The Lady With The Dog Analysis

The story “The Lady with the Dog”, by Anton Chekhov describes the secret love affair between Anna Sergeyevna and Dmitri Gurov, who were both to other individuals. Gurov is a banker in Moscow who was married at a young age, and never truly loved his wife. Thus, he had been unfaithful to her for a long time. While Anna, who lived in S--- also felt that her marriage was a mistake, but was faithful until she arrived at Yalta. “They believed that faith had brought them together, and so they could not fathom why they were both married to different indviduals; and it was as though they were a pair of birds of passage, caught and forced to live in different cages.” (Chekhov, 270). From gaining knowledge about the backgrounds of the two lover’s marriage, it is evident that Chekhov uses

She adored him, and it was unthinkable to say to her that it was bound to have an end some day; besides, she would not have believed it.” (Chekhov, 270). This shows she has completely embraced the illegitimate love affair with Gurov, despite knowing the consequences it brings to her. It also shows that even though she is scared, she is not ashamed or disgusted at herself anymore and she believes that she is doing is acceptable. The love is considered immoral because she is married to another man, but moral because it is true love she has for Gurov. The story leaves the reader with a question of if Gurov and Anna’s love should continue peacefully or if their love terminated, because of the immorality it displays. Since the story ends with no confirmation of if they lived happily or dreadfully for the rest of their life. A critic mentioned “the conclusion of ‘The Lady with the Dog’ is left really and truly open: there is no suggestion, nor have we any inkling, of what the future may bring: ‘And it seemed that in a very little while an answer would be found, and a new and beautiful life would begin . . .”