What Makes “A Country Cottage” by Anton Chekhov Great?
Learn how Chekhov uses metaphors and personification to create layers of meaning, foreshadowing to build suspense, and dialogue to craft a story about the tension between idealism and reality.
Photo by Alex Baber on Unsplash
As I was studying Chekhov’s “A Country Cottage” for this post, I spent a lot of time thinking about how the themes and characters in the story might relate to my own life. I didn’t come up with anything groundbreaking or especially insightful.
“A Country Cottage” involves a young couple who are clearly in the early stages of their relationship, so, naturally I thought a lot about my twenty year relationship with my wife. The ups and downs, the highs and lows. Challenges that were internal and challenges that were external.
Chekov’s story reminds the reader that there is a fine balance between the perfection we seek in our lives and obstacles and set-backs life throws at us. And it’s how we react, together, in the face of those obstacles that defines our relationships with our loved ones.
It might be good to pause and read the story before moving on. It’s lovely story of about 800 words or so. And it should take you about ten minutes. Trust me. It’s worth it.
HERE is a link to a PDF of the story. Download it and save it somewhere. I guarantee you will re-read at least five times this week. And it’s a good resource to have next to you while you read the rest of this article.
For the sake of brevity, I summarized “A Country Cottage” below.
SPOILER ALERT! Summary of “A Country Cottage”
“A Country Cottage” by Anton Chekhov is the story of Sasha and Varya, newlyweds taking a romantic stroll in the countryside. They notice the peacefulness and beauty in the most mundane of surroundings. Their idyllic plans are interrupted by a group of raucous visitors, whose presence shatters the tranquility Sasha and Varya had envisioned.
Beneath the surface of this simple story is an exploration of disillusionment, the dynamics of being married, and the fragility of human idealism.
Chekhov shows us how even the most unassuming, mundane situations can reveal deep truths about human relationships.
What’s This Post About?
I’m a teacher by trade, so I only have one mode of thinking: how can I break something down and show someone else how to do the thing? I’m going to do my best to analyze how Chekhov crafts a compelling story by using metaphors and personification to create mood, foreshadowing to build tension, and dialogue to reveal character and character relationships.
I am not suggesting Chekov didn’t employ other techniques in this story. I’m only highlighting the three I mentioned because I felt like they provided the best examples to study and use in your writing (or to look for while you’re reading).
Together, the elements of metaphor, personification, foreshadowing, and dialogue create a story that feels both universal and incredibly personal.
To guide the analysis, let’s frame our discussion using the following questions:
How does Chekhov use metaphor and personification to create layers of meaning?
How does Chekhov use foreshadowing to build tension and suspense?
How does Chekhov use dialogue to reveal character and develop relationships?
When I’m analyzing a story, I like to rip it to pieces and examine every sentence and every technique, noting how each element works independently and then as a whole. To do this, I like to create charts, which you will see below, to organize my thinking. It helps me see patterns and focus my observations and analysis.
How does Chekhov use metaphors and personification to create layers of meaning?
Metaphors and personification are two of Chekhov’s most effective tools used in “A Country Cottage.” Through these devices, he colors ordinary moments with emotional weight and symbolic resonance.
A few observations about Chekhov’s use of metaphor and personification:
Making the moon a character adds an element of fantasy to the story. Simple, yet effective.
The moon’s mood contrasts the mood displayed by Sasha and Varya. Love the idea of contrast and contradiction that Chekhov plays with in this story, across all the techniques discussed in this post.
The moon takes on an almost immature, adolescent personality. I wonder why? The moon has a history of being a shining globe that lights the nighttime path of lovers.
How the moon changes its behavior throughout the story as a response to what Sasha and Varya are displaying creates a character arc, almost like a villain’s character arc.
The placement and timing of the train as a metaphor for a monster is fantastic and well-thought. The train becomes a point of transition in the dialogue, too.
By employing metaphors, Chekhov doesn’t just describe events—he invites readers into the emotional undercurrents of his characters’ experience. These metaphors heighten the tone of unease and reinforce the story’s broader commentary on the unpredictability of life.
How does Chekhov use foreshadowing to build tension and suspense?
Foreshadowing is another key technique Chekhov employs to draw readers into the story. Chekhov uses foreshadowing to drop subtle, nuanced hints to the reader about the reveal and shift in tone in the story.
A few observations about Chekhov’s use of foreshadowing:
Foreshadowing is used for structure—for Sasha and Varya there is life before the arrival of the train and life after the arrival of the train. The arrival of the train is the midpoint in the story, ushering in a reversal of mood and a change in the characters’ behaviors and actions.
Notice how each moment of foreshadowing yields an opposite action: the envious moon turns into a smiling moon when Sasha’s and Varya’s romantic jaunt is interrupted; the heavy, fragrant air of lilacs and wild cherry evaporate as the train emerges from the fog of steam; the chicken and salad big enough for two doesn’t seem to be enough when Sasha’s relatives arrives; and, what seems to be a picturesque and serene moment of watching a train arrive in a station gives way to a potentially long stay from unexpected visitors.
I like how the examples of foreshadowing appeal to the reader’s senses: the smell of lilacs and wild cherry, the sound of corncrakes in the distance, the image of the moon peeking out from behind tiny clouds.
The tension that builds with waiting to see the train before leaving is subtle. Tension doesn’t have to be gut-wrenching, on-the-edge-of-your-seat, palm-sweating tension. In fact, I think the subtle tension from Sasha’s suggestion helps create the drastic change in the story when his relatives surprise him and Varya.
By embedding these hints, Chekhov keeps readers engaged, inviting them to anticipate and piece together the unfolding tension. The technique ensures that the story’s climactic moments feel inevitable yet still surprising.
How does Chekhov use dialogue to reveal character and develop relationships?
Chekhov’s dialogue in “A Country Cottage” is sparse but impactful, serving as a window into Sasha and Varya’s emotional states. Below I chart the arc of dialogue between Sasha and Varya. It’s interesting to trace the story’s arc solely through the lens of dialogue.
(I couldn’t fit all of my notes on dialogue on one page. That’s why the table is split.)
A few observations about Chekhov’s use of the dialogue:
Varya’s dialogue is playful and energetic. Her energy is infectious and embodies the mood at the beginning of the story—dreamlike, enchanting.
Sasha’s dialogue isn’t as playful as Varya’s. His is more pragmatic, matter-of-fact. He acknowledges the idealism they are living in at the moment.
I love how Varya is excited to see the train coming, not knowing that the train is monster carrying a secret that will dismantle her’s and Sasha’s fantasy.
The irony between Sasha’s and Varya’s dialogue and their actions when the Sasha’s in-laws arrive is stark, especially when you look at their previous exchanges. This contradiction between words and actions create a powerful sense of conflict.
Why does Sasha immediately blame Varya for his in-laws arrival? What’s really going on when he says that to her?
Why is Varya the first one to greet Sasha’s in-laws? Though she’s equally annoyed by their arrival, like Sasha, she’s at least cordial enough to greet them.
I love how only looking at the dialogue reveals the trajectory of the story in a similar way as the foreshadowing arc. The train’s arrival changes everything— how the characters speak to each other and the character arc of the moon. Really important to consider how dialogue can support or even highlight the other techniques used in a story.
Dialogue, in Chekhov’s hands, becomes more than just an exchange of words. It is a tool for revealing unspoken emotions and conflicts. It keeps readers engaged by adding depth to the characters and their relationships.
Your Turn: Readers & Writers Workshop
To appreciate and apply Chekhov’s techniques, writers and readers can engage use a few tools to deepen their understanding of metaphor, foreshadowing, and dialogue.
Tool for Readers: Metaphor & Personification Annotation Guide
Goal: To help readers identify and interpret metaphors and personification in a story.
How It Works:
Select another short story by Chekhov like “A Lady with a Dog” and use the following annotation strategy while reading.
Highlight or underline metaphors and personification in the text.
In the left margin note the literal meaning and symbolism of the metaphor and how the personification impacts the mood.
In the right margin note how the metaphor & personification connects to the story’s theme(s).
As you read, notice any patterns that emerge with the metaphors or how the use of personification changes. Patterns and moments of change are clues to look for.
Example Application: While reading “A Country Cottage,” a reader highlights “The dark monster crept noiselessly alongside the platform and came to a standstill.” In the left margin the reader writes, The dark monster is the train approaching and it symbolizes the arrival of something that will damage or destroy the idyllic scene they are experiencing. In the right margin the reader writes, The arrival of the train, ‘the monster,’ shows how quickly and drastically the romanticized life can quickly fall into disillusionment.
Tool for Writers: Dialogue Analyzer to Revise a Work-in-Progress
Goal: To help writers refine dialogue for authenticity and depth.
How It Works:
Create a four-column chart (see image below) with the following questions:
What does the dialogue reveal about the character?
How does the dialogue elevate the emotional stakes of the scene?
What opportunities are there to add subtext through pauses, gestures, or silences?
Example Application: Using dialogue from “A Country Cottage,” I completed a portion of the chart as an example.
Writing Prompt to Practice Personification, Foreshadowing, and Dialogue
Let’s play Chekhov! After reading and studying “A Country Cottage,” write a short scene words using the same devices as Chekhov.
What happens when Varya and Sasha bring Sasha’s relatives to their cottage? Write a short scene of 750 words that occurs after Sasha’s family arrives. The scene could take place immediately after the train station or the scene might take place the next morning. What might the presence of Sasha’s family reveal about the relationship between Sasha and Varya? What if Sasha’s family really did travel to visit Varya?
Include the following devices in your story:
Personification: How might the Moon’s reactions change? What happens when the Sun arrives? How might the Moon’s (or Sun’s) reactions reflect or contrast what’s happening?
Foreshadowing: What subtle clues could you add that would foreshadow what happens? How might the “air” at the cottage feel? What about the food? How could you use the food to foreshadow what will happen?
Dialogue: What might further dialogue between Sasha and Varya reveal about their character and their relationship? How might the dialogue between Sasha’s family members differ from that of Sasha’s and Varya’s?I created a Google Doc of the prompt for you to use as you wish, click HERE. Make sure to make a copy.
Final Thoughts
Through metaphor and personification that evoke emotion and mood, foreshadowing that builds suspense, and dialogue that reveals depth of character, “A Country Cottage” showcases Chekhov’s mastery of subtlety.
These techniques remind us that even the simplest stories can resonate deeply when crafted with care and intention. By practicing and applying these elements, writers can enhance their own storytelling, and readers can gain a richer appreciation for the artistry behind great fiction.
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To give aspiring writers the tools and techniques to build their confidence, find their voice, and write damn good stories.