The Darling and Other Stories

"The Darling and Other Stories" by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov is a collection of short stories written during the late 19th century. The book explores themes of love, loss, and the complexities of human relationships, often delving into the lives of ordinary characters as they navigate their personal dilemmas and societal expectations. The opening of "The Darling" introduces us to Olenka, a kind-hearted and gentle woman who finds herself emotionally compelled to love those around her. We learn about her early attachments to family members and later her romance with Kukin, the manager of a local theater, whose struggles against public indifference to his artistic endeavors deeply affect her. As they marry, Olenka becomes heavily involved in the theater world, adopting Kukin's passion for the arts. However, tragedy strikes when Kukin dies unexpectedly, leaving Olenka in profound grief. The narrative highlights her reliance on love and affection to find purpose, foreshadowing her need for attachment as she navigates life without her husband. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was a Russian playwright and short-story writer. His career as a playwright produced four classics, and his best short stories are held in high esteem by writers and critics. Along with Henrik Ibsen and August Strindberg, Chekhov is often referred to as one of the three seminal figures in the birth of early modernism in the theatre. Chekhov was a physician by profession. "Medicine is my lawful wife," he once said, "and literature is my mistress."