Misfortune (Chekhov, 1886)
The Misfortune ( Russian Беда , Beda ) is a short story by the Russian writer Anton Chekhov , which appeared on December 1, 1886 in the Peterburgskaja Gazeta .
For five days the employee Nikolai Maximytsch Putochin did not appear on duty, nor did he appear at home with his dear wife Mascha. Now - again on his senses - he is not so bothered by the boss's lecture with subsequent dismissal without notice, but by the imminent kneeling before Mascha. What should Nikolai, who has drunk everything, say?
With his former colleague Fyodor Jelissejitsch, he panted through the problem Mascha in the tavern. Actually, Fyodor doesn't see a bigger problem. Masha will scold and stop again. Nikolai knows. A man can beat up his wife, cheat on her with another, and he can age. She forgives him for all of this. But she does not forgive him for poverty. Mascha in particular will punish Nikolai with contempt, i.e. with silence, for days, then tease and finally moan. Fyodor ponders and advises his friend to kneel down. No, Mascha won't get it. The virtuous woman can hardly forgive a sinner.
At home, Nikolai lacks the strength to clarify. So he first communicates with Mascha via a newspaper margin scribbled in pencil. The sinner is forgiven in writing. He is even put to bed by his wife.
After a week of searching, Nikolai finds a new job.
Used edition
- The misfortune. P. 296–301 in Gerhard Dick (Ed.) And Wolf Düwel (Ed.): Anton Chekhov: The Swedish match. Short stories and early narratives. German by Gerhard Dick. 668 pages. Rütten & Loening, Berlin 1965 (1st edition)
Web links
- The text
- Wikisource: Беда (Чехов, 1886) (Russian)
- online in Lib.ru (Russian)
- online in FEB (Russian)
- online in the Komarow library (Russian)
- Chekhov Bibliography, Entry Stories No. 446 (Russian)
- Reference to first appearance in the Laboratory of Fantastics (Russian)