The Visitation Of The Gods

To Whom Shall I Tell My Grief

By: Anton Pavlovich Chekhov

Author's Background: 29 January 1860 – 15 July 1904) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer, who is considered to be among the greatest writers of short fiction in history. His career as a playwright produced four classics, and his best short stories are held in high esteem by writers and critics.

Vocabulary:

Discomfit - make (someone) feel uneasy or embarrassed.

Huddle - crowd together; nestle closely.

Brandish - wave or flourish (something, especially a weapon) as a threat or in anger or excitement.

Disinclined - unwilling; reluctant.

Vivid - producing powerful feelings or strong, clear images in the mind.

Altercation - a noisy argument or disagreement, especially in public.

Indigantly - in a manner indicating anger or annoyance at something perceived as unfair.

Characters:

Iona Potapov – Father that lost his son.

Mare – Iona’s horse.

Iona’s Son – Son who passed away.

Iona’s Wife – Iona’s partner who also passed away.

Officer – First passenger; nags a lot.

Passengers – the one he Tried to tell his story to as they travelled.

Setting:

Winter, Russia

Summary

Another sledge driver and his steed work in a major town shrouded in snow. Their first passage is a military officer going to Vyborgskaya. Clumsily driving the carriage, the sledge driver called Iona informed his traveler concerning the demise of his child from a week ago. The officer is hesitant to tune in as they touch base at the goal. 

Once more, Iona was holding up outside a close-by eatery, canvassed in snow, for the following admission. Three young fellows approach and offer an out of line cost yet it makes a difference not to Iona. Subsequent to belligerence about who'll sit where, one of the young fellows compliments Iona's top at that point urges him to drive on. Iona energetically acknowledges the compliment and in addition the disappointment of the man, his forlornness retreating. He, once more, recounts the account of his dead child from seven days back. The man just thinks about proceeding onward and grumbles under the encouraging of his partners 

While out and about one of the men inquires as to whether he is hitched, Iona fumblingly snickering reveals to them that his better half is long dead, and now his child left him also. He doubts why was it his child that kicked the bucket and not him. 

He needed to reveal to them his story yet they have just arrived and the three men bounce off the sledge. 

Iona is separated from everyone else with his melancholy once more; detecting a watchman, he gets out and asks what time is it. The doorman is disappointed and encourages him to drive on. Iona is again depressed and feels that speaking to individuals is no great 

Unfit to manage it any more, Iona surges back to the sledge yard. To his overwhelm he discovers that he had scarcely earned anything today. A man who has enough to eat, must be significantly more quiet, moans Iona. 

He approaches a man who just woke up and offers him a drink as he once more tries to share his story. The man did not listen nor look after it and backpedaled to rest. It has been seven days since Iona's soon has passed on, yet he has not conversed with anybody about it. He looks for somebody to hear his story, to tune in to his sorrow and regrets of life. Taken off alone once more, Iona searches out his female horse, whining about his age and low income. 

He mourns once more about his child's passing and future as a cabman. Tapping his female horse, he begins describing his story, his child's passing. The female horse warmly inhales staring him in the face as Iona discloses to everything about it...

Symbolism:

Sometimes all we need to feel better is someone to listen to you, not someone who overlaps your story with theirs thinking they shared the same exact experience.

Theme:

Loneliness and Grief

Lesson:

Sometimes in our life we must let out our problems let others close friends or relatives hear out because in the end they might be able to help you