The Darling

Repetition is used both as a structuring device and within the narrative itself. Every time Olga becomes dependent on a new love object, she repeats what they say to her. Structurally, “The Darling” is a story in which different iterations of the same scenario repeat: Olga is lonely; she feels a deep need for love and affection; she latches onto the nearest available love object; they marry or move in together; she adopts that person’s concerns and way of life; they end up dying or leaving; and the pattern begins again. This cycle repeats three times all the way through, before the story ends at the point where Olga has practically adopted Sasha and his opinions. Though Olga is happy at the end of the story, this structural repetition establishes an expectation for the reader: that Olga will once again be abandoned. By mapping her relationships along almost identical lines, Chekhov shows that Olga’s behavior is too deeply ingrained to change. She will never assert her Agency and Individual Identity.