needed to be exposed. Chekhov believed that by painting a true impression, using
his objective details, he would show the problems of Russian life for what they
were. Once this was successfully accomplished, the reader could provide his own
subjective contribution as to political, economic, or social solution through
whatever means he deemed appropriate. Ernest Simmons pointed out that the later
Chekhov began to portray realistically certain groups' social patterns. Groups
such as peasants, workers, merchants, the intelligentsia, and the growing bour-
geoisie. Significantly, the gentry are largely absent. 51 Chekhov's choice of topics was his instrument to show his compassion, yet he
was objective in his detail and general impression. The patches of paint and the
impression when one stepped back were all correct and objective. The face to be
represented was, however, Chekhov's own choice, and this choice could have been
influenced by his personal beliefs. Chekhov's method permitted him to be much
more than a mindless, young giant and yet held him back from the abyss of the
polemical subjectivity of the ideologist. Using Chekhov's own model as a guide, we have developed and analyzed point
number two of our over-all model "method." This then leads us to a consideration
of the third point. The following chapter will deal with the nature and quality of the
experience which formed the factual base which Chekhov processed according to
his method.
NOTES | 1 | Simmons, Through the Glass of Literature, pp. 18, 20. | | | | | 2 | Karlinsky, Letters of Anton Chekhov, p. 96. | | | | | 3 | Ibid., p. 87. | | | | | 4 | Simon Karlinsky the editor of Letters of Anton Chekhov produces a composite
by a comparative analysis of four important sources. The three most important
of these were Russian: 1. The pre-revolutionary six-volume edition published
by his sister, Maria, between 1912-1916. This was a period of relative freedom
after the 1905 Revolution. M. P. Chekhova ed., Pisma A. P. Chekhova 6 vols.
( Moscow, 1912- 1916); 2. Volumes XIII-XX of the twenty-volume edition of
Chekhov complete works published between 1944-1951 to commemorate the
fiftieth anniversary of his death. They were censored on the basis of Stalin's
views. S. D. Balukhatyi, et al ed., Polnoe sobranie sochinenii i pisem 20 vols.
( Moscow: Goslitizdat, 1944- 1951); 3. Volumes XI and XII of the twelve-
volume edition of Sobranie sochinenii, ( Moscow: Goslitizdat, 1963- 1964)
unfortunately the letters on personal freedom were censored in this edition; 4.
The fourth source were letters from Volume sixty-eight of Literaturnoe Nasledstvo ( Moscow: Goslitizdat, 1968),a regularly appearing miscellany
specializing in literary document and documentary series. | | | | -19- |