Comparative analysis of Chekhov and Oates

Anton Chekhov's the Lady with the Dog is commonly considered to be a moralizing tale in which a chronically unfaithful husband undergoes a complete transformation in his values, his priorities and his personality once he finally learns what it means to feel true love. As Robert Fulford describes it in his article, Surprised by Love: Chekhov and 'The Lady with the Dog' ."What Chekhov says in this sophisticated parable is that love radically alters the landscape of existence. When touched by love, we know the world in a different way. Love changes the inner landscape, too. Under the pressure of love, Gurov looks inside himself and sees someone he has not known before, someone capable of feelings that he barely knew existed" (337).

This observation indicates that beyond the idealistic romantic theme, the Lady With Dog also deals with issues of self-reflection and the development of personal insight. Fulford makes this very clear in his article, often emphasizing the surprises one can find when they take the time to look at themselves and their lives objectively. Yet at the same time, Fulford frames his argument within a cultural and historical context. He discusses the changing ways that adultery was coming to be viewed in the 19th century, actually calling the time period that Chekov's story takes place "the golden age of adultery" (333). He further explains the cultural and historical significance as follows:

"A certain kind of 'modern adultery' was providing a rich vein of drama and comedy for literature. As an act of love adultery retained the weight of meaning that it would begin to lose in the middle of the twentieth century. The newly emergent bourgeois of Russia placed family at the centre of their concerns. Lifelong marriage vows were embraced with deep seriousness, which made the frisson of sin and fear more intense than it has been for earlier or later generations. At the same time, changes in social life provided increasing opportunities for breaking those vows. Women were moving toward independence, which might even take the form of holidays on their own. Railroads made it easier for lovers to meet. Anonymous hotels were everywhere. For the prosperous, living a double life was increasingly possible. Like many writers, Chekhov was delighted to exploit the narrative possibilities offered by this new world of erotic mystery and danger" (333-334).

Transformation was a prevailing theme both in the actual lives of people during this period, as well as for the literary characters in the Lady with the Dog. Clearly, one of the narrative's most intriguing features is the enduring continuum of the transformation experienced by Dmitri Gurov, which allows the reader to witness the slow process of change over time and circumstance. In the article, Oafish Behavior in 'The Lady with the Pet Dog', Charles Stanion observes "One of the story's most impressive aspects is Dmitry Gurov's gradual metamorphosis: subtle details of action and dialogue illustrate a profound revision of his cynical attitude toward relationships with women" (402).

As we all know, change is a natural part of life on both internal and external levels. It is the nature of those changes and how we react to them that ultimately shapes our moral character, and in turn, our attitudes and behavioral choices. With this in mind, Chekhov uses Gurov as a symbol of the choices we all make when faced with decisions that could change our lives forever. Is it better to stay in a bad situation just because you promised you would? Or is it better to follow your heart and accept that change is inevitable?

These are the questions Dmitri Gurov must ask himself as he struggles with the choice between his wife and his lover. These changes are symbolically portrayed in many places in the story as a part of the natural order of things. For example, as Stanion explains in his article "[Gurov] now respects Anna and he stands before her, while she sits; he addresses her with the polite pronoun vy, whereas in their earlier meeting he had addressed her in the familiar form. He no longer looks over her shoulder as he kisses Anna" (402).

The changes in Gurov clearly coincide with the changes in society that are taking place regarding the attitudes toward, and the treatment of, women. Women are beginning to gain more respect and Gurov reflects this shift in his changes in behaviors towards Anna. However, the change that occurs within Gurov is, in actuality, not one of moral revival, but rather one of adaptation to circumstance. While the changes that take place in Gurov are in many ways superficial in that they are essentially based on satisfying his own changing wants and needs, they are at the same time quite revealing as to Chekhov's understanding of the story he is telling.

Signs that change is coming are infused throughout the text, which serves to foreshadow the climactic transformation the main character ultimately experiences. For example, the following reflection by Gurov symbolizes the connection between the changing of the seasons and the growth and maturity of the human heart:

"The frosts had begun already. When the first snow has fallen, on the first day of sledge-driving, it is pleasant to see the white earth, the white roofs, to draw soft, delicious breath; and the season brings back the days of one's youth. The old limes and birches, white with hoar-frost, have a good-humoured expression; they are closer to one's heart than cypresses and palms; and near them one does not want to be thinking of the sea and the mountains."

The changes that Dmitri Gurov undergoes throughout the Lady with the Dog are profound on many levels, but morality and true self-actualization are not among the group. While the character does indeed learn to feel true love and is able to, at least for the moment, commit himself to that love, he never once takes responsibility for his own digressions. Had he not found true love in Anna, would he have ever changed his philandering ways? It seems likely that the answer to that question is 'probably not' in that Gurov did not change because he was ashamed of who he was, but simply because the circumstances of his life dramatically improved. It is easy to become "sincere and tender" when things are going your way and you are riding high on feelings of a newly blossoming romance, yet the true test of one's moral character is how one behaves in the face of adversity. Thus the true measurement of change in Dmitri will come only after the circumstances in his life once again begin to sour.

Interestingly, as mentioned above, there is little moralizing on the author's part in terms of adultery being a sin. Yet there is rather quite a bit of sermonizing about the pursuit of happiness. Ultimately, Chekhov emphasized that people should try to grab whatever happiness they can and should be bold and aggressive in their pursuits, no matter what the dangers or possible negative consequences. This can be seen in the following passage in which Gurov is unable to control his desires to see Anna, despite the dangers of getting caught by her husband:

"He considered: to-day was a holiday, and the husband would probably be at home. And in any case it would be tactless to go into the house and upset her. If he were to send her a note it might fall into her husband's hands, and then it might ruin everything. The best thing was to trust to chance. And he kept walking up and down the street by the fence, waiting for the chance."

This unique sense of prioritization possessed by the author is reflected in Gurov's transformation not from a sinful man to a moralistic man, but rather from a man who has honed his copious desires down to one. In other words, his transformation was not based on any kind of moral or ethical epiphany regarding the sinfulness of deceit and adultery, but rather on the simple fact that he happened to fall in love with one woman. Gurov had always pursued his desires with a vengeance; it was just that up until this point in time, he had never really experienced true love. He ultimately did not want to lose the 'warm and fuzzy' feelings that true love afforded him, thus in essence, he remained selfish and hedonistic even after his 'internal makeover'.