The Story of My Life by Anton Chekhov [PDF]
by InfoBooks
Anton Chekhov wrote this novella in 1896, drawing from his own observations of Russian provincial life and its rigid social expectations. It remains one of his longest and most personal prose works.
You can now read this Chekhov classic in its entirety, completely free in PDF format. Download it and discover one of the most underrated works in Russian literature.
The story captures the tension between personal conviction and social conformity with a directness that still resonates. Chekhov avoids moralizing and lets the characters speak for themselves.
The Story of My Life by Anton Chekhov
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Information: The Story of My Life
- Author: Anton Chekhov
- Publication Date: 1896
- Main Characters:
- Misail Poloznev: The narrator and protagonist, a nobleman who renounces his class to work as a house painter.
- Masha Dolzhikov: Misail's wife, an idealistic woman whose romantic vision of simple life collides with harsh reality.
- Cleopatra Poloznev: Misail's sister, who faces her own rebellion against their father's expectations.
- Poloznev Senior: Misail's father, a respected town architect who disowns his son over his life choices.
- Dr. Blagovo: A doctor and intellectual who represents the educated class that theorizes about change but never acts on it.
- Brief Summary: Misail Poloznev, the son of a respected architect, decides to abandon his social class and work with his hands. His father disowns him, his sister Cleopatra faces her own struggles, and his marriage to the idealistic Masha crumbles under the weight of reality. Through Misail's eyes, Chekhov paints a portrait of a small Russian town where appearances matter more than truth. The novella follows Misail through seasons of hope, disillusionment, and quiet endurance. It is a story about the cost of living according to your own conscience.
- Thematic Analysis: The central theme is the conflict between individual moral conviction and the demands of social class. Chekhov examines how honest labor is both romanticized and despised, depending on who performs it. The novella also questions whether idealism can survive contact with everyday reality.
- Historical Context: Written in 1896, during a period of intense social change in Russia, the novella reflects the Tolstoyan movement of "simplification" that influenced many intellectuals. Chekhov, however, treats the idea with his characteristic ambiguity, neither endorsing nor condemning Misail's choices. The story appeared in the literary supplement of the magazine Niva, reaching a broad Russian readership.
