#230 The Fiancé- Anton Chekhov
“She breathed deeply and wanted to think that, not here, but
somewhere under the sky, above the trees, far outside town, in the fields and
woods, springs own life was now unfolding, mysterious, beautiful, rich, and
holy, inaccessible to the understandings of weak, sinful human beings. And for
some reason she wanted to cry.”
Oppression comes in many ways by many forces, mostly ones of
our own choosing. There are social oppressions, like family expectations,
class, race, gender inequality, etc—but the limits we set on ourselves are
sometimes the hardest to overcome.
Nadya was realizing that she was not happy, just as she was
soon to be married. Luckily she had someone, Sasha, to challenge her and make
her see the opportunities beyond her immediate surroundings. It is no
coincidence that once she took those opportunities and explore her
independence, Sasha died, no longer needed.
This was one of Chekhov’s last works, written in 1903. I’ve
enjoyed reading these, mostly shorter stories. Perhaps sometime after this
project, I’ll revisit some of his longer works, and his plays as well.
Notable Passage: “I find everything here somehow wild,
because I’m unused to it.”
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