Olga is the protagonist in "The Grasshopper." She is a fickle socialite, who cultivates friendships with soon-to-be-famous artists, writers, and musicians. The protagonist is also fascinated by celebrity and cultivates a snobbish attitude with regard to artistic genius. Ultimately, however, Chekhov suggests that Olga has misread reality. She becomes disillusioned with her arrogant lover Ryabovsky, and undergoes a moment of desperate self-revelation when Osip becomes sick. At this point, the protagonist recognizes that she has overlooked her husband's genius. At the tale's opening, the narrator states, "no one so much as remembered his existence." But by the end of the story, Olga recognizes that Osip—a quiet but incredibly gifted young surgeon—is the one truly brilliant person she has known.