Anyuta
Anyuta lives in a furnished room with Klotchkov, a medical student. For the last six or seven years, she has lived with five other students. She is busy working embroidering a shirt for which she will be paid half a rouble. She will use the money to buy tea and tobacco.
Klotchkov treats Anyuta like an object. He asks her to undress so he can examine her ribs and draws on her body with crayons. Anyuta shivers with cold and her nose and lips turn blue.
Klotchkov is totally oblivious to her suffering. You wonder what kind of doctor he will make. He is self-absorbed and only concerned with passing his exams.
When his artist friend, Fetisov, needs a model, he gladly dispatches Anyuta to him. To make matters even worse, as he recalls Fetisov's criticism of his filthy surroundings -- he decides to end his relationship with Anyuta. After she returns from a grueling modeling session with Fetisov, he tells her that she should pack her things and move out.
Finally, showing some pity towards her, or perhaps realizing that in fact he may still need her services for a while longer, he allows her to stay.
In this story, we can clearly see the cruelty of the class system that existed in Russia at the time.
What is the significance of the last line, "Grigory, the samovar!" yelled at the top of someone's lungs out in the hall? It seems totally random. Am I missing something obvious?
ReplyDeleteMy guess is Chekhov has created a world of medical students who appear to be cold and heartless -- what they need is something to thaw out the coldness from their heart -- something hot -- something that may allow some humanity to seep in -- and what better way to bring some heat than a samovar?
DeleteAlso, Anyuta was working to make enough money for tea. This is why she didn't have time to clean the room. So while she is ultimately punished for her endeavors to get tea, the other students get it on demand and yet will go on to become "great men."
DeleteGood point!
Delete