In writing about Chekhov’s short stories, I’ve tried not to give away too many of his twisty endings. Sometimes it’s impossible to discuss a story without spoiling it at least a little. Sometimes the ending is so obvious/contrived/blah that I don’t see any harm in giving away the surprise.
This story, “In the Court,” has a genuinely surprising little twist at the end. Unfortunately, the twist is based on coincidence, so it’s not particularly convincing. But I’ll avoid giving it away.
From the opening pages, this courtroom drama reads more like a slice-of-life vignette than a tale of fiction – a bit of reportage describing the goings-on at a small-town murder trial. We get a sense of the town hall and the courtroom contained in it, and we learn a bit about the manner of the judge and the prosecutor.
Then the trial begins: The man on trial, an unnamed peasant, knows that the circumstantial evidence looks bad for him. His wife has been found at home with her head stoved in with an ax, and he could not be found for days after her death.
He is poor and perhaps not terribly smart, but unlike the accused in another story, “The Malefactor,” he is not so ignorant that he doesn’t understand the danger he is in.
Then comes the not terribly convincing twist and we are left to wonder at his fate and whether he is fact the murderer. But the tale ends with the witnesses essentially forgetting their doubts–they will go on with their business, even if it means that an innocent man may be found guilty.
READ THIS? READ THAT!
Similar to “Strong Impressions,” this story raises serious questions about crime, punishment, the law, and man’s ability to judge the guilty. But also similar to the other story, the telling is fragmentary and the details are not compelling. So both tales come up short.
A Chekhov Circus 