It is a well-known fact based on the observation of history that while time progressed, ideas in the society has transgressed as well. Such ideas like enlightment, democracy and abolishment of slavery can be good examples. Similar to these progresses, the figure of women was changing as well. In the work of Anton Chekov’s “The lady with the dog” and John Keats’ “La Belle Dame Sans Merci”, these works show how women were portrayed at the 19^th century. These women were expressed as a beautiful, naïve, fragile and weak figure that were thought to be below men. But unlike the ordinary stereotypical figure, one significant way women were presented was women are seductive and wicked.

In John Keats’ “La belle dame sans merci”, the narrator talks about this mysterious character. He describes this unrevealed figure as “Full beautiful, a faery’s child, Her hair was long, her foot was light And her eyes were wild”. Throughout the work, it can be guessed as a woman. Like most of the literary works, Keats paints the picture of a woman to be this beautiful and weak looking creature. However, as stanza VII shows, “she found me roots of relish sweet, and honey wild, and manna dew”, this person is not only beautiful but also trying to charm the knight and make him fall for her. With all those sweets and whispering “I love thee true” seems as a flytrap trying to seduce a fly to fall into the trap. “She took me to her elfin grot and there she wept and sighed full sore”. This act can also be thought as a seduction by the woman so that the knight will be eager to protect her and calm her down. As Keats portrays women by this figure of seduction, Chekov approaches this idea in a similar way.

Anton Chekov’s “The lady with the dog” starts with the impression of women as “Shallow, narrow-minded and dowdy”. He also refers women as “the lower race” which is similar as the most stereotypical view back in that time. But as Keats viewed women in a unique way, Chekov had a similar view as well. While on pg. 1527, Anna is blaming herself about the affair that she is having with Dmitry. But unlike her intent, “But for the tears in her eyes, she might have been jesting or play-acting”, Dmitry finds her actions odd and in some way deceiving. That is why he asks the question in the following sentence “What is it you want?”. If it was for Anna feeling guilty and wrong for her action, she should have burst out of the room.  Instead of avoiding the affair, “she hid her face against his breast and pressed closer to him”. This can be thought as she is saying one word and acting in another way. This is a similar case as in the Keats’ work, where the woman shows her vulnerability seeking for care and protection by the male. This is an act of seduction. By these wicked acts, Dmitry gets lovesick and can’t stop thinking about her. Because of this, later in the story, Dmitry eventually goes after Anna to pursue his love affair.

The story of Chekov’s “The lady with the dog” and Keats’ “La Belle Dame Sans Merci” portrays the idea of women to be seductive and wicked. This is a significant contrary to the ordinary figure, which women was thought to be weak, naïve, beautiful and fragile. But as most ideas change throughout time, this is another example how the transition was made in forming the modern day characterstic of women.