TO WHOM SHALL I TELL MY GRIEF

By: Anton Pavlovich Chekhov

Author’s Background: Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (Jan. 19, 1860 – July 15, 1904) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer, who is considered to be among the greatest writers of short fiction in history. His career as a playwright produced four classics, and writers and critics hold his best short stories in high esteem.

Vocabulary:

Vivid - (of a colour) intensely deep or bright.

Brandish - wave or flourish (something, especially a weapon) as a threat or in anger or excitement.

Disinclined - unwilling; reluctant.
Huddle - crowd together; nestle closely.
Altercation- a noisy argument or disagreement, especially in public.
Discomfit - make (someone) feel uneasy or embarrassed.
Indignantly - In a manner, indicating anger or annoyance at something perceived as unfair.

Characters:

Iona Potapov – Father that lost his son.

Mare – Iona’s horse.

Iona’s Son – Son who passed away.

Iona’s Wife – Iona’s partner who also passed away.

Officer – First passenger; nags a lot.

Passengers – Tried to tell his story to as they travelled.

Setting:

Winter, Russia

Summary

A new sledge driver and his horse work in a big town covered in snow. Their first fare is a military officer heading to Vyborgskaya. Awkwardly driving the carriage, the sledge driver called Iona told his passenger about the death of his son from last week. The officer is disinclined to listen as they arrive at the destination.

Again, Iona was waiting outside a nearby restaurant, covered in snow, for the next fare. Three young men approach and offer an unfair price but it matters not to Iona. After arguing about who'll sit where, one of the young men compliments Iona's cap then urges him to drive on. Iona enthusiastically accepts the compliment as well as the displeasure of the man, his loneliness receding. He, again, tells the story of his dead son from a week ago. The man only cares about moving on and complains under the urging of his companions

While on the road one of the men asks Iona if he is married, Iona awkwardly laughing tells them that his wife is long dead, and now his son left him as well. He questions why was it his son that died and not him.

He wanted to tell them his story yet they have already arrived and the three men jump off the sledge.

Iona is alone with his grief yet again; spotting a porter, he calls out and asks what time is it. The porter is displeased and urges him to drive on. Iona is again downcast and feels that appealing to people is no good

Unable to bear it any longer, Iona rushes back to the sledge yard. To his dismay he finds out that he had barely earned anything today. A person who has enough to eat, must be much more at ease, sighs Iona.

He approaches a man who just woke up and offers him a drink as he yet again tries to share his story. The man did not listen nor care for it and went back to sleep. It has been a week since Iona's soon has died, yet he has not talked to anyone about it. He seeks someone to hear his story, to listen to his grief and laments of life. Left alone again, Iona seeks out his mare, complaining about his age and low earnings.

He laments yet again about his son's death and future as a cabman. Patting his mare, he starts recounting his story, his son's death. The mare warmly breathes on his hands as Iona tells it all about it...

Symbolism:

The Mare symbolizes a person who barely speaks but always listens.

Theme:

Grief and Loneliness.

Lesson:

Sometimes all we need to feel better is someone to listen to you, not someone who overlaps your story with theirs thinking they shared the same exact experience.