Analysis Of Lady With A Lapdog By Anton Chekhov

As Sarah Dessen best puts it “there is never a time or place for true love. It happens accidentally, in a heartbeat, in a single flashing, throbbing moment.” Love is an unusual accident that can defy all other forces and overwhelm the human heart to overlook the norms. This kind of love is evident between Gurov and Anna from the short story “Lady with a Lapdog” written by Anton Chekhov. Gurov and Anna exemplify individuals in society who have found true love too late in their lives. But with the power of love, they are able to overcome societal and physical barriers. The idea that the power of love can overcome obstacles in the way of two lovers such as Anna and Gurov is explored by constructing deliberate settings, characters, and symbols …show more content…
The first symbol in the story is the “long gray fence with inverted nails” that is “hammered into the tops of the palings” of Anna’s house. When Gurov faces the fence of Anna’s house he realizes the barriers that he needs to face in order to reach Anna. On the other side of the fence, Anna is living a life with her husband that is entirely distinct than Gurov’s. Nonetheless, Gurov does not give up on Anna so easily and eventually succeeds to meet her during the first opening performance of The Geisha by Sydney Jones, which is also the second symbol in the story. Geishas are women who men can go to for pleasure and for having an affair. In his work Sydney Jones also explores the affair of an engaged man with a Geisha who he loves. Thus The Geisha and “Lady with a Lapdog” both explore the same idea regarding the power of true love in strengthening individuals in order to overcome challenges in order to reach each other. In the end, due to encountering Anna, Gurov changes drastically from who he used to because of his genuine love for Anna. The mirror that he looks at towards the end of the story symbolizes how he eventually becomes self-aware and conscious of how much he has changed. Looking at his own reflection, he starts reflecting on his earlier affairs with women he did not love and women who only took advantage of him for their own sense of satisfaction and pleasure. Looking at his own reflection, he becomes conscious of the fact that “He and Anna Sergeyevna loved one another as people who are very close and intimate, as husband and wife.” As it is evident through various symbols in the story, what is important is not whether or not Gurov and Anna are actually married in the view of society for what is precious is the fact that in their hearts they feel married to each other, and that connection is something that nothing external can