When contemplating the feelings that arise when a loved one is gone, I personally felt devastated by the loss of my dearest companion. However, I did not yearn for solitude during that period. Instead, the presence of my family and friends provided solace. Engaging in conversations with them and reminiscing about my departed friend brought significant relief. This experience mirrors Anton Chekhov’s tale “Misery,” where the protagonist Iona also endures a profound tragedy as his son passes away, leaving him without anyone to share his sorrows.
Iona then sought solace from his community, but instead found contempt. Anyone he approached would dismiss him, showing only self-interest. This is disheartening because your community should be your support system. However, in Iona’s community, he has no one to lean on or offer consolation. In the end, Iona is so desperate for company that he confides in his horse about his child’s death. The lack of empathy in our society is dismaying, especially when we have all experienced the pain of losing a loved one.
It is surprising that our society lacks empathy and does not discourage human-horse communication. Initially, Iona attempted to talk to a military officer, hoping to share his loss. When Iona finally mustered enough courage to open up, the officer appeared interested, only to immediately start berating Iona for his sledge-driving skills.
The military officer showed no concern for the loss of Iona’s son. On multiple occasions, Iona noticed that the officer glanced in his direction, yet the officer deliberately kept his eyes closed and appeared uninterested in listening to Iona. It is the duty of a military officer to serve and safeguard the community; however, this officer seems neglectful as he is preoccupied with reaching his destination.
Perhaps the lack of sympathy from the officer towards Iona may stem from his military background and his exposure to death. Yet, this situation differs from being in a war and witnessing a comrade’s demise. After all, Iona’s son was his source of immense happiness and now he is gone without a clear reason for his death. It was evident that Iona was in pain and seeking someone to confide in. It would have been appropriate for the military officer to display empathy towards Iona.
At the end of the ride, Iona collects the fare. The officer expresses his regret and apologizes for hearing about Iona’s son. It has been almost a week since Iona’s son passed away, and he had not spoken to anyone about it yet. Iona simply wanted someone, anyone, to listen to him. He desired to discuss the details of his son’s illness, the suffering he endured, his last words before passing, and the circumstances of his death. Furthermore, Iona wanted to describe the funeral and his visit to the hospital to collect his son’s belongings. In summarizing Chekhov’s statement about Iona wanting to talk of it properly, it can be inferred that Iona wished to express his emotions.
Discussing the death of his son in a full conversation rather than simply blurting out the news was something Iona desired. As he immersed himself in his grief, an opportunity arose for him to once again mention his son’s passing. Iona took three individuals on a sledge ride, with one of them being a hunchback. It seems that Iona assumed the hunchback’s solitary nature due to being positioned at the back of the ride. Consequently, he impulsively announced his son’s death once more.
Hoping for some sympathy from the hunchback, Iona believed that as a lonely hunchback himself, he would understand his loss and sorrow. However, the hunchback’s response was disappointing. He coldly said, “we shall all die. Come, drive on! Drive on!” (242). Now that Iona had dropped off the men, his sorrow returned. It felt as if his heart could burst and drown the world in his misery, yet no one could see it. He had concealed his pain in such a tiny shell that it would be impossible to find even with a candle in daylight (243).
According to Chekhov, Iona has accumulated a tremendous amount of sorrow within his heart. Due to the absence of a confidant, he must conceal this sadness. If he were to ever release and shed tears, they would be so abundant that they could cause a global flood. Throughout the story “Misery,” a prevalent theme emerges, which revolves around the contrast between humanity and animalistic behavior.
Both Iona, the human, and his horse, the beast, are given equal treatment in society. Iona is a cabman who suffers from depression and belongs to a social class that deems him comparable to an animal. Despite offering sledge rides for minimal fees, Iona struggles to provide for himself or his horse. In today’s society, there is a prevailing belief that those with higher-paying jobs or residing in privileged neighborhoods should not concern themselves with the less fortunate. However, as humans, we all experience emotions and understand what it means to feel pain. Therefore, it is crucial for us to offer support to one another.
In his book Marxism and Literary Criticism, Terry Eagleton explores the connection between social relations and means of production. Chekhov demonstrated that society is made up of individuals who prioritize their own interests. Feudalism, characterized by the relationship between villeins and lords, is linked to specific “productive forces” like labor organization during medieval times.
At a later stage, the development of new modes of productive organization is grounded on transformed social relations, specifically between the capitalist class who possesses the means of production, and the proletarian class whose labor-power is purchased by the capitalist for profit. Essentially, both Terry Eagleton and Chekhov convey the same idea that individuals often believe they are superior to others and that true understanding between people is rare. Consequently, Iona, being dismissed by others and unheard, resorts to confiding in his horse about the loss of his son. This is tragic because he ultimately pours out his emotions to this animal, feeling a deep sorrow.
Iona appears pleased when sharing the news of his son’s death with the horse. However, it typically feels more comforting to have someone who can comprehend and offer guidance. Surprisingly, Iona communicated his feelings more effectively to the horse than to the officer and the three other men. I believe he found it simpler to confide in the horse because, like his son, it had become a companion to him. Another possible explanation for his ease in sharing with the horse is that he simply desired someone to listen, and the horse fulfilled that role.
The main theme of “Misery” is centered around a man’s solitude and his quest for solace and empathy following a tragic loss. It is disheartening to witness the treatment people inflict upon one another when they are desperate. Regrettably, Iona spent an entire week seeking someone who would lend an ear but was unsuccessful. Just imagine enduring the pain of losing a loved one without any consolation for an entire week. Sadly, Iona’s community failed to offer him the support he desperately needed. Nevertheless, conversing with his horse provided him with some solace despite this predicament.
