ABOUT LOVE SUMMARY CLASS 12 -AND IMPORTANT QUESTIONS - HERITAGE OF WORDS

General English

About Love

By Anton Chekhov

Summary

In this story we read the dynamics of romantic love almost at Platonic level. It tries to show that 'love' as such is not bound by martial relation.

In a country house there were three persons having breakfast. Alyohin, the narrator, and his guests Burkin and Ivan Ivanych. Just then Nikanor the cook came in and asked what to prepared for dinner. According to Alyohin, Pelageya loved this cook. She did not want to marry him, but was ready to live with him just so. The cook was deeply religious and therefore he was ready to live with her if she married him.

Alyohin thinks that love is a hindrance and a source of dissatisfaction and irritation. To prove this he starts telling his own story.

Alyohin has been living a farmer's life a Sofyino since he graduated from the University. As a graduate he was not  fit for rough work but his father had spent a lot of money on his education by mortgaging  the estate. So he had to work hard until he paid off the debt. Although he was a landlord, he would work with his men and women like a peasant. He also tried to maintain his civilized life by reading books and by drinking coffee and liquers after lunch and dinner. Later in summer he would be so tried that he could not go upstairs to his bed. He would sleep anywhere and began to eat in the servant's kitchen.

He had been elected honorary magistrate many years before. And sometime she had to go to town to take part in court sessions. Then he would lead a luxurious life and meet educated persons. He made friends in the town. One of the friends was Luganovich, who unexpectedly invited him to dinner. In his house he met Anna Alexeyevna, Luganov's wife. Her first baby was born just six months before. She was a young, beautiful, kind, intelligent, fascinating woman. When he was near her, he felt as if he had been familiar with her long ago in his childhood. Her husband was good-nature and  simple - minded. He could not express his personal option on the decision of the court even at dinner and in private conversation. Both the husband and the wife entertained the guest. Their active participation made him think that they lived in peace and harmony.

Alyohin spent the whole summer at Sofyino. Her memory remained in his mind all those months. He felt as if her shadow was lying lightly in his soul.

In the late autumn, Alyohin attended a charity show in the town and he saw Anna there. She looked wonderfully beautiful with her lovely and caressing eyes and she gave him the same feeling of nearness. She said that he looked dull and old, and that she expected that he would come to the theatre. The  next day he lunched with the Luganoviches. After that he would visit the family every time he went to town. He went into their house as though he were one of the family. She would welcome him and ask why hadn't seen them for so long. Her graze, her beautiful hand, her simple dress, her hairstyle, her voice gait would make him feel new, extraordinary and very important. They would talk for hours. If she was not in the home, he would wait for her. When she came home from the market, he would take all her parcels from her as a boy. 

Alyohin, an educated person, was not devoted to scholarship or literary work, but worked on the farm and yet was penniless. This distressed the Lyganoviches. They considered that alyohin tried to hide his sufferings. They requested him to borrow some money from them. But he never accepted money from them.

Alyohin was unhappy. He wondered why Anna had married Luganovich, not him. Luganovich was not energetic, but old and obedient. Whenever he went to the town, he would find that she was expecting him. They would talk for a long time, but they never old that they loved each other. They tried to conceal it. He loved her deeply, but had no strength to fight against it. He supposed that his gentle love could ruin the life of her husband, her children and it was not a good thing. If he had married her, she would not have each other happier in his country house. They might not have loved each other afterwards. Anna also might have thought like this. She might not make him happy because she was not young enough for him and not laborious to start a new life. So she would ask her husband to find a suitable girl of Alyohin.

He would come to the Luganoviches' and he was warmly welcomed there. He would to the theatre with her. In the hall they would sit side by side, and he felt that she was his own. But when they came out, they would go separately as strangers.

Anna's behaviour had been changed recently. She would frequently go to her mother and sister. She began to be moody. She felt that her life was unsatisfactory and ruined. At such times she did not care to see her husband and her children. She was being treated for nervous tiredness. She would disagree with Alyohin and wanted to tease him knowingly.

Luganovich was transferred to the western provinces and Anna had to go to Crimea for her treatment. A lot of people had come to the railway station to see Anna off. She had said goodbye to her husband and her children. But she had almost forgotten her basket. Alyohin ran into her compartment with it and then he had to say goodbye. When their eyes met together, their spiritual strength left them. He took her in his arms. She pressed her face to his breast, and tears flowed from his eyes. Kissing her face, he said that he loved her. Now he realized that the things that stopped them from loving each other was unimportant. He understood that one should not think of happiness or unhappiness, sin or write. He kissed her for the last time, pressed her hand and separated from her for ever. The train was already moving . He went into another empty compartment. Until he reached the next station, he sat crying. Then he walked home to Sofyino.

The rain stopped and the sun came out. Burkin and Ivan enjoyed the scene outside. At the same time they sorry for Alyohin. He could make his life happier by doing something else instead working on the farm. They also thought of Anna's sorrowful face.

1. The second paragraph of "About Love" is a brief account of a violent love affair between two servants. IS it significant that Alyohin is the source of this anecdote? How does the anecdote contrast with Alyohin's own story?

Ans: Pelageya is in love with Nikanor. She does not want to marry him, but is willing to live with him just so. Nikanor insists that she marry him. When he is drunk he swears at her and beats her and she has to hide herself from him.

Alyohin, a landowner, goes to town and is invited to dine by his friend, whose wife Anna Alexeyevna attract him very much. He frequently visits her family, but both of them do not express their love to each other. They are afraid that they might ruin each other's life by doing go to Crimea for treatment. At the last meeting they confess their love to each other and part forever.

Alyohin told his friends both of these events. It is quite important because they contrast with the other. The first one describes the love between the two servants, wheres in the second one describes the love between the landowner and the official's wife. Nikanor and Pelageya frankly express their desires but Aloyhin and Anna think it better to conceal their feelings. The servants are violent. He drinks and swears at her and even beats her. She sobs and hides herself. But Aloyhin and Anna behave very politely. They talk for a long time and sit silently of hours. They go to the theatre together but come out like strangers, Pelageya does not hesitate to express her sensual love. She wants to live with Nikanor without  marrying him. But Aloyhin and Anna control themselves until their spiritual strength deserts them at their final meeting. Nikanor is called 'mug' (fool), but Aloyhin and Anna are both intelligent and educated. The  servants might be happy in their own way, but Aloyhin and Anna are dissatisfied with their lives. Thus a violent love affair between the servants contrasts with the quite an unexpressed love between the intelligent persons.

2. How does an account of the occasion and of the setting in which the narrative occur affect or understanding of Aloyhin?

Ans: Aloyhin told his story in the country. At that time a Gray sky and trees drenched with rain could be seen from the windows. In such weather people could go nowehere and there was nothing for them to do but to tell and listen to stories. After he told his story to Burkin and Ivan, the rain stopped and the sun came out. Outside, there was a fine view of the garden and the river, which was shining in the sunshine like a mirror. This account of the time and the place helps us to understand Aloyhin better. The rainy weather shows Aloyhin's compulsion. He could not go out o it freely. But at the end of the story the rain stopped and the sun shone out. It expresses his freedom. Now, after telling his story to his friends, he felt free. He could start a new life if he wished.

3. An atmosphere of inertia is established in the opening paragraphs of the story. Cite some specific details which help to create this atmosphere. Is this air of connection between this atmosphere and Alyohin behaviours with the woman he loves and the outcome of their relationship?

Ans: In the opening paragraph of the story, an atmosphere of inertia is established. For example, Pelageya does not want to marry Nikanor but is willing to live with him just so. And Nikanor wants to live with her if she marries him. We find the state of inertia in their love. We don't expect any progress there. Similarly, there is a gray sky and the trees are drenched with rain. In such weather they can go nowhere and they have nothing to do.

This air if indecisive leisure is suggested against the end of the story. After Alyohin tells his guests the story of his love they find nothing to do. They think of Alyohin's unsuccessful life, Anna's sorrowful face at the last meeting and Burkin's acquaintance with her in the past.

There is the close connection between this atmosphere and this atmosphere and Alyohin's behaviour with the woman she loves and the outcome of this relationship. Alyohin loves Anna but he can't express his loves to her. As Nikanor does not take any action becuse he supposes conviction, so Alyohin hesitates to do anything because he supposes that her happy family might be ruined by his gentle love. He just imagines that she is his own and they can't live without each other, but he  parts with her like a stranger. He just prefer to talk about his love with his guests, but he does not like to do anything like a person who does not do anything in the rainy season.

3. Why do you think Chekhov chose to write about an ordinary man instead of a hero or scholar or actor? Does Chekhov imply anything about Alyohin assumption that "Celebrated" people lead more fulfilled lives than the rest of us ? Do you agree with Alyohin's assumption?

Ans: The main character of the story "About Love" is Alyohin an ordinary man like us. He is not a hero, nor a scholar, nor an actor. By choosing him, Chekhov wants to show the contrast between the life the ordinary person and that of the celebrated person. By portraying Alyohin's life, the author wants to show how the common man lives. Ordinary people hide their feelings timidly. They do not express their love to the other if it harmful to them. Like Alyohin they work hard and yet always are penniless. They are unhappy and they only talk, laugh and eat to conceal their suffering. Even at cheerful moments they are really in trouble. They are being hard pressed by some creditor and are unable to meet a payment in time. Because of self-respect they hesitate to borrow money from their close friends and relatives. Their lives are trapped in the cage of their promise and desires. They can never come out of it. They feel a bit relieved when they desires. They can never come out of it. They feel a bit relieved when they disclose their suffering to their friends.

They are quite sympathetic to others. Because of self-sacrifice their lives always remain unfulfilled. They have no money to do anything they like. They always doubt whether they can get out of their dull condition. But the celebrated person lives a beautiful and interesting life. His life is full of excitement. A hero fights for the liberation of his country. A scholar is respected in the society and an actor is loved by everybody. All of them are bold enough to do the thing which they think is all right. They don't live a poor and loveless life like that of Alyohin. So i agree with Alyohin assumption that celebrated people lead more fulfilled lives than the rest of us.