Yin & Yang

Two sides of the same coin… Yin and Yang… The age old question of what defines morality, and where do the boundaries of what is considered wrong or cheating come into play?  The idea behind this concept comes to the forefront with Chekov’s “The Lady with the Little Dog” and Oates’ “The Lady with the Pet Dog.”

Chekov and Oates are two very different writers as far as style and voice, and yet they both managed to give life to the same story with through the use of language that was almost prose in its style.  Chekov used elegant and sophisticated turns of language to set his stage, not simply drawing the readers into turn of the century Russia, but to make them actually feel as if they were stepping off a train to walk along the sea port of Yalta or treading through the freshly fallen snow laden streets of Moscow. 

I personally found Chekov more at ease with his descriptive settings of place and increasingly stilted in his human interaction.  It was due to his unique intellectual style of telling a story, one simply did not feel they were reading a story, but rather living the tale with the characters.  To understand Dmitri’s impatience and boredom with his own world, and his disdain for women is to a gain a clear portrayal of a man who lacks the ability to love, or perhaps has not learned how to love… but is spoiled and used to gaining what he wishes.  He shows not only his disdain for women but also for morality and the sanctity of marriage.  To him he is not cheating, and does not feel guilt over giving into his most base of desires.  They are simply a part of who he is, therefore why should he deny himself what only seems to be natural? 

Joyce Carol Oates gives us this same story but through the eyes of the woman.  She is still distressed and unhappy with her life, as the woman in Chekov’s story.  The difference here lies in the pursuit of the male character and the realization by the woman that she has done nothing morally wrong, and in truth, is married to two men.  One out of love and one out of necessity; and yet though both characters in both stories come to this realization of not being able to do without the other,  neither is truly happy because they are not happy with themselves. 

Oates gives in less to the idea of and concept of setting and more into the depth and breadth of human nature with her version of the story.  As you read the story you find yourself drawn into the depression and suicidal actions and thoughts of the young woman.  She is not stable but neither does she seem to wish to be stable.  If she were to be diagnosed more than likely she would have been placed under observation for having a penchant for cutting, a fascination with the macabre and for being suicidal along with manic depression. 

All in all it was a truly fascinating discovery to read these two tales side by side and be drawn along from both sides of the coin.  The voice of the woman is simpering and depressed, moralistic and guilty; while the voice of the man is greedy, selfish, egotistical, needy and angry.  Side by side both authors have given us a story that spans decades and brings a romantic nature to the stigma of cheating.  How can it be cheating if there is love?