The Boor by Anton Chekhov Summary
Mrs. Popov, a young widow mourning her husband's death, is urged by her servant Luka to move on and enjoy life. When Smirnov demands his debt, a heated argument ensues, leading to a surprising proposal. The conflict evolves into a duel, but ends in an unexpected resolution as feelings change between the characters.
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The Boor ByAnton Chekhov
Summary Summary Mrs. Popov is a young widow who has been mourning inside her house for seven months for her dead husband. Her old servant Luka tries his best to convince her to move outside, see other men and enjoy her life. According to him, she is young enough to enjoy her life ahead. But Mrs. Popov wants to be faithful towards her dead husband. A man named Smirnov comes there to meet her. He demands his twelve hundred roubles which her husband had to pay him for his oats. Mrs. Popov asks him to come the day after tomorrow for his money. Smirnov tells her his problem and demands his money instantly. They argue with each other. Mrs. Popov leaves the room but Smirnov starts complaining against Mrs. Popov in a loud voice. When Mrs. Popov returns, he insists on paying his money instantly. He speaks quite rudely to her. Both of them start arguing on men and women in the matter of being true and faithful in a love relationship. The rude manner of Smirnov makes Mrs. Smirnov feel quite angry. She calls her servants but Luka is only present there. She asks Smirnov his wish of a duel. She moves out and brings the pistols of her husband. She requests Smirnov to teach her to shoot with a pistol before their duel. He starts liking her. When Mrs. Popov asks him to move to the garden for their duel, he expresses his liking towards her and puts forward his marriage proposal. Mrs. Popov refuses him at first but later on, she accepts him.
Setting Place: Well-furnished reception-room in Mrs. Popov's home Time: The present
Plot Exposition: Mrs. Popov is discovered in deep mourning because her husband died. Her servant, Luka tries to raise Mrs. Popov s spirit of life and to enjoy her life. Rising Action: Smirnov comes to Mrs. Popov s home to get his debt back that her husband (Mrs. Popov s husband) had borrowed from him in the past. Aheated argument between Popova and Smirnov breaks out. Climax: Smirnov challenges Mrs. Popov to duel, and Mrs. Popov agrees. Falling Action: the conversation continues and they take out weapons with jokes. Smirnov teaches her how to use weapons. Smirnov confessed his love to Mrs. Popov, and then he begged her to get married. Resolution: Mrs. Popov starts having the same feelings as Smirnov.
Characters: Helena Ivanova Popov: she is a widow woman who is grieving for her husband, she is a pretty woman, she is a faithful woman; she stayed faithful to her husband. She is moody and gets angry fast and she has a strong personality. Grigori Stepanovith Smirnov: He is a country gentleman, and he is emotional moody and has strong personality Luka: is servant of Mrs. Popov, and he is an obedient servant, he is kind and gentle, he suggests the best for Mrs. Popov and he wants her to meet other men and get out from grieving.
Conflict: External conflict: The conflict begins between Smirnov and Mrs. Popov. They are arguing about Mrs. Popov who wants to pay her husband s debt when her manager comes back, but Smirnov refuses and says that he wants the money now. Mrs. Popov says that she doesn't have mood to discuss about it, so Smirnov got angry and they start to insult each other. Then he decides to have a duel. The conflict is external and it's between man and woman but in the play, man represented by Smirnov and woman by Popov, they speak on behalf of each other's genders.
Theme and Moral Lesson: Love is needed even though there are disagreement between man and woman but they still need each other. Being optimistic; the play shows that we should be optimistic and don't let memories and shadows from past catch us now and life continues and we should not stop on a single spot and make time freeze. Women s emancipation
Flashback: When Mrs Popov talks about her husband, she says that her husband liked to take a ride with Toby, or when she says she found Love letters to other women in Her husband's desk. Another flashback is when Smirnov talks about himself jilting 12 women and 9 being jilted by, and he had duel for them. Tone: Comic
Symbolism: Spiders: Luka is comparing Mrs Popov to spiders, spiders are away from everyone and they afraid of the light. Just like the lady who doesn't want to leave her home. Tobby: Tobby is the horse of Nikolai Michailovitch. It symbolizes the Popov's love for her husband, she usually tells servants that they should give more oats and let Tobby rest well. Crocodile: Smirnov compares woman to crocodiles. He says that woman is a common crocodile. Crocodile symbolizes unfaithful women that they attack and then cry for their victims. Mouse in a trap: Smirnov's love for women is like a trap for him, although he was faithful and he loved very deep.
Irony: lies in his grave, and I have buried myself within these four walls. We are both dead." This is said by Mrs. Popov to Luka her servant when he told her to go out and enjoy herself, the lady doesn't want to leave her house after the death of her husband, she wants to stay faithful even after discovering that the man was not really faithful to her there is an exaggeration and irony in this speech. Because at the end of the play she decides to marry Smirnov. Situational irony "and I shall never leave it-why should I? my life is over. He
Some Questions: What kind of drama? How many scenes does The Boor have? How are the conflicts resolved? How long has Popov locked herself in the house and why? How does Mrs. Popov insult Smirnov and why? Why has Mr. Smirnov come to meet Mrs. Popov? What does Popov say when Mr. Smirnov asks her to pay the debt taken by her husband? When does Mr. Smirnov confess that he is in love with Mrs. Popov?
