A Sweet Short

‘She was always fond of some one and could not exist without loving’

Says the opening paragraph of “The Darling” introducing its protagonist in perfect words. Well, I read this short, but warm and affectionate story “The Darling “ written by 18th Century Russian Anton Chekhov. I found “The Darling” on a very fabulous website treasure called “Classic Shorts” (This website, in real sense, is a treasure of classic short stories from various authors)

“The Darling” is a story (set in era of 18th century) of a Russian lady called Olenka. As the title suggests Olenka was such endearing person that people called her ‘Darling’. She was made to love and to be loved, Love was driving force behind her existence. Story gives you trip of Olenka’s affection towards her relationships and how love drives her life through years; her 2 marriages and 3rd love affair, her loneliness and bare life after their departure of them and finally rejuvenation of her interest in life.

I was almost glued to the story once I started it and finished it just about breathlessly. Later browsing Internet to know more about “The Darling”, I came to know that this short story is a well-celebrated work of its Russian writer Anton Chekhov.

I absolutely adored reading it for warmth of emotions in story and it’s simplicity.


******************************************************************************

A Point to Ponder

Although I loved the story and completely understand and agree to its message of importance of love and relations in our life, what I could not relate to is, loneliness or say loss or distance from your loved ones will make you a numb person. As the story says Olenka’s whole existence rested on the pillars, her love interests (3 men she loved) and that was what defined her persona, her opinions, beliefs, views and expressions in life. When her destiny led her to live without them she was a person of emptiness without opinions, interests or feelings.

OK now …I know how parting from loved ones pains the heart and makes you feel wretched but you don’t stop living, you don’t become empty and stop being a person you have been all your life like Olenka. That’s possibly because Olenka never had never been herself, she always molded herself into mold of her better half and when the mold defining her was gone she was left with no shape.

But I think that’s my view and most possibly ONLY mine :)

* Story is available here