“If Iona's heart were to burst and his misery to flow out, it would flood the whole world, it seems, but yet it is not seen. It has found a hiding-place in such an insignificant shell that one would not have found it with a candle by daylight....”. “Misery” is a short story about a man named Iona who is in mourning over his dead son. Throughout the story, this sledge driver tries over and over to talk to someone about his son’s death. Iona’s son tragically died a week ago and still has not told any one. Finally, at the end Iona finds comfort when he talks to his horse, which is the only one wanting to listen. “Misery” reflects the harshness of human behavior and the lack of connection and compassion towards others.
It is believed that when emotions are expressed we share our pain and when we do so we relieve ourselves of carrying the entire load of agony all by ourselves. Iona well realizes this. Only if he could actually do so. There seems to be no one who would share his anguish.
Within the story, Iona tries to talk to people three times about the death of his son. The first time, Iona attempts to talk with an officer. He tells the officer, “"My son... er... my son died this week, sir”. This is also the first time the readers learn why he is so unhappy
Then when In his next fare, Iona drives three young men; two tall and thin and one hunchback. Iona drives them for less of what the three men should be paying him. But Iona seems to be mentally unstable to recognize what is going on in the world around him. As they set off the hunchback insults Iona by making fun of his hat and how slow of a driver he is. Instead of fighting back or showing Iona tells them about his dead son, the hunchback says, “"We shall all die” . Again, Iona get no sympathy at all. When Iona goes back to his stable, he tries a third time to tell someone about the death of his son, but the cabdriver soon fell asleep.

Iona, the protagonist in the story can't find humanity in people around him , so the only way to fulfill his desire in expressions was in confessing everything to his little mare .
It does not surprise us that the horse listens. It does surprise us, though, that we can't do what an animal can - to listen. In this part of the story, Iona pours his heart out to his horse. Despite Iono's pain, he has gained one thing - the realization of the importance of sharing pain.
On a personal note, I have gone through a miserable in my lifetime. I know what it’s like to long for someone to listen; not necessarily responding to my grief . “Misery” is about the absence of compassion towards people and their wretchedness . Chekhov ‘s story is an insightful look at human behavior. How sad is it that Iona must turn to his horse, an animal, for an outlet for his pain and misery?