The Helpmate
Author: Anton Chekhov
Read “The Helpmate” by Anton Chekhov in Russian and English in Bibliott on your phone and tablet.
Languages: RU, English
Genre: Romance, Satire, Short story
Free to read
An ill doctor finds a lover’s telegram to his wife and tries to set her free, only for their conversation to expose the mutual cruelty of their marriage.
Characters
- Nikolay Yevgrafitch — a doctor and surgeon, Olga’s husband: A seriously ill, suspicious husband who tries to turn humiliation into a magnanimous release.
- Olga Dmitrievna — Nikolay’s wife: A young society woman trapped in an unhappy marriage and defending her position.
- Mihail Ivanovitch Riss — Olga’s lover: A young man of twenty-three whose telegram from Monte Carlo sparks the domestic crisis.
- the mother-in-law — Olga Dmitrievna’s mother: A stout lady with predatory features; Riss’s telegrams are addressed care of her.