Short stories are among the most enjoyed literature forms as they offer astounding fairytales for children and brief prose narratives on real-life occurrences for older readers. Due to their literary prowess, Anton Chekhov and O. Henry are some of the globally renowned short story writers. Their fiction works include “About Love,” printed in 1898, and “The Romance of a Busy Broker,” published in 1906. The stories reflect various themes on everyday occurrences in society, helping readers relate their ongoing life situations with what others have experienced. Therefore, scrutinizing Chekhov’s “About Love” and Henry’s “The Romance of a Busy Broker” helps distinguish the two narratives’ similarities and differences, alongside the authors’ life perspectives.
“About Love” Review
Chekhov’s “About Love” reflects the mystery of love, highlighting its numerous dimensions and susceptibility to different societal dynamics. The author gives four distinct scenarios depicting love. However, Alehin is the main character, the only one who narrates his love life in college and later life. The first scenario involves Nikanor, Alehin’s cook, and Pelagea, which is toxic as the former is abusive when drunk. Further, his perception of love is influenced by devout religious convictions, prompting him to convince the latter to marry him (Chekhov) forcefully. Despite Nikanor’s violent nature, Pelagea still loves and lives with him. The second account is about Alehin’s love life as a student in Moscow, characterized by constant worries and questions about where the relationship would lead them. Consequently, the two lovers did not realize their full potential because none was ready to appreciate what they had already shared. The third account entails Luganovitch and his wife, Anna Alexyevna, who lived in harmony despite the husband being in his forties and the latter in her early twenties (Chekhov). Alehin is surprised that the two lovers are passionate about one another despite their age disparity. Thus, scenarios depict love differently.
Alehin’s love for Alexyevna is the highlight of Chekhov’s narrative. Firstly, the author portrays Alehin as educated but poor. He narrates that the former met Luganovitch through a court circuit after being elected an honorary justice of the peace, as he was among the few educated youngsters in the countryside (Chekhov). The story manifests love at first sight as Alehin falls for Alexyevna the first day he sees her, following a dinner invite by her husband. The two individuals exhibit passion toward each other, where they attend theatrical performances together and enjoy being together, but understand the limits within which they should not exceed due to the possible consequences. For instance, Alehin would betray Luganovitch’s trust and hospitality, while Alexyevna would be disloyal to her husband, children, and kin (Chekhov). Their love story has a sad ending as Alexyevna is sent to Crimea following her illness, and Alehin is left ruing the missed opportunity. Hence, the story shows that people do not necessarily get the chance to enjoy life and live with the people they inherently love.
“The Romance of a Busy Broker” Review
Henry’s “The Romance of a Busy Broker” echoes top corporate players’ difficulty striking a work-life balance. The story concerns Harvey Maxwell, a busy stockbroker in New York’s Manhattan region. His love for his stenographer, Miss Leslie, is manifested by his clerk, Pitcher, who is surprised to see the two report to work together for the first time. The lady exhibits attachment and passion by unusually staying in Maxwell’s office for a long time instead of moving into her workstation to handle her tasks. His enhanced forgetfulness portrays Maxwell’s difficulty balancing love and work. For example, he asks Pitcher to engage the stenographer agency for a new employee to replace Leslie. Still, he forgets and is indifferent when a potential candidate arrives the following day for an interview (Henry). It is also evident that the two lovers had spent the previous night together, demonstrated by Maxwell’s ability to recognize Leslie’s fragrance from a distant office. Further, the two had discussed marriage, which Maxwell cannot remember due to her clogged mind. There is a high chance that Maxwell’s decision to hire a new stenographer was needed to relieve Leslie of her office duties to stay at home as his wife. However, Leslie is apprehending as she explains the previous days’ occurrences, linking her lover’s absentmindedness to her busy schedule. For instance, the two find heaps of letters and telegrams at his office in the morning, while clients and messenger boys throng into the office the entire day (Henry). The story shows that love requires understanding partners to help navigate the incessant trials facilitated by the jostling nature of modern society. Therefore, Maxwell and Leslie have a marriage agreement, but the former cannot remember due to his corporate engagements.
Similarities and Differences
Chekhov and Henry’s narratives demonstrate various similarities and differences. Firstly, one evident similarity is their love and relationship contexts. “About Love” has four love accounts, including Nikanor and Pelagea’s toxic relationship, Alehin and his university girlfriend’s apprehension-laden affair, Luganovitch and Alexyevna’s calm marriage despite their vast age difference, and Alehin and Alexyevna’s secret love. On the other hand, “The Romance of a Busy Broker” speaks about Maxwell and Leslie’s office relationship, which is impacted by the former’s busy stockbroking job. Another similarity is the expression that love is a multi-faceted phenomenon, which can be enjoyable and painful. For example, Leslie is upset by Maxwell’s forgetfulness, where he cannot remember their promises and happy encounters. Similarly, Alehin and Alexyevna are distraught because their secret love poses dire consequences if exposed, and there are boundaries it cannot allow them to cross. On the other hand, one difference between the stories is the plot and characters. For instance, Henry’s story delves into only one relationship, Maxwell and Leslie, while Chekhov uses several characters and relationship dimensions. Another difference is the different social contexts that impact relationships. “The Romance of a Busy Broker” shows that people can fail in love even when people are wealthy, as exhibited by Maxwell’s obsession with his work. Conversely, Alehin’s poverty and Alexyevna’s affluence and marriage make it difficult for the two to realize different love goals. Hence, the two stories can be compared and contrasted.
Reflective Commentary
Analyzing Chekhov’s “About Love” and Henry’s “The Romance of a Busy Broker” has helped discern the various dynamics that impact love and relationships. Firstly, I have realized that cultural and ethnic beliefs play a vital role in determining how people perceive intimate engagements and their eventual success. For instance, Alehin explains how apprehension affected his university relationship. He argues that love is seen as a complex and inexplainable phenomenon in Russian culture, showing why her girlfriend was always worried about the outcome of their affair instead of exhibiting positivity and celebrating their achievements at the moment. On the other hand, Henry’s narrative reveals the importance of ensuring a work-life balance to succeed in corporate and at home. Maxwell’s workaholic nature prevents him from loving Leslie appropriately, leaving the latter disillusioned. The problem could have been avoided by hiring someone to help Maxwell with his managerial duties to help him commit more time to family affairs. Therefore, the stories are insightful as they express the impact of culture and work obsession on relationships.
Furthermore, I am amazed by how Alehin allows his preoccupation with Luganovitch’s wife to waste his youthful time. By the time the two secret admirers meet for the first time at a dinner hosted by the husband, Alexyevna only has one six-month-old child. However, Luganovitch and Alexyevna have two grown-up children when the latter is sent to Crimea following her illness. The scenario shows that Alehin did not bother to find a life-long partner for about three years, which left him frustrated after it became clear that Alexyevna would never be his partner. Alehin’s situation relates to other life choices that halt progression, including sticking in toxic relationships and getting comfortable in unproductive jobs. I deem it prudent for people to uphold the trust bestowed on them by their friends, and it is certain Alehin betrayed Luganovitch for coveting his wife, irrespective of how the love ended. Thus, the stories teach one the significance of commitment, focus, and fidelity in society.
Conclusion
Overall, Chekhov and Henry’s “About Love” and “The Romance of a Busy Broker” manifest the two writers’ literary expertise. The two narratives discuss love and relationships, highlighting circumstances that steer happiness and irritation. However, the authors apply different plot and character dimensions. The stories reflect the impact of corporate engagement and social status on love and relationships, depicting fidelity and honesty as crucial virtues. Hence, the two narratives and insightful and entertaining.
Works Cited
Chekhov Anton. “About Love.” AmericanLiterature.com, n.d., https://americanliterature.com/author/anton-chekhov/short-story/about-love. Accessed 26 Apr. 2023.
Henry O. “The Romance of a Busy Broker.” AmericanLiterature.com, n.d., https://americanliterature.com/author/o-henry/short-story/the-romance-of-a-busy-broker. Accessed 26 Apr. 2023.
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