THE BLACK MONK

The Black Monk

A masterpiece.

What is genius? What is madness? Are geniuses by their very nature abnormal? And if you try to make them normal do you take away from their genius? (Moral: Leave well enough alone.)

What is normal anyways? Does normal mean mediocrity? Is that what we should strive for? To fit in. To be part of the society. To have a position. Or is there something beyond that?  Something that connects us to the universe but might also drive us insane -- because it's too much.  "In ancient times a happy man grew at last frightened of his happiness -- it was so great!"

A story of a young genius and his encounters with an "imaginary" monk provides the background for Chekhov to explore these questions among many others.

One feels this story is timeless -- where did Chekhov come up with the idea -- like the Black Monk legend that Kovrin talks about: "I have been all day thinking of a legend. I don't remember whether I have read it somewhere or heard it . . . "

How much of this story is about Chekhov himself? Was he protective of his gift -- dismissive -- and did he have premonitions that he would die young? How much did he worry about fame? Posterity?

I can only faintly conceive the happiness, the ecstasy Chekhov must have felt writing a story like this. To be able to create all the pieces and know how to fit them just in the right place -- and all the time writing about the very gift that allowed him to do what he was doing at such a high level. How much was he aware of the Black Monk staring over his shoulder?

And I also wonder about how Chekhov knows so much about horticulture which plays a central part in the story -- how does he research the subject?  He can't google it. Does he learn all from personal experience?

This is such a well-crafted story -- that like the garden in the story had to be nurtured carefully -- which Chekhov does -- and the result is that he leaves us something that will forever bloom with his awesome talent and amazing insight into the human soul.