The man in the case belongs. Anton Chekhov - the man in the case

Anton Pavlovich Chekhov is one of the greatest Russian writers who understood perfectly well that power, rank and money are all external factors that can enslave a human personality. However, the true tool is still an all-pervading fear. This is what Chekhov warned about in his works. "The Man in the Case" will tell about an absurd and insignificant character. Manic fear completely dominated his soul.

Summary: "The Man in the Case." Start

In the village of Mironositsky, in the barn of Prokofy the headman, two hunters settled down to spend the night. One, Ivan Ivanovich, is a veterinarian, and the other, Burkin, is a gymnasium teacher. The first came to these places to hunt and get some fresh air, and the other liked to stay with Counts P every summer. There was nothing else for them to do but talk. And the conversation immediately turned to the headman's wife Mavra, who was a healthy woman and not at all stupid. But she does not like to go out to people, she has never traveled further than her village, in general, she lives like a hermit crab.

The hunters did not sleep for a long time. The moon was shining in the sky, Ivan Ivanovich was smoking a pipe at the entrance, and Burkin was lying in the hay.

Belikov

Further, the plot and our summary get an interesting development. "The Man in the Case" continues with Burkin reasoning that people like Mavra are not uncommon at all. For example, in their city, a Greek gymnasium teacher, Belikov, who was an extremely strange person, recently died. He always went in the same clothes, in any weather he put on a warm coat with wadding, galoshes, and he always took an umbrella. And he had everything in a case: a watch, glasses, a penknife for pencils, etc. It seemed that he was constantly striving to surround himself with some kind of shell, probably this is how he hid from the realities of life. He was afraid of everything, he was a very cautious and suspicious person. Everyone was afraid of him too, even the director. In fear, he kept the entire gymnasium for 15 years.

Varenka

But one day he almost got married. A new teacher was assigned to them, who came along with his thirty-year-old sister Varenka, who was very cheerful and lively. At the director's name day, she sang very beautifully, and Belikov became a little carried away by her. It seemed to everyone that it would be nice to marry the forty-year-old Belikov to Var. It looks like they would make a good couple. But Belikov was in no hurry, he wanted to carefully consider and weigh everything. And for so long I thought that I had lost even more weight and haggard. Varenka also took a liking to the Greek teacher, all the more so since her life with her brother was not painful and good, as they liked to argue.

However, everything was spoiled by a drawn caricature, where Belikov in galoshes, in rolled up trousers and an umbrella, walks arm in arm with Varya. And at the bottom was the signature: "Anthropos in love." Belikov was very much alarmed by all this. But the worst of all was the blow when he saw how Varenka was riding bicycles with her brother. Belikov considered this out of hand event. In the evening of the same day, he came to her brother to talk about their indecent behavior. He said that it was unlawful for a teacher to ride a bicycle, because the only thing left for the schoolchildren was to walk on their heads, and that he was obliged to report this to the director.

Of course, much is left out of the description, since this is only a summary. “The Man in the Case” ends with the fact that brother Varya could not resist and lowered Belikov down the stairs, so much so that he rolled head over heels and fell to the ground. I was lucky that I did not break anything and the glasses remained intact. The whole picture was seen by Varya approaching the house with two ladies. The unfortunate Belikov got up, brushed himself off, and Varya burst into loud laughter, thinking that he had accidentally stumbled. But he did not hear or see all this. In complete despair, he came home, went to bed and never got up again. He died three days later...

The funeral was over, everyone seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, but a week later life again became the same gray, tedious and stupid as it was before.

The story "The Man in the Case": analysis of the work

That's basically it. This is the most interesting thing that the summary can tell about. "The Man in the Case" shows the case life as a way of being. But Chekhov himself has always been an adherent of a full life. In this story, he wanted to emphasize that the fear of reality for a person can create that very case. In this work, a satirical and grotesque characterization of the life of the Russian intelligentsia in Russia at that time is clearly traced.

A masterful satirical story by A.P. about the life of the Russian provincial intelligentsia was written in 1898.

The main ideas of the work

People's commitment to philistine stereotypes

The story describes the desire of some people, which is relevant even in our time, to isolate themselves from the outside world, to create their own unnatural restrictions and stereotypes, to enclose life in a kind of "case".

General degradation of society

Little gray Belikov manages to dress both the gymnasium and the city in his "case". Society is gradually sinking into a quagmire of vulgarity and narrow-mindedness. Belikov oppresses with caution and suspiciousness.

The conflict among the intelligentsia and the need for fundamental changes

The catalyst for the conflict is the emergence of new characters in the story, active and not infected by the general dullness, able to withstand the dominance of ridiculous restrictions.

Introduction

The story begins with a meeting of hunters in the house of the village headman. Doctor Chimsha-Gimalayansky and teacher Burkin strike up a conversation with Martha, the wife of the headman, who in recent years has decided to go out only at night. Here Burkin starts talking about another similar character.

Teacher Belikov

Belikov taught Greek at the gymnasium. A characteristic feature of this man was a strange desire to put everything in a case. And this concerned not only the appearance of the hero, but also his behavior. He always wore a coat with a high collar, dark glasses, always kept a penknife and an umbrella in a case, and plugged his ears with cotton wool. "The man in the case" strictly followed orders and circulars and his motto was: "No matter what happens." For 15 years, the entire city community meekly obeyed Belikov. People began to be afraid of everything: to arrange performances, write letters, get acquainted and even talk loudly. "No matter what happens."

The arrival of the teacher Kovalenko with his sister

A new teacher and sister arrive in town. A bright, cheerful girl unexpectedly evokes sympathy from Belikov. Out of boredom, local ladies decide to marry the couple at all costs. With the help of the headmistress, meetings between Varenka and the Greek teacher are arranged - either in the theater or at a party. Belikov's comrades also assure him of the need for marriage. And Varvara herself is not averse to leaving the custody of her authoritarian older brother.

Kolossalische Scandal

An unknown joker drew a very offensive caricature of Belikov and Varya. The offended groom goes to Kovalenko's house to explain himself. In a conversation, the “anthropos in love” makes as many remarks to Varenka’s brother about his and his sister’s entertainment, which, in his opinion, is too free, for example, riding a bicycle. Kovalenko responds rather abruptly and in the end literally pushes him onto the stairs. By chance, Varya witnesses the ridiculous fall of Belikov and laughs loudly.

Death of Belikov

The teacher comes home, goes to bed and doesn't get up again. He dies a month later. So, in the finale, Belikov receives an ideal case, and the inhabitants of the town - an illusory hope for liberation from the shackles of fear and suspiciousness.

“On the very edge of the village of Mironositsky, in the barn of the headman Prokofy, belated hunters settled down for the night. There were only two of them: the veterinarian Ivan Ivanovich and the teacher of the gymnasium Burkin. Ivan Ivanych had a rather strange, double surname - Chimsha-Gimalaisky, which did not suit him at all, and throughout the province he was simply called by his first name and patronymic; he lived near the city in a horse farm and now came to hunt in order to breathe clean air. The teacher of the gymnasium, Burkin, visited Counts P. every summer, and in this area he had long been his own person.

They talked about the elder's wife Maura. She is a healthy and intelligent woman. Only for a long time Mavra did not go out in public. Burkin suggested that she just had that kind of personality, that of a hermit crab. And such people are not uncommon. For example, about two months ago, a teacher of the Greek language, Belikov, died in the city. This was a strange person. Even in very good weather he went out in galoshes and with an umbrella, and certainly in a warm coat with wadding. “And he had an umbrella in a case, and a watch in a case made of gray suede, and when he took out a penknife to sharpen a pencil, he also had a knife in a case; and his face also seemed to be in a case, for he always hid it in his upturned collar. He wore dark glasses, a jersey, stuffed his ears with cotton wool, and when he got into a cab, he ordered to raise the top. In a word, this person had a constant and irresistible desire to surround himself with a shell, to create for himself, so to speak, a case that would seclude him, protect him from external influences. Reality irritated him, frightened him, kept him in constant anxiety, and, perhaps, in order to justify this timidity of his, his disgust for the present, he always praised the past and what had never happened; and the ancient languages that he taught were for him, in essence, the same galoshes and umbrella where he hid from real life.

Even Belikov "tried to hide his thoughts in a case." For him, only prohibitions were clear. “In permission and permission, for him, there was always a doubtful element, something unsaid and vague.” When something was allowed in the city, he always said: “It is, of course, so-and-so, it’s all wonderful, but no matter what happens.” In general, he was a very cautious and suspicious person. He even went to his friends only because he considered it "his comradely duty."

Everyone was afraid of Belikov. And not only the teachers, but also the principal. This little man, “always walking in galoshes and with an umbrella, held the entire gymnasium in his hands for fifteen whole years! What about a gymnasium? The whole city!" Belikov lived in the same house as Burkin. “He did not keep female servants out of fear, so that they would not think badly of him, but kept the cook Athanasius, an old man of about sixty, drunk and half-witted, who once served as orderlies and knew how to cook somehow.”

Even under the covers in his own bed, Belikov was scared: “no matter how something happens, no matter how Afanasy stabs him, no matter how the thieves get in ...”

But, oddly enough, this teacher of the Greek language almost married the sister of a new teacher of history and geography, a certain Kovalenko Mikhail Savich. She was no longer young, about thirty, but also tall, slender, black-browed, red-cheeked and cheerful, even noisy. Belikov, having listened to the singing of this Little Russian woman, sat down to her and said: “The Little Russian language, with its tenderness and pleasant sonority, resembles ancient Greek.” This flattered her, and she began to tell him with feeling about her life. Suddenly, the same thought dawned on everyone: it would be nice to marry them. The manager decided to take matters into her own hands. Belikov and Varenka were certainly invited everywhere together: both to the theater and to a party. Varenka began to treat Belikov clearly favorably.

And everyone, both comrades and ladies, began to assure Belikov that he should marry. They even congratulated him. And in fact, Varenka was the first woman who treated him so kindly, cordially. So he himself believed that he really needed to get married.

Yes, only before marriage, this “man in a case” needed to think carefully, no matter how something happened.

And then there was a scandal. “Some prankster drew a caricature: Belikov is walking in galoshes, in rolled up trousers, under an umbrella, and Varenka is arm in arm with him; below the signature: "Anthropos in love". All teachers received a copy. Received and Belikov. The caricature made the most difficult impression on him. When, on the first of May, Belikov saw Varenka on a bicycle, he was very indignant. “Is it proper for high school teachers and women to ride a bicycle?”

The next day he went to Kovalenki. Varenka was not at home. Belikov started a conversation with her brother. He said that cycling is “absolutely indecent fun for the educator of youth,” he wanted to “warn” him. Kovalenko was so indignant that he even turned purple: "... whoever interferes in my home and family affairs, I will send him to hell."

Belikov turned pale and stood up. “Kovalenko grabbed him from behind by the collar and shoved him, and Belikov rolled down the stairs, rattling his galoshes. The stairs were high and steep, but he rolled down safely; got up and touched his nose: are the glasses intact? But just as he was rolling down the stairs, Varenka came in, and with her two ladies; they stood below and looked - and for Belikov this was the most terrible of all. It would be better, it seems, to break your neck, both legs, than to become a laughingstock; because now the whole city will know, it will reach the director, the trustee - oh, no matter what happens! - they will draw a new caricature, and all this will end with the order to resign ...

When he got up, Varenka recognized him, and, looking at his funny face, his rumpled overcoat, and his galoshes, not understanding what was the matter, believing that he himself had fallen by accident, could not help laughing all over the house:

Ha ha ha!

And with this rolling, flooded "ha-ha-ha" everything ended: both the matchmaking and Belikov's earthly existence. He no longer heard what Varenka was saying, and saw nothing. Returning to his home, he first of all removed the portrait from the table, and then lay down and got up more quickly.

A month later, Belikov died. He was “put in a case from which he would never come out. Yes, he achieved his ideal! And as if in honor of him, during the funeral it was cloudy, rainy weather, and we were all in galoshes and with umbrellas.

There are a lot of talented writers in Russian literature, but there are not so many truly vital and instructive works. A.P. Chekhov belongs to such amazing people who are able to reflect difficult human destinies on paper. “The Man in the Case”, a brief summary of which allows you to get acquainted with the work of the great writer, takes readers to the 19th century, where, after a hunt, two friends start a conversation about closed and lonely people.

The story begins with a conversation between two friends - Ivan Ivanovich, a veterinarian, and Burkin, a gymnasium teacher. The first is surprised by the behavior of the elder's wife, with whom they stayed overnight. The fact is that a woman sits at home all the time, and goes out only at night. Burkin objects, saying that there are many wonderful people in the world and tells a friend the story that happened to his colleague at the gymnasium, the Greek teacher Belikov.

Summary "The Man in the Case" is a story about a teacher who led a strange life. He constantly wanted to isolate himself from everyone, creating cases and partitions between himself and the outside world. Even in summer, he wore dark glasses, a warm coat and an umbrella, Belikov hid every thing in a case. He only understood the decrees, where something was forbidden, because everything is clear in them, but the teacher did not understand the instructions where something was allowed, because there are no limits to permissiveness, so no matter what happened.

Belikov went to visit his colleagues, but only sat silently, and then said goodbye and left, he tried to protect everyone from danger, but those around him were afraid and called him nothing more than "a man in a case." Chekhov, whose summary of the work allows us to understand the character of a lonely individual, was a very good psychologist, because he revealed not only the problems of one Belikov, but the whole society of that time.

The summary of “The Man in the Case” shows that even with such an eccentric person, changes can happen. With Belikov, they happened after the arrival of a new history teacher with his sister at the gymnasium. Varya was beautiful, cheerful, sang well, she charmed everyone, and Belikov could not resist her charms. He began to walk with her, but all the time he hinted that marriage was very serious.

The teacher was a very vulnerable and fearful person, which is what the summary of "The Man in the Case" shows. After the caricature drawn of him and Varya, he walked not on his own, his meeting with Varya and her brother, who rode bicycles, finished him off. According to Belikov, the girl and the teacher of the gymnasium should not spend time like this. To explain himself to them, he went to the family home, but Varya was not there, and the freedom-loving brother simply lowered his colleague down the stairs. At the moment when Belikov was rolling down the stairs, Varvara came, from the picture she saw, the girl burst into ringing laughter.

The summary of “The Man in the Case” shows how scared the teacher was even to imagine that the whole city would know about his shame. He came home, removed the photo of his fiancee and took to his bed. Belikov died a month later. There was a joyful smile on the face of the deceased, as if he had found what he was looking for - a safe case from which he would not leave. People buried him with a pleasant feeling of liberation, as if freed from unnecessary obligations.