Analysis of Symbolism in Chekhov’s Lady with The Dog and Chopin’s Storm

The journey of a fictional character is written to reflect the ways of the author’s culture. The author uses symbolism of common things to represent or convey a greater message subtly to the reader. Authors such as Anton Chekhov and Kate Chopin created stories with characters on similar journeys, however, under unique circumstances, leaving them with different outcomes. There are many instances of symbolism in both of these stories that make the anonymity of the character clear and the stance of the author as well.

Analysis of Symbolism in Chekhov’s "Lady with The Dog" and Chopin’s "The Storm"

Anton Chekhov wrote the short story “Lady with the Pet Dog” in the late 1800s. It is the story of a man named Dmitri Gurov who is on a mission of lust to pursue a married woman and have a relationship with her in secret. Dmitri’s journey to the reader is one of desire and highlights the man’s dependency on contact with Anna Sergeyevna, and his inability to think of anyone besides himself. “He had begun being unfaithful to her long ago – had been unfaithful to her often, and, probably on that account, almost always spoke ill of women, and when they were talked about in his presence, used to call them 'the lower race.’” This shows that Chekhov thought negatively of human behavior during his era, as his characters go on to live in their self-interests.

One of the points of symbolism in "Lady with the Pet Dog" is the show “The Geisha” that Dmitri and Anna go to. What this symbolizes is the double life they lead as they go on with their relationship in secret. “I despise myself and don't attempt to justify myself. It's not my husband but myself I have deceived. And not only just now; I have been deceiving myself for a long time.” Chekhov uses this symbolism to show how divisive human beings are when faced with lust.

Another point of symbolism made by Chekhov is the pet dog itself. What the pet dog symbolizes to the reader is the idea of desperately needing companionship to survive. “In the society of men he was bored and not himself, with them he was cold and uncommunicative; but when he was in the company of women he felt free, and knew what to say to them and how to behave.” What Anton Chekhov couldn't say that he conveyed to the reader is that men are creatures driven by their desires with singular purpose, like the dog is to comforting its owner. Through these symbols, Chekhov critiques the social norms and the inherent hypocrisy within them.

Kate Chopin wrote the next piece in the late 1800s as well, called "The Storm." Chopin wrote "The Storm" during a time when women and sexuality were suppressed by a male-dominated society. The story follows the journey of a married woman named Calixta who commits adultery during a storm with a friend named Alce. “Do you remember in Assumption, Calixta?' he asked in a low voice broken by passion. Oh! She remembered; for in Assumption he had kissed her and kissed and kissed her.”

A major symbolic point made in "The Storm" by Chopin is the environment. The storm raging represents the uncontrollable passion of sex between man and woman. “She wiped the frame that was clouded with moisture. It was stiflingly hot. Alce got up and joined her at the window, looking over her shoulder.” Chopin wants the reader to know that Calixta’s sexuality is significant to the era it was written in, challenging the societal norms that confined women's desires.

The second symbol in the short story "The Storm" is the letter Alce writes to his wife as the storm passes on. The importance of the letter was it showed Chopin’s views on male expectations of women even when it clashes with the females' desires. “..And the first free breath since her marriage seemed to restore the pleasant liberty of her maiden days. Devoted as she was to her husband, their intimate conjugal life was something which she was more than willing to forego for a while. So the storm passed and everyone was happy.” Chopin delves into the habitual minds of men and women to expose their true desires and passion, revealing the tension between societal expectations and personal freedom.

Conclusion

Both short stories were similar in the sense that they dealt with adultery. These works by Kate Chopin and Anton Chekhov can be comparable to an extent, but with one thing for certain, they were written in the perspective of the sex of the fictional characters. This approach paints a vivid picture of a person’s morals to the reader during a time of conservative behavior, highlighting the complexities of human emotions and societal constraints.

References

Chekhov, A. (1899). Lady with the Pet Dog. Translated by Constance Garnett.

Chopin, K. (1898). The Storm. Published posthumously in The Complete Works of Kate Chopin.