The Darling

The Darling Summary | Detailed Summary

"The Darling" is a short story that explores the themes of love, loss, and oppression. The story, which is told in the third person, tells the tragic tale of Olenka, a young woman who seems to lose her sense of self each time she falls in love. As each relationship evolves and then ends, the reader watches Olenka seemingly reinvent her personality so that her personality and interests match those of the man with whom she is engaged in a relationship.

As the story begins, Olenka, the daughter of a retired college professor, is sitting on her back porch deep in thought. Evening is approaching and it looks as though it might rain. The manager of a local outdoor theater, a man named Kukin, is in the garden bemoaning the threat of bad weather; his business is highly weather dependent and he has already had to cancel several other performances because of rain. In addition, he is highly critical of the theater's patrons. Despite his efforts to stage first-rate productions, it appears as though the patrons prefer to be entertained by clowns and other "vulgarities." Each evening, this scene repeats itself until it seems as though Kukin is nearly mad.

As Olenka watches and listens to Kukin, she begins to realize she is in love with him. Olenka, it seems, is not happy unless she has someone in her life to love. She is a compassionate, gentle young woman who is seen as a delight to those around her and often elicits cries of "You Darling!" from those with whom she speaks.

Eventually, Kukin proposes to Olenka and they are married. When he sees Olenka on their wedding day, he appears to be so moved by her beauty that he, too, cries the familiar phrase "You Darling!" Unfortunately, it rains on their wedding day, adding to Kukin's despair.

Now married, Olenka spends her days working at the theater with Kukin. When she meets people she knows, she tells them how important the theater is to her and, echoing Kukin's sentiments, laments that the public doesn't seem to appreciate the quality of the productions being staged. As time passes, she becomes more intricately involved in the productions and is personally insulted when the local newspapers' writers criticize the performances. The actors are fond of Olenka and, like so many other people, frequently refer to her as "the darling." Olenka is fond of the actors as well and often lends them money.

In the winter, Kukin and Olenka rent an indoor theater in town and occasionally sublet it to other performers. Olenka seems to be quite content with her life and begins to gain weight. Kukin, on the other hand, suffering from the strain of continually worrying about their finances, becomes increasingly thinner. Olenka tries to pamper him by making warm tea and wrapping him in warm blankets, acts that Kukin seems to appreciate.

Near the beginning of the Lenten season, Kukin travels to Moscow to find some new actors. He is detained there and writes that he will return in time for Easter. Olenka is clearly lonely and troubled by Kukin's absence and finds that she has trouble sleeping.

On the Sunday before Easter, Olenka receives a telegram notifying her of Kukin's death. She is overwhelmed with grief and travels to Moscow for the funeral. When she returns home, she is inconsolable. The neighbors feel sorry for Olenka and refer to her as "the poor darling."

Three months later, on her way home from Mass, Olenka finds herself walking with one of her neighbors, a man named Vassily Andreitch Pustovalov who is the manager of the local timber merchant. As they walk, Pustovalov tells Olenka that everything in life is pre-ordained and that it is necessary to be accepting of God's will.

As time passes, Olenka realizes that she likes Pustovalov. Not long after she has this realization, a matchmaker visits her. The matchmaker tells her what a wonderful man Pustovalov is. A few days later Pustovalov visits. Shortly after his visit, Olenka contacts the matchmaker to make the final arrangements. Olenka and Pustovalov are soon married and are very happy together.

After their wedding, Olenka begins working with her husband at the timber merchant's and before long, becomes well versed in the trade. Even her dreams seem to be centered on the timber trade. She even begins to share her husband's opinions on everything ranging from timber to how they will spend their free time. Fearing she spends far too much time working, Olenka's friends suggest she take some time off for more pleasant pastimes such as going to the theater. Olenka ignores their suggestions, telling them that she has no use for such trivial pursuits.

Olenka and Pustovalov customarily attend Mass on Saturday evening and early morning Mass on holidays. They enjoy a comfortable life, eat well and treat themselves to a visit to the baths once a week.

When Pustovalov goes on an extended wood-buying trip, Olenka misses him terribly. She passes some of the time in the company of Smirnin, a young army veterinary surgeon to whom she and Pustovalov have rented their lodge. Smirnin and Olenka spend most of their time together playing cards and talking, primarily about the young surgeon's home life. He is separated from his wife because she had been unfaithful. Smirnin is still angry and hurt about this transgression. And although Olenka feels badly for Smirnin, she advises him to try to make amends with his wife, primarily for the sake of their son.

When her husband returns from his trip, she tells him of Smirnin's troubles. They both agree they feel most sorry for Smirnin's son. Eventually, the couple find themselves at the holy icons asking God to bless them with children.

Olenka and Pustovalov live happily together for the next six years. Their idyllic life together came to a crashing end when Pustovalov dies four months after catching a cold from which he never recovered.

Olenka is once again devastated and spends the next six months in relative solitude, leaving her home only to go to Mass or to her husband's grave. Eventually, she begins to work her way out of her despair and to resume some of her previous routines. Smirnin once again becomes a regular visitor, prompting some to believe that Olenka would marry for a third time. While neither Olenka nor Smirnin comment on the relationship, it is clear that Olenka is falling into the familiar pattern of becoming part of Smirnin's world. She immerses herself in veterinary medicine and repeats many of Smirnin's ideas and beliefs to those she meets. While they generally get along well, Smirnin sometimes becomes frustrated with the way in which Olenka tries to sound as though she is expert in matters relating to veterinary science.

Eventually, Smirnin leaves with his regiment and Olenka is once again alone. In the months that follow, unable to become interested in anything, she retreats into her own world. She thinks about nothing and is unable to form an opinion about anything at all.

Years pass. The town grows, but Olenka's home falls into disrepair. She passes the summer days on her porch and the winter days at her window. And so it continues until one July evening when there is a knock at her gate. Olenka answers the knock and is delighted to find Smirnin. Although he has also aged considerably in the intervening years, Olenka finds that her fondness for him returns almost immediately.

Smirnin explains to Olenka that he has reconciled with his wife and that they have come to the town to find a place to settle down. Olenka offers her home to Smirnin and his family and tells him that she would be quite comfortable living in the lodge. Before long, Olenka's old house is painted and repaired and ready for Smirnin's wife and son, a boy named Sasha, to move into.

Almost immediately, Olenka becomes smitten with Sasha. She spends a great deal of time with the boy helping him with his school lessons. When Sasha starts high school, his mother leaves the town to go live with her sister. Because Smirnin was also often gone for days at a time for his job, Olenka decides to bring Sasha to live with her.

For six months they live together. During this time, they establish a routine in which Olenka wakes the boy each morning for school and as he eats his breakfast, she reminds him to work hard in school and to obey his teachers. The boy seems to have little patience for Olenka and is ill mannered with her. Then, as he sets off for school, she follows him until they are near to the building. At this point, she calls him back to give him a piece of fruit or other type of treat. When they reach the street where the school stands, he turns around and tells Olenka to go home. They repeat this little ritual each morning.

Despite Sasha's growing impatience, Olenka seems to once again come alive. She regards the boy as her own and becomes deeply attached to him. Her youthful looks reappear and once more, people greet her with the familiar "darling" endearment. Everywhere she goes she talks about Sasha and the high expectations being placed upon him at school.

Each evening, the two have supper together before spending time working on the day's lessons. Then, after she puts Sasha to bed, she thinks about the day when Sasha will inevitably leave her. This brings her to tears.

One night, Olenka is awakened by a loud knock at the gate. Fearing it is a telegram from Sasha's mother and that she will have to send the boy away, she begins to shudder. Soon she realizes that it is only Smirnin returning home from a night at the club. Once again content, her thoughts turn to the boy she loves so much, the boy who sometimes calls out in his sleep, "I'll give it you! Get away! Shut up!"