Pater Familias

Theories, observations, and articles, by Philip Schaefer · All posts · Categories

BRAVING CHEKHOV’S STORIES.

April 12, 2014 at 11:14 PM · Literature

BRAVING CHEKHOV’S STORIES. It is a puzzle that, given my preference for avoiding disturbing surprises when reading, I have read so many of Chekhov’s stories. There are heartbreaking tragedies which explode for the reader in some of Chekhov’s stories. I think the reason that I can bear the most terrible of Chekhov’s stories is that Chekhov was a doctor in the last nineteenth century, a time when usually the best a doctor could do was to comfort the dying and hold the hand of people in pain. Chekhov’s stories reflect that experience.