Aksyonov’s Wife Character Analysis

This is Aksyonov’s parting comment to his wife upon leaving the town of Vladimir and his family for the commercial Fair at Nizhny. On the way to Nizhny, Aksyonov is falsely arrested for murder, setting off a journey of persecution and hardship that will culminate in his incarceration in Siberia and his permanent dislocation from his family. Before Aksyonov makes this  comment, Aksyonov’s wife foresees his ordeal in a nightmare in which his hair turns completely gray; she expresses sincere concern and encourages him to stay home. This quote highlights the ease with which Aksyonov brushes off her concerns (he laughs twice before making this remark) and more generally exemplifies Aksyonov’s carefree attitude and character in his youth. Aksyonov’s emphasis on “profit” and “expensive presents” suggests that he is materialistic and takes his worldly prosperity for granted.

Aksyonov’s comment to his wife thus marks the starting point of his spiritual journey in the story—that is, before Aksyonov’s experience of hardship has led him to mature into a devout and repentant person. As the story proceeds, Aksyonov’s earthly suffering and separation from his family will lead him to recognize the full value of his domestic life in Vladimir. His longing for home and family increase during his time in Siberia, posing a challenge to his determination to pivot away from worldly attachments towards a purely spiritual life as an exemplary “Man of God.”