A Day in the Country by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov

Anton Chekhov was an interesting writer. He was born in Russia in 1960 and died in Germany in 1904. During his life, he wrote many plays and short stories in his distinctive, simple style. He wasn’t trying to show off his literary prowess. Rather, he focused on seemingly trivial, day to day aspects of life that created a feeling of realism.

What’s interesting about his writing to me is that it provides a peek into Russian life during that time period. From the humorous anecdotes he wrote under a pseudonym to his descriptions of more grim realities, such as the effects of mental illness, he proves that he is in touch with reality and the human condition in an understated way.

The Beauty of the Prose

A Day in the Country is a lovely short story that paints a vivid picture. You don’t get the backstory of the main characters, but you almost don’t need to. Chekhov’s “less is more” approach leaves me wondering about these characters and their fate after the story.

His beautiful prose (in translation, of course) make you feel as though you are standing in the field with the characters at the beginning, waiting for the oncoming storm:

“A dark leaden-coloured mass is creeping over the sky towards the sun. Red zigzags of lightning gleam here and there across it. There is a sound of far-away rumbling. A warm wind frolics over the grass, bends the trees, and stirs up the dust. In a minute there will be a spurt of May rain and a real storm will begin.”

The Characters

We soon meet two characters: Fyokla, a young beggar girl who we immediately feel sympathy for, and Terenty, a good-hearted cobbler.

Terenty helps the little girl’s older brother, Danilka, who got his hand caught in a hole in the tree.

The plot is so simple that today’s reader might ask, “what’s the point of this story?”

There’s some suspense, some description, and some interesting characters, but the story doesn’t “mean” anything on the surface.

Venturing into Realism

Although I am not the biggest fan of realism, I can see the appeal in Chekhov’s case. His attention to realistic detail transports you, and it is as though you are standing in the country in late 19th century Russia for a moment. That is a skill in itself.

I read this short story, and others that I will blog about, as a way to broaden my horizons a little bit. I usually like stories with layers of meaning and prefer categories like fantasy and science fiction. Yet, Chekhov’s writing somehow appeals to me, and I think I’ll have to check out some of his other works.

Any fans of Chekhov out there? What do you recommend I read? I think I might have read Uncle Vanya many years back, but I don’t think it left a favorable impression on me like his short story did.

Story from: https://www.classicshorts.com/stories/DayCountry.html

Biography information from:  https://www.britannica.com/biography/Anton-Chekhov