"Duel", Chekhov: summary, analysis

Very important issues of morality and morality affect the story "Duel" (Chekhov). Summary and analysis of it you will find in this article. Questions about the truth, the meaning of life, about responsibility to other people - all this is always true. Chekhov presented his understanding of these eternal problems in the work "Duel".

Summary

In the town, located on the Black Sea coast, two friends talk while bathing. One of them is Laevsky Ivan Andreevich, a 28-year-old young man, and the other is Samoylenko, a military doctor. Ivan Andreevich shares with his friend details of his personal life. So begins the story "Duel" (Chekhov). The summary of this conversation is given below.

History of Laevsky

From the conversation of friends we learn that two years ago Laevsky got along with one married woman. They left Petersburg for the Caucasus, intending to start a new working life. However, the town did not like them. People were uninteresting, the place was boring, and Laevsky could not and did not want to work with the sweat of his face on the ground. Therefore, he felt bankrupt from the first day. In relations with this woman, Nadezhda Fedorovna, Laevsky sees only a lie, so he can no longer live with her. He wants to go back to the north. However, we can not disperse: the woman does not have money and relatives, and Nadezhda Feodorovna does not know how to work. In addition, the news came about the death of her husband, which means the opportunity to marry her. Samoylenko advises his friend to do just that.

The Tears of Laevsky

Everything that Nadezhda Feodorovna does and says, seems to Ivan Andreevich either a lie, or something like a lie. During breakfast, he barely conceals his irritation. Heavy hatred causes in him even how this woman swallows milk. He does not give up the desire to quickly find out the relationship and leave.

Laevsky usually found explanations and excuses for his own life in some literary types and theories. He compares himself with Pechorin and Onegin, with Hamlet, with Anna Karenina. Laevsky is ready to admit that he does not have the guiding idea that he is an extra person and a loser, then he justifies himself. Just as earlier this hero believed that the Caucasus would save him from emptiness in his life, he now believes that he should leave for Petersburg, abandoning Nadezhda Fyodorovna. Thanks to this, he hopes to heal a vigorous, intelligent, cultural life.

Von Koren's worldview

At Samoylenko, Pobedov, who had just completed his seminary training, and Von Koren, a young zoologist, are lodged. The conversation at lunch is about Laevsky. The zoologist says that this person is dangerous to society, like a cholera microbe. Laevsky corrupts the mores of the inhabitants of the city by drinking and soldering others, openly living with a stranger, multiplying debts, playing cards, doing nothing. If people like him multiply, serious danger will threaten humanity. Therefore, Ivan Andreyevich should be rendered harmless for the sake of general good.

The humorous servant of the church laughs, and Samoylenko is stunned. He can only say that if they hang and burn people, then he is against such a civilization.

Relation of Nadezhda Feodorovna to Laevsky

Nadezhda Feodorovna goes to bathe in a fine mood on Sunday morning. A woman likes herself, she is convinced that she admires all the men she meets. Nadezhda Feodorovna feels guilty before Laevsky. She managed to make a lot of debts in the Achmianov's shop in 2 years and still did not dare to say so. In addition, the woman has already had two contacts with Kirilin, a police bailiff. However, she is happy to think that her soul was not involved in treason. Nadezhda Fyodorovna still loves Ivan Andreevich, and with Kirilin it's all over now.

Picnic

In the bathing-house the woman talks with Bityugova Marya Konstantinovna, an elderly lady. This is another heroine, who portrayed in the story "Duel" Chekhov. The description of the conversation held between them, we will not cite. Let's just say that from this woman cohabitant Laevsky learns that the local society organizes a picnic in the evening, which must pass near the mountain stream.

Von Koren on the way to the river tells about his plans to the deacon. He says that he intends to go on an expedition, to explore the coasts of the Arctic and Pacific Oceans. Ivan Andreevich goes in another stroller and scolds landscapes of the Caucasus. He always feels vileness to Koren and already regrets that he decided to go on a picnic. The company stops at the Tartar Kerbalaya.

Nadezhda Feodorovna is in a playful mood. A woman wants to flirt, tease, laugh. However, her joy darkens the persecution of Kirilin, and also the advice of Achmianov to beware of the police bailiff. Ivan Andreevich, tired of the undisguised hatred of a zoologist and picnic, breaks down on Nadezhda Fedorovna, whom she calls a coquette. Von Koren on the way back recognizes Samoylenko that if society or the state would instruct him to destroy Laevsky, he would willingly do it.

The conversation between Laevsky and Samoilenko

After a picnic, already at home, Laevsky tells Nadezhda Fyodorovna that her husband has died. He feels like in prison, which is especially noted in the work "Duel" Chekhov. Very brief content, unfortunately, misses the details of the hero's inner experiences. Let's just say that Ivan Andreevich decides to go to Samoilenko. Laevsky begs him to lend 300 rubles, promises to make peace with his mother, arrange everything with Nadezhda Fedorovna. Samoylenko says that you need to reconcile with von Koren, but Laevsky says it's impossible. He would have been ready to stretch out his hand to the zoologist, but he, of course, would have turned his back on him. After all, this despotic, hard nature, and the ideals of it are appropriate. For him, people are nothing. He works not for love of his neighbor, but for such abstract concepts as future generations, humanity, the ideal breed of people ... Von Koren would kill anyone who goes beyond a narrow conservative morality, and this is just for the sake of "improving the breed." Despots, as Laevsky notes, have always been illusionists. Ivan Andreevich says that he understands his own shortcomings. He hopes to rise again, change. This is especially emphasized by Chekhov ("Duel"). The summary of the chapters continues with a story about further events in the life of the partner of Laevsky.

Fever of Hope Feodorovna

After 3 days after a picnic near the river Maria Konstantinovna comes to Nadezhda Feodorovna. We will not retell the whole conversation in detail, we will only describe its brief content. "Duel" Chekhov wrote so that we could think about important issues. So we tried to retell the text, focusing on them.

So, Maria Konstantinovna offers her partner Laevsky to become her matchmaker. However, Nadezhda Feodorovna feels that the wedding is impossible now. A woman can not say everything to her friend. She became entangled in relations with the young Achmianov and Kirilin. From the experience of Nadezhda Feodorovna begins a fever.

Ivan Andreevich feels his guilt in front of her. However, they already so mastered the thought of leaving next Saturday, that he asked Samoilenko, who came to visit the patient, whether he managed to get money. He responds negatively. Samoilenko wants to ask von Koren 100 rubles in debt. He agrees, but on the condition that Laevsky will leave with Nadezhda Fedorovna.

Purpose of the duel

The next day, on Thursday, Samoilenko informs Laevsky about this condition on a visit to Marya Konstantinovna. Guests, including a zoologist, play. Ivan Andreevich participates in the game mechanically. He reflects on how much he has to lie, about the fact that it does not allow him to change, to start a new life. It is necessary to decide on something radical, but Laevsky can not do this. The malicious note sent, apparently by von Koren, causes a hysterical fit in Ivan Andreyevich. However, in the evening, as if nothing had happened, he goes to play cards.

Kirilin pursues Nadezhda Feodorovna on her way home. He threatens a woman with a scandal if she does not appoint him a date today. This person is against Nadezhda Feodorovna, she begs to leave her, but she is inferior. Achmianov watches over them.

Next day Ivan Andreevich goes to Samoilenko. He wants to take money from him, because after that hysteria he can no longer stay in the city. However, Laevsky finds only von Koren. Between them there is a short conversation. Ivan Andreevich understands that the zoologist is aware of his plans. Laevsky feels his hatred and contempt. When Samoilenko appears, Ivan Andreevich in a fit accuses him of divulging other people's secrets, and also insults a zoologist who seemed to be waiting for it. Von Koren calls Ivan Andreevich to a duel.

On the eve of the fight

The summary that we compiled is already approaching the finale. "Duel" (Chekhov) is coming to an end quite interesting. The final of the work will surely please you.

On the eve of the fight Laevsky first feels hatred for the zoologist, and then, behind the cards and wine, becomes careless. Some time later, Ivan Andreevich began to possess anxiety. When Achmianov leads Laevsky to the house, where he sees Nadezhda Feodorovna and Kirilin, all the senses seem to disappear from his soul.

This evening von Koren talks with the deacon about how to understand the teaching of Christ, love for one's neighbor. He believes that what harms people, what threatens them with danger, should be eliminated. And the danger threatens humanity from the side of the physically and morally abnormal. They must be destroyed. The deacon asks him about what the criteria of discrimination are, how not to make a mistake. The zoologist responds that when a flood threatens, one should not be afraid of getting your feet wet. He believes that in the case of Laevsky only a duel will help. Chekhov (about which he will still say), of course, can not agree with him.

The night before the fight, Laevsky listens to the storm outside the window, recalls his life, in which he sees only a lie. He feels guilty in the fall of his concubine and is ready to beg Nadezhda Fyodorovna to forgive him. If he could return the past, he would certainly find justice and God. Before going to a duel, Laevsky goes to the bedroom of his concubine. She looks at him with horror, but Ivan Andreyevich, embracing her, realizes that this is the only person close to him. He intends to return home alive.

Duel and final events

No one knows for sure the rules of the duel, remember her descriptions from Turgenev, Lermontov ... Ivan Andreevich shoots first. He is afraid of killing a zoologist, so he shoots into the air. His opponent directs the gun directly at Ivan Andreyevich. The deacon screams desperately: "He will kill him!" This makes von Koren miss.

So we came to the finale, describing the summary. Chekhov ("Duel") was interested in the fate of the main characters. So he came up with the next finale.

Three months after the fight, on the day of departure to the expedition, the zoologist, accompanied by the deacon and Samoylenko, goes to the pier. They talk about the change that occurred with Laevsky. Ivan Andreevich is now married to Nadezhda Feodorovna. He works from morning till night to pay off his debts. Deciding to go to him, von Koren gives him his hand. The zoologist remained true to his convictions, but admits that he was mistaken about Laevsky. He says that no one knows the truth. Laevsky agrees with him. He thinks that in her quest, people take two steps forward, one step back. Perhaps someday they will reach the real truth ...

This concludes the story "Duel" (Chekhov). The summary of it, of course, has only an introductory character. In order to fully understand this work, you should refer to the original. It is incomparably better than the summary.

Chekhov ("Duel") has always been interested in the difficult issues of our being. Each of the heroes of his work tries to answer them in his own way. What are the positions that the characters of the story "Duel" (Chekhov) occupy? The analysis of the work will help you to understand this.

Analysis

The main heroes of the story, as well as the main ideological opponents are Laevsky and von Koren. In the end, their mutual dislike leads to a duel. Von Koren reflects at the beginning of the work on the causes of this antipathy. In Laevsky he feels an extraordinary dissoluteness and deceit.

Ivan Andreevich, in turn, believes that von Koren is a strong, hard, despotic person. He describes himself as a fallen, insignificant, empty person who bought his life at the price of cowardice, idleness and lies. Von Koren is a Darwinist and an opponent of everything that can harm people.

Dr. Samoilenko believes that if you destroy people, then to hell such a civilization. This hero does not accept in Ivan Andreevich that he despises the service, drank much, scattered money, plays cards. It is Samoylenko in the work is the bearer of the "general idea". This generous and kind person gets money for Ivan Andreyevich, although he realizes that he runs away from responsibility. In Samoylenko's internal monologue, he explains in his own way why people are making mistakes when searching for truth ("two steps forward, step back"). Boredom of life, suffering, lack of a "general idea" hamper them. Because of this, a person does not just find himself in a moral impasse. In it, a living person dies, what Chekhov depicted in the work "Duel". The analysis of the story will be concluded. We invite the reader to think about what he has read.

The issues that affect the author are really important. No wonder the school program includes the story "Duel" (Chekhov). You can compile a summary of the reader diary on the basis of the foregoing.