About Love summary and question answers –Anton Chekov
About Love Summary
Revealing his perception about mysterious Love, Anton Chekov in his story ‘About Love’ expresses that love is governed by emotions that don’t care for any physical restriction.
Describing three love stories, the writer puts forward logic that, “Love is different in each situation and it isn’t confined within the marital relationship”.
On a rainy day, Alyohin narrated these love stories to his friends while having breakfast. Nikanor, a cook was in love with a beautiful maidservant Pelageya and they were living in the same house although they weren’t married. When Nikanor was drunk and had a violent temper he used to abuse and beat her. Sometimes, she had to hide herself to avoid misconduct from Nikanor. Being a person of religious conviction, Nikanor insisted that she marry him. However, she didn’t want to marry with him, rather she was ready to live with him just so, despite their contradictory views and characters, they were in deep love with each other which was a great mystery. Alyohin, the narrator, while studying at universities used to be in love with a university girl and was living with her in the same house. Although Alyohin wanted to devote himself completely in love, the girl constantly used to think about monetary and household matters and about destiny of their love. He considered such behaviors in love would be the hindrance and source of irritation and dissatisfaction. About love summary and question answers
The writer through this story suggests that Love is a great mystery and everything which has been written about love is only a statement of questions that have remained unanswered. The explanation that would fit in one case does not apply to a dozen others. Hence the writer concludes that every case of love should be explained separately without generalization. In other words, each case should be individualized. The next story can be taken as an illustration about love not bound by marital relations. It is about love between Alyohin and Anna Alexeyevna, the wife of Luganovich. It ends with separation between the lovers. About love summary and and question answers
The writer has treated love as an emotion and passion that cannot be controlled by wisdom and a sense of reason. Alyohin, the narrator of the story, holds the view that the people in love always ask themselves whether it is honorable or dishonorable, sensible or stupid, and so on. He feels that it is a hindrance and a source of dissatisfaction and irritation. On the basis of his experience, he admits that one must reason about love from either a higher or more important level than happiness as well as unhappiness or one most not reason at all. He narrates his experience in love with a married woman Anna. According to it, after his graduation from the university, he was obliged to look after the farm because his estate was heavily mortgaged for the sake of his education. He tried to maintain civilized living with his hard work in the field. In those days he was elected as honorary justice of the peace. So he had to visit the town to take part in legal matters frequently. He made friends in the town who would receive him warmly. One of them was Luganovich, the assistant president of the circuit court. Once he invited the narrator to his house for dinner. There the narrator was introduced to his wife Anna who was in her early twenties. She was beautiful, kind, intelligent, and fascinating. The narrator sensed himself being familiar with her. Luganovich was also good-natured and simpleminded. He was in his forties. They had a conversation about legal matters. Luganovich had a strong conviction against guilty people. After that, the intimacy between them increased. Very soon he became one of their family members. The memory of Anna haunted him when he was in the village. He felt the presence of her shadow on his soul. He always experienced the feeling of nearness. She seemed to be equally influenced by him and greeted him with an anxious air. On several occasions, they would stay together and walk here and there. Both Luganovich and Anna looked worried about him and his way of living. They wanted to help him in different ways.
The narrator Alyohin sometimes regretted that she had not met him before her marriage with Luganovich. Although they were attracted to one another, they did not confess their love. The narrator thought that she could not be happy with him as his wife. She also reasoned the same way. In course of time, she became moody and recognized that her life was without satisfaction. She displayed an odd irritation with him. In the end, he was separated from her when her husband got an appointment in the western province. Being sick she left for Crimea. At the time of the farewell, he ran into her compartment to place a basket while the train started moving away from the platform. There, both of them lost their restraint and came together. They confessed their love for one another in tears and embraced. After that, they separated. About love summary and question answers
The story of the narrator clearly illustrates the point that their successful efforts to suppress their deep and genuine longing for one another resulted in grief, disorder, and sickness. Owing to the divided feelings and emotions, Anna could not do justice either to her family or her love or herself. The mental pressure drove her indifferent to her family and made her a sick woman. Likewise, the troublesome life led by the cook, Nikanor, and his beloved Pelageya is the outcome of such fruitless reflection.
About Love Summary Question Answers
Q.1 The second paragraph of “About Love” is a brief account of a violent love affair between two servants’. Is it significant that Aloyohin is the source of this anecdote?
Ans: In the second paragraph of the story, Alyohin tells the story of the violent love affair between Nikanor and Pelageya. It is important that Alyohin is the source of this story because in the story Alyohin is not only a character but also the narrator. The whole story revolves around him and his storytelling except for slight intervention in the first and last paragraph of the story. As he is the narrator, whatever he tells about others and about himself should be believed without any question. The contrast between the love affair of Nikanor-Pelageya and Alyohin-Anna is clear. In the first love story, the hero and heroine belong to a socially inferior class whereas, in the second love story, they belong to a socially superior and cultivated class of people. And moreover, the love between the first couple is an ordinary and usual love between a man and woman to be materialized by marriage but love between Anna and Alyohin is of a higher level, an unusual love that goes beyond the social limitation and matrimonial bonds. About love summary and question answers
Q.2 How does an account of the occasion and of the setting in which the narrative occurs affect our understanding of Alyohin?
Ans: First two paragraphs of the story provide an appropriate setting to the story. The story starts with an occasion where few friends including Alyohin are having a leisurely time perhaps celebrating their holiday. What they all are doing is eating, drinking, and talking. As time goes on, Alyohin starts talking about the love affair between Nikanor and Pelageya and the nature of their behavior. Their conversation turns to the subject of love which leads to the telling of Alyohin’s own love story. Alyohin’s statement about love is very much influenced by his own experience. By telling his own love story, he wants to free love from marital bonds. So, the setting does affect our understanding of Alyohin.
Q.3 An atmosphere of inertia is established in the opening paragraphs of the story. Cite some specific details which help to create this atmosphere. Is this air of indecisive leisure suggested again at the end of the story? What is the connection between this atmosphere and Alyohin’s behavior with the women he loves, and the outcome of their relationship?
Ans: The story begins with an occasion where few friends are having leisurely time. They are eating, drinking and talking about anything they like. They have already had their breakfast and the cook again comes to ask what they would like for dinner. This occasion helps to create the atmosphere of inertia in the sense that they have nothing special to do except eating, drinking and talking. The same air of leisure is suggested again at the end of the story. As Alyohin is telling the story, the rain stops, the sun comes out and two friends Burkin and Iva go out on the balcony and enjoy a fine view of the garden. The atmosphere was a close connection with Alyohin’s behavior with the women he loves. Alyohin seems to be a lovely fellow and he is always disturbed by the memory of his beloved Anna. Whenever he has any free time, he can’t help telling his love story to others. This also suggests that he has got lifelong grief and misery as the outcome of his relationship with Anna. About love summary and question answers
Q.4 Alyohin is said to rush around like a squirrel in a cage and this judgment is echoed in the final paragraph of the story. What is the significance of this repetition?
Ans: Alyohinis said to rush around like a squirrel in a cage and this judgment is repeated in the final paragraph. This repetition is very much significant. Alyohin is not a common man. He is an educated man with the knowledge of the language and intellectual sensibilities. But instead of involving in scholarly activities, he is living a life of a simple farmer which limits the scope of his life. In this sense, the first judgment is made by Luganovich family that he is rushing around like a squirrel in a cage. The same judgment is repeated by his friend when he finishes telling his love story. Alyohin tells his love story so skillfully and beautifully that his friends are greatly impressed by his intelligence and skill. Such a person who can tell stories with such candor, with kindness, and intelligence is living a life of an ordinary farmer. So, his friends are sorry for him and make this judgment. The implication is that he should have been an artist, or writer, not an ordinary farmer. About love summary and question answers
Q.5 Why do you think Chekhov chose to write about an ordinary man instead of a hero or a scholar or actor? Does Chekhov imply anything about Alyohin’s assumption that “Celebrated” people lead more fulfilled lives than the rest of us? Do you agree with Alyohin’s assumption?
Ans: Chekhov chose to write about an ordinary man instead of a hero, or a scholar or an actor in order to present general human nature and possible events that may happen to a man. Even a hero or a scholar or an actor is a man at first, then only comes what he does. And moreover, natural human feelings of love, hatred, anger, emotion, happiness, and grief do not make any difference between celebrated personality and common and ordinary man. These feelings are common to all. The only thing is that well-educated people may perceive things differently and may better handle them in a different way. So, I do not agree with Alyhin’s assumption that only the celebrated people lead more fulfilled lives. Each human attempt kindled with virtue and goodness is heroic in its own way. Chekov also doesn’t imply anything about Alyohin’s assumption because Chekhov has presented the plight of the common ordinary man as opposed to Alyohin’s assumption. Alyohin does not know that he is the hero of the story of his own life. About love summary and question answers
Q.6 Why did Alyohin and Anna Alexeyevna conceal their love to each other?
Or
Why Alyohin and Anna didn’t express their love to each other?
Ans: Alyohin and Anna didn’t express their love to each other rather they concealed it cowardly. Both of them were guided by their own reasons. Logic Alyohin, a bachelor and educated fellow despite being in deep love with Anna couldn’t express his love as he couldn’t gather the courage to confront social criticism. He thought that there would be sharp social criticism on the expression of his love for Anna. He also thought that his revolution (expression) could be a betray and breach of trust to the Love and trust exhibited by Anna’s husband and children. Since Alyohin was working hard in the field of himself and didn’t have the sound financial condition, he hesitated to express his love thinking that he wouldn’t be able to keep Anna happy with the present financial condition. He was also afraid of the likely difficulties Anna would have to face if he would die or ill if they stop to love each other. About lovesummary and question answers
On the other hand, guided by her own ethics, Anna didn’t express her love to Alyohin. It was very difficult to her to confess her love to Alyohin and detach (keep away) herself from the Association of her husband and children. She was under heavy mental pressure as her exposition could complicate Alyohin’s life which was already surrounded by problems. Furthermore being the mother of the two children she didn’t consider herself to be the young and energetic Anna to begin a new life with Alyohin. More often she was in the opinion that Alyohin should marry a beautiful and intelligent girl who would be a good housewife and helpmate to him. Therefore it was extremely difficult for Anna to propose herself to Alyohin by expressing her love to him. She considers it would be a deceptive step that would be morally unjustifiable and incorrect. Because of the reasons mentioned above, Alyohin and Anna didn’t reveal (express) their love to each other. About love summary and question answers
Q.7 Explain, “Love is different in each situation”.
Ans: On a rainy day Alyohin narrated love stories to his friends while having breakfast. Nikanor, a cook was in love with a beautiful maidservant Pelageya and they were living in the same house although they weren’t married. When Nikanor was drunk and had a violent temper he used to abuse and bit her. Sometimes, she had to hide herself to avoid misconduct from Nikanor being a person of religious conviction, Nikanor insisted that Pelageya. However, she didn’t want to marry with Nikanor, rather she was ready to live with him just so, despite their contradictory (opposite) views and characters, they were in deep love with each other which was a great mystery. About love summary and question answers
Alyohin, the narrator, while studying at universities used to be in love with a university girl and was living with her in the same house. Although Alyohin wanted to devote himself completely in love, the girl constantly used to think about monetary and household matters and about the destiny of their love. He considered such behaviors in love would be the hindrance and source of irritation and dissatisfaction.
Alyohin also narrated his own love story with Anna Alexeyevna. On coming back home after graduation from university he found that the landed properties had been mortgaged by his father to meet his educational expenses. To pay off the debt, he decided to live in the village working on the farm. However, he had been elected an honorary justice of the court of peace and had to go to the town frequently to participate in court sessions. Once he was invited to dinner by Mr. Luganovich, the assistant president of the court where Alyohin meets his wife Anna, he realized as if he had been familiar with Anna since his childhood. After the meeting, Alyohin started visiting Anna’s house very frequently, and gradually they fall in love with each other. However, being trapped by their own reasons and logic because of fear of social criticism, they refrained from expressing their love to each other. Being tired of maintaining two relationships with her husband and Alyohin, Anna started exhibiting carelessness towards her family and became a patient of nervous prostration disease. She was advised to make medical treatment in Crimea. In the meanwhile, Luganovich got a transfer order to the western province.
To bid farewell to Anna, a huge crowd was there at the railway station on the day of her departure. When she bade farewell to her husband, children, and friends, Alyohin entered into the cabin to see her off. When their eyes met, they couldn’t resist from expressing their love to each other. In the meanwhile, the train started moving and Alyohin got down at the next stoppage and moved homewards with a heavy heart. On listening to his story, Alyohin’s friends concluded that he should devote himself to other professionals rather than farming to keep him happy. About love summary and question answers
The writer by discussing three love story’s shows the mysterious nature of love, love is not confined and restricted by physical restriction because it is guided by the emotion of a human being. Showing the restlessness of Alyohin who was a bachelor was in love with Anna despite the fact that she was the mother of two children, the writer has provided that love is not confined by marital relationship. That’s why love is different in each situation.
Q.8 Explain, “Love isn’t confined by marital relationship”.
Alyohin, the narrator, while studying at universities used to be in love with a university girl and was living with her in the same house. Although Alyohin wanted to devote himself completely in love, the girl constantly used to think about monetary and household matters and about the destiny of their love. He considered such behaviors in love would be the hindrance and source of irritation and dissatisfaction.
Alyohin also narrated his own love story with Anna Alexeyevna. On coming back home after graduation from university he found that the landed properties had been mortgaged by his father to meet his educational expenses. To pay off the debt, he decided to live in the village working on the farm. However, he had been elected an honorary justice of the court of peace and had to go to the town frequently to participate in court sessions. Once he was invited to dinner by Mr. Luganovich, the assistant president of the court where Alyohin meets his wife Anna, he realized as if he had been familiar with Anna since his childhood. After the meeting, Alyohin started visiting Anna’s house very frequently, and gradually they fall in love with each other. However, being trapped by their own reasons and logic because of fear of social criticism, they refrained from expressing their love to each other. Being tired of maintaining two relationships with her husband and Alyohin, Anna started exhibiting carelessness towards her family and became a patient of nervous prostration disease. She was advised to make medical treatment in Crimea. In the meanwhile, Luganovich got a transfer order to the western province. About love summary and question answers
To bid farewell to Anna, a huge crowd was there at the railway station on the day of her departure. When she bade farewell to her husband, children, and friends, Alyohin entered into the cabin to see her off. When their eyes met, they couldn’t resist from expressing their love to each other. In the meanwhile, the train started moving and Alyohin got down at the next stoppage and moved homewards with a heavy heart. On listening to his story, Alyohin’s friends concluded that he should devote himself to other professionals rather than farming to keep him happy. About love summary and question Answers
The writer by discussing three love story’s shows the mysterious nature of love, love is not confined and restricted by physical restriction because it is guided by the emotion of a human being. Showing the restlessness of Alyohin who was a bachelor was in love with Anna despite the fact that she was the mother of two children, the writer has provided that love is not confined by marital relationship.
Q.9 What kinds of love experiences are suggested by Alyohin in “About Love”?
Ans. In “About Love”, three kinds of love experiences are suggested by Alyohin. The first one is the love affair between Nikanor and Pelageya. Their love is sensual, often violent. Though there is no understanding between them, sexual passion binds them. Their love is not bound by marital relations. The second love affair is between Alyohin and a girl when he was studying in the university. Though Alyohin loved her, she thought of love as a way to earn money. This love affair can be seen as the ugliest where sex is exchanged with money. The third love affair between Alyohin and Anna Alexeyevna can be termed as unexpressed love or spiritual love. Their heart meets, but being trapped by middle-class morality, their love remains unexpressed. They sacrifice their love for more good. Alyohin sacrifices his love because he thinks that it would bring disaster in the life of her children, mother and husband. Similarly, Alexeyevna does not express her love thinking that she wasn’t young enough to live with him. About love summary and question answers
Q.10 Sketch the character of Alyohin.
Ans: Alyohin, a bachelor and a university graduate lived in Sofinyo working labourously on his farm. He had to work on his farm to pay the debt that his father had spent on his education. He desired a civilized living of the upper class but could not afford it. In the past, while he was a university student, he fell in love with a girl who only loved his money. Since he was elected honorary justice of the peace, he often visited the town to take part in assizes and sessions. Once he was invited to the home of Luganovich to dine. There he met Anna Alexeyevna, aged 22, and married to Luganovich. They fell in love with each other but could not express their love. They chatted for hours, went to the theatre together but they parted coldly the next time. Later Anna suffered from nervous prostration and was sent to Crimea for treatment. During her departure, Alyohin had the courage to confess his love and kissed her, but had to part with her forever. Alyohin’s vision of love is shaped by his own love affair. He thinks that when people are in love, they ask whether it is honorable or dishonorable, sensible or stupid, and what their love will lead to. For him, this reasoning is the source of dissatisfaction and irritation. He thinks that love is a great mystery. When one is in love, one should start love from higher, without reasoning whether their love is sin or virtue, or whether it brings happiness or unhappiness. According to him to what extent personal happiness counts in love is uncertain, it differs from person to person. About love summary and question answers
Alyohin is like a squirrel in a cage. He is trapped by reason, middle-class morality, and poverty. He is a man of thought. He fears expressing his love to Anna because he is too much thinking about society’s moral standards. He sacrifices his love thinking that his marriage to Anna Alexeyevna would ruin the lives of her, her children, her mother, and her husband. He fears that he could not make her happy in his country house. About love summary and question Answers
Q.11 Sketch the character of Anna Alexeyevna.
Ans: Anna Alexeyevna is the main female character in the story “About Love”. She is a beautiful and charming young lady aged twenty-two. She is married to Luganovich, assistant president of the circuit court and aged over forty. Her marriage to an old man can be seen as the cause of her suffering. Her sexual urge cannot be fulfilled by a man double her age. So, she tries to get emotional fulfillment from Alyohin which later turns into love. She is also trapped in reason. She does not confess her love to Alyohin though she deeply loves him because she fears society’s moral standards. She also thought that she was not young and energetic enough for him to begin a new married life. Later she becomes the victim of nervous prostration because of psychological depression and nervousness. About love summary and question answers
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