“The Rouge” is a short but puzzling story, one that’s brevity shows equally to its elaboration. Perhaps it is due to my 21^st century eyes, but the story reads incredibly stark, impersonal, and most notable bare of emotional. Whereas the operas that we watched earlier were full of emotional turmoil—their plots often driven by interpersonal desire—“The Rouge” depicts marriage in a different light. Instead of being emotional, this text seems void of any emotion between the bride and groom. The marriage and relationship start with a probable rape, one which was only an opportunity due to deceitfulness. The texts plot, instead of being driven by romantic favors, glances, or honey words, is driven by money and social standing. Too often the text labels the cost of objects, the bribes to the nurse, the bribes to one another, the bribe of the icon, the bribe of the estate.

This text, even centuries later, is hilarious. By removing any emotion from a classic forbidden love plot, it satirizes the monetary and societal advantages of marriage. Instead of roses just send the rubles! Maybe the perfect piece to read before Valentine’s Day, this text perfectly shows the stark reality of marriage compared to the shadow cast by the romanticized operas. The story’s conclusion, of our groom gaining an estate and becoming more wealthy, and the Annushka being surrounded by her maids “living in great honor with her husband” further shows the story’s hilarity. One expects the lovers to die of sorrow. One expects the parents to never find mercy. No one expects the two to live “happily ever after” especially within the Russian Cannon. But still, they do. Because “the rouge” shows how “a great cheat” can game the system. How love—the read hot, on fire, all consuming love—perhaps, is not at the upmost importance.