A Chekhov Circus

A guide to the short stories of Anton Chekhov

Tag: Military

  • No. 44 – A Living Chattel

    This is the earliest story included in the 13 volumes of tales that Constance Garnett translated. It’s the only story out of the hundreds in the collection that was published in 1882, when Chekhov was grinding away at medical school and just beginning to publish his work in a few journals, most of them newish…

  • No. 43 – The Two Volodyas

    A portrait of an impulsive young woman, Sofya Lvovna, who has married a dashing playboy many years older than her. The two Volodyas of the title are Vladimir Nikititch, otherwise known as Colonel Yagitch, Sofya’s 50-something husband, and Vladimir Mihalovitch, her childhood friend and former/lingering crush. (Volodya is a nickname for Vladimir.) Having married Colonel…

  • No. 51 – Gusev

    Dipping into his medical bag of tricks, and possibly drawing on his own experience of tuberculosis, Chekhov sketches a brief tale of a dying soldier shipping home on board a steamer. The soldier, Gusev, shares an uncomfortable space with several other men, all deathly ill; one, Pavel, blithely tells Gusev that he (Gusev) will die…

  • No. 92 – The Husband

    A miserable married woman experiences a little happiness when attending a dance for a visiting army regiment.

  • No. 78 – The Trousseau

    In a spooky house, a mother and daughter work feverishly to create a trousseau for a wedding that will never occur.

  • No. 81 – The Chemist’s Wife

    Two men make a late night visit to the local pharmacy so as to flirt with the pharmacist’s wife.

  • No. 168 – The Kiss

    A shy soldier is transformed by an unexpected encounter with a woman.