The Plot of "The Boor" by Anton Chekhov

The story began with a conversation between Mrs. Popov and her servant. Luka, they talk about her grieving because of her husband death, even her husband died, she was still faithful, and how irritated she was, after knowing that her husband had betrayed her, but she didn’t change, she still loved her husband very much by imprisoning herself in her house and receiving no one. She had no spirit of life. It was showed from her saying “My life is over. He lies in his grave, and I have buried myself within these four walls. We are both dead.” She had proved her faithful even her husband betrayed her.

But she then had to meet Mr. Smirnov who asked her to pay her husband loan. This is the complication appeared, she couldn’t pay him because she hadn’t any money in hand. She could pay it the following two days. But Mr. Smirnov couldn’t receive it. He wanted the money directly at that time, because he needed it to pay interest of a bank. But Mrs. Popov had nothing to do. Because Mr. Smirnov didn’t want to leave, she started to feel disturbed, while she was in grief because of her husband death and not interesting in talking about money matter. But Mr. Smirnov was mad, he could not receive it that because she was in grief she didn’t care about this problem, while he needed the money very much to pay interest tomorrow, he was being pursued by the bank. He told her his problems and especially the problem with women and then he stared to throw off on women, he said he said “I am not speaking of present company, but of women in general; from the tiniest to the greatest, they are conceited, hypocritical, chattering, odious, deceitful from top to toe; vain, petty, cruel with a maddening logic ……… have you ever in your life seen a woman who was really true and faithful? Never! Only the old and the deformed are true and faithful. It's easier to find a cat with horns or a white woodcock, than a faithful woman.” Then the crisis started to appear with a conflict when they were insulting each other. Mrs. Popov could not receive what he talked about women. She told her how she was irritated because her husband had betrayed her, but she still love her husband very much, she could not forget about him and she was still in grief after seven months imprisoning herself and receive no one, she explain “Men true and faithful! So long as we have gone thus far, I may as well say that of all the men I have known, my husband was the best; I loved him passionately with all my soul, as only a young, sensible woman may love; I gave him my youth, my happiness, my fortune, my life. I worshipped him like a heathen. And what happened? This best of men betrayed me in every possible way. After his death I found his desk filled with love-letters. While he was alive he left me alone for months--it is horrible even to think about it--he made love to other women in my very presence, he wasted my money and made fun of my feelings--and in spite of everything I trusted him and was true to him. And more than that: he is dead and I am still true to him. I have buried myself within these four walls and I shall wear this mourning to my grave.” Mrs. Popov was really mad, many times she wanted him to leave her house, but he would just if she paid him the money. They were insulting each other and starting to use bad language. Then, this is the crisis, Mrs. Popov and Mr. Smirnov in a duel with guns, pistols. He was surprised he had never met a woman like her. After Mrs. Popov took the pistols she wanted them to move to the garden and have a duel there. But then suddenly he didn’t want to fight. It was because he liked her. Then the falling action happened with a surprised statement of Mr. Smirnov that he loved her. She couldn’t understand how came, she didn’t believe it. But he tried to make her sure “I love you as I have never loved before. Twelve women I jilted, nine jilted me, but not one of them all have I loved as I love you. I am conquered, lost; I lie at your feet like a fool and beg for your hand. Shame and disgrace! For five years I haven't been in love; I thanked the Lord for it, and now I am caught, like a carriage tongue in another carriage. I beg for your hand! Yes or no? Will you?--Good!”  Mrs. Popov had a conflict inside she was confused she wanted him to leave but would she let him go, finally she couldn’t avoid Mr. Smirnov kiss and the story ended.