Summary of story about love.

“About Love” is a famous Russian story written by a famous story-writer,

Anton Chekhov. In the story, Chekhov presents the difference between three
love stories and tries to prove that “Love” like that is not bound by conjugal
relations. He views that love is true and spiritual. Happiness, unhappiness,
morality, sin, virtue, social status, class, prestige, etc. have nothing to do with
love. Alyohin is the narrator in this story. He had been living as a poor farmer
at Sofyino since he graduated from the university. The story begins when the
narrator and his two guests-Bufkin and Ivan were having breakfast in a
country house. Alyohin told about the violent love affair between his two
servants Nikanor and Pelageya. According to the narrator, Pelageya didn’t
want to marry Nikanor but she was ready to live with him just so. On the other
hand, Nikanor couldn’t stay with her before marriage for religious reasons.
Alyohin says that love is a hindrance and a source of dissatisfaction and
irritation. To justify his statement, he began his own story.
Alyohin had to work hard at Sofyino to pay off his debt as his father had
spent a lot of money on his education by mortgaging the land. Though he
was a landowner, Alyohin had to work hard on the farm with his servants.
Many years before, he had been elected honorary justice for peace and
sometimes he had to go to the town to participate in the court session.
Unexpectedly, one of his friends, Luganovich invited him for dinner. There,
he was very much attracted by the young and beautiful Ana Alexeyevna, the
wife of Luganovich. In the latter days, he frequently visited her and they
spent much time together flaking for hours and going to the theatre. Though
they couldn’t miss the company of each other, they didn’t express their
desires, love and feedings. They hid feelings fearing that it would ruin both
of their live.
At last, as a result of unexpressed feelings, Anna had got mental sickness
and she had to go to Crimea for treatment. Many people gathered at the
railway station to say goodbye to Anna. When the train started to move,
Alyohin ran to Anna with her basket which she had forgotten. Their
emotional eyes met together and their spiritual strength couldn’t stop them
falling in each other’s arms. They kissed each other and expressed their
deep love. However, they parted forever and Alyohin returned to his
farmland (village) being sad and he would never meet her again in his life.
The true love of Alyohin is the means of living. The moment of her memory
often relieved Alyohin in his life.