The black monk (Chekhov)

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The black monk ( Russian Черный монах , transliteration Černyj monach ) is a philosophical novella by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov .

Chekhov wrote the story in 1893 on his estate in Melichowo ( Moscow Oblast , Russia ), which is now the Chekhov Museum Melichowo .

The plot

Andrei Wassiljewitsch Kowrin is overstrained from his work at the university and visits his foster father Yegor Semjonowitsch Pessotskij and his daughter Tanya during his convalescence. A nursery is run very successfully on their estate, which shapes the rhythm of life for the entire family. Pessotsky is quick-tempered, but also very warm; his daughter is no less unstable, but nonetheless friendly. Kowrin continues "the same nervous and restless life" that had previously stressed him: he works a lot and sleeps little. Nevertheless, he feels comfortable with his foster family.

When Kowrin remembers the old legend of a black monk, he meets him immediately while taking a walk in nature. Kowrin is happy about this phenomenon, although it occurs to him that he must be suffering from hallucinations: "But I feel good, I don't harm anyone; so there is nothing wrong with my hallucinations, he thought, and he felt good again well." In another encounter, the black monk Kowrin even attests that he is a gifted person whose ecstasy makes him stand out from the crowd. "If you want to be healthy and normal, go to the herd." Kowrin is happy about his fate as a chosen person. In the further course, his increased zest for life leads to the fact that he settles a dispute between father and daughter, shines in society like hardly before and Tanja even proposes marriage.

Although the Pessotskijs are often stressed and quarreled and the wedding is not free from dissatisfaction, Kowrin is not bothered by it. He is happy about his happiness in life, works with great zeal and meets regularly (twice a month) with the black monk for a conversation.

However, his newlywed wife soon witnesses his conversations with the black monk and realizes that Kowrin is insane. She persuades him to seek medical treatment. Kowrin then lives healthy and no longer has any delusions. However, he has also lost his zest for life. He reproaches Tanja and her father for this: "Why, why did you cure me? (...) I was losing my mind, I suffered from megalomania, but I was happy, cheerful and even happy; I was interesting and original. Now I became more sensible and solid, but like everyone else: I'm now mediocre (...) I saw hallucinations, but who bothered? I ask: who bothered? "

Instead of hallucinations, Kowrins now has physical complaints: He suffers from frequent blood rushes (twice a month). He therefore has to give up his professional career as a professor. His marriage will soon be over. Instead, he lives with Varvara Nikolaevna, who treats him like a child. When the two of them are on vacation in the Crimea, Kowrin receives a letter from Tanya with the news that her father is dead and sprinkled with allegations to him. The black monk appears to him one last time: "'Why didn't you believe me?' he asked reproachfully and looked at Kowrin in a friendly way. 'If you had believed me then that you were a genius, you would not have spent these two years so sad and poor.' "Kowrin has another hemorrhage, calls for Tanja and one last time dies. "(...) and his face was frozen in a blissful smile."

German-language editions

Radio plays

Various radio plays of the story have been recorded:

  • 2000: The Black Monk - read by Gert Westphal , Litraton Verlag
  • 2007: The Black Monk - read by Roman Knižka , producer: Argon / Edel Records
  • 2007: The Black Monk - read by Bodo Primus, Lagato Verlag