This is the story of a drunken man, Frolov, who, well, drinks too much at a dinner with an acquaintance.
During dinner, Frolov heaps abuse on the waiters, slanders his wife, boasts of his accomplishments, flings around money indiscriminately, teases a young Tatar about the history of his people (yes, today we would say he made racially insensitive comments) and then staggers home to bed.
I’m pretty sure that’s the whole story; there’s no more to it than that!
READ THIS? READ THAT!
Minor though this story is, Frolov’s scathing temper and smug cruelty is nearly unmatched in all of Chekhov’s stories. You just don’t find too many utterly hateful characters in these stories. There are many Chekhov creations to dislike, but almost all of them are leavened here and there with pleasant, or at least relatable, aspects. At least one other story features a thoroughly atrocious character, though: “In a Strange Land.” a portrait of a bullying Russian landowner and his powerless French companion. It’s certainly one of Chekhov’s coldest, cruelest creations.
A Chekhov Circus 