Anna's Attraction To Dmitry example essay topic

By Lori Mock In the story Lady with Lapdog, author, Anton Chekhov uses the plot and setting he created for this story to explain why people have relationships. Why do men and women have attraction to one another? In this story, author, Anton Chekhov tries to explain why people need each other. It is no secret or surprise that humans need to find companionship and love. Why would this be? The most valid reason would be to continue on the species through reproduction.

In the story Lady with Lapdog, Anton Chekhov carefully examines how the two main characters, Dmitry Dmitiech Gu rov; from Moscow, and Anna Sergeenva Von Diedeitz from S engage in a causal affair that quickly turns into an obsessive, love-sick romance. This doesn't bother either character after a while that both are already married. Both characters have individual reasons for needing a relationship from one another. Dmitry has had many affairs in the past. He has a very poor feeling inside of how he views women in general and describes them as the lower breed. He has these affairs on a regular basis and prefers them to be one night stands that end as quickly as they begin with no commitment or strings attached.

His low opinion of women comes from his extreme unhappiness within his own life and marriage to his wife. He finds her to be shrewish and intelligent and even though she gave him children, whom he adores, he despises her (Buchanan, 2003). Yalta, the town in which the majority of this story takes place, tends to be a place that numerous people have had affairs at (Bora rag, Schmidt, 1995). The story takes place throughout varies areas of Yalta; restaurants, parks, and of course the hotel room. This seems to be a place that people decide to visit alone.

Anna, however, was awaiting her husband to join her on the ship to Yalta but he missed the boat. She was very upset that he did not join her on the trip and the farthest thing from her mind was having an affair with another man, a married one at that. Dmitry's first attraction to Anna is the thought that comes to mind after their first encounter, the thought that there is something "pathetic" about her (Bogarad, Schmidt, 1995). This is his reason for being attracted to her. He feels that this affair will be like all of the others and will be quick, sexual, and end abruptly with parting.

Little did he expect his feeling for Anna grew quickly and deeply and he went from a casual affair to an obsessed heartsick lover. He finds her to be similar to his daughter and this is one of the reasons he cares for Anna so deeply. It is the feeling of familiarity that attracts him to her. As for Anna, her attraction to Dmitry is totally unforeseen. She seems to be a dedicated wife and feels bound by honor and duty to her husband. Her relationship with him is boring and uneventful though.

For this reason Anna travels to Yalta with her little white Pomeranian as a companion. Chekhov makes a point to show the reader that Anna is not the type of woman to have an affair (sparknotes, 2003). Anna's attraction to Dmitry develops differently. Her disappointment from a boring, inattentive, business oriented husband lands her into the awaiting arms of Dmitry.

She becomes attracted to him because he gives her the love she so yearns for from her husband. She quickly becomes attached to Dmitry and tries to put an end to the affair and the feelings she has for this married man by returning to her hometown The setting of the story, in Yalta, where it seems as if affairs are common place sets the picture for a sad, lonely man to seek a simple one night stand. Instead he finds true love and a need and desire for a relationship like no other he has ever known. This woman he falls for is beautiful in her own pathetic, sad and neglected wife way. The pair seems very indifferent but true affair seems to grow like a wildfire. Soon it becomes obsessive, so much, that they begin to see one another in their hometowns.

The relationship seems destined for wither a very fulfilling or disastrous ending. In the end of all of this, it is clear that Anna's need to love and be loved together with her sense of dedication draws her to Dmitry. Dmitry also finds his own motive for falling in love with Anna. Her strong and caring character is exactly what he finds to be attractive. Chekhov's Lady with Lapdog offers a unique view of relationships and attraction.

By placing both characters in the role of adulterer, he is able to show how love is more important than mere procreation; it is necessary for mental survival as well (Buchanan, 2003). Their relationship is an example of the needs of human beings for love and attraction. This story clearly shows how two people fulfilled that need.

Bibliography

Bogarad, Carley Rees and Schmidt, Jan Zlotnik. Legacies. 1995.
Buchanan, Catherine. Spark Notes on Chekhov Stories. 14 February 2003.
web February 2003.