The Darling

Anton Chekov’s “The Darling” is an ironic story. It is about a girl, Olenka, who does not have any of her own opinions, and she is always looking for someone to love. It may not be the kind of love that binds someone in marriage, but she is looking for someone to love. Chekov writes, “She was constantly in love with someone, and could not live otherwise.”(Chekov 558) It may be that she can not form her own opinions and relies on the people she loves to give her the opinions she thinks. Or it may be that she loves to love. The author writes, “Whatever Snookin said about the theater and the actors, she repeated.”(Chekov 559) When she had married Snookin, she inherited his opinions and ideas. When Snookin died, she was remarried to Pustovalov, a timber yard owner. When they were married she adopted his ideas. Chekov writes, “Whatever thoughts her husband had, she had also.”(Chekov 561) It is evident know that Olenka does not have her own ideas, but she simply adopts them from the people she is in love with. There is also some irony in the story. Olenka’s first husband Snookin owned a theater. Olenka adopted the idea that, “Take the audience for a start. They are nothing but ignorant savages.”(Chekov 558) To her, and her husband, the audience does not know how to appreciate a good show. After Snookin dies, and she is married to Pustovalov she says, “What do people see in those theaters anyways?”(Chekov 561) It is funny that her opinion can be so swayed.

Ralph Waldo Emerson, on the other hand had a different idea. He believed that people had limitless potential. In an analysis of Emerson it says, “He believed human beings had limitless potential.”(180) According to the way Chekov wrote, Olenka’s only potential was when she was using the ideas of her love. Olenka’s potential only went as far as the person she loved potential went.

Chekov, Anton. “The Darling” Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. 97-99. Print.

"Emerson’s Outlook." Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. 97-99. Print.