Chekhov & Oates

I was quite intrigued by the two stories of The Lady with the Pet Dog and what they are trying to reveal to the readers. Although both stories are quite similar in their themes of love, passion and adultery, and their conclusions leave the reader in uncertainty of the outcome, the two stories are from two very different viewpoints. In Chekhov's version, the story sheds light on the man's view of an adulterous relationship and the despise he has for his wife. Dmitry "considered her [his wife] of limited intelligence, narrow-minded, dowdy" and was even afraid to go home to her. Throughout his past affairs with other women, the amour started off as a "light and charming adventure" however it usually culminates and "grows into a painful problem of extreme complexity, and in the end a painful situation is created." However, with his new lover, Anna, her image did not flee from him and all those memories came back to him. He sought her out and despite her reluctance, she gave in to her desires. However, the last paragraph gives no indication as to the final conclusion of the story.
In Oates' version of the story, the point of view is from the adulteress and how she feels throughout the affair. She feels sick with her husband and "for years now they had not been comfortable together." During her infidelity, she fights off the urges to be with her lover but she too succumbs to the temptation. She needs reassurance from her lover that he indeeds loves her, however in the end, just as she feels its all over, she comes to the realization that "this man was her husband" in a sense that she had truly loved him, the 'lover' and not her married husband.