Orlov’s home

Orlov takes pride in his bachelor’s apartment. He enjoys his privacy and the peacefulness of his home. A great deal of his hostility towards Zinaida stems from his anger at her disruption of his formerly serene home. As the novella progresses, Orlov spends less and less time at home, until he stops showing up altogether. Thus, the apartment symbolizes the one-sidedness of Orlov’s affair with Zinaida.

Petersburg, Russia

Chekhov immerses the reader into the setting through countless allusions to streets and places in Petersburg. One example of this occurs when Stepan references the street Nevsky Prospect. Another can be observed when Stepan orders food from Elisev, a famous delicatessen that still exists in Petersburg to this day. The context of the novella taking place in Petersburg is crucial to understanding the characters as well. For instance, Stepan describes Orlov as having a distinctly “Petersburg...