The Lady with the Pet Dog by Anton Chekov and Lady with the Pet Dog by Joyce Carol Oates - Essay Example

?A Comparison/ Contrast Essay Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Introduction 3 Thesis ment 3 Comparison and Contrast of the Story “The Lady with the Pet Dog” from Anton Chekov and Joyce Carol Oates 4 Conclusion 6 Works Cited 8 Introduction Some stories or pieces of art bear a tremendous capacity to influence other literature even after a long time. Such is the case, when one delineates with the plot, setting and characters of the two great stories conceived at different eras but having much similarity between them. Yet, there are differences which can be potently located within the stories, “The Lady with the Pet Dog” by Anton Chekov and “Lady with the Pet Dog” by Joyce Carol Oates. The story, “Lady with the Pet Dog” by Anton Chekov was published in the year 1899. On the other hand, the story, “The Lady with the Pet Dog” by Joyce Carol Oates was published in the year 1972. Both the stories run through the theme of treachery in love and adultery in marriage and the ending is almost same where for both the stories where the couples discover their adultery in love and discover their true love and comfort themselves. Having so much of similarity, there are subtle differences inherent within the plot of these two stories which conforms that the story from the pen of Oates is not retaliation of the first story by Chekov, but a mere inspiration (A Noble Theme, “Joyce Carol Oates–”The Lady with the Pet Dog””). Thesis Statement This essay intends to compare the themes of the stories from two different eras, coming out from two great minds and bearing the same title, “The Lady with the Pet Dog”. Comparison and Contrast of the Story “The Lady with the Pet Dog” from Anton Chekov and Joyce Carol Oates The Story, “The Lady with the Pet Dog” by Anton Chekov and Joyce Carol Oates are so alike in their plot, that after a first reading of the Joyce’s version, it might seem that Joyce was inspired by the great work of Anton Chekov and initiated writing the story with a twist in the background, character conceptions and settings. However, far beyond the mundane periphery of comprehending the theme of these stories only being captivated within the concept of plot, characters and setting, there evolves a striking difference in terms of point of view. Perhaps, the difference of point of view establishes the fact that Joyce’s story is not borrowed from Chekov and but is only influenced by it. Also along with this, the difference in characterization and setting also marks the story by Joyce Carol Oates and Anton Chekov to be seemingly different. However, before plunging into the compare and contrast of the stories, it is quintessential to understand the similarities the stories bear apart from their same title. The first similarity noticed in both the stories is their plot. The story line of both the literary pieces captivates a covert love relation between their protagonists bearing the same name in both the versions namely Gurov and Anna. In terms of narrative as well, both Chekov and Oates have employed a third person narrator to present their story before their readers. Thematically too both the stories celebrate the theme of love. But there are many differences inherent in the storyline of these stories which make it different to a great extent which is more striking than its similarities (Dana Gioia, “Anton Chekhov's "The Lady with the Pet Dog"”). Both the stories are set against different locale and time period. Chekov’s story takes place during early nineteenth century in Russia. On the other hand, the version from Oates takes place during twentieth century in Nantucket. Nevertheless, more striking than these trivial differences lay a difference in point of view from which the stories are presented. Chekov and Oates both believe that life devoid of love is drab, meaningless and though both their protagonists Anna and Gurov finds love in each other, through a relationship which is beyond their marriage and illegitimate in the eyes of the society, yet they get more driven and more carried away by each other despite every inhibitions and restrictions from the external world (Edrich, "The Lady with the Pet Dog"). But the story presented by Chekov is seen through the eyes of his male protagonist Gurov and that of Oates is presented from a female point of view. The story by Oates is presented with Anna’s point of view and makes it more different from that of Chekov’s. In the version given by Chekov, Gurov meets Anna when both of them set out for their vacation in Yalta. They meet with each other and start realizing that they have plenty of things in common between them. However, at one point they could really relate to each other with the fact of their unhappy marriage. This common ground agitates their love affair but very soon they discover that their mere love affair was actually a long-lasting relationship. They know that their relation is illegitimate yet they indulge into it to find actual happiness without which they think life is not worth living. The story here is completely presented from a male point of view (Edrich, "The Lady with the Pet Dog"). On the other hand, the version from Oates is presented through the adaptation of the similar plot from that of the Chekov but the presentation is from a feminist point of view. As in her version, the protagonist is Anna. In this story, Anna meets Gurov on their way to Nantucket for their vacation. The setting of the story is framed deliberately to fit into the modernism of the 1970s. This is a phenomenon which is very conspicuously missing in the version yielded by Chekov. Also a major deviation in Oates’ version is that she employs a lot of non characterization in her story line. For example, Gurov is introduced quite late in the plot of her story. At least his name does not appear before the readers unless Anna, the protagonist of Oates’ version falls in love with Gurov. And till then, Gurov seems to be a stranger in the plot of the story introduced like a stranger to Anna (Dana Gioia, “Anton Chekhov's "The Lady with the Pet Dog"”). Chekov’s plot takes place in a way which is quite linear. One action follows the other and they take place systematically. On the other hand, the course of plot development from the Oates’ version is circular in nature. While narrating her version, Oates redundantly falls back to an incident where Anna meets with a stranger and is swept off her feet. This oscillation into past and then contemplating the ideas with the present relating them makes the Oates’ version of the story different from that of Chekov. Conclusion “The Lady with the Pet Dog” is presented with different perspectives, setting and time frame with similar plot and theme where the love and its related issues are explored and celebrated between the characters Anna and Gurov. Yet, there is a similarity in both the versions which cannot be ignored at any level. The story from the pen of Anton Chekov or from Joyce Carol Oates have enchanted and entertained readers since ages and with so whole lot of differences in their presentation. The story “The Lady with the Pet Dog” is a great story universally and eternally. Works Cited A Noble Theme. Joyce Carol Oates–”The Lady with the Pet Dog”, 2008. Web. 21 Jul. 2012. Dana Gioia. Anton Chekhov's "The Lady with the Pet Dog", 2009. Web. 21 Jul. 2012. Edrich, Matthias M. "The Lady with the Pet Dog". ENGL 3060 Modern and Contemporary Literature, 2003. Web. 21 Jul. 2012. Read More