About Love

Grade 12 Compulsory English 

(Q) What kinds of love experiences are suggested by Alyohin in "About Love"?

- In "About Love" , three kinds of love experiences are suggested by Alyohin. The first one is the love affair between Nikanor and Pelageya. Their love is sensual, often violent. Though there is no understanding between them, sexual passion binds them. Their love is not bound by marital relation. The second love affair is between Alyohin and a girl when he was studying in the university. Though Alyohin loved her, she thought love as a way to earn money. This love affair can be seen as the ugliest where sex is exchanged with money. The third love affair between Alyohin and Anna Alexeyevna can be termed as unexpressed love or spiritual love. Their heart meet, but being trapped by middle class morality, their love remains unexpressed. They sacrifice their love for more good. Alyohin sacrifices his love because he thinks that it would bring disaster in the life of her children, mother and husband. Similarly, Alexeyevna does not express her love thinking that she wasn't young enough to live with him.

(Q) Character sketch of Alyohin.

Alyohin, a bachelor and a university graduate, lived in Sofinyo working labourously in his farm. He had to work in his farm to pay the debt that his father had spent on his education. He desired a civilized living of the upper class but could not afford it. In the past while he was a university student, he fell in love with a girl who only loved his money. Since he was elected honorary justice of the peace, he often visited town to take part in assizes and sessions. Once he was invited to the home of Luganovich to dine. There he met Anna Alexeyevna , aged 22 and married to Luganovich. They fell in love with each other but could not express their love. They chatted for hours, went to the theatre together but they parted coldly the next time. Later Anna suffered from nervous prostration and was sent to Crimea for treatment. During her departure, Alyohin had courage to confess his love and kissed her, but had to part with her forever.

Alyohin's vision of love is shaped by his own love affair. He thinks that when people are in love, they ask whether it is honorable or dishonorable, sensible or stupid, and what their love will lead to . For him, this reasoning is the source of dissatisfaction and irritation. He thinks that love is a great mystery. When one is in love, one should start love from higher, without reasoning whether their love is sin or virtue, or whether it brings happiness or unhappiness. According to him to what extent personal happiness counts in love is uncertain, it differs from person to person.

Alyohin is like a squirrel in a cage. He is trapped by reason, middle class morality and poverty. He is a man-of-thought. He fears to express his love to Anna because he is too much thoughtful about society's moral standards. He sacrifices his love thinking that his marriage to Anna Alexeyevna would ruin the lives of her, her children, her mother and her husband. He fears that he could not make her happy in his country house.

(Q) Character sketch of Anna Alexeyevna.

-Anna Alexeyevna is the main female character in the story "About Love". She is a beautiful and charming young lady aged twenty-two. She is married to Luganovich, assistant president of the circuit court and aged over forty. Her marriage to an old man can be seen as the cause of her suffering. Her sexual urge cannot be fulfilled by the man double her age. So, she tries to get emotional fulfillment from Alyohin which later turns into love. She is also trapped in reason. She does not confess her love to Alyohin though she deeply loves him because she fears society's moral standards. She also thought that she was not young and energetic enough for him to begin a new married life. Later she becomes the victim of nervous prostration because of psychological depression and nervousness.

Onomatopoeia: It is the imitation of natural sounds by words. For example, cackle, tin tin, buzz etc. In this poem, 'ding dong' is an example of onomatopoeia. It imitates the sound of the bell which is slow and lingering.

Alliteration: It is the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words or stressed syllables. In 'Full fathom five thy father lies', the repetition of /f/ sound gives it a musical quality. It also reminds us of the flow of the sea.

Assonance: It is the repetition of the vowel sounds at the beginning of words or stressed syllables. It also enhances the singing quality.