A Chekhov Circus

A guide to the short stories of Anton Chekhov

Category: Published in Volume 7 of the Garnett translations

  • No. 6 – Easter Eve

    Chekhov is generally considered to be an atheist, but his letters are studded with religious references, especially around Easter, the most profound Christian holiday and an especially important one in Russia. “Christ is risen!” he exclaimed in letters each spring, year after year. This may be not much different than a non-observant modern American typing…

  • No. 9 – The Bishop

    This beautiful, brief portrait is one of Chekhov’s best stories. Bishop Pyotr is someone who has “risen above his station,” transcending his modest roots. He is a good man, caring, modest, and cautious.  There is not much in the way of plot. His mother comes to visit him and he is filled with joy; he…

  • No. 155 – The Steppe

    A boy travels from his home on the steppe to a new city, accompanied by a variety of fellow travelers.

  • No. 27 – The Letter

    Of Chekhov’s portraits of the priesthood (there are not that many), this one might be the most “human,” for it shows different levels of faith, doubt, and seriousness within the church. The story features three men of the cloth, each at a different tier in the hierarchy. At the high end is the district clerical…

  • No. 138 – A Nightmare

    A wealthy man fails to understand the effects of poverty on the local priest, who has been tasked with opening a schoo.

  • No. 163 – A Murder

    Two family members quarrel over religious practices and an inheritence.

  • No. 151 – Uprooted

    A Jewish man, having converted to christianity, tells his life story while staying at a monastery.