Anton Chekhov's Roles Between Male And Women In The 19th Century

Margaret Thatcher once said, “In politics, if you want anything said, ask a man. If you want anything done, ask a woman.” The roles between male and female have been sensitive topic; however, Anton Chekhov in the 19th century never shied away from it. Chekhov always talked about social issues in his stories and the current situation in the 19th century. He addresses the social issues while adhering it and challenging them. Chekhov does all this without persuading his reader’s views, but providing them an opportunity to have their own outlook on the issue. In terms of social roles, Chekhov challenges and adhere it to 19th century culture. In Chekhov’s stories he adhere male dominance, but uses women to oppose and support Russian cultural views. …show more content…
Women were not very educated because they spent most of their childhood getting ready to be a good wife. Even though women were not in the spotlight, they had a key role into the households’ success. They took care of kids, cleaned the house, and if there was anything wrong with the house were to blame. Chekhov adhere Russian social norms by making females in this stories have this mind set. They were supposed to be loyal to their husband because they need them. In a conversation between Samoylenko and Von Korean in the Duel , Von Korean says, “...she should be sent back to her husband, and if her husband won’t have her, then give her over to hard labor or some sort of correctional facility”(65). Men had control or possession over women, so when they married them they were now their priority. Affairs were something that was dangerous for a woman to do, because other females saw it as sinful for the women to have an affair. Any affair that took take was the woman’s fault because the women seduced the man, which caused the affair. Most women believed and society as a whole believed it. Maria says to Nadezhda, “wouldn’t believe it, if you told me that our sins are the faults of men. Women are always at fault” (78-79). Maria believes it was a woman’s job to keep herself from having affairs. Another example is also in the Duel Maria tells Nadezhda again, “…Men are just as weak as they are sinful. It’s understood…” (103). It was expected for a man to cheat but when a women did it was unacceptable. Yet in most of Chekhov’s stories, the main female characters go against this social norm. They did what they found suitable, if they found a different man attractive they pursue. In the Duel, Leavsky finds his wife with another man. The text says, “Leavsky turned and entered the room and saw Kirilin, and beside him Nadezhda Fyodorovna” (121). Another instance of female perusing is in