Old Age
Thomas Wolfe is right. You can't go home again.
Uzelkov, the rich architect divorced his wife for no apparent good reason. Made sure the wife took the blame and took off. The wife who loved Uzelkov the architect tried to drown her sorrow in drink. Her life was miserable and she died.
Uzelkov has come back to town and meets up with Shapkin, his crafty lawyer. Now, Shapkin and Uzelkov are old men and they've lost their edge. Shapkin doesn't hide from Uzelkov his misdeeds.
Uzelkov is in town to repair the church in the cemetery. There, he and Shapkin visit the grave of his wife. Uzelkov wants to weep. Regrets. He wants one good cry to possibly give him some relief from his guilty conscience. But he is too uptight to do it in front of Shapkin. Doesn't want to reveal his weakness. But the moment only comes once and when he goes back later to the grave alone the feelings are no longer there.
Uzelkov is an old man looking back at his life and he is dead inside. The life he once thought he'd live was never lived. The joys he imagined he'd experience -- he never did. All he has is the bad taste in his mouth -- the pathetic realization that his selfishness drove his wife to an early grave.
Not a pleasant thought.
Cry, old man. It's all you got left.
fantastic! marching towards nothingness is done by human being with all possible grandeur when they live. Chekhov is one of the rare literary talents who captures this aspect in his stories.
ReplyDeleteYou're right. Chekhov does it so well he manages to add a little dignity where none is merited.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments.
Aside from "The Lady with a Lapdog', this is a story which actually intrduced me to Anton Chekhov. Pure masterpiece!
ReplyDeleteCheck out the story "Enemies". It doesn't get any better. Thnx for your post.
Delete