. But Mrs. Mallard was an independent woman and was held back and suppressed by her husband (Chopin 553). She died of "joy that kills" after learning that she was not "free" (Chopin 555). Olenka almost died of abandonment and lack of someone to love after her husband died and "left her" (Chekhov 563). Chekhov did a good job representing the other woman, although the story is written in a way that could mock dependent women or tell the story of the "gentle slave" (Bloom).


Bloom, Harold, ed. "'The Darling'." Anton Chekhov, Bloom's Major Short Story Writers. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishing, 2001. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 04 Mar. 2012.

Chekhov, Anton. "The Darling." Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. 557-565. Print.

Chopin, Kate. "The Story of an Hour." Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. 551- 555. Print.