There are several ways in which you may interpret a story. Marxist interpretations put the emphasis on materialistic concerns and the social classes that make up a society. In the short story "The Lady with the Dog" by Anton Chekhov, Anna and Dimitri are two people that have an affair and end up falling in love. Their social classes have a big role in why they did what they did and how they view themselves.
             Dimitri is a wealthy upper class man who is constantly unfaithful to his wife. The reason for this is because he dose not and has not ever loved her. The story says "He had been talked into marrying in his second year at college."(1524) He didn't marry for love or happiness, he married for the social status of having a wife. And for this reason he doesn't spend a lot of time at home with his wife. Dimitri's experience with women has caused him to lose all respect for the female race. "...and this was no doubt why he spoke slightingly of women, to whom he referred as the lower race."(1542) This bitterness towards women drives him to use them and just throw away when he is finished with them.
             The story opens in a town called Yalta, where Dimitri has been for two weeks. He often takes trips there by himself to meet women. On this particular trip to Yalta he meets Anna. Anna is young, wealthy, and upper class as well. She is in Yalta by herself on vacation while here husband is still at home. Just like Dimitri, Anna is in an unhappy marriage. These circumstances in their lives, as well as other things, push them to do what they did. They end up meeting and having an affaire. While Dimitri is fine with what they were doing, Anna is not as accepting of their actions. She feels bad about what they are doing. In the story she says "I'm a wicked, fallen woman, I despise myself and have not the least thought of self-justification.
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