Anton Chekhov’s Use of Grief in Misery and Vengeance Essay -- Misery, V

Anton Chekhovs Use of Grief in Misery and Vengeance.What is the fascination with grief and suffering that caused Anton Chekhov to entwine these ii sad emotional states into everything he wrote? Reading Anton Chekhovs stories, one feels oneself in a melancholy state. Everything is strange, sharp, lonely, motionless, helpless (Nebraska 1). Further, according to William Gerharde, Chekhov answered this very question with the following When you translate sad or unlucky people, and want to touch the readers heart, one should try to be cold it gives their grief, as it were, a background, against which it stands out in greater relief (Gerharde 110).While Chekhov uses twinge and suffering in all his stories, he does an especially effective job with two short stories Misery and Vengeance. In both, Chekhov introduces a similar theme, although it is first suggested in Misery The theme of the individual isolation is suggested in many of Chekhovs early stories, but it is first richly develope d in the brief sketch Misery, (Winner 137). While reading Misery, the reader can absorb Chekhov through the twined themes of loneliness and isolationism. This enables characters to become so reliable that each reader can relate through the characters and the situation. One reason Misery is so well thought of by critics is that the story takes a powerful look at the lack of human involvement and compassion towards one mans grief (Guevara 2). Of course, almost all who read the story apply felt such loneliness or grief at one time or other in their lives and can, therefore, relate to the protagonists pain and isolation.In addition, the atmosphere in Misery, suggest grayness and depression, a setting that immediately conveys ... ... is factually correct, a trivial form of truth, though a kind central to works of verisimilitude saying that which, by virtue of tone and coherence, does not feel the likes of lying, a more important kind of truth and discovering and affirming moralist ic truth about human existence the highest truth of art (Creighton, 1). Chekhov is able to contribute to all three of the ways there is to tell it like it is when penning fiction. Not only does he tell the truth in his writing, he does so in a down to earth and straightforward way. Reading Chekhov, is like reading someones daily journal. It is real, it is intense, and it makes the reader deeply feel for the characters involved in each individual story. Pain and suffering are commonly used emotions, so people can relate easily to the characters. This is what makes Chekhov such a successful writer, and why he was adored by all.