Comparing Anton Chekhov's The Lady With The Pet Dog

Sexuality is expressed differently in every country and culture on the planet. To an even greater extent, males and females have different views on how to handle intimate situations. These views are made evident in Anton Chekhov’s and Joyce Carol Oates’ versions of “The Lady with the Pet Dog.” Currently, our society incorrectly assumes men to crave sex and women to be infatuated with love. The emotional aspects of sexual relationships, the treatment of unfaithfulness, and the treatment of sexual partners all show how society has separated genders, although they are similar. Males are known to be uncaring, and focused more on physical aspects of relationships. Gurov is no exception, he disregards females emotions. He lets Anna “have her cry” (Chekov 234) while he sits down and makes himself a cup of tea (234). Gurov does not intertwine himself in her emotions because it would be incorrect of him to do so. This seemingly petty thought causes a great deal of male emotions to be suppressed until there is a true connection …show more content…
A large discrepancy exists between actions and thoughts, though. If one is judged only by thoughts, we would have a very different society. Currently, we are judged by our actions. Anna is interested in love and emotions only to attract the man. Anna asks the man: “‘Do you...do you love me?’” (Oates 246). She got the answer she wanted in return: “‘You’re so beautiful!’” (246). She asks about love only to wait for his reaction and see if it matches her feelings of lust. When the reaction does match, she knows she can finally act upon the desire she has formed for his body. The single fact that a woman must fake love to get what she wants; a short term relationship, is a far stretch. Our society has formed women into objects that cannot recognize themselves as objects, or they will be unsuccessful in their