Anton Chekhov stories while traveling II

…of all Russian writers Chekhov, the arch-conservative, is the most subversive. He is dynamite for children for he proclaimed the utmost freedom and gave to the human heart the place of sovereign eminence. His stories are hosannas in praise of freedom, of the wandering of the human heart in search of its own peace. And so, with the insidious power of genius, he prepares us for the revolutions of the future. -Robert Payne, translator

The next day was Easter. There are forty-two churches and two monasteries in the town; and from morning to evening the deep, happy notes of the church bells hovered over the town, never silent, quivering in the spring air. Birds were singing, and the bright sun was shining. The great market square was full of noise: seesaws were swinging, barrel organs were playing, concertinas were screaming, and there was a roar of drunken voices. In a word, everything was light hearted and frolicsome, just as it had been during the previous year and as it doubtless would be in the years to come. -from The Bishop, by Anton Chekhov

Waiting for a Blessing, Mykola Pymonenko, 1891

Tags: Russian writers

• August 18, 2021
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