The Helpmate
I love the ending of this story.
It's unexpected but totally logical.
What I liked best about The Helpmate, a story of a doctor married to a woman who is cheating on him, is the dialogue between the doctor and his wife. Especially, the wife.
Chekhov creates a woman who totally and completely cares about only herself. The doctor is a victim of passion -- this is beginning to sound like a familiar theme in Chekhov's stories -- he married this woman because she was a beautiful looking woman and he fell into her trap and now his life is a living hell.
His wife, Olga Dmitrievna might well indeed be completely selfish, but what about the doctor? If he felt she was not a good match for him -- he should have let her go years ago -- but it seems he continued this marriage -- but for what?
He is also a victim of his own insecurities and jealousies -- he thinks of himself as an honest, uninteresting man from a clerical family practicing medicine.
Well, what does he expect from a vivacious, young, and pretty woman -- to just be home -- living a boring life -- serving him hand and foot?
It takes two to tango.
After reading this story -- I am more curious to meet the wife rather than the doctor.
She may be utterly self-absorbed but at least she doesn't pretend to be a saint.
Why is the story called “The Helpmate?” It’s ironic I think. She is anything but this. There’s a strong connection to Genesis and the Adam and Eve story too. God made Eve to be Adam’s helpmate, but in the end they both fall into a life of hardship and misery.
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