One of the early stories by A.P. Chekhov's “The Death of an Official” was published in 1883, when a little-known writer under the pseudonym “Antosha Chekhonte” was published in humorous magazines, publishing dozens of short funny stories that enjoyed constant success among readers.
The background of the story is as follows. Once, a good friend of Anton Pavlovich’s family, writer and manager of Moscow theaters, Vladimir Petrovich Begichev, told a funny story about how one person sneezed on another in the theater during a performance. Moreover, this fact excited him so much that the next day he came to ask for forgiveness for yesterday’s embarrassment. They laughed at the story and forgot about it. But not Anton Pavlovich. Even then, in his imagination, the image of Ivan Dmitrievich Chervyakov in a tightly closed uniform and General Brizzhalov was born. The result of the story told was the short story “The Death of an Official” that appeared on the pages of the magazine “Oskolki” with the subtitle “Case”.
Story Analysis
The work was written in the spirit of realism, which became widespread in Russia in the second half of the 19th century. The story was included in the collection “Motley Stories”. The writer combined realism with convention here. This is clearly visible at the beginning of the work and at its end, when mockery of death is inappropriate.
The ideological content of the story is the theme of the little man, a protest against self-suppression and self-abasement of the individual. Ivan Dmitrievich Chervyakov is the younger brother of the “Station Warden” Samson Vyrin. Always humiliated and confused for no particular reason. In his story, Chekhov literally knocks on the reader’s mind, urging him to squeeze out of himself “a slave drop by drop.”
Plot
The plot of the plot might seem completely devoid of any significance, if not for its further development and a completely unexpected ending. While in the theater, official Ivan Dmitrievich Chervyakov sneezed on the bald head of the general sitting in front and, as it seemed to him, displeased him.
Having apologized once, he was not satisfied with this and began to literally persecute the general with his apologies. It seemed to him that he was not satisfied with his apology. The general, at first, quite calmly and favorably accepted the official’s apology. But, endlessly pursued by Chervyakov, he finally explodes and screams at him. After which Ivan Dmitrievich came home, lay down on the bed and died.
Heroes
There are only two main characters here: a petty official with a telling surname, Ivan Dmitrievich Chervyakov, and civil general Brizzhalov. The main character is, of course, Chervyakov. Chekhov shows how pathetic and absurd a person can be, to what a slavish state he can reduce himself. Every time he apologizes to the general, he voluntarily renounces human dignity. It would seem that it would be easier to apologize to the person who graciously accepted your apology and that should all end there. No, you have to force yourself to go and apologize again.
For him, this is not just an unpleasant embarrassment. No! This is an attack on the bureaucratic hierarchy. In this case, General Brizzhalov evokes more sympathy. After all, at first he responded quite decently to Chervyakov’s apology. But he had the principle in his head that respect for persons is sacred, almost the foundation of social existence; in his mind, the general should, apparently, hold a ceremony to accept his apology. And he is even indignant that the general is so inattentive to his apologies. The general himself seems to us to be a completely well-bred man. The fact that he shouted at Chervyakov at the end of the story is quite understandable. Probably not everyone could withstand such persecution.
The story is called "The Death of an Official." There is a deep meaning here that it was not a person who died, but an official for whom veneration of rank is the basis of life. His death does not evoke much sympathy or tragedy. If this official had grown to certain heights, then everywhere along his path he would have promoted the idea of veneration of rank, raising his own kind. That is why Chekhov mercilessly kills him. In his presentation, Chervyakov did not die from fright or from unbearable humiliation. No. It is unbearable for him to realize that his desire to serve, to offer his lowest apologies, is not accepted in a dignified manner. And he dies. By killing him, Chekhov thus pronounces a sentence on everything that Chervyakov personifies.
In Russian literature, Chekhov is considered “Pushkin in prose”, thanks to his scale and unsurpassed artistic style. In Chekhov's story “The Death of an Official” the theme of the “little man” is revealed, but not in the same way as in Gogol or Pushkin. In the work “Death of an Official”, the analysis provides an introduction to the history of creation, issues, features of the genre and composition - all this is in our article. It will be useful for 9th grade students when studying Chekhov’s work in literature lessons.
Brief Analysis
Subject– the theme of the little man, self-abasement and ceremonial worship.
Composition- clear, characteristic of the genre of the story. The personality of the narrator is visible, bringing assessment and emotional coloring to what is happening.
Genre- story. Chekhov's story is similar to the form of a “sketch,” which is why his works are especially good when staged in theaters and filmed.
Direction- realism characteristic of the second half of the 19th century.
History of creation
There are several versions of the creation of the story “Death of an Official”. One of them says that the story happened in reality, at the Bolshoi Theater, which the author learned about from the manager of the imperial theaters.
According to another version, the source of inspiration for Chekhov was Alexey Zhemchuzhnikov, a famous humorist and lover of practical jokes. There were rumors that the joker deliberately stepped on the foot of one high-ranking official, and then harassed him with apologies and courtesy calls.
The third version of the appearance of Chekhov’s plot: an incident that occurred in Taganrog (the writer’s homeland) in 1882. A certain postal worker tried to apologize after a conflict with his superiors, but he was not accepted or understood. In despair, the employee committed suicide. Be that as it may, Chekhov’s artistically rethought plot was embodied in a brilliant story, written in less than two days. The work was first published in 1883 in the magazine “Oskolki” under the pseudonym A. Chekhonte.
Subject
In Chekhov's story “The Death of an Official”, subject a small person, a servile consciousness, a derogatory attitude towards oneself in the face of higher ranks.
Story idea is to see in oneself a symptom of veneration of rank and destroy it in the bud - it is for this that Chekhov exaggerates many important details in the narrative and uses irony with the grotesque. The problems of society contemporary to the author came to light, acutely and topically, in a short story genre.
The conflict between Chervyakov and General Brizzhalov is character's conflict with himself. The meaning of his actions is unclear and inexplicable for a morally “healthy” person. Problems of the story is caused by a disease of society - the habit of groveling before those who occupy a higher position in society, which is quite relevant in our time.
Chervyakov and Brizzhalov - opposite heroes: it was the general who was supposed to become a negative character, but in Chekhov they swapped roles. The general is an extremely positive, adequate character, and the junior rank is cowardly, unsure of himself, annoying, inconsistent and, to say the least, strange in his actions and aspirations. The main idea of the work is the loss of moral foundations, the ideals on which a “healthy” personality rests.
Composition
The comic and tragic merged into one, thanks to the skillfully selected artistic means in Chekhov's story. Analysis of the work allows us to conclude that its composition is traditional for the small genre. This is indicated by the narrator’s monologue, which adds its own note to the perception of what is happening.
The personality of the narrator sometimes emerges quite clearly with comments and an emotional assessment of events. In the structure of the story, it is easy to highlight the plot, climax and other components of the plot. It is dynamic and bright, thanks to Chekhov's laconicism and precision. Every word (characters' surnames, description of appearance), every sound, every phrase is precise and verified - they serve a single purpose in Chekhov's work. A master of situational sketches, he skillfully presents content within the framework of a traditional composition. Perhaps this is why almost all of Chekhov’s works have been filmed, staged in theaters and have great success with audiences.
Main characters
Genre
Chekhov reached unprecedented heights in the short story genre. A peculiarity of his story can be considered its similarity to a sketch. The author gives an original picture of the event, as if observing what was happening from the outside. The short story genre before Chekhov was a nondescript small-scale epic form, which was considered a fragment of a novel or story. It was thanks to Anton Pavlovich that this genre gained popularity, fame and full embodiment in literature.
Work test
Rating analysis
Average rating: 4.1. Total ratings received: 258.
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov repeatedly lifted the veil of history over the clerical world of the Tsar's clerks and clerks, which had sunk into oblivion. However, those masterfully described types of people generated by the bureaucratic system remained unchanged. Downtrodden, narrow-minded, hypocritical and driven crazy by their hierarchical dependence, the victims of work will still make their sane acquaintances laugh, and the master of words more than a hundred years ago gave them such an apt description that is still relevant. She is especially interesting in the story “The Death of an Official.”
Chekhov shows true and false values: true value is internal freedom from patterns of behavior and the authorities of superiors, and false value is the desire to please the masters in everything and elevate them to grotesque proportions. It is not for nothing that he chose the “humorous story” genre for his work “The Death of an Official.” This is to ridicule the false values formed by society. The writer ridicules such vices as sycophancy, veneration for rank and the desire to get used to the situation, opportunism, in other words.
What is the work about?
The story tells how the executor Chervyakov was watching the play “The Bells of Corneville” and accidentally sneezed on the bald head of the civil general Brizzhalov, an employee of the Department of Railways, who was sitting in front of him: “I sprayed him!” - he thought. - Not my boss, a stranger, but still awkward. I need to apologize." He leaned over and apologized; a spectator in the front row said, “It’s no big deal.” However, it seemed to the official that His Excellency was being disingenuous and would not forgive the insult. Although it was not his direct superior, a representative of another department, the troublemaker was very alarmed and approached during intermission, but the dignitary again said that there was nothing to worry about.
At home, he complained to his wife, but his wife did not pay due attention to the incident. The next day, Chervyakov again failed to ask for forgiveness and heard that what happened was a trifle. Then he thought: “He doesn’t want to talk! - he thought, turning pale. “He’s angry, that means... No, you can’t leave it like that... I’ll explain it to him...” and decided to ask for forgiveness again the next day, but the general kicked him out with anger. “Something came loose in his stomach. Seeing nothing, hearing nothing, he backed away to the door, went out into the street and trudged... Arriving automatically home, without taking off his uniform, he lay down on the sofa and... died.” The essence of Chekhov's work “The Death of an Official” is to show what insane veneration of rank can bring a person to.
The main characters and their characteristics
To enhance the expressiveness of the text, the author uses speaking surnames. Bryuzzhalov - from the word “grumble”, that is, to grumble. Chervyakov - from the word “worm”, that is, the surname originates from an insignificant and blind animal. This means that the hero is meant by the author as a pitiful, helpless insect.
Ivan Dmitrievich Chervyakov– executor. The character's inner world is as narrow as a worm: it is limited to service. What worries him most is the opinion of society about him, and he respects the opinion of his superiors like the law. When he accidentally sneezed, he perceived it as a terrible disaster. He was so excited by the general’s reaction that he simply made it up, painting it in the most eerie colors. This means that his life is so empty that, apart from service, he doesn’t care about anything. He reached the point of complete self-denial in the name of “serving” the higher ranks. In fact, his inner world is a projection of the outer: his form, his position, his status in society. He has nothing personal, he has completely adapted to external circumstances, burying his individuality. Standing out for him is a grave sin. He doesn’t want to express himself, but to express someone else’s interests. The image of the main character in Chekhov's story “The Death of an Official” opens the theme of the little man, widespread in Russian literature. The character is humiliated by society, overwhelmed by his eternally subordinate position. He is completely dependent on the will of the boss and his readiness to give permission for anything. Gradually, he learned to serve rather than serve, in order to somehow provide stability for himself and his family. He got so accustomed to this role that he stopped seeing obvious things and feeling anything other than humiliation. The evolution of the character, which we can only guess, turns out to be a degradation of personality to the level of an impersonal clerk. There is nothing human left in him, only a list of job descriptions and standards of decency, which he brings to the grotesque. There is not even a description of Ivan Dmitrievich Chervyakov in the text.
Brizzhalov(State General for the Department of Railways) - a venerable and respected official, accustomed to unconditional obedience. However, he is embarrassed to seriously discuss the topic of Chervyakov’s act; he wants to pretend that nothing happened. But the intrusiveness of the culprit of the incident infuriates him. The dignitary, who is already not very kind to his lower-ranking colleague, rudely kicks him out, losing his human appearance. He screams, swears, loses all his coldness and imaginary good manners. His inability to restrain his emotions reveals him to be a typical tyrant, who continually lashes out at his subordinates. Brizzhalov’s characterization is his post. He, too, is devoid of individual traits and appears before us as just another bearer of the signs of a particular position.
Themes
- The penetration of public life into private life, the replacement of reality with its absurd parody.
- In addition, Chekhov touches on his favorite theme of internal slavery and impoverishment of the spirit. He skillfully mixes the funny and the sad, revealing the absurdity of government existence, focused only on service.
- The theme of melancholy stands out in the text. The author portrays a hero who is burdened by his position, and the reader understands what is, why. "The Death of an Official" reveals the tragedy of a humiliated individual.
- The culture of admiration for superiors is a problem of society, its incorrect structure, where inequality is caused by a religious message. If the king is God’s anointed, and the nobles are his associates, then their imaginary superiority is from God. That is, from childhood, people are implanted with the myth that someone is better than them by birthright. This is the problem of the tsarist regime, which gave birth to such Chervyakovs.
- The theme of the little man also makes itself felt; the author embodies it through the image of the main character. Such an insignificant and defenseless person is doomed to vegetate in a big and cruel world.
- The problem of honor. In his story “The Death of Officials,” Chekhov raises the problem of an incorrect change of guidelines: the executor is more important than the opinion of the general, and not the fate of the family, for example. A person changes his personal values to corporate ones. This threatens a dangerous transformation from an individual into an official.
- Arbitrariness. Another problem is that superiors actually pose a threat to subordinates. Any professional can be fired absolutely without reason; no one controls the activities of managers.
- The author also did not ignore indifference in the family: the official’s wife did not provide him with adequate support.
- Inequality. It doesn’t even occur to the characters that the relationship between them should not be hierarchical, each of them does not recognize himself as equal to the other, and in this state of affairs social contradictions cannot be avoided.
Issues
This work reflects many both eternal and pressing problems.
This is what this story makes you think about: how not to become just a mechanism of the state machine and not kill the soul before the body? Thus, the problems of the story are very rich, despite the small form of the work.
the main idea
Unfortunately, the realities of Russia at that time were such that the tyranny of a boss could make any of his subordinates a beggar. All kinds of government services enslaved souls, which were forever frozen in captivity and awe before a superior person. The main idea of the story is to show how a person loses his dignity while trying not to lose his position. Chekhov draws the reader's attention to how society destroys natural patterns and forces the average person to behave unnaturally: fear the boss to death, for example.
Even the title of the work already speaks of the writer’s intention. The idea of the story “The Death of an Official” is to show how a person loses his face and becomes just an official, who is killed by his own desire to serve his masters in everything. He is so insignificant that his life is limited to service, and his dignity is limited to “decent behavior in public,” as Chervyakov’s wife aptly put it, who is more concerned about what people will say than about her husband’s well-being.
Indeed, the book talks about the fact that it was not a person who died, but an official. The reason for his death is blatant veneration, since the hero lost his nerves due to the fact that he did not please his superiors. It was not the real tragedy that was the reason for this, but the illusory reality of uniforms, in which the subordinate forgets about his own dignity and becomes a slave to the state system of coercion. The meaning of the story is that instead of life, he has the illusion of life, where values are replaced by fictitious ranks and regalia, and virtues supplant vices: hypocrisy and sycophancy.
What does the story teach?
The author seriously describes an essentially curious situation: the character drove himself to death because of such a trifle. It’s quite funny to watch how the hero cannot understand simple things, which simply bores the general with his nonsense. He, like a clown, slips again and again on a banana peel and falls theatrically, bruising his forehead, but he does not understand what is happening. He perceives the ordinary words of His Excellency as sophisticated hints and slyness, attributes cunning and hypocrisy to him, although, in fact, the incident is over, and the person has forgotten to think about it. Chekhov dispassionately and seriously talks about what is funny, because we ourselves make fun of such ridiculous and pathetic clerks. The moral in the story “The Death of an Official” is not to ridicule, but to feel sorry for such people; they are deeply unhappy, but they are not the only ones to blame for this inferiority. The entire unjust social order is to blame for this. This is the conclusion to which the writer leads his thoughts. It is not the abstract Chervyakov who needs to change, but the entire society.
Interesting? Save it on your wall!- Category: Preparation for the State Examination
Time and history of creation
The story “The Death of an Official” was first published in the magazine “Oskolki” in 1883 with the subtitle “The Case.” Included in the collection "Motley Stories".
A minor official, Ivan Dmitrich Chervyakov, was watching the play “The Bells of Corneville” and sneezed. He apologized, but, to his horror, he saw that the civil general sitting in front of him was wiping his bald head and neck with a glove, since Chervyakov had accidentally sprayed him. Chervyakov is frozen with horror. During intermission, he apologizes to the general again, who irritably accepts the apology.
But this incident haunts Chervyakov. He comes to the general's place of duty to apologize again. Again he receives indifference in response and decides to write a letter to the general. But he changes his mind and again goes to the general with an apology. He, enraged by his intrusiveness, shouts at him and orders him to get out. Chervyakov could not bear such a general’s “scolding”, came home, lay down on the sofa, without taking off his uniform, and died.
Poetics, composition, idea
The genre of the work is short story. The work is very small in volume, has a clearly defined composition, each part of which carries an important semantic load.
The first two sentences are the exposition of the story: “One fine evening, an equally wonderful executor, Ivan Dmitrich Chervyakov, sat in the second row of chairs and looked through binoculars at the Bells of Corneville.” He looked and felt at the height of bliss.”
This fragment contains important information: the hero of the story is a small man, a minor official. The author's irony is heard both in the twice repeated word “beautiful” and in the word “at the height of bliss,” which clearly exaggeratedly and mockingly conveys the state of the executor.
Following this intensification of “beauty” we wait for an unexpected turn, and then follows: “suddenly” - the official’s sneeze: “His face wrinkled, his eyes rolled up, his breathing stopped... he took the binoculars away from his eyes, bent over and... apchhi!!! »
This episode is the beginning of the conflict. The comical nature of the situation is enhanced by the author’s comment: “Everyone is sneezing.”
Next, an “internal conflict” unfolds: Chervyakov understands that he “disturbed” not just a person, but a general. From this moment on, he not only ceases to be “at the height of bliss,” but with each subsequent episode he slides into the abyss of awareness of his human insignificance. The “electricity of rank” has an irresistible effect on him. It is this fear of a superior rank and the awareness of his insignificance that ultimately leads to his death.
Chervyakov will now go to “explain” his offense, because the general “impatiently moved his lower lip,” and “Chervyakov saw malice in his eyes.”
His actions are now driven by fear. The official's further behavior is absurd.
The absurdity of the situation increases: “The next day Chervyakov put on a new uniform, cut his hair and went to Brizzhalov to explain...”
These details of preparation for a conversation with the general, emphasized by Chekhov, give a vivid description of the state of his hero: for him this is a solemn moment of deciding his future fate.
With each subsequent apology from Chervyakov, the general's increasingly irritated reaction makes an explanation increasingly impossible. Chervyakov, with manic persistence, wants to “explain himself,” since only after “true” forgiveness will he be able to restore his peace of mind.
Chervyakov’s “rebellion” looks comical when the general once again exposes him, suspecting ridicule of the official’s sincere servility: “What kind of ridicule is there? - thought Chervyakov. - There is no ridicule here at all! General, he can’t understand! When this happens, I will no longer apologize to this fanfare! To hell with him! I’ll write him a letter, but I won’t go! By God, I won’t!”
But he could not invent the letters - the intellectual abilities of the official were mortally affected by fear of high rank.
The climax of the story is Chervyakov’s last trip to the general with an apology for his involuntary sneeze. The cry of an angry general appears to the official as a terrible shock, a blatant injustice that his humiliated consciousness cannot bear. The denouement comes - the death of the official.
The outcome of this insignificant situation is also ridiculous and absurd: a person does not die from such trifles (he sneezed unsuccessfully, did not apologize convincingly enough, found himself in an awkward situation with a superior person, etc.). But already in the title “The Death (Not of a Person!) of an Official,” Chekhov emphasizes that this is possible precisely in the case of an official who has lost other life guidelines and values, except for official ones.
Chekhov's work is not a story about the disappearance of a unique human individuality, but about the cessation of the functioning of a cog of some soulless mechanism.
The writer exaggerates the situation, the character of the hero, emphasizes his “reptile” nature with a telling surname.
The story contains the comic, turning into an accusatory one: the destruction of the human in man, the absence of the life of the spirit, the replacement of life with “functioning” as a cog of the state mechanism - this is sharply condemned by the writer. This is the idea of the story “Death of an Official.”
“The world of a “little” man in a small story by A.P. Chekhov's "Death of an Official". The right to grovel.
Plot, genre, chronotope.
Target: development of reading culture and understanding of the author's position.
Subject study results:
Personal
results:
- encourage students to think about human dignity.
Metasubject
results:
- ability to listen, reason, comment, draw conclusions;
Work with text, find the necessary information in it, process it; master speech (monologue, dialogical);
Subject
results:
in the cognitive sphere- the ability to analyze a story, characterize Chervyakov, understand and formulate a theme, an idea;
in the value-orientation sphere– evaluate the author’s idea, express your opinion;
in the communication field– perceive the reading of a story by ear, answer questions about the text, construct a monologue text;
in the aesthetic sphere– understand the role that artistic detail plays in creating an image.
Visual material.
Multimedia presentation, portrait of Chekhov.
Handout.
Text of the story "Death of an Official".
Appendix 1. Student work card (for each).
Appendix 2. Additional material (on the desk).
Board design
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov
"Death of an Official"
The world of the “little man” in Chekhov’s short story ??????? Right to grovel
Illustrations for the story.
??????? Why did Ivan Dmitrich Chervyakov die?
Plot, genre, chronotope. Epigraph for the lesson.
Recognize your insignificance, do you know where? Before God
perhaps before intelligence, beauty, nature, but not before
people. Among people you need to be aware of your
dignity.
A. Chekhov - brother Mikhail
During the classes
Goal setting
Today we continue the conversation about the wonderful writer Anton Pavlovich Chekhov. We remembered his biography, analyzed the story “Tosca”, and went on an excursion to the A.P. House-Museum. Chekhov. Thus, at least for a little while, we plunged into the world of the writer. You have already seen, I hope, that it is not without reason that they talk about the beauty of Chekhov’s work, where words are cramped and thoughts spacious, where every word is meaningful and capacious, like a deep vessel with a narrow neck: you look into it, but you won’t see the bottom... But you definitely need to see: for this you need to get used to it - then your eyes will begin to discern many things that you can’t see right away, in bright light...
Let us turn to his story “The Death of an Official.”
Written on the board TWO LESSON TOPICS. Unusual...I would like you to decide for yourself at the end of the lesson which topic was more important for you.
Today we will analyze Chekhov's story "The Death of an Official".
??? What would you suggest to cover in class?(students' answers)
GOALS: In today's lesson
Let’s analyze the story, talk about its plot, genre, chronotope;
let's characterize the main character;
Let's track how the theme of the "little man" develops in Chekhov's work;
Let's answer the question: Why did Ivan Dmitrich Chervyakov die?
As you work through the lesson, you fill out the cards in front of you.
Today we will need a dictionary for the story and additional material.
What is the story behind the creation of the story “Death of an Official”?
(students tell using additional material)
History of creation:
According to Chekhov’s recollections, the plot of the story “Death of an Official” was told to Anton Pavlovich Begichev(former director of Moscow theaters). It was simple: some man, who carelessly sneezed in the theater, came to a stranger the next day and began to apologize for causing him trouble in the theater. Funny anecdotal incident.“The Death of an Official” refers to the so-called early stories of the writer. Published in 1883 in the magazine "Oskolki" with subtitle - "Happening".“The Death of an Official,” like other stories of the writer, are included by the author in 1886 collection “Motley Stories.”
Motivation for cognitive activity
Before reading. Forecast.
??? What is this work about? The title is “Death of an Official.” Your forecast: what will we talk about?
Getting to know the text.
Your impressions...
Formation of skills and abilities
Analysis of the epigraph for the lesson.
(Teacher reads lines)
Recognize your insignificance, do you know where? Before God, perhaps, before intelligence, beauty, nature, but not before people. Among people you need to be aware of your dignity.
????This is what Anton Pavlovich wrote to his brother Mikhail. How do you understand this idea? What does this quote have to do with "Death of an Official"?
We proceed directly to the analysis of the work. Plot.
??? What is a plot?
The course of events in a literary text.
??? What are the plot elements?
Exposition, plot, development of action, climax, fall of action, epilogue.
Assignment: Find and write down plot elements in a story(entry in work cards)
1.Exposition. Ivan Chervyakov in the theater.
2. The beginning. The official sneezed and sprayed the general.
3. Development of action. Chervyakov goes to apologize to the general.
4. Climax. The general shouted and stamped his feet.
5.Decoupling. The official died.
Task: Make a quotation story (entry in work cards)
“...Ivan Dmitrich Chervyakov sat in the second row of seats and...felt at the height of bliss.”
2. “...bent over and...apchhi!!!”
3. “...the old man...was diligently wiping his bald spot...”
4. “You need to apologize.”
5. “I apologized, but he was somehow strange...”
6. “What nonsense...”
7. “General, he can’t understand!”
8. “Get out!!!”
9. “...he lay down on the sofa and...died.”
CONCLUSION: What does this alignment of events give us? As always, Chekhov’s simplicity of plot hides a deep meaning. And it can only be known through artistic details, which are designed to convey to the reader the main idea.
3. Next stage: Chronotope.
??? What is a chronotope?
Chronotope is time and space in a work of art.
Exercise(group work)
Let's analyze the time and space of "Death of an Official" together.
Time
Space
One fine evening
Arcadia Theater
That same evening
At home
Next day
General's reception room
Same day
At home
Next day
General's reception room
Same day
At home
??? What features of the chronotope did you notice?
Just three days, alternating official locations.
CONCLUSION: What did the analysis of time and space in the work give us???
It is as if the plot is being strung together.
We see the so-called suffering of the hero.
You can determine the genre of the work.
4. Genre “Death of an Official”
??? What is the genre of the work? Define a story.
The story is an epic genre of small volume, requiring at least two events and a shock ending. The story is characterized by an economy mode.
??? Prove it's a story(students' answers)
The story “Death of an Official” has a very small volume, three , a minimum of events, an economical narrative, an unexpected ending.
Philologists claim that Chekhov's story is a fusion of anecdote and parable.
Chekhov's story is rooted in the tradition of anecdote and parable. Chekhov's stories are a fusion of anecdote and parable.
(Joke(Greek) - a short entertaining story about an unexpected event with an unpredictable ending.
Parable- a short story in an edifying form, claiming to be a universal generalization)
5. Very often writers use so-called Speaking Names in their works.
??? What kind of reception is this?
??? Why do writers use telling names in their works?
??? Remember the telling names in works of Russian literature?
??? Why does Chervyakov have a first name, patronymic, and last name, but the general only has a last name? (for Chekhov, the general is a minor figure. Chervyakov is important to him. The general is deprived of a name and patronymic, and this is natural, because we see him through the eyes of Chervyakov, and he sees only the uniform (this word is often repeated in the text) of an important person)
Look at the meanings of the names.
Ivan(Old Hebrew) - God granted, the mercy of God.
Dmitriy(ancient Greek) – dedicated to Demeter, the goddess of fertility and agriculture.
Chervyakov- a worm, a worm, a ringed, legless animal that crawls, reptiles
Brizzhalov- to rattle - to strum, to tremble, to chatter; disdain – shout in a sharp voice, grumble
??? Why this choice?
Ivan. God gave life to the hero.
Dmitriy. Connection with the ground on which it crawls.
Worm. An animal that crawls on the ground is a reptile.
CONCLUSION: God himself gave the hero the life of a man, and he turned it into the life of an animal.
6. Keywords
Exercise. Write down the key words (verbs) that create the image of the official.
I looked - 5 times. Sneezed 6 times. Confused - 3 times.
Sprayed - 5 times. Apologize – 7 times. Explain – 5 times.
Muttered - 3 times. Sorry - 1 time. Understand – 1 time
??? How do they characterize Chervyakov?
As we work on the image of Chervyakov, we write down the characteristics on the board.
Chervyakov's image:
modest official, "little man"
official not by line of service, but by nature
grovelling voluntarily
constantly humiliated
renounced his human dignity, etc.
7. Creative task. Imagine that a general found out about Chervyakov’s death. Compose a monologue of a general after the death of an official.
8. Interpretation of the story. "The Little Man" by Chekhov
A.P. Chekhov addresses the traditional theme of the “little man”
??? What heroes in Russian literature are “little people”? Give examples.
1. They all occupy one of lowest places in the social hierarchy.
2. Humiliation combined with a feeling of injustice, wounded pride.
3. “Little Man” often performs in opposition to a "significant person", and the development of the plot is constructed mainly as a story of resentment, insult.
??? Chervyakov – “little man”?
Chervyakov could be ranked among the traditional “little man” type in Russian literature.
Chekhov presents us with the theme of the “little man” in a completely different way.
??? TO then he can say: where did Chekhov’s innovation manifest itself?
Behind the anecdotal situation in Chekhov's humorous stories there often appears psychological paradox.
Paradox– unexpected, unusual, contrary to common sense.
??? What psychological paradox are we talking about in the story “The Death of an Official”?
The traditional pairing of a formidable general and a timid official in Russian prose about the “little man” was turned upside down in Chekhov’s story: the modest official turned into an oppressor (executioner), and his excellency into an oppressed victim. Brizzhalov's high bureaucratic rank did not prevent him from remaining a normal person. Chervyakov, on the contrary, even with his low rank, is not a person.
He wrote to his brother Alexander in 1885 (after the creation of the story “The Death of an Official”) about “little” people: “Have mercy on your oppressed college registrars! Can’t you just smell that this topic has already become obsolete and is making you yawn? And where in Asia do you find the torment that the chino-shi experience in your stories? Truly I tell you, it’s scary to even read! It is now more realistic to portray collegiate registrars who do not allow their excellencies to live.”
??? Do you agree with this thought of M. Rybnikova: “ This is a story about FEAR. The general was a major official, and Chervyakov was a minor official. Such was the way of life, such was the system, that the younger ones were terribly afraid of the older ones. He apologized ten times, he yelled at him, Chervyakov got scared and died” (students’ answers)
It's not about fear. Chervyakov does not understand why the general did not curse him. After all, that’s the way it’s supposed to be. And Chervyakov died not from fright at all, but from the fact that a man of high rank violated his sacred principles.
??? Why is Chervyakov pursuing the general?
In Chekhov's works there are many characters with stereotypical thinking who live according to the “program”. Chervyakov believes that the general must humiliate and punish a minor official for any mistake. Shown here program crash: Chervyakov does not understand, why the general does not listen to his apologies. It seems to be doing everything right, but achieving the opposite effect.
??? Why did Chervyakov die?
If Chervyakov was humiliated in his human dignity, it was by no means by General Brizzhalov. Chervyakov humiliates his human dignity, at the same time very persistently, only myself. So, Chekhov's Chervyakov is an official not by type of service or position, but by nature. This type exists in any environment and in any people. He, alas, is eternal, immortal. Hero of "Death of an Official" died because he was not understood and satisfied with the RIGHT TO CROSS.
??? Why did Chervyakov die without taking off his uniform?
Violation of logic in actions people in Chekhov's works are a reflection of illogicality, the absurdity of reality itself. The title is preceded by a hint about the incompatibility of some concepts: the death is not of a person, but of a bureaucrat, a slave. The author constantly draws attention to the inconsistency, the contrast of cause and effect (the official sneezed - the official “died”). Harmless Chervyakov turns out to be a kind of tyrant, despot. Chervyakov scary because on it, on it voluntary groveling, the whole system holds sycophancy, rank, humiliation And self-humiliation.
??? How does Chekhov feel about his hero?
In Chekhov's creative development, his early stories play a very important role. In particular, the writer’s attitude towards a downtrodden and humiliated person, who became like this through his own fault, changes dramatically. Instead of the pity traditional for previous literature, one feels contempt to people like this. And an excellent illustration of this is the story “The Death of an Official.” There is no hopelessness in Chervyakov’s situation, and his suffering is far-fetched. He's himself voluntarily drives into spiritual slavery by constantly humiliating himself, annoying the general with his apologies. Therefore, it is unlikely that Chekhov’s sympathies could be on the side of such a character. Rather, this is the “anti-ideal” of the author.
Reflection.
???What topic will you write on your work card? Why?
??? What does this story make us think about?
That a person should always remain human, never lose his dignity and value others primarily by their human qualities, and not by their positions. And the writer convinced us of this by laughing at the absurd death of the official Chervyakov, who forgot about his human dignity and became like a worm.
??? What to do to avoid becoming like the official Chervyakov?
Ratings. Bottom line.
