Brent has a Ph.D. in American culture, specializing in cinema studies, from the University of Michigan. She is a freelance writer and teaches courses in American cinema. In the following essay, Brent discusses the characterization of the men in Olga's life.

Chekhov is known for his virtually plotless plays and short stories, which focus more on the details of character than on action. "The Darling" is one such "character sketch," in which all elements of the story work to portray the character of Olga Semyonovna. While critical discussion tends to focus on Olga herself, it is useful to examine the characters that surround her, both in their own light and in terms of the ways in which they illuminate Olga's character. It is also interesting to note that there is a little bit of Chekhov himself in each of these characters, suggesting an undertone of self-parody...