Summarize the story "Misery" by Anton Chekhov.

Man’s indifference to the pain of another—this is theme of
the story “Misery” by Anton Chekhov. The title symbolizes the feelings of the
protagonist Iona Potapov, a Russian sleigh-driver, who is suffering from intense
grief.

The setting of the story is winter in a Russian
town.  The time is the late nineteenth century. It is miserable outside.  The weather is
cold, bleak, and snowing.  The surroundings in the story amplify the wretchedness of the
main character.

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 “Big flakes of wet snow are whirling lazily
about the street lamps, which have just been lighted, and lying in a thin soft layer on
the roofs, horses’ backs, shoulders,
caps.”

Iona Potapov has faced
one of the most difficult events a parent can face.  His only son has died from a fever
after a short illness.  He has been dead about a week.  Iona’s overwhelming grief needs
an outlet.  He wants to talk to anyone he can about his
misery. 

The old man’s heartache is enhanced by the
knowledge that he is really too old to be driving particularly in this kind of weather. 
His son had taken over for him; however, his horse needs to eat and his poverty demands
that Iona try to find fares. 

Throughout the night, Iona
encounters four situations that should enable him to talk to someone.  Yet, none of
these people will engage the old man to allow him discuss the story of his son.  He
wants to tell someone that he wishes that it had been him instead of his son who had
died. 

1st
encounter

An officer who has a harsh manner
softens a little when he hears of the old man’s son. He yells at the old man’s
incompetent driving.  After a brief inquiry as to how the son died, the matter is
dropped, and the officer returns to wanting Iona to
hurry.

2nd
encounter

Three young men, one of whom is
hunchbacked, get in the sleigh. The crippled one is the harshest toward Iona. They curse
and shove each other for room in the small sleigh. The more that the men curse, yell,
and call him names, the lonelier that Iona feels.  He finally tells them that his son
has died this week.  The hunchback reacts by saying that everyone has to
die. 

3rd
encounter

A house porter carrying a package
stands on a corner.  Iona asks him the time.  After the porter answers, he tells Iona to
drive on. 

This is the final straw.  Iona determines to
give it up for the night and return to the cab barn.  He does not have the money to buy
his horse oats, so she will have to eat the
hay.

4th
encounter

While the old man is inside the
cab drivers’ area, he sees another younger driver.  The young man gets up to get a
drink. Iona tells the younger man that his son has died but gets no response form the
other driver.  Returning to his corner, the young man covers his head and goes to
sleep. 

The old man is “thirsty” to talk about his
feelings. In his mind, Iona thinks  a woman would be best to talk to since women
“blubber at anything.”   

He goes to check on his white
mare.  She is eating the hay.   Iona talks to the little horse which seems to listen to
him.  He begins to tell the horse about his son.  This does give him some
relief.

Iona tries to relate to the horse that if she had a
little colt and it died, the mare would be sad just as the old man. As he talks to her,
the little horse looks at him, munches her hay, and breathes on the old man’s hands. 
Iona can share his grief with someone who will listen to him.