"Anna on the Neck "
A fifty-two year old fat and boring government official marries a beautiful, lively, and poor eighteen year old woman.
Well, you can guess what happens next and it does.
The sad part is that when Anna comes into her own and begins living the life she wants and feels she deserves -- she doesn't help her family. This felt a bit incongruous -- after all, she had married the old bore to help her father and brothers -- but she gets caught up with the rich and beautiful set and forgets about everyone else.
The official got what he deserved -- but why wouldn't Anna help her father and brothers -- did she not care? Was she that self-involved? That frivolous? Did she not want to deal with the embarrassment of having such a dysfunctional family? Or was she always -- a selfish -- vain woman -- and a little encouragement brought that out?
I don't know. But I somehow feel that Chekhov dealt with her too harshly and want to believe that in real life she would do something -- at least to help her brothers.
Call me an idealist. Or a fool.
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