A Psychoanalytic Review of Chekhov's 'The Lady with the Dog'

Psychoanalytic criticism is founded on theories of psychology by Freud Sigmund (Joseph, 2006 pp 215). Freud asserts that the human desire and the human conscious Id is where the libido or drive lies, the Ego forms the primary defense against the libido, and the Super Ego is the space for consciousness that accommodates judgment (Joseph, 2006 p 215). The Super Ego starts from childhood due to the Oedipus complex. Conflicts can result in these three areas fighting for dominance as people grow from infancy to adulthood (Joseph, 2006, p 216). This subject of psychoanalysis can be used to identify the ideas in written work in a manner that promotes the understanding of a piece of work. It enables the writer to produce clear psychoanalytic meaning. Just like Freud, Chekhov believes that the spurned advances of a girl towards her father lead to the desire to have a relationship with a man who is like her father in later life. He believes that the effect of the unintentional id, ego, superego, Oedipus complex, and the defenses was inevitable and that these aspects of thinking impacted the behavior of Dmitri and Anna in his narrative of The Lady with The Dog.

The tale of Chekhov is a narrative of ego, consciousness, and dispute rather than of martial enterprise (Izotova, 2016 pp 128). The psychological predicament is epitomized by an elderly encounter and falling in love with a younger woman (Izotova, 2016 pp 130). This woman later abandons him for another man but returns later to precede their rendezvous. This information supplements the subject matter that runs so evidently through his narrative. Chekhov employs his austere text and vivid imagery to present an image of modern psychology which is more pleasing in contrary to the cold, distant analysis of Freudian theory Instead of explaining the boundaries and differences of the identity, a story is presented that confines the mind processes within an attractive Russian doll where the removal of one is replaced immediately by another.
The protagonist in the story, Dmitri, a person in spite of his obligation and old age, continues to satisfy and overindulge his lust with multiple women (Conrad et al 1977 pp 127). His marriage to one woman is indifferent. His affairs have resulted in real misogyny. The old man considers women as simple objects of play whom he uses to brighten his otherwise empty life. Chekhov outlines the Id personification, that which requires immediate fulfillment and which is not concerned with the consequences of its actions regarding judgment or hurting anyone. The trips of Dmitri to the coast to search for women are specifically for finding pleasure. His only interest is to gratify himself with little regard for these women, obligations, or societal values.

The other protagonist, Anna, is a woman whose interest is to satisfy her Id by finding adventure outside her marriage and who deliberately, if knowingly, looks for an extramarital affair (Conrad et al 1977 pp 123). The forbidden relationship is consummated upon her meeting with the enticing Dmitri. However, after yielding to pleasure, Anna is finally distressed because her super-ego immediately awakens to avenge all her actions (Izotova, 2016 pp 133).. She regards herself as a low and loose woman facing a dangerous situation in which she has unwisely fallen into temptation through the manifestation of all the things she hated within her (Izotova, 2016 pp 133). Russian lovers are found hidden in an inn, where Id and Ego provide Anna with the opportunity for an illicit indulgence. Upon the end of the brief affair, both parties need to leave, go separately, and resume their obligations. In spite of the toil of life and distance between them, they finally meet again, when once more at the awakening of their principal pleasure, which occurs during Dmitri’s impromptu visit to Anna‘s home (Conrad et al 1977 pp 139). Their love feelings gradually develop as lust turns into love. Their Egos try to solve the dilemma they created for themselves. They both yearn to see each other; however, they fail to do so due to the constraints of domestic duties and professional work. A general way has emerged where the demands of both Super Ego and Id are satisfied. Nonetheless, the solution which is not sufficient is the brief stolen encounters at the inn where the two meet occasionally. Although they have internal disputes, they have found a balance to continue seeing each other.

Conclusion

The Lady with the Dog, a short story by Anton Chekhov, is written from a psychoanalytic perspective. In the narrative, Anna Sergeyvna and Dmitrich Gurov are connected by their psychological needs rather than their love. Both ought to trust in an experience more meaningful and more profound than their individual detested lives. Hence, they believe that the intimate bond they share, driven by hopelessness, is love. The relationship between Anna and Gurov is characterized by boredom with reality, lies, and a wish for self-gratification. Physiologically, none of them have the qualities required to love another person truly. One expects to love themselves first before they can love another. Neither Anna nor Gurov has this attribute. What Chekhov has indeed presented to the reader is the clash between societal expectation, Super Ego, instinctual gratification, regard to condition, Id, and the eventual culmination of the consent to agree through self-preservation, Ego, and yet balance. Anna and Dmitri continue to live, although not happily ever after.

Works Cited

Conrad, Joseph L., and Virginia Llewellyn Smith. "Anton Chekhov And The Lady With The Dog". The Slavic And East European Journal, vol 21, no. 1, 1977, p. 127. JSTOR, doi:10.2307/306747.

Izotova, Natalya Valeryanovna. "Variant Dialogue Structures In The Story By A.P. Chekhov "Lady With Dog"". Proceedings Of Southern Federal University. Philology, vol 2016, no. 3, 2016, pp. 127-133. Southern Federal University, doi:10.18522/1995-0640-2016-3-127-133.

Reppen, Joseph. "The Relevance Of Sigmund Freud For The 21St Century.". Psychoanalytic Psychology, vol 23, no. 2, 2006, pp. 215-216. American Psychological Association (APA), doi:10.1037/0736-9735.23.2.215.