Summary of Misery by Anton Chekov

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Misery

-        Anton Chekov

Anton Chekov is a Russian short story writer, humourist and a realist. His stories are concerned about the plight of human life. His characters are drawn from real life. His short story Misery or Lament depicts the life of a sledge-driver.

Iona Potapov, a sledge driver encounters lack of sympathy, kindness, warmth and friendship. The old sledge-driver faces the misery of cold weather, the misery of poverty, misery of losing his young son and the misery of not having anyone to share his feelings.

Iona spends an entire evening among the crowded streets.

“Big flakes of wet snow are whirling lazily about the street lamps, which have just been lighted, and lying in a thin soft layer on the roofs, horses’ backs, shoulders, caps.”

 He is unable to share or communicate his thoughts to people. The first customer for the sledge-driver is a man in military uniform. The customer was not ready to listen the feelings and emotions of the driver.

The next customers are young men. They are rude, harsh, loud and argumentative. They treat him worse. He tries to disclose his feelings and share the details of his sons death. Iona moves to the yard where he lives. Even his people in the yard doesn’t care to pour warmth and companionship for Iona. The poor cannot help each other and the rich do not want to help.

People in the city are growing selfish. They are fulfilling their own needs and ignores the rest of the community. In this story not even a single soul is ready to listen to Iona. Unable to bear this sorrow he pours out his soul to his horse.

It is evident from the story that people seems to have lost touch with humanity and common decency. “Misery” highlights the theme of loneliness, isolation an

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