Great Works of Literature II, Fall 2019 (hybrid) HTA

Chekhov: What is the significance of the two lovers meeting at Yalta, a resort town? 10/1

Yalta is a resort city, part of Ukraine at the time of the passage (now under Russia), that has a reputation for where promiscuous affairs and forbidden rendezvous transpire. The city revolves around stories of budding romances amongst strangers who are willing to sin; though, to great extents to where it doesn’t sound as plausible. Of the two lovers, Dmitri Dmitritch Gurov did not believe in such tales about this city of Yalta. Even though he didn’t, he couldn’t help but “remembered these tales of easy conquests, of trips to the mountains, and the tempting thought of a swift, fleeting love affair, a romance with an unknown woman, whose name he did not know” when he looked at Anna Sergeyevna, whom he would soon form a sinful bond with. Because the setting of this story is revealed to be a place where affairs happen, readers can kind of foreshadow what might happen between these two strangers meeting in Yalta.

One thought on “Chekhov: What is the significance of the two lovers meeting at Yalta, a resort town? 10/1”

  1. To add on to your point, Gurov and Anna were both able to spend some time in Yalta alone and to relax and clear their minds. Both characters seemed to be stressed and dissatisfied with the lives that they were living and with each of their significant others at home. Everything that happened in Yalta seemed to remain with the characters as they returned back to their own family, just like how memories from vacation are unforgettable and last a lifetime. By meeting each other at Yalta, Gurov and Anna both received the pleasure they needed and became lovers in the end, as they were unable to forget each other.

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