"The Man in the Case". A Greek teacher, a lonely elderly man, closed from the outside world, cowardly and timid.

History of creation

Anton Chekhov wrote the story "The Man in the Case" in 1898, and in the same year the text was published in the literary and political journal Russkaya Mysl. The story became the first part of the "Little Trilogy" series, which also included Chekhov's texts "Gooseberry" and "About Love".

The author conceived the series in the spring and summer of 1898, when he lived in the village of Melikhovo, Moscow Region. Chekhov wrote his first story in a month, and in early June it was already being prepared for publication. Chekhov was not going to close the series with the story "About Love", but he fell ill with tuberculosis, the writer's creative activity fell, and the series was never continued.


Illustration for the story "The Man in the Case"

It is not known whether Belikov had a prototype, but some of Chekhov's contemporaries believed that a certain Alexander Dyakonov, an inspector of a Taganrog gymnasium, became the hero's prototype. According to another version, in the image of Belikov, Chekhov described the then-famous conservative publicist Mikhail Menshikov. However, researchers note that the similarities between Belikov and Menshikov are found to be exclusively external. Most likely, Belikov is a collective image.

In 1939, the film "The Man in the Case" directed by Isidor Annensky was released at the "Belarusfilm" studio. The role of Belikov was played by actor Nikolai Khmelev.

The story "The Man in the Case"

Belikov is an elderly Greek teacher whose full name unknown. The hero is over forty, he has a pale little face, similar to the muzzle of a ferret. Belikov wears dark glasses and hides his face behind a raised collar, and plugs his ears with cotton wool. From time to time a weak crooked smile appears on the hero’s face, and Belikov’s figure looks crooked and small, as if he was “pulled out with tongs” from somewhere. Even in warm and clear weather, the hero wears a wadded coat, galoshes and an umbrella and strives to dress warmer even in summer.


The hero prefers loneliness and seeks to isolate himself from the outside world, to create a protective shell around himself, a kind of “case” inside which the hero will be protected from external influences. The writer also calls Belikov's thoughts "case" - narrow. The “case considerations” of the hero make a depressing impression on those around him.

Things belonging to Belikov are also stored in cases. The hero keeps everything in cases - an umbrella, a watch, which he keeps in a case made of gray suede, and even a penknife for sharpening pencils, the hero takes out of the case.

Belikov has a suspicious character. What is happening around causes anxiety in the hero, frightens and irritates. Belikov's favorite phrase; “No matter what happens,” sounds in the speech of the hero for any reason. To take a break from the disgusting and disturbing reality, the hero studies ancient languages, likes to remember the past and praise morals and customs that never really existed.


According to Belikov, "something can come out" from any innocent undertaking. The hero is upset when a new drama club or tea house opens in the city, because any innovation can end badly. Belikov was discouraged by the deviation from the rules, even if what was happening was not directly related to him. The hero began to worry when he heard about the leprosy of high school students or the love affairs of an outside class lady.

Belikov worked at the gymnasium for fifteen years, and all this time he oppressed those around him with his own presence. The hero creates an atmosphere of heightened anxiety at the teachers' councils, worrying that information about, for example, the students making noise in the classrooms would not reach the authorities. Belikov treats the authorities with great respect and demands the same from those around him. Belikov is feared and listened to by colleagues and even the director of the gymnasium. A suffocating atmosphere is formed around the hero, "like in a police box." Some colleagues consider Belikov an informer.


Frame from the film adaptation of "The Man in the Case"

Outside of work, Belikov behaves no better. The hero goes out into society and visits acquaintances, but these visits are hard for him and Belikov makes them only for the sake of decency. In the city of Belikov they are afraid, the ladies are afraid to arrange home performances on Saturdays, people are afraid even to send letters or raise their voices. And the hero himself is afraid of public opinion and therefore does not keep female servants at home, and even in food he is guided not by his own tastes, but by what people will think if they see him at a meal.

Belikov is constantly afraid of everything and even in his own apartment he cannot sleep peacefully: he fears for his own fate, because he thinks that either a servant will kill him in a dream, or thieves will get into the house. The hero's apartment itself is like a box. Small bedroom, four-poster bed, shutters and shutters everywhere. The hero is afraid of people to such an extent that it is hard for him to walk next to someone, and the crowded gymnasium where Belikov works also causes fear in him.


Once Belikov happened to fall in love. This happened after meeting Varya, the sister of one of Belikov's young colleagues. However, this relationship ends in nothing. The hero is afraid to get married, because “no matter what happens,” and the girl’s brother once kicks Belikov out of the apartment and lowers him down the stairs. This humiliating scene takes place in front of Varya. The humiliated Belikov returns home, goes to bed and does not get up again, and dies a month later, thus ending his sad biography. According to modern experts, Chekhov's Belikov is a classic psychasthenic.

Quotes

"To bury people like Belikov is a great pleasure."
“All this is wonderful, but no matter what happens.”
“You get married, and then what good will you get into some kind of story.”
"The Little Russian language, with its tenderness and pleasant sonority, resembles ancient Greek."

Who are the case people? They surround us everywhere, but few people realize that they can be characterized by such an interesting term. Because not everyone has read the famous story of Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, which was called “The Man in the Case”. It was this Russian prose writer-dramatist who for the first time in history proposed such a type of personality. However, about everything - in order.

visual image

Anyone who is familiar with knows how rich the world of his works is in human types. Who just does not meet in his stories! And conscientious individuals, not satisfied with social laws and themselves, and narrow-minded inhabitants, and noble dreamers, and opportunistic officials. And images of "case" people are also found. In particular - in the story mentioned above.

In the center of the plot of "The Man in the Case" is a gymnasium teacher named Belikov. Teaching Greek - has long ceased to be anyone needed. He is very strange. Even if it's sunny outside, he puts on galoshes, a warm wadded coat with a high collar and takes an umbrella. Obligatory "accessory" - dark glasses. He always stuffs his ears with cotton. He rides in a cab, with the top always up. And Belikov also keeps everything in cases - an umbrella, a watch, and even a penknife.

But this is just an image. It would seem that the description only says that the person is neat and prudent, maybe a little more pedantic. But it is not for nothing that they say that in the external manifestation internal state person. And indeed it is.

Personal characteristic

Examples of "case" people encountered in life are reflected in Belikov. He is a mixture of sociopath, paranoid and introvert. He is afraid of all living things. His is: "No matter what happens." He treats everything that surrounds him with caution and fear. Belikov is not able to think freely, since each of his ideas is in a "case".

And okay, if that's how he was in society. But even at home, he behaves similarly! He dresses in a long dressing gown and a cap, closes the shutters on the windows tightly, snapping the latches. His bed has a canopy, and when Belikov lies down in it, he covers himself with a blanket with his head.

Naturally, he observes all the posts, and does not get female servants - fearing that others will suspect him of having a relationship with them. Belikov is a real hermit. Which, in the truest sense of the word, is afraid to live.

Consequences

Naturally, such a lifestyle that Belikov leads cannot fail to affect anything. Who are the case people? These are real hermits who believe that they live quite normally for themselves, unlike the rest. This is also manifested in Chekhov's hero.

At one point, he meets Varenka, a girl who is the sister of a new teacher of geography and history. She shows an unexpected interest in Belikov. Which society begins to persuade to marry her. He agrees, despite the fact that the thought of marriage oppresses and disturbs him. Belikov is losing weight, turning pale, becoming even more nervous and fearful. And the first thing that worries him the most is the lifestyle of the “bride”.

Who are the case people? Those who do not understand others because of their detachment. Varenka loves to ride a bike with her brother. And Belikov is sure that this quite ordinary hobby is not normal! Because it is not good for someone who teaches history to young people to ride a bicycle. And the woman on this vehicle looks completely indecent. Belikov did not hesitate to express his thoughts to Varenka's brother, who cannot stand it. And he threatened to report his passion to the director of the gymnasium. In response, Varenka's brother lowered Belikov down the stairs. What is the result? Belikov falls ill - from stress, he is not let go by the thought that someone will find out about his shame. And he dies a month later. Such is the end.

Main thought

Well, who are the case people - you can understand by the example of Belikov. And the idea, in principle, Chekhov wanted to convey a simple one. The prose writer tried to convey to readers that life “closed” from society only cripples human soul. You can't be outside the others. We are all members of a single society. Everything that a person has confused himself, set up - only fences him off from life. From reality filled with colors. And indeed it is. Spiritual wretchedness only limits human existence. What is Chekhov thinking about in this story.

Modernity

A person of the 21st century who has read Chekhov knows what kind of people are called case. And he is able to recognize them among the rest. Now they are called introverts. These are people whose mental make-up is characterized by a focus on contemplation, isolation and focus on one's own inner world. They are not inclined to communicate with other people - it is difficult for them to establish contact with anyone.

However, to understand the essence of this term, it is enough to turn to the etymology. "Introvert" is a word derived from the German introvertiert. Which literally translates as "inward-facing".

Analysis of the "Man in the Case" contributes to understanding artwork, helps to imbue the idea of ​​the author and clearly define his position.

Anton Pavlovich Chekhov in the story paints a picture of ordinary philistine life, exposes the insignificant essence of small people.

The writer evokes a lot of conflicting feelings and impressions in the soul of the reader.

The history of the creation of the work of A.P. Chekhov "The Man in the Case"

The composition opens the “Little Trilogy”, which includes “Gooseberries” and “About Love”. Anton Pavlovich wrote this series in the summer of 1898 in Melikhovo.

Main characters and their characteristics

In the work there are no heroes in the full sense of the word, people expressing the author's views, revealing the author's meaning.

The protagonist is the Greek teacher Belikov, nicknamed Antropos by his students.

Other actors:

  • Chimsha Himalayan- a veterinarian belonging to the nobility;
  • Burkin- storyteller, teacher, colleague of Belikov;
  • Mikhail Savvich Kovalenko- the character of Burkin's story, a young teacher;
  • Varenka- unmarried sister of Mikhail Savvich about thirty years old;
  • Cook Athanasius- a sixty-year-old man, who is in the servants of Belikov;
  • Maura- the wife of the headman, who has never left the village in her life. And in the last ten years, she leaves her house only at night. The recollection of the Mavra leads Ivan Ivanych and Burkin to talk about the case.

Belikov is a man enclosed in several cases. This is a cover, which is expressed not only externally, consisting of the characteristic attributes of clothing, but also an internal case. Anthropos' life is filled with self-limitations and limitations for others.

The phrase he often repeats, “no matter what happens,” serves as a response to any inconsistency with established stereotypes. The life principles of this person are reduced to protection from the surrounding life, to constant caution, anticipation of danger and the imposition of their restrictions on others.

Chimsha-Himalayan is a lean, tall old man with a long mustache. According to others, he is absolutely not suitable strange last name Chimsha-Himalayan. Therefore, everyone calls him simply Ivan Ivanovich. The fate of Belikov prompts Ivan Ivanych to think about social evil, injustice and the inability to openly express his position.

In contrast to the doctor Chimshe-Gimalaysky, Chekhov depicts the appearance of the teacher Burkin. This is a bald fat man of small stature with a long black beard. He looks with irony at the history of Belikov, being at the same time a typical representative of the petty-bourgeois provincial society.

And only one Kovalenko, an energetic, open person, frankly despises Anthropos, accusing him to his face of fiscalism. He does not understand how the surrounding teachers can exist in such conditions, in an atmosphere of "suffocating, filthy".

Mikhail Savvich's sister Varvara has bright, expressive features. The author draws her as a noisy laugher who is not averse to marrying Belikov.

Athanasius appears as a constantly drunk, half-witted old man who, as usual, stands at the door with crossed arms and indistinctly mutters the same incomprehensible phrase.

Very short summary

"The Man in the Case" is a short literary work. It has just over 10 printed pages. The story is not divided into chapters, being a whole narrative.

This is a kind of story within a story, a case from life, told between times on the hunt. Briefly, the plot of "The Man in the Case" fits in a few lines.

In the first paragraph, there is a description of the place for the overnight stay of two belated hunters: Ivan Ivanovich and Burkin. They didn't sleep. Various stories came to mind. The conversation turns to people hiding in a protective shell, escaping loneliness.

The teacher remembered Belikov, who had died about two months ago. He was notable for the fact that throughout his life he tried to "surround himself with a shell."

The real Belikov was disgusting, he could not stand deviations from the rules and terrorized the whole city. The Greek teacher was afraid of everything and was cautious in everything. He ate pike perch in cow butter, in fear of being accused of non-observance of fasts.

The measured course of the life of the city is disturbed by the arrival of the teacher of geography and history Kovalenko and his sister. These are new people "from crests". The inhabitants are bored out of boredom by the idea of ​​marrying Varvara Kovalenko and Belikov. Suggestion does its job, and Anthropos tends to think that "we must marry." But this whole situation has a depressing effect on the Greek teacher, he is cautious.

There are two decisive cases here. In the gymnasium, a caricature of an "anthropos in love" appears, depicting Belikov with an umbrella in galoshes and rolled up trousers, arm in arm with Varenka. One day, an unlucky lover sees Varvara Savvishna and her brother on bicycles.

This spectacle strikes him to the depths of his soul and leads to indignation. He decides to explain himself to Kovalenko. The conversation turns into a quarrel, and Mikhail Savvich lowers Belikov down the stairs right under Varvara's feet. The girl, seeing the embarrassed and rumpled teacher, believing that he fell by accident, bursts into loud laughter. This ends for Belikov all earthly existence.

He went to bed and didn't get up again. Anthropos died a month later. After the funeral, all residents experience a feeling of great pleasure. But after a while, life returns to its former course.

In conclusion, the hunters' reasoning on the topic of case follows. But history leads them to different thoughts and conclusions. Everyone, thinking about his own, goes to bed.

Analysis of the work

Analysis of Chekhov's work will help to identify the features of the work, to explore ways of expressing the author's intention.

The main idea - what does "a man in a case" mean?

The main idea of ​​the story is a protest against the case and a call for a simple open life.

Chekhov expands the meaning of the concept "case". The protective cover can be divided into several layers. Main character He hides not only in an outer case: in any weather he is dressed in a warm coat on wadding with a raised collar and galoshes, wears an umbrella in a case, and dark glasses. He protects his space, closes on all the latches, closes the shutters.

Belikov defends himself from external influences, is afraid of everything new, ambiguous. He only understands circulars and newspaper articles containing prohibitions. The inner layer is designed to hide Belikov from annoying reality.

Why was the whole city afraid of Belikov? Let us turn to the quotation in which Burkin describes Anthropos:

Belikov oppresses everyone with his caution, puts pressure on people, makes them afraid of everything and everyone. Thus, the name Belikov becomes a household name, characterizing the phenomenon of human case. This is the meaning of the title of the story.

Composition

The work is distinguished by an unusual compositional technique. The narrative is one story within another. Moreover, the main part of "The Man in the Case" belongs to Burkin. His style is not Chekhovian, it is publicistic and distinguished by pathos.

Genre

The work "The Man in the Case" belongs to the genre of the story.

He has character traits this genre:

  • small volume - about 13 pages;
  • few actors;
  • one significant episode from life is described;
  • a big role is given to details;
  • the story is told from the point of view of the narrator;
  • The title has a key meaning.

Direction

Literary direction of Chekhov's work - realism. The author reproduces the typical features of the life of his time, depicts characteristic personalities.

The "Man in the Case" reflects a historical era. And typical social qualities are embodied in the image of the protagonist.

Plot Features

The plot of the work is based on the clash of two dissimilar people of the same profession, Belikov and Mikhail Savvich. The conflict unfolds against the backdrop of everyday life. And the narrative is framed in a lyrical shell.

It is no coincidence that at the end of the story about the life of Anthropos, a lyrical description of the surrounding nature, silence and serenity of the night sounds.

Issues

In the story, Chekhov raises important issues concerning the individual, his place in society and his role in social life. The writer draws the image of Belikov as a man who fenced himself off from people, hiding in a case of conventions and fears.

And there are many problems hiding here: the problem of loneliness and hostility towards progress, the meaninglessness of life, the fear of love and the search for happiness.

Conclusion

Critics expressed mixed reviews about the story "The Man in the Case". Most of the writer's contemporaries noted the living image of Belikov, which was an "artistic revelation" and expressing "a whole social environment." And only a few critics did not see the depth of the work, calling it bad and empty.

The main character of Chekhov's story "The Man in the Case" is the teacher of the Greek language Belikov. Colleague Burkin is talking about him throughout the story.

Belikov appears in the story as a notorious person, full of incomprehensible prejudices. In any weather, he goes out in galoshes, in a coat and with an umbrella. All his items were in a case: a knife for sharpening a pencil, an umbrella and even a watch. This citizen walked around with his collar constantly raised, and from this it seemed that he, too, was hiding his face in a cover. Sitting on a cab, he always asked to raise the top. Belikov constantly had a desire to close himself, to place himself in a certain case and thereby protect himself from any external influences. The real reality instilled in him fear and horror of everything new. As if justifying his misunderstanding of the present, he always talked about the past. In combination with all his behavior, the teaching of ancient languages ​​indicated a certain detachment from reality.

The main life slogan for Belikov is "no matter what happens." Any slightest deviation from the long-established rules can unbalance him. But despite his notoriety, according to Burkin, Belikov managed to keep the whole city in suspense.

Soon a new history teacher Mikhail Kovalenko and his sister Varya moved to the city. Colleagues of Belikov are trying in every possible way to bring him to her. However, he cannot decide on such a responsible step and is afraid of everything. And when he happened to see Kovalenko and his sister riding bicycles, Belikov generally fell into bewilderment. He couldn't imagine a teacher riding a bike.

What then is left for the children to do?

Just stand on your heads, he reasoned, trying to reason with Kovalenko.

On that day, Belikov’s conversation with Kovalenko was brought to a quarrel, and Belikov was lowered down the stairs, where Varya, who entered the entrance, saw him. The hero could not survive such a shame. He shuts himself off from the world in his room and dies when he falls ill.

Concluding the story, Burkin says that Belikov looked very cheerful in the coffin. Apparently, he was glad that he finally ended up in such a case in which no one would disturb him.

Option 2

In his stories, Chekhov sometimes draws strange images of people that are even hard to imagine. Nevertheless, such people do exist, although Belikov is in many ways a grotesque figure. We see some strange metamorphosis of the human personality, which turns into something strange and even terrible.

Belikov has been working for about 15 years as a teacher of Greek in a gymnasium and has weight in this gymnasium. Throughout a significant part of the story, no one can argue with Belikov, they obey him. Therefore, if this hero does not like something, then he can, for example, expel a schoolboy, although such decisions are clearly conditioned by his inertness and excessive conservatism.

Belikov - enclosed in a case. Through this image of the case, Chekhov represents his whole personality, he even describes the thoughts of the hero in the case, he has every object in the case, and besides this, he is figuratively all enclosed in a case. Thus, his closeness from the world and ossification is manifested, perhaps, in some way ignorance is manifested, which opposes everything new and some kind of change.

This hero is clearly afraid of some kind of updates, he is always afraid of any incidents, and such fears are manifested in all the details of his everyday life, from ordering cabbies to raise their tops, to wearing a thick coat even in warm weather. Belikov is a completely ridiculous character, but his beginning is also described as something negative and negative, he is not just ridiculous, but to a certain extent he is an opponent of this world, humanity, positive and progressive. Therefore, the death of Belikov becomes possible only after he is ridiculed, ridicule, as it were, destroys the established world of this hero, subjects him to a kind of censure that devalues ​​the absurdity that this hero has always clung to with complete seriousness.

Also, in fact, we see how Belikova destroys love. Of course, we can consider the illness and sadness of the hero as an outcome after rudeness from Varenka's brother, but in fact his behavior is only part of the relationship with Varenka. In fact, Belikov does not even imagine how he would love this girl, he does not imagine his marriage, in fact, this case man is unsuitable for love, which is something more than his limited nature, therefore love, as it were, cleanses the world of Belikov himself.

Composition Belikov (Man in a case)

More than a decade separates the story of A.P. Chekhov, “The Man in the Case” from the initial humor, but one of the most famous creations of the author is prose, it has many contacts with the work of his writing youth. Firstly, it is a combination of one specific social satire, that specific historical era with a philosophical motive, with tasks and solutions that are constantly known to everyone. And the title of the story, and the pseudonym of its protagonist, were perceived at once as a vast abstraction.

Belikov, as a fashionable critic at that time told us, is one of the majority of people who, like Oblomov or Chichikov, expressed with their whole essence a huge social environment, or the direction of that time. “Case people”, “Belikovs” - these social indicators that flashed in the title, on the pages of scandalous articles, passed into the way of life, became clear formulas for everyone. Six years earlier, Leskov said that, having analyzed another work of Chekhov: “Ward No. 6 is everywhere. This is Russia...” The feelings left in my soul between these stories were similar in many ways: “All Russia seemed to me in a case”, - once a reader wrote to Chekhov, who followed his work.

The image of Belikov goes from the biological, characteristic-psychological, to the social stratum, to the demonstration of the natural beginning of people in society. Yes, and this is not at all surprising: Chekhov is a doctor by profession, who owns a natural scientific view of everything that happens, convinced that, clear understanding medicine and poetry have never clashed against each other.

A.P. Chekhov, as an artist-musician, often uses techniques from music to express his thoughts;

The problem that Chekhov touches on in this story will always remain urgent for most people. Without noticing for himself, any person can withdraw into himself or close himself into a "case" of his own delusions, ceasing to think, seek out and hesitate in his decisions. And this is the worst thing that leads to the regression of a person as a person, as an entity. A person does not notice absolutely nothing but his prejudices and fears, he cannot adequately think, invent, think out his ideas. A certain painful fear for their own existence constantly raged in the soul of Belikov, an outstanding character in Chekhov's story, "The Man in the Case", which was published in 1898.

Belikov is the same "man in a case", a senseless, miserable creature who thought of one day to instill fear in the whole city. Even the teachers were wary of him. Yes, teachers, absolutely the whole city, from small to great, shied away from him.

A man in a case... It seemed such a strange expression, but how exactly it personifies the human soul. The idea of ​​this work lies in showing the society the essence of fear: “Under the influence of people like Belikov, over the past 10-15 years, everything has become fearful in our city. They were afraid to speak loudly, send letters, make acquaintances, read books, they are afraid to help the poor, to teach people to read and write. Yes, and everything that we set up for ourselves, invented, what we fenced ourselves off from the world with, all this needs to be destroyed, we need to step over all this, discover something new, interesting for ourselves, look at everything with an adequate look and not complicate our lives with what some imagined accidents.

This presentation combines a set of very interesting compositions which, in spite of everything, do not prevent our writer A.P. Chekhov from sending us an inseparable assessment of the perception of human existence, the assertion of his perfections and worldview.

In exposing the appearance of Belikov, we are helped by a compositional technique that Chekhov often uses in his works - a story within a story. In our case, these are hunters who decided to settle down to spend the night in the shed of the headman Prokofy, they told each other various incidents, stories, fables. One of the narrators was Burkin, he decided to keep up with everyone, to tell the story of one living in his city, a teacher of a foreign Greek language, Belikov, to his friend, a famous veterinarian, Ivan Ivanovich. What was this teacher famous for? But the fact that, despite the wonderful sunny, warm weather, he always entered from home in galoshes, with an umbrella in his hands and always in a warm wadded coat. But he had an umbrella in a case, a watch in a case made of gray suede fabric, and even, if necessary, taking out a penknife in order to sharpen a pencil, to all his surprise he kept the knife in the same case. The expression of his appearance to anyone he met, at first glance, it seemed that he, too, was dressed in a case, a face that was constantly hiding behind the turned up collar of a warm wadded coat. According to the narrator Burkin, Belikov walked all the time in black glasses, a sweatshirt, plugged his ears with cotton wool, and when he got into a cab, he ordered to raise the top, as if he was afraid of something. Was it a whim or some invented way of life of our hero, our narrator does not explain to us. But he notes that this hero there was an endless greedy desire to "surround himself with a shell, create for himself, so to speak, a case" in order to hide himself and protect himself with words, actions and all the dirt of the world around him.

The features that Chekhov designs become symbolic in Belikov's appearance. It is surprising that such an unattractive and narrow-minded person, with such a boring way of life, a person who does not sleep at night, he intimidated not only himself with all his thoughts, but he also managed to intimidate all those people who surrounded him with his whole appearance, and even the entire city. At first, it was amusing and quite harmless for Chekhov to describe the place where Belikov lived, because it looked like some kind of lair. Comparing the hero of the story with a hermit crab or a snail, which will not hurt anyone, and besides, they are always afraid of everything.

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