検索キーワード： 著者 "Anton Chekhov" すべてのカテゴリー

In Anton Chekhovs haunting novella, the line between sanity and madness becomes increasingly blurred. Dr. Rabin, a disillusioned idealist, runs a provincial lunatic asylum, where he grapples with dubious policies while overseeing a diverse group of patients—each representing a fragment of Russian society. As he engages in profound dialogues with both staff and patients, Dr. Rabin embarks on a quest for meaning in a life that seems to unravel before him. The story poignantly critiques the dehumanization of those deemed lunatics and serves as a powerful parable about the essence of human ...

In Three Years, Laptev, a wealthy but unappealing heir to a merchant legacy, makes the fateful decision to leave behind his independent and devoted mistress, Polina, in favor of the stunning yet superficial Yulia. As their marriage unfolds, it quickly spirals into a joyless existence, with Laptev desperately searching for meaning while Yulia indulges in the glamour of Moscows elite social scene. The story poses a haunting question can Laptev and Yulia salvage something of true worth from their seemingly hollow union? Chekhov masterfully delves into the intricate dilemmas of contemporary ...

Join little Yegorushka on his first day of school, accompanied by his Uncle Ivan, the local priest Father Christopher, and the cheerful servant Deniska. Together, they embark on a journey filled with encounters with a vibrant cast of characters, including the innkeeper Moisey Moisevitch, the enchanting Countess Dranitsky, the enigmatic Varlamov, the silent singer Emelyan, and the steppe waif Tit, among many others. Yet, the most captivating character of all is the Steppe itself, depicted in all its moods and weathers, brought to life by Chekhov’s masterful strokes, revealing its wild, ...

In My Life, we follow a wealthy provincial youth who defies societal expectations by rejecting the conventional roles assigned to his social class. Labeled a lazy good-for-nothing, he reveals a profound sensitivity to the injustices inflicted by his privilege upon the working classes. Determined to make a stand, he embarks on a journey as a common laborer, taking up work as a house painter and ikon gilder. His revolutionary choice sparks bewilderment and ridicule from all walks of life, even inciting fear among the very laborers he aims to join. This powerful narrative serves as Chekhovs ...

Immerse yourself in the captivating world of a Russian literary master with this collection of six enchanting short stories and a thought-provoking novella. (david wales)

Dive into Volume 8 of Anton Chekhovs captivating collection of short stories. This selection features poignant narratives such as The Chorus Girl, A Gentleman Friend, and A Father, among others, each highlighting Chekhovs masterful storytelling. - Summary by Lynne Thompson

Renowned for his brilliant plays and short stories, Anton Chekhov also crafted a series of novellas that delve deeply into the complexities of the human psyche and relationships. In The Duel, the reckless Laevsky escapes to the Caucasus with another mans wife, Nadyezhda Fyodorovna. There, he encounters a vibrant cast of characters, including Von Koren the zoologist, Samoylenko the doctor, and Pobyedov the whimsical deacon. However, Laevsky and his mistress quickly find themselves at odds with local society due to their extravagant lifestyles, leading to a dramatic insult, challenge, and ...

In An Anonymous Story, Chekhov delves into his signature themes of superfluous men, ironic rakes, exploited women, and the perils of societal norms on genuine happiness. The story follows an Anonymous Narrator, a hapless would-be revolutionary who secures a position as a flunky in the household of the ineffectual young aristocrat Orlov, aiming to gather intelligence for the Cause. Orlovs seduction of the beautiful Zinaida Fyodorovna leads to a swift disinterest, leaving her vulnerable. The Narrator, embodying the archetype of the Russian literary superfluous man, becomes complicit in Orlovs ...

In Black Monk, we follow the journey of aspiring academic Andrei Kovrin, who retreats to the countryside for the summer on his physicians advice. There, he encounters a mysterious black monk—an apparition visible only to him—who fuels his intellectual ambitions and challenges his understanding of reality. The monk insists that whether a figment of Kovrins imagination or a genuine entity, he is a part of nature and thus undeniably real. Through this intriguing narrative, Chekhov delves into the gothic themes of scholarly obsession and the thin line between genius and madness. - Summary by ...

In this gripping tale, Laevsky finds himself in a small seaside town in the Caucasus after abandoning his old life for Nadyezhda Fyodorovna, another man’s wife. However, the dreams of a fresh start quickly fade as Laevsky succumbs to a life of idleness, filled with drinking and card games, while Nadyezhda seeks solace in other affairs. As Laevsky devises a plan to escape once more—this time without his mistress—he crosses paths with the rationalist Von Koren, who is a staunch believer in Darwinian principles of natural selection. When tensions rise and Laevskys frustrations boil over, ...

Miguev, a married, intelligent collegiate assessor, is haunted with anxiety and worry. Miguev has a secret that he doesn't want his wife, the town, or his colleagues to discover. His mistress, after becoming pregnant and having his child, has recently tried to extort money from him in exchange for her silence. She threatens to ruin his reputation and divulge his secret shame to everyone unless he pays her. In the height of his fear and worry about his present situation, his fears seem to come alive when he discovers a baby bundled in a blanket on his porch.

The First Lover is a famous story by Russian writer Anton Pavlovich Chekhov. The main character, Evgeny Alekseevich Podzharov, tells the guests a story about his love adventure. However, the story causes slight bewilderment and makes one of the listeners blush.

In Exile was first published in May 1892 issue of the Vsemirnaya Illustratsiya magazine. The story was inspired by Chekhov's journey through Siberia and his stay in Sakhalin and, in particular, two episodes of this trip. While on Sakhalin, Anton Chekhov met a boatman nicknamed Krasivy, a self-professed 'happy man' who struck him with his own peculiar brand of Tolstovian philosophy. It was Krasivy, apparently, who became a prototype for Semyon Tolkovy, the story's hero.

When several employees of the bank are arrested for corruption, the merchant Avdeyev doesn't give the ordeal much thought, figuring the men going to jail deserve it. His opinion changes however when he returns home to find his wife and son very upset - his house had just been searched by officials in connection to the bank corruption. Avdeyev had signed papers for the bankers without knowing what they were and so had essentially signed his life away by his carelessness. During the following trial, he learns the danger of being a "sheep" and just following along without a mind of his own.

Champagne is a short story by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, written in 1887. The story is written in the first person. The young head of a remote railway stop lived with his wife and without children in solitude, amusing himself with vodka and watching passing trains. Life was boring. One day before celebrating the New Year, he sat with his wife at the festive table, drank enough and thought about boredom. We waited for the clock to show the arrival of the New Year. At five minutes to twelve he uncorked the bottle, the cork flew out, and the bottle slipped out of his hands and fell to the floor.

Doctor Starchenko and Lyzhin, a young deputy examining magistrate, arrive at Syrnya to attend to the case of Lesnitsky, an insurance agent, who, upon arrival to the village three days before, entered the local zemstvo house, ordered himself a samovar, unpacked his food packets, and then all of as sudden shot himself. The suicide was so bizarre, that the inquest was deemed to be necessary.

In Old Age by Anton Chekhov we have the theme of change, loss, renewal, memories, guilt and despair. Taken from his The Complete Stories collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and very early on in the story the reader realises that Chekhov may be exploring the theme of change. Since Uzelkov has returned to his hometown he cannot imagine the differences the town has undertaken. It is not the place that he has left and there is a sense of modernity. Even the old waiter cannot remember the parts of the town that Uzelkov can.

Misery by Anton Chekhov is a short story that explores the working-class, human despair, and suffering in Tsarist Russia. Chekhov's brief portrait of working-class life follows a sledge driver named Iona as he attempts to process his grief about his son's untimely death.

The Looking Glass is a short story by Anton Chekhov about a young woman named Nellie who is sitting in her room and staring into a mirror. Nellie is dreamy and lost in thoughts of her future and the man she loves. As she stares into the mirror, she sees the reflection of her future husband and begins to imagine her life with him. Suddenly, Nellie's dream is interrupted by a crisis. Her husband is ill and Nellie rushes to the doctor's house for help.

Kashtanka — Anton Chekov's short story about a dog with two masters — is a fable about the conundrum of the creative life. The dog Kashtanka belongs to a drunken carpenter who takes her out one day, but on the way home loses her in the confusion of a military parade. The story is told by an omniscient narrator who privileges Kashtanka's point of view, so we follow the dog's subsequent adventures largely from her eyes.