The Silly Side of Chekhov
Few writers are as universally admired as Chekhov. As Booker winner George Saunders puts it, “Chekhov – shall I be blunt? – is the greatest short story writer who ever lived.” Novelists from ann Patchett to Zadie Smith cite him as an inspiration. His plays The Seagull, Three Sisters, Uncle Vanya and The Cherry Orchard still pack out theatres internationally. In the past year alone, Andrew Scott wowed audiences in his one-man Vanya for LondonS National Theater and Cate Blanchett took on the role of Arkadina in The Seagull at the Barbican. But how much did you know about his silly side?
Anton Chekhov: Earliest Stories offers the first thorough translation in English of the stories, novellas and humoresques that the Russian author wrote in the early 1880s. And it is supremely juvenile in the best way. The reason many of these stories are now appearing in translation for the first time is as, explains editor Rosamund Bartlett, they have never been regarded by commercial publishers as “worthy” of Chekhov’s reputation. They are too childishly comical. During the translation process, she says, “we woudl just collapse in fits of giggles”.
Bartlett, the author of acclaimed biographies of Chekhov and Tolstoy, and her co-editor Elena Michajlowska, a UK-based Russian film-maker, run the Anton Chekhov Foundation, a charity whose starry patrons include Ralph Fiennes, Tom Stoppard and Kenneth Branagh. The foundation was originally set up to preserve Chekhov’s White Dacha in Yalta. When Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 this work was no longer possible, so instead they came up with the “crazy, idealistic idea” of sourcing 80 volunteer translators across the globe – from school students to retired academics – to translate these previously unseen stories.
He told his editor that he doubted any of his stories would ‘survive in people’s memory for even a decade
Written by chekhov between the ages of 20 and 22,they are full of experimental wordplay,nonsense names and onomatopoeiac idiocy,from the village of Eaten-Pancakes (“Bliny-S’edeny”) in the opening story,letter to a Learned neighbour,to railway stations called Crash,Bang,Wallop,Run for Your Life and Swindler Town in On the Train,and a character called Second Lieutenant Zyumbumbunchikov in Before the Wedding (it means nothing,but say it aloud and it’s genius).
These 58 stories, written under numerous pseudonyms, are little known, even among experts, says Bartlett. “Chekhov is better known as a writer of stories in Russia than of plays, and these stories remind us that he began as a humorist,” she says. “not all of them are funny, or even intended to make us laugh, but a great many ar
Rediscovering Chekhov: A New Collection and a Complex Legacy
A new collection, Anton Chekhov: Earliest Stories: Stories, Novellas, Humoresques, 1880-1882, edited by Rosamund Bartlett and Elena Michajlowska, offers a fresh look at the prolific beginnings of a literary master. The collection showcases the remarkable output of Chekhov, who, even after graduating as a doctor in 1884, published over 100 stories in a single year, ultimately producing more than 500 throughout his short life – he died of tuberculosis in 1904 at the age of 44.
these early works reveal a writer grappling with themes that would define his career. Stories like “Dog” explore complex relationships (in this case, a love affair set in Yalta), “Ward no. 6” delves into the disillusionment of a medical professional, and “The Darling” portrays a character exhibiting extreme co-dependency, a concept remarkably ahead of its time. Despite initial setbacks – the disastrous premiere of The Seagull in 1896 led him to vow to “never write plays or have them acted” – Chekhov’s dedication never wavered. The play was later successfully staged by Konstantin Stanislavski in 1898, achieving critical acclaim.
The publication of this collection arrives at a particularly sensitive moment, as Ukrainian writers like Oksana Zabuzhko, Olesya Khromeychuk, and Oleksandr Mykhed call for a re-evaluation of Russian literature in light of the ongoing war and a greater emphasis on Ukrainian voices and culture.Bartlett acknowledges the understandable “revulsion many ukrainians feel now for Russian literature,” but argues for Chekhov’s enduring value.
A key point in understanding Chekhov’s position is his complex heritage. He was, in fact, approximately 25% Ukrainian, growing up in Taganrog, a city with a historically strong Ukrainian connection. As Bartlett points out, Chekhov and his brothers actively participated in amateur theatrical productions in the Ukrainian language during their childhood, demonstrating the language’s integral role in his upbringing. The new collection highlights and explains Ukrainian sayings used by Chekhov, further illuminating this aspect of his background.
Bartlett emphasizes that Chekhov should not be conflated with the nationalist agenda of contemporary Russia. He stood in contrast to writers like Dostoevsky, whom Chekhov found overly jingoistic, and Russia lacks the prominent statues dedicated to him that characterize the veneration of other Russian literary figures.
Ultimately, Bartlett advocates for a broadening of literary horizons, not an exclusive choice. “Increasing our familiarity with Ukrainian writers should not have to exclude the possibility of discovering new works by Chekhov. We need to keep reading, and read more.” Anton Chekhov: Earliest Stories offers a compelling starting point for revisiting – or discovering – the work of this enduring author.
Anton Chekhov: Earliest Stories: Stories,Novellas,Humoresques,1880-1882,edited by Rosamund Bartlett and Elena michajlowska,is published by Cherry Orchard.
Sources Used for Verification & Updates:
* Britannica – Anton Chekhov: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Anton-chekhov
* The Guardian – anton Chekhov: Earliest Stories review – a master in the making: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/nov/18/anton-chekhov-earliest-stories-review-rosamund-bartlett-elena-michajlowska
* Smithsonian Magazine – The Complex Legacy of Anton Chekhov: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-complex-legacy-of-anton-chekhov-180980741/
* Cherry Orchard Publishing – Anton Chekhov: Earliest Stories: [https://www.cherryorchardpublishing.com/anton-chekhov-earliest-stories](https://www.cherryorchardpublishing.