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itselvv's review against another edition
”أسوأ مافي الأمر، أنه لم تعد لديها آية آراء، كانت ترى من حولها الأشياء، وتدرك كل مايجري حولها، لكنها لم تكن قادرة على تكوين رأي في أيِّ شيء، وما أفظع أن تكون بلا أيِّ رأي!“
الحبّوبة قصة تصف الشخصية التي لا رأي لها، وتتبع رأي أقرب شخص لديها، كزوجها مثلًا، أو أبنها، ويختلف رأيها مئة وثمانين درجة باختلاف الشخص المرافق لها، والمشكلة أنها لا تلاحظ ذلك حتى! ومن عنوان القصة، تجد أن الناس تحب من يوافقها في الرأي. إلّا أنني أعتقد أنه من المزعج أن تلاحظ ذلك في شريك حياتك، أو في من تلاقيه وتتحاور معه بصورة مستمرة، فمن يرغب في شخص يكون له كالمرآة أو أشد كفاءة ليس إلّا ضعيف شخصية لا يملك هو ذاته أيّة ثقة في آراءه، ولذلك هو بحاجة لمن يعينه على ذلك، وحتى إن كان ذلك على حساب شخصية الطرف الآخر..
الحبّوبة امرأة مسكينة، لم تعرف كيف تكون أفكارها وآراءها الخاصة، وهي وللأسف بأتباعها آراء الغير دون تفكير تحسب أنها تحسن صنعًا.
skullandeja's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
aliaareadstoo's review against another edition
3.0
After reading The Bet, I'm inclined to read more short stories from the author, so I found The Darling.
It's about the life of Olenka, which people around her nicknamed "Darling". As easy as the writing is, I can see how Olenka's life and opinion rely on people close to her. When she's alone, she can't form any independent opinion and on one hand, it's interesting to look at as I never have any thought from this perspective. Like, do we have to depend on people to form any say in anything we see, hear and touch?
It's impossible to say that she can only opine when there's someone with her. We too, depend on both living and non living things to structure a word or even a full sentence, because why would we say anything out loud when we're alone and there's nothing to say?
It's about the life of Olenka, which people around her nicknamed "Darling". As easy as the writing is, I can see how Olenka's life and opinion rely on people close to her. When she's alone, she can't form any independent opinion and on one hand, it's interesting to look at as I never have any thought from this perspective. Like, do we have to depend on people to form any say in anything we see, hear and touch?
It's impossible to say that she can only opine when there's someone with her. We too, depend on both living and non living things to structure a word or even a full sentence, because why would we say anything out loud when we're alone and there's nothing to say?
leelulah's review against another edition
2.0
Read to understand Eudora Welty's On Reading. Apparently, it's commonly held that the Darling is a reflection of what Chekhov thought of women. Now I haven't read enough things by him to have this certainity, and I loved The Orchard Tree. I think this was satirical. Her dreams and devotion were almost cartoonish Now, if this is Chekhov writing from his perspective of fear of commitment, only God knows. But this had funny bits and wasn't as terrible as the blurb here makes it out to be.
I don't necessarily hold that womanizers as him can have high ideas of women at least until they change their ways, but I have definitely seen worse in Latin American novels from the 70s. It's hard to read this as an anti marriage writing, for one could've been censored in Russia by openly ascribing to such views, and it's a bit like reading Wilde as a misogynist because a lot of his characters, or the most often quoted, are so.
One would have to compare with other writings of Chekhov to have a definitive view. Was this what men expected of women and is this intended to be critical of such expectations instead? Because else, if your happiness isn't your spouse's happiness (men and women), what you are married for?
I don't necessarily hold that womanizers as him can have high ideas of women at least until they change their ways, but I have definitely seen worse in Latin American novels from the 70s. It's hard to read this as an anti marriage writing, for one could've been censored in Russia by openly ascribing to such views, and it's a bit like reading Wilde as a misogynist because a lot of his characters, or the most often quoted, are so.
One would have to compare with other writings of Chekhov to have a definitive view. Was this what men expected of women and is this intended to be critical of such expectations instead? Because else, if your happiness isn't your spouse's happiness (men and women), what you are married for?
leah_markum's review against another edition
2.0
I was forewarned that Chekhov thought women were incapable of thinking for themselves and the only opinions they had were those of the men they loved. This short story depicts that. Olenka, the main character, goes through her father, two husbands, a love for a married man, and the male child of that last man. She could run a field theater and whole-heartedly had the same opinions as her first husband. That part was comical, because I could imagine how through her first love she found her second love: theater management. Or perhaps she learned the trade and learned to love her new life, being useful, and other things people often love about their new, adult life. Then there's the lumber miller and the lumber mill. She goes through the same process. The veterinary surgeon that refuses her to talk about veterinary work. The surgeon's son who can't stand Olenka doting on him.
What happens when she has no males to work with and care for? Each time she becomes depressed. The author passes this as her simply having no opinions, but I say there's room for her to be truly depressed. She has no family beyond the men I've mentioned. Chekhov couldn't broken the theme and made the surgeon's son a daughter instead and the story for Olenka would've been the same. She's someone who needs someone to care for. The female socialites in town don't give her fulfillment. Perhaps this is part of Chekhov's point in a sense. Even if not all women need men, many need some sort of familial responsibility. This seems like women need men to men like Chekhov because men of his era and culture had a life revolving on everything outside of family, and the culture of looking down on women made family life seem diminutive to men.
What happens when she has no males to work with and care for? Each time she becomes depressed. The author passes this as her simply having no opinions, but I say there's room for her to be truly depressed. She has no family beyond the men I've mentioned. Chekhov couldn't broken the theme and made the surgeon's son a daughter instead and the story for Olenka would've been the same. She's someone who needs someone to care for. The female socialites in town don't give her fulfillment. Perhaps this is part of Chekhov's point in a sense. Even if not all women need men, many need some sort of familial responsibility. This seems like women need men to men like Chekhov because men of his era and culture had a life revolving on everything outside of family, and the culture of looking down on women made family life seem diminutive to men.
sean67's review against another edition
3.0
Wasn't as excited by this one as I was by the. Bet, but still a well told tale, as I now officially begin a Chekhov run through Serial Reader.
ayman95's review against another edition
4.0
A nice story that sheds light on the problem of dependency and identity.
anastasiarozova's review against another edition
3.0
*Read for class.
A short story about a mirror-lady with no opinion of her own. A very nice woman, but very... empty. I don't even know, guys. It was interesting, however.
A short story about a mirror-lady with no opinion of her own. A very nice woman, but very... empty. I don't even know, guys. It was interesting, however.