Dimitri is a misogynistic, adulterous man who has little or no interest in the welfare of anyone but himself. He speaks crudely of women and shows no appreciation for his own marriage. He escapes his wife and ventures out to the resort town of Yalta, which throughout the story symbolizes fantasy. Even as he meets Anna, the woman with whom he soon forms an intimate relationship, he finds himself unable to compliment her without adding some form of criticism: “He recalled her slender, delicate neck, her lovely grey eyes; There’s something pathetic about her, anyway.” Dimitri tries to discredit Anna’s beauty and dismiss his growing fondness for her. Once she leaves Yalta to return to her sick husband, though, he misses her. His feelings for Anna are at odds with his general disdain for women, and their brief relationship leads him to recognize a part of himself he did not know existed. He is forced, ultimately, to admit that, inferior or not, he cannot live without women. After his time in Yalta, he is a changed man: “…he no longer cared for arguments; he felt profound compassion, he wanted to be sincere and tender…” Dmitri’s affection for Anna has humbled him and softened his gruff persona. He sheds his misogynistic self and embraces the changes brought on by his unlikely love affair.
One thought on “How does one reconcile Gurov’s apparent misogyny with his newfound love of Anna Sergeyevna?”
Comments are closed.
I agree that the location of Yalta is like a fantasy for the couple. It’s ideal for most to live in, but not realistic. Just like a vacation in a resort town, their love is both short lived. I also loved how you used the quote about Dmitri’s changed mindset as a man because it shows the affects of the relationship on his persona. Even though their love is unlikely, they both took something out of the experience.