"Lady with a Little Dog"

Book Review # 113041

A discussion of the development of the plot and the use of the narrator in "A Lady with a Little Dog," written by Anton Chekhov.

2,534 words () | 0 sources | 2008 Canada

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the plot and the development of love in the short story, "A Lady with a Little Dog," written by Anton Chekhov. The paper discusses the character of the protagonist in the story and his relationship with the love of his life. The paper also describes the style of writing and the use of the narrator in the development of the plot.

From the Paper:

"They spend this first day together, idly wandering Yalta, and the first appearance of beauty makes itself known. While Gurov is sitting with the lady (whose name we still do not know - at this point she is merely a simulacrum of Gurov's desire for diversion and not her own character) this almost meditative state of mind gives rise to one of the few exterior descriptions in the story: "The water was the warm, soft colour of lilac and a golden strip of moonlight lay across it." (225) While it is a cliche that when in love the sun shines more brilliantly and the birds sing more melodically, it is nevertheless a truism of human existence. This mention of the unusual beauty of the sea while they sit in Yalta subtly cues the reader that Gurov's attention is opening up to beauty - an indication that he is opening up to love, as well."