-
No. 21 – Too Early
This is a sketch of peasant life; it would sit very comfortably between “Peasants” and “Peasant Wives,” two of Chekhov’s best-known portraits of rural poverty. A quick aside: I don’t love using the word “peasant.” But it’s almost impossible to talk about Chekhov’s work without it. Characters are often referred to as peasants; there are…
-
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. 20 – Art
Like “The Fish,” “Too Early,” and several other Chekhov stories, “Art” is a tale featuring comically oafish workingmen, but in this case, the main character, a peasant named Seryozkha, has a special talent. Seryozkha is a ragged, mangy mutt of a man, with tufts of wool hanging from his shaggy sheepskin. Not only that, he…
-
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. 98 – In Passion Week
-
No. 155 – The Steppe
-
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
-
No. 28 – The Student
This is a lovely, unironic portrait of religious belief. A clerical student, walking home through the woods, comes upon a mother and daughter having dinner. As he warms himself at their fire, he is reminded of the way the apostle Peter similarly warmed himself on the evening of the last supper. The student recalls the…
-
No. 32 – Choristers
Choirmaster Alexey Alexeitch works for weeks to prepare his singers for a visiting dignitary, only to have his hopes dashed at the last moment. This story is another example of Chekhov’s general admiration for people doing their jobs. Alexey Alexeitch is not necessarily a very good musician, and he certainly doesn’t have a gentle touch…
A Chekhov Circus
A guide to the short stories of Anton Chekhov
A Chekhov Circus 