ABOUT LOVE | Summary | Question Answers | Heritage Of Words | Class-12

Question No. 1: The second paragraph of “About Love” is a brief account of a violent love affair between two servants’. Is it significant that Alyohin is the source of this anecdote? How does the anecdote contrast with Alyohin's own story ? ("प्रेमको बारेमा" भन्ने कथाको दोस्रो हरफ दुई नोकरहरुको हिंसात्मक प्रेम मामिलामा छोटो वर्णन हो। यो छोटो वर्णन Alyohin ले नै गर्नुको के अर्थ छ ? यो कथा कसरी Alyohin को आफ्नै कथासँग फरक छ ?)
Answer: In the second paragraph of the story, Alyohin tells the story of the violent love affair between Nikanor and Pelageya. It is important that Alyohin is the source of this story because in the story Alyohin is not only a character but also the narrator. The whole sotry revolves around him and his story telling except slight intervention in the first and last paragraph of the story. As he is the narrator, whatever he tells about other and about himself should be believed without any question.

The anecdote makes a contrast with Alyohin's own story. The contrast between the love affair of Nikanor-Pelageya and Alyohin-Anna is clear and innocent one. In the first love story, hero and heroine belong to socially inferior class whereas in the second love story, they belong to socially superior and cultivated class of people. And moreover, the love between first couple is an ordinary and usual love between a man and women to be materialized by marriage but love between Anna and Alyohin is of higher level, an unusual love which goes beyond the social limitation and matrimonial bonds .
Question No. 

2: Alyohin is said to rush around like a squirrel in a cage and this judgement is echoed in the final paragraph of the story. What is the significance of this repetition ? (Alyohin पिंजरा भित्रको लोखर्के दौडे जसरी दौडिरहेको छ भनी बताईएको छ र यो मुल्यांकन कथाको अन्तिममा पनि गुञ्जन्छ। यसरी दोहोर्याउनुको अर्थ के हो ?)
Answer: Alyohin is said to rush around like a squirrel in a cage. Cage symbolizes Alyohin's imprisoned conditions. As a lover, he was sealed within his own self and could not express his love openly. Although he is an educated man he is imprisoned in his farm and, like a squirrel, rushed here and there without any fruitful result anywhere. He too often becomes penniless. The repetition focuses on his lonely, restless and miserable condition.

Question No. 3: Why do you think Chekhov chose to write about an ordinary man instead of a hero or scholar or actor ? Does Chekhov imply anything about Alyohin's assumption that "Celebrated" people lead more fulfilled lives than rest of us ? Do you agree with Alyohin's assumption ? (तिम्रो विचारमा चेखोभले वीर पुरुष, वा विद्दान् वा अभिनेतालाई यस कथाको पात्र बनाउनुको सट्टा एउटा सामान्य व्यक्तिलाई किन छानेका हुन् ? "प्रसिद्द व्यक्तिहरु बाँकी अरु व्यक्तिले भन्दा आफ्नो ईच्छा पूर्ण भएको जीवन बाँच्छन्" भन्ने Alyohin को मान्यतालाई के तिमी समर्थन गर्छौ ?)

Answer: The story is basically about the tragic and timid (कातर) love of Alyohin to Anna. Alyohin is a simple educated man. He is an ordinary figure both in his lifestyle and in his love-making. He is neither a hero, nor a scholar or an actor. He innocently loves his friend's wife in a true and spiritual manner. He can not express his love openly because he fears that their love might ruin the life of both of them. He become indecisive (निर्णय गर्न नसक्ने). Alyohin cannot live a fulfilled life of love. He fails to carry out his longing. Though educated, he is compelled (बाध्य परियो) by his own reason to work in the farm in order to pay off all the debt. Living in the countryside he does nothing but envies (ईर्ष्या गर्न) the love-affair between two servants (Pelageya and Nikanov) and feels sad for the failure of his own love.

From Alyohin, Chekhov implies that 'celebrated' people do not lead more fulfilled lives than the rest of us. It is because Anna and Luganovich, as rich and celebrated they are, do not have the fulfilled life (both private and domestic).

Important Extra Questions (On Request):

Question No. 4: How does an account of the occasion and of the setting in which the narrative occurs affect our understanding of Alyohin?
Answer: First two paragraphs of the story provide an appropriate setting to the story. The story starts with an occasion where few friends including Alyohin are having a leisurely time perhaps celebrating their holiday. What they all are doing is eating, drinking and talking. As the time goes on, Alyohin starts talking about the love affair between Nikanor and Pelageya and nature of their behavior. Their conversation turns to the subject of love which leads to the telling of Alyohin’s own love story. Alyohin’s statement about love is very much influenced by his own experience. By telling his own love story, he wants to free love from marital bonds. So, the setting does affect our understanding of Alyohin.

Question No. 5: An atmosphere of inertia is established in the opening paragraphs of the story. Cite some specific details which help to create this atmosphere. Is this air of indecisive leisure suggested again at the end of the story? What is the connection between this atmosphere and Alyohin’s behabiour with the women he loves, and the outcome of their relationship?
Answer: The story begins with an occasion where few friends are having leisurely time. They are eating, drinking and talking about anything they like. They have already had their breakfast and the cook again comes to ask what they would like for dinner. This occasion helps to create the atmosphere of inertia in the sense that they have nothing special to do except eating, drinking and talking. The same air of leisure is suggested again at the end of the story. As Alyohin is telling the story, the rain stops, the sun comes out and two friends Burkin and Iva go out on the balcony and enjoy a fine view of garden. The atmosphere was a close connection with Alyohin’s behavior with the women he loves. Alyohin seems to be lovely fellow and he is always disturbed by the memory of his beloved Anna. Whenever he has any free time, he can’t help telling his love story to others. This also suggests that he has got life long grief and misery as the outcome if his relationship with Anna.

Question No. 6: Compare the two love affairs described in the story.
Answer: The love between the two servants (Nikanor and Prlageya) is an innocent one, and most possibly based on the physical plain of experience. They frankly express their love with each other and have their own choices about marriage. Possibly they are happy in their love despite certain problems. Their love is not bound by marital relation either. On the other hand, Alyohin's love is more of a spiritual kind and has less to do with physical passion. Both of them are drawn to each other but they fail to express their love in words till his last meeting with Anna in a train compartment. Their love did not give fullness and satisfaction but the love led toward unhappiness, separation and pessimism (निराशा).

Question No. 7: Describe the love affairs of Alyohin with Anna; detailing the reason for their failure in love?
Answer: The love affair between Alyohin and Anna is an ideal and Platonic one. Their love is the love of feeling, not of sensuality. They have spiritual love affair. Though they spend hours together they never express their love until they are to be separated permanently. Both are very much conscious about their limitations and responsibilities. The very reason for their failure in love is that they don't dare to cross the social, familial and religious boundaries. They are very much concerned about the consequences that their union can invite. Apart from it, their love is not guided by physical attraction.

Answer: Aloyhin and Anna have deep feeling of love for each other. However, they never express their emotions. The reasons/factors that prevented them (Aloyhin and Anna) from expressing their love are given below:

a. Anna's married state and having a good husband and a daughter.

b. Their lack of courage to challenge social and religious boundaries.

c. Being too conscious of the result that their union could bring.

d. Aloyhin's unwillingness to betray his friend and ruin their happy life.

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