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The Lament – ANTON CHEKOV

Lament: a passionate expression of grief or sorrow /express passionate grief about.

Anton Chekhov's short story of a father and his great despair for his dead son
has many translations. The most commonly used translation is "Misery." In one
word the title accurately summarizes the mood the story carries, and leaves it's
reader to contemplate the harshness of human nature.

Written in 1886, "Misery" portrays the overwhelming grief of Iona Potapov, a

Russian sleigh-driver, and his futile attempts to share with strangers the despair
in the loss of his son. The story takes place almost a week after his son's death.
Disturbing and inconclusive, "Misery" is not unlike a documentation of human
suffering, specifically in the loss of one's child. Chekhov achieves a detailed
portrayal of one man's grief, his attempts to ease his heartache, and his final
comfort in sharing his story with his horse.

The Characters that take place in the story:

Iona Potapov is the main character in this story. Other characters are a military
officer, three young men, a house-porter, a young cab-man and Iona's horse
(a Mare)

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The story tells about a father and his great despair for his dead son. Iona, the father, is a Russian sleigh
driver who desperately tried to share his grief with strangers. Iona wanted someone to listen to him, to
somehow feel his grief, in order for him to feel better. This reading shows the harshness of human
nature. It takes a powerful look at the lack of human involvement and compassion toward one man's
grief. Iona tries unsuccessfully, three times, to find an outlet to his pain. Only resorting to the faithful ear
of his horse does Iona reach resignation from the death of his son.

Iona's first fare was a military officer. At first, this man seemed interested in Iona's story, but when Iona
turned around to talk to him in more detail, the officer started shouting at him about his driving. This
resulted in the military officer tuning Iona out.

Iona's next fare was three obnoxious young men. They were unruly and offensive towards Iona but he
gave them a ride anyway hoping they would just listen to him. Unfortunately, one of the men replied,
"we shall all die," and Iona received no sympathy from them.

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Finally, when he could no longer hold his thoughts in any longer, he took his horse back to the stable. He
came upon another cabman and Iona told him about his grief only to find the cabman was fast asleep.
Iona wanted to tell someone the details of his son's death yet no one showed an interest. This only
drove him deeper into grief and only intensified his emotions. He watches crowds of people go by and
the narrator adds: "Can he not find among these thousands someone who will listen to him?" In the end,
Iona found refuge speaking to his horse. He poured his heart out to her … and she listened.

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ANALYSIS :

“Misery” is a wonderful tale about a man named Iona who is in mourning over his dead son. Throughout
the story, this sledge driver tries over and over again to talk to someone about his son’s death. Iona’s
son tragically died a week ago and still has not told a soul. Finally, at the end Iona finds comfort when he
talks to his horse, which is the only one wanting to listen. “Misery” reflects the harshness of human
behavior and the lack of connection and compassion towards others.

The story takes place in Russia. Readers are aware of the setting when an officer yells at Iona saying,
“"Sledge to Vyborgskaya!" (para. 3). Vyborgskaya is a village in Russia. The title “Misery” instantly sets
the tone of the short story.
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary describes the term “misery” as: “A state of suffering and want that is
the result of poverty or affliction; A circumstance, thing, or place that causes suffering or discomfort; A
state of great unhappiness and emotional distress. Misery can bring emotion and/or physical distress to
a person.
Iona, the main character in “Misery” for instance, can be distinguished as the most miserable man right
now. The story claims that Iona is “white like a ghost [and] sits on the box without stirring, bent as
double as the living body can be bent” (para. 1). The text also describes how he has “snow-plastered
eyelashes” and he is unwilling to brush off snow from himself. Iona’s lack of caring for himself following
his son’s death is an expression of being in the state of misery and how he seems dead to the world.

Within the story, Iona tries to talk to people three times about the death of his son. The first time, Iona
attempts to talk with an officer. He tells the officer, “"My son... er... my son died this week, sir” (para.
13). This is also the first time the readers learn why he is so unhappy. At first the officer seems to care
and asks Iona what he dies from. But his concern turned quickly to anger when Iona turns completely
around in order to face the officer for a chat. The officer seems to be annoyed and unwilling to listen to
Iona’s misery. The officer seems to not want to be burdened by Iona’s grief. In his next fare, Iona drives
three young men; two tall and thin and one hunchback. Iona drives them for less of what the three men
should be paying him. But Iona seems to be mentally unstable to recognize what is going on in the world
around him. As they set off the hunchback insults Iona by making fun of his hat and how slow of a driver
he is. Instead of fighting back or showing hurt from the cruel words of the hunchback, Iona laughs right
along with them. Then when Iona tells them about his dead son, the hunchback says, “"We shall all die”
(para. 34). Again, Iona get no sympathy at all. When Iona goes back to his stable, he tries a third time to
tell someone about the death of his son, but the cabdriver soon fell asleep.

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Iona finally finds comfort talking to his horse in the stable. He says to the mare, ““That's how it is, old
girl.... Kuzma Ionitch is gone.... He said good-by to me.... He went and died for no reason.... Now,
suppose you had a little colt, and you were own mother to that little colt.... And all at once that same
little colt went and died.... You'd be sorry, wouldn't you?... "” (para. 58). Then, the text then states that,
“The little mare munches, listens, and breathes on her master's hands. Iona is carried away and tells her
all about it” (para. 59). In this part of the story, Iona pours his heart out to his horse. And unlike the
officer, the hunchback, and the cabdriver, the horse listens or appears to listen in Iona’s eyes. The
conclusion is left with an indecisive ending. Hopefully, Iona found closure in his horse. Yet Iona wants his
listener “to sigh and exclaim and lament....” (para.53). The horse does not respond.

The story takes a powerful look at the lack of human involvement and compassion towards one man's
grief. Iona tries unsuccessfully, three times, to find an outlet to his pain. Only resorting to the faithful ear
of his horse, does Iona reach resignation from the death of his son. After having read "Misery," the
harshness of human behavior , one is forced to take an introspective look at one's own attitude in
regarding the sensitivity of others. Chekhov is a master at insightful studies of human behaviors. And
even though his stories were written over a century ago, they are timeless classics, in that the moral
value can still be carried on into our own present lives.

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