An Anonymous Story
In "An Anonymous Story," Chekhov continues to explore his favorite themes of superfluous men, ironic rakes, exploited women, and the dangers of social conventions to human happiness. The Anonymous Narrator is a feckless, would-be revolutionary who gets himself hired on as a flunky in the household of the young useless aristocrat Orlov, hoping to spy out some useful information for the Cause. Orlov seduces the beautiful Zinaida Fyodorovna away from her husband but quickly tires of her. The Narrator, another in the long line of Russian literary superfluous men, allows Orlov to use him to deceive Zinaida Fyodorovna, hating himself for it all the while. In the end he does his weak best to rescue the spurned mistress and her newborn child from their sufferings. Chekhov's subtle sympathy for the women victimized by conventional marriage is demonstrated in his narration of Zinaida Fyodorovna's tragic unraveling, ending in a masterful final chapter of heartbreaking ambiguity. (Summary by Expatriate)
Genre(s): Literary Fiction
Language: English
Group: Chekhov's Novellas
| Section | Chapter | Reader | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Play 01 | Chapter 01 | Expatriate |
00:10:12 |
| Play 02 | Chapter 02 | Expatriate |
00:04:39 |
| Play 03 | Chapter 03 | Expatriate |
00:13:46 |
| Play 04 | Chapter 04 | Expatriate |
00:11:52 |
| Play 05 | Chapter 05 | Expatriate |
00:13:05 |
| Play 06 | Chapter 06 | Expatriate |
00:16:03 |
| Play 07 | Chapter 07 | Expatriate |
00:07:18 |
| Play 08 | Chapter 08 | Expatriate |
00:06:49 |
| Play 09 | Chapter 09 | Expatriate |
00:07:38 |
| Play 10 | Chapter 10 | Expatriate |
00:11:00 |
| Play 11 | Chapter 11 | Expatriate |
00:14:00 |
| Play 12 | Chapter 12 | Expatriate |
00:09:04 |
| Play 13 | Chapter 13 | Expatriate |
00:06:42 |
| Play 14 | Chapter 14 | Expatriate |
00:07:52 |
| Play 15 | Chapter 15 | Expatriate |
00:10:09 |
| Play 16 | Chapter 16 | Expatriate |
00:03:38 |
| Play 17 | Chapter 17 | Expatriate |
00:13:35 |
| Play 18 | Chapter 18 | Expatriate |
00:10:49 |