What's Inside
This collection assembles nine narratives focused on the friction between internal desires and the stifling expectations of Russian society. In the title story, a casual seaside dalliance in Yalta evolves into a grueling, long-distance emotional burden. Other pieces shift to the domestic sphere: a governess faces the indignity of a search for stolen jewelry, a medical assistant finds a factory heiress suffering from the sheer noise of her own wealth, and a disgruntled father terrorizes his family over a poorly closed door. The volume spans political espionage, failed marriages, and the slow rot of provincial boredom, usually culminating in a moment of stark clarity rather than a clean resolution.
Works & figures
- Dmitri Dmitritch Gurov
A married man who seeks a fleeting diversion in Yalta with a stranger. (in “THE LADY WITH THE DOG”)
- Korolyov
A Moscow medical assistant sent to treat a factory owner's daughter. (in “A DOCTOR'S VISIT”)
- Mashenka Pavletsky
A young governess humiliated by a search of her private belongings. (in “AN UPHEAVAL”)
- Stepan Stepanitch Zhilin
A dyspeptic patriarch who wakes up in a foul, accusatory mood. (in “THE HEAD OF THE FAMILY”)
- Andrey Vassilitch Kovrin
An exhausted intellectual who seeks rest in a horticulturist's garden. (in “THE BLACK MONK”)
- Georgy Ivanitch Orlov
A detached Petersburg official unknowingly served by a political spy. (in “AN ANONYMOUS STORY”)
What it's really about
- Social Alienation
- Individuals feeling isolated within their families, jobs, or social classes.
- Domestic Tyranny
- Men exerting petty, emotional power over their wives and dependents.
Why it's memorable
- A white Pomeranian trailing a lonely woman through the public gardens of Yalta.
- A revolutionary footman watching his target sip coffee while hiding a secret agenda.
Where to start
Start with The Lady with the Dog for its portrayal of how a simple affair becomes a complex, inescapable trap.
For your book club
- The contrast between the peaceful countryside and the mechanical grinding of the Lyalikov factory.
- How Gurov's perception of his wife informs his treatment of other women.