PEASANTS

Peasants

They are poor, dirty, noisy, lazy, drunkards -- but human beings.

Chekhov doesn't spare anything in his description of the peasants. 

It's not a pretty picture.

Yet, somehow, there is something majestic in village life. The air is pure and the people endure.

They endure despite the poverty, the mistreatment by officials -- they do what they can with what they have.

Sure -- there is a lot in this story that is revolting -- especially the beatings Kiryak gives his wife and how the family seems complacent about them.

The peasants live close to nature -- the heat and the cold are vividly felt -- they have no place to hide -- they live with the bugs and the sunsets -- drink cheap vodka under the stars -- eat food they grow and abuse one another -- sing and dance in the meadow -- suffer and fear death -- they are in touch with the good and the bad.

The poverty does make their lives hard -- they could easily give up -- but they don't.

Should we feel sorry for them? Disgust? Compassion?

They are who they are.

They could treat each other better.

But we all could do that.