Short Fiction · Theme
Obsessive Love and Idealization
How Short Fiction develops Obsessive Love and Idealization.
Stories like 'The Grammar of Love' and 'Son' examine how love can transform into a mania, where individuals dedicate their lives to an idealized, often deceased, beloved, creating a reality that isolates them from the living world.
Where it surfaces
- Short Fiction
Ivlev's fascination with Khvoshchinsky's lost love reveals the power of idealized memory.
- Brethren
The son's love for his bride and later for running and money reflects obsessive desire.
- The Grammar of Love
Khvoshchinsky's lifelong devotion to the deceased Lushka, treating her as a divinity, exemplifies obsessive love and idealization.
- Son
Emile's passion for Madame Maraud is depicted as all-consuming, leading to hysterics, vows of devotion, and an inability to move on.
- Gentle Breathing
The officer's obsession with Olga leads to murder, and Olga herself idealizes her own beauty and 'gentle breathing.'
- Kasimir Stanislavovitch
Kasimir's silent, devoted attendance at the wedding of a woman who does not know he exists illustrates his obsessive and idealized love.
- An Unknown Friend
The woman develops an intense, almost romantic fixation on the author, idealizing him as an 'unknown friend' and feeling wounded by his lack of response.