Russia During Chekhovs Lifetime - Book Report/Review Example

One of a legacies can be found in the style by which his masterpieces are written. In the case of Anton Chekhov, he successfully exhibited this in one of his short story masterpieces, The Betrothed. For Chekhov, literature is "called artistic when it depicts life as it actually is.... A writer should be as objective as a chemist (Anton Chekhov 1860-1904)." This philosophy became the great writer's guideline in writing a short story. In the case of "The Betrothed," Chekhov's last short story, the story was written in a very objective light, leaving the narrator emotionally indifferent and unattached from the characters. The story is the very specimen of Chekhov's influential writing style. His ingenious manipulation of time and space, preference for interior lyricism, and his poetic and symbolic fusion of different beliefs and philosophy propelled him to the status as the most influential short story writer of all time (Chekhov, Anton: Introduction). Before we proceed further to answering the question, let me first give a very helpful historical background of Russia during Chekhov's lifetime. The Betrothed, being the last short story the master wrote reflect much of the distressed and anxious political, and the psychological and social atmosphere of Russia. The masterpiece also resonates the author's idea and sentiment on revolution and change in Russian society and her possible condition in the future. To wholly understand the story, the reader should first have a historical background on Russia during Chekhov's time and study how it influenced the writer in his works. Russia during Chekhov's time Anton Chekhov was born a year before the 1861 Russian emancipation. This was the time when Tsar Emperor Alexander II re-established a political, economic and social revolution by the policy of westernization. This meant freedom for the Russian peasantry. The Tsar gradually loosened his grip of the serfs by a series of social reforms. He wanted Russia to be at par with the most industrialised nation in those days, particularly the United States. The Tsar's ambitious plan was greeted with enormous tension and uncertainty, common to nations that were emancipated from slavery. The ensuing actions of the government to complete the process had produced negative effects both on the landlords and serfs. Measures implemented by the Emperor to counteract the revolutionary change become slow and ineffective. Yet despite this gloomy atmosphere the period was to empower the Russia's serfs and slaves to freely travel within the Russian empire and throughout Europe. Chekhov's writing career flourished at the time when Alexander II was assassinated and his son, Alexander III assumed power. The new Tsar closed Russia and from the threat of cultural infiltration from foreigners and engendered "'Russianification," that imbues nationalism throughout Russia. His effort produced negative effects on the economy. This resentful sentiment of the Russian people towards their new emperor further intensified revolutionary thoughts, which aimed to topple down Russian imperialism and embrace a new socio-political and economic system. The death of Alexander III in 1894 introduced Nicholas II as the new emperor. The new emperor was unprepared for the post. His navet in political arena and the accelerating pace of political unrest put Russia into a chaotic situation. Riots even during his coronation day increased in number. Despite his inadequacy, Nicolas II was still adamant with his dealings with his subordinates and to the international community (Marks, n.d.). It was at this time that Chekhov gained maturity in his writings. His style of writing improved. His capacity to influence other writers in literary style became apparent during this period. Topics that tackled the Russian culture and social issues in those days became his themes. Another important historical event took place at the time Chekhov was died because of consumption. The preparatory uprisings that paved way for the 1905 Russian revolution further increased in number. The growth of the proletariat class in industrial towns helped spread the revolutionary ideals throughout Russia. The poor condition of Russian labourers increased the animosity of Russians to their Tsar and to the Russian empire. Though the 1905 revolution failed to overthrow Tsarist Russia, it became a "dress rehearsal" for the future successful revolutions that would convert Russia into a socialist country (Poon, 1979). Chekhov was a perfect example of a writer being a chronicler and journalist of what is happening to the Russian society. The Betrothed in its entirety is actually a reflection of the brilliant writer concerning what Russia is because of its past and how the whole Russian society respond to the changes that it faced as uprisings and mass protests spread. The Betrothed The indifferent, passive and non-judging attitude of Chekhov to his characters regarding change and revolution perfectly had shown his unique style and philosophy in writing. Unlike his predecessors, he posed no moral judgment to his characters and to his readers. In a letter written by Chekhov, he posed his role as a writer. He wrote, "You are confusing two concepts: the solution of a problem and the correct posing of a question. Only the second is obligatory for an artist." However, what Chekhov lacked in moral advocacy, he offset in his detailed and perspicacious psychological account of his characters. The mood and movements of his characters exhibited his opinions and insights on the distressed Russian society of his time. The Betrothed is a story of a middle-class woman who desired for a change from her monotonous and boring life. Written at a time when Chekhov was already suffering from consumption and already on his last years, this story showed Chekhov's recollection of his Russia's past and foresight of the nation's future. A story that reflects the transition from the monotony of the previous Russian life to the dynamism and idealism of the Russian revolutionaries, it posed the tension and confusion that the nation experienced during Chekhov's time. Based from the actions of the characters, the story displayed also about Russia's reluctance and anxiety to change that the characters project. Chekhov's unprecedented deftness in producing lifelike characters that shows its The characters in the story acted as representatives of common Russian middle-class, the passive party between the contending aristocracy and proletariat. The first part of the story immediately presented the mood and attitudes of the characters. The Shumin's house, where the protagonist, the betrothed Nadya resided was filled with the characters of the story. Father Andrey, a chief priest of the cathedral and his son, Andrey Andreitch, to which Nadya was engaged, visited the evening service celebrated at the request of Marya Mihalovna, Nadya's grandmother. Chekhov immediately introduced to us the personalities and qualities of his characters. Marfa Mihalovna, the grandmother, was a typical strict and tyrannical landlady. She was also a paragon of order and monotony in the house. Her despotic personality instilled order and invariance to the house, attributes which her daughter-in-law and Nadya's mother, Nina Ivanovna, tremblingly yet reluctantly followed. Nadya was a girl of twenty-three and was passionately dreaming of marriage since she was 16. She was engaged reluctantly to another lifeless and lacklustre man, Andrey Andreitch. Though she was excited at the thought of marriage, she was feeling unwell lately. At this time she felt uneasiness because of some unknown reason. Her dissatisfaction towards her dull, monotonous, and stagnant life in her house and her betrothal led her to be inspired and to consider the advice of Alexander Timofeitch, also known as Sasha, Sasha was a regular visitor in the Shumin house. A distant relative of Marya Mihalovna, he yearly had sojourn in the house from Moscow where he had a job as a lithographer. Because of being sickly he usually came to the house to rest and recover. Sasha had a contrasting personality compared with the Shumins. His slovenly dressed figure exuded the vitality and dynamism he had. His stories of his colourful and varied experiences during his residence as a student and as a labourer in Moscow inspired Nadya to dream of revolution of her life. Despite the novelty and romantic ambience of the moment in the Shumins' residence, Chekhov ironically presented the mood and the tension of his characters, especially of Nadya and Sasha who both desired change from the monotony of their present environment. The inactivity and stillness of the house put Sasha in an uneasy state. Nadya, unaware that what she was experiencing was the ill effects of boredom, suffered from sleeplessness and depression. Almost coinciding with the reforms implemented by Alexander II, the first part fittingly described the situation Russia had during Chekhov's time. The previous generations, represented by the attitudes of Marya Mihalovna and Nina Ivanovna were adamant to the changes that were about to take place. Nina was stuck in the sentimental events of the past. The glory and grandeur of the past still mesmerised Nina's life that made her still subservient to her mother's principles and desires, a life deeply rooted in the past and abhorred the promises of the future. The second part presented the conflict and tension in our protagonist. At first Chekhov laid down the uncertainty of Nadya to his betrothal, her impending marriage to a monotonous and dull gentleman. Instead of thinking more on Andrey Andreitch, she thought of Sasha and his promise of a more vibrant and exciting life in the university and in Moscow. Chekhov posed the question of immorality of idleness and reluctance to change and development through Sasha's mouth: "And however that may be, my dear girl, you must think, you must realize how unclean, how immoral this idle life of yours is," Sasha went on. "Do understand that if, for instance, you and your mother and your grandmother do nothing, it means that someone else is working for you, you are eating up someone else's life, and is that clean, isn't it filthy (Chekhov, 1903)" This question incited Nadya's plans for improving her life and gladly embracing the future. Because of this, she was further distressed by the boredom of the life she encountered. This also engendered a different feeling towards Sasha and towards change. Chekhov eloquently wrote: "But for some reason in his navet, in this very absurdity there was something so beautiful that as soon as she thought of the possibility of going to the university, it sent a cold thrill through her heart and her bosom and flooded them with joy and rapture (Chekhov, 1903)." Sasha grew impatient in the dullness and boredom in the third part that he untimely fled to Moscow. At the same time, Andrey Andreivitch invited Nadya to drop by their place. Again Nadya felt dismayed and disgusted by the dull and stale life that her would-be husband had displayed. She also detested Andrey Andreivitch's inactivity that Sasha abhorred and questioned. Andrey Andreivitch, unable to reason out his bland lifestyle to Nadya, only said: "O Mother Russia! O Mother Russia! What a burden of idle and useless people you still carry! How many like me are upon you, long-suffering Mother! (Chekhov, 1903)." Afterwards, he promised Nadya that they would work in the country, a statement, which Nadya ignored. The fourth part documented the refusal of Nadya to submit herself to the marriage. Having sleepless nights and low in spirits for the past few nights, she went to her mother's room and cried her refusal. Nadya's outburst also revealed a deep -seated longing of her mother to live her life free from the torments that Marya and Nadya unwittingly gave her. "Let me be free!" Nina Ivanovna yelled, "I am still young, I want to live, and you have made me an old woman between you!" At this point, Chekhov masterfully shown the psychological torment that the two younger generations of the Shumin family and their desire to emancipate their lives from bondage of dullness and monotony. The Russian generation during the time when Alexander II (represented by Nina Ivanovna) reigned has put the Russian people into a psychologically chaotic and confused state, being scared of the effects that change will give them. The generation wherein Nadya and Sasha belonged was more enthusiastic toward change. They questioned monotony and stagnation of serfdom and slavery that their parents and ancestors experienced. Nadya was able to free herself from mediocrity and dullness that she faced when she went to Moscow to study in a university. The night before her departure, she fell asleep at once, "with traces of tears and smile on her face." Chekhov's realistic portrayal of life that Nadya had in Moscow depicted the master's scientific assessment of her characters. She felt homesick for her Grandma and her mother. Sasha's sickness worsen at this stage. Nadya witnessed a violent attack of Sasha's sickness in the sixth part of the story. During this moment, she felt a strange emotion akin to what she felt when she went to Andrey Andreitch's place. Chekhov wrote, "Sasha no longer seemed to her so novel, so cultured, and so interesting as the year before." For her, even the whole countenance of Sasha was "out of date, old-fashionedperhaps already dead and buried." When Nadya returened to her house, her mother and grandma noticed the diffrence in Nadya's countenance. They both realized that the past has already gone and realized that they no longer had the power and the influence that they had before. Though Nadya reminisce the past to pretend as if nothing happened, the truth remained that she had to give in to a revolution that is undergoing in the society they live in. Their house no longer had its prominence and splendor as it had in the past. The neighborhood wherein their house was situated changed because of the impending demonstrations and strikes that the socialist proletariat. Chekhov illustrated the drastic and profound change that Russia had experienced at those days; a revolution that even the generations of Marya Mihalovna and Nina Ivanovna was forced to accept. Imperial Russia was about to crumble and the Socialist Russia was dawning. For Chekhov the social revolution in Russia is imminent and inevitable. The rise Nina's desire to free from her usual, boring life and Sasha's promise to Nadya that she will had her life turned upside-down once she studied in Moscow happened to Nadya. At first Nadya felt uneasy in the process. But upon hearing the death of Sasha, Nadya felt that everything in her house had become useless: everything in aristocracy and imperialism is no longer fit for a new social revolution. Sasha being representative of Chekhov in the story knew that the moment he dies Russia will experience a better future due to the revolution, as Nadya left her house in high spirits. References Anton Chekhov 1860-1904 (n.d.) Retrieved March 21, 2007, from http://people.brandeis.edu/teuber/chekhovbio.html#PersonalInformation. Chekhov, Anton | INTRODUCTION (2007). Retrieved March 21, 2007, from http://www.enotes.com/short-story-criticism/chekhov-anton Chekhov, AP (1903) The Betrothed Retrieved March 21, 2007, from http://www.online-literature.com/anton_chekhov/1301/ Fell, M (2004) Anton Chekhov Retrieved March 21, 2007, from http://etext.library.adelaide.edu.au/c/chekhov/anton/c51zf/ Marks, B. (n.d.) Russia During Chekhov's Lifetime. Retrieved March 21, 2007, from http://www.littlegreenpig.com/articles/RussiaDuringCheckhov/ Poon, HW (1979). The Russian Revolution of 1905. Retrieved March 21, 2007, from http://www.thecorner.org/hist/russia/revo1905.htm Read More