Literary Analysis of Heartache by Anton Chekhov

In Heartache, Anton Chekhovs short story about a man reeling from the untimely lo
ss of his son, the wounds that grief leaves can only be eased by empathy and a s
ympathetic ear, but neither can be found in self-absorbed people who cannot see
beyond themselves. As melancholic cab driver Iona, and his horse make their way
through a single bleak night in Chekhovs pre-Revolutionary Russian tale, the natu
re of grief and humanity are examined. The use of imagery, symbolism, and tone d
eepen the storys meaning and evoke both its tragedy and its hope.
Heartache begins with vivid imagery that brings a strong image of the storys worl
d from the first paragraph. The large, wet flakes of snow customary grey scenes
unceasing din rushing people [and] evening darkness descending on the city (1) re
flect the cab drivers dismal and wintry life, and paint a picture of the bustling
, frigid world he lives in. The reiteration of the din, the bustle, and the crowd
surging along both sides of the street (3) sets up the theme: out of all the peo
ple in the city, none have the patience or the compassion to hear Iona out when
he searches for someone to share his grief with. Despite the repeated mentions o
f human presence, Chekhovs dreary imagery evokes an empty feeling that holds a mi
rror to the protagonists chronic and tragic loneliness. By describing Iona as all
white as a ghost [and] hunched over as a living body can be and his horse as motio
nless [and] stick-like like a penny gingerbread horse (1), the two are likened to
otherworldly creatures; too pale, bent out of shape, and angular to be real. Th
eir physical characteristics distance them figuratively from the rest of the wor
ld around them as well as literally. Chekhovs imagery both conveys the dark side
of a bustling, busy society one filled with icy, self-absorbed, and unsympatheti
c people and the alienation that grief and emotional vulnerability brings Iona.
Though many elements in Heartache have deeper and figurative meanings, Ionas hors
e is the strongest symbol. Heartache reflects human nature in stages of grief an
d withdrawal as well as in its selfish and cruel forms. However, redemption, and
the answer to Ionas longing, is found in the only non-human character in the sto
ry: the horse. Every other character besides Iona is by turn scornful, abusive,
and uncaring. The horse is everything these men are not: quiet; loyal, despite t
heir lack of food and the harsh climate that coats them both in snow for hours o
n end; and gentle. From the first paragraph she is personified, said to be in all
probability sunk in thought (1), given the human trait of thoughtfulness. Later,
it is as if she has understood [Ionas] thought (3); she is the one character in th
e story with the ability to understand him. In the end, at last, the nag chews, l
istens, and breathes on the hands of her master (4) in the ultimate gesture of sy
mpathy and submission. In his horse, Iona discovers what he could not find in hi
s passengers, doorkeepers, or fellow drivers. More than a reflection of animal l
oyalty, the horse symbolizes the soft and caring side of living beings; she poss
esses that which is missing from the citys impatient and crude, self-centered inh
abitants. The horse is the answer to not only one lonely mans longing for affecti
on in the wake of tragedy, but the docile and compassionate answer to an unfeeli
ng and cold society, and she therefore becomes a symbol of hope as well.
In Heartache, Chekhov uses tone to reinforce his theme as well as character and
setting. Throughout the first half of the story, the narration is straightforwar
d, its tone too simple and indifferent for the sorrowful content. Despite the im
mediacy of present tense, the narration is detached through Chekhovs use of filte
ring. Readers are told that in all probability the horse is deep in thought; Iona
fidgets as if on pins and needles; and apparently he wants to say something (1). The
narration makes guesses, and acts more as an observer of Iona than his own voic
e and thoughts told in the third person. The idea of the story being told by an
uncertain but keen observer, clashes with the unobservant, careless characters i
n Ionas life. Ionas reactions and thoughts too clash with the circumstances to whi
ch he is subjected. Even subjected to verbal and physical abuse by the second pa

ssenger in his cab, when he hears more than feels the thud of a blow on [his] nec
k (3) he laughs it off, grateful that for any human interaction. When he is alone
again, however, halfway through the story, he surrenders to his heartache, and
the tone shifts dramatically. The feeling which had eased for a while appears aga
in and rends [his] breast with even greater force, and the vast, boundless heartac
he (3) within him surges. The change in tone from detached to honest reflects Ion
as own changing internal grieving process, and hints, by the end, that he is clos
e to the final stage: acceptance. With such dark subject matter, Chekhovs tone co
uld have been miserable and self-pitying throughout, but his shifting use of it
instead portrays the nature and progression of grief much more honestly.
Throughout Heartache, Anton Chekhov focuses less on a typical story structure an
d more on the intricacies of humanity: the aftereffects of unspeakable personal
tragedy, the harshness of men, the process of recovery, and the salvation that c
an be found through a willing listening ear. Though Ionas grief could not be alle
viated through self-absorbed, rushed people, his admission of pain and the conne
ction between him and his horse set him on course to recovery. Through imagery,
symbol, and tone Chekhov creates a simple yet strong portrait of one mans night t
hat becomes universal through relevant portrayals of common emotions and humanki
nd. English essay outline & rough work
Heartache by Anton Chekhov
theme: the wounds that grief leaves can be eased by empathy and a sympathetic e
ar, but neither can be found in people who cannot see beyond themselves
point 1:
symbol
the horse is a symbol of what the world should ideally be like and what it is re
ally like. the horse is constant, loyal, docile, and listens, while every other
human in the story is curt, cruel, ignores the cabby, and leaves in the end.
in a story that reflects the nature of humanity (both in its grieving/vulnerable
, and selfish/self-absorbed states) redemption comes as something inhuman
point 2:
imagery
cold, bleak, wintry provides physical problem (Iona and his horse are suffering
in it) and a figurative reflection of Ionas cold, gray, bleak life in the afterma
th of his sons death
both Iona & horse are described as non living things, a ghost and gingerbread pe
nny horse. they are shown as not being real which emphasizes how grief changes t
hem and also how they are othered/alienated from the rest of society
the city imagery is crowded & bustling with people but even in all those people
Iona cant find just one who will listen > because theyre all crowded & bustling and
too busy, impatient, and/or self-absorbed to care. relates back to theme
point 3:
tone
the story is called Heartache (aka Misery or The Lament in other translations) but
until about the 1/2way or 3/4 mark the tone is not self pitying. instead it is
quite indifferent and detached (Chekhov uses filter words e.g. it appeared, he seemed
which gives it an indecisive and observer-type tone)
the tone shifts to more honest, lamenting, sad, and immersive halfway through pa
ge 3 when Iona is abandoned by his second set of passengers (including abusive h
unchback but Iona was happy for any kind of human contact/interaction)
shift in tone mirror his grieving process, the tone changes as Iona moves from b
eing almost in denial to being honest about his depression, and coming close to
final stage of acceptance
conclusion
relate to broader point: Chekhovs story is simple & about a single mans sorrows an
d struggles on one single night, but he makes a small event larger and universal
through his examination of the common topics of grief/loss & the need for inter
personal connection