TALENT

Talent

Anybody who has dreamed of creating great art one day will appreciate this cautionary tale.  

Dreaming and doing are two very different things. 

Yegor Savvitch is a dreamer. He has all the trappings of the artist -- the unkempt look -- the desire to be free -- the need to be admired -- but unfortunately he lacks the talent. He has spent all summer pretending to be an artist instead of actually being an artist. All he has done during the summer holiday is a poorly drawn sketch of his landlady's daughter, Katya. In fact, due to her desire to break away from her cruel mother, Katya has bought into Yegor Savvitch's illusions. She wants to marry him and live with a famous artist. 

Chekhov obviously knows what it takes to create great art -- and I'm sure then as now, there are many who pretend but few who actually accomplish. 

As he aptly writes in the story: " . . . only two or three rise to any position and all others draw blanks in the lottery, perish playing the part of flesh to cannon." 

And if you want to rise, then you better work night and day. 

Well, on the other hand, it's a lot more romantic to act like an artist than to actually do the art. Creating takes a lot of sweat, time, dedication and craft -- it's much more pleasant to have a few glasses of vodka and simply talk.