ON OFFICIAL DUTY

On Official Duty

Spiritual insight lies at the heart of this complicated tale.

The suicide of a potentially rich man who accepts becoming an insurance agent after his father (who had stolen his inheritance) squanders his wealth on drink gets things rolling.  Karma is a bitch.

So this insurance agent commits suicide and because it looks suspicious a doctor and an examining magistrate are called in to investigate. But the real investigation is on what lies at the center of all human life.

The snobbish magistrate thinks that life only occurs in big cities like Moscow -- what takes place out in the provinces is just a shadow of life -- insignificant. Well, obviously this immature idea has to be further examined and it is what this story does.

What the magistrate eventually realizes is that we are all connected:

"Some tie unseen, but significant and essential, existed between them and Von Taunitz and between all men -- all men; in this life, even in the most remotest desert, nothing is accidental, everything is full of one common idea, everything has one soul . . ."  The concept of Moksha -- universal spirit or soul.

If we think we are superior to someone else -- and therefore entitled to a better life -- well, that is not in line with the way nature works. We must respect and be in harmony and in balance with life and each other to find some kind of solace in this world.

Otherwise, we risk becoming miserable -- out of ease(dis-eased) -- and in the most extreme cases resort to suicide.

I'll revist this theme in a minute. I just want to point attention to Chekhov's brilliant descriptions of the cruel Russian winters. Here is a terrific scene from the story:

"In the night, towards morning, it all subsided. When they got up and looked out of the window, the bare willows with their weakly drooping branches were standing perfectly motionless; it was dull and still, as though nature now were ashamed of its orgy, of its mad nights, and the license it had given to its passions."

Can you top that?

Put simply -- this story helps a young magistrate expand his mind from viewing life as only happening in the cultural centers of Moscow (elitism which is never healthy -- just -- or true) --- to a much broader --  mature vision and a more inclusive appreciation of life and humanity.

Meaning -- love -- suffering -- joy -- passion -- loss-- all the things that make up life are all around us wherever we are and we are part of that -- as we are part of the universe -- and we shouldn't look up or down at anyone -- no matter what their station in life is -- because they are just like us -- a small part of a greater whole.

This is deep stuff and I'm certain I didn't do it justice in this entry -- especially the way Chekhov develops this theme from the dirty and cold Zemstvo hut where death -- meaninglessness -- is residing next door -- to the Taunitz mansion where beautiful music is played and all is warm and cozy  -- that's the temptation -- to believe that somehow you will find satisfaction just in the mansion and not in the hut -- which if we buy into will only distort our soul. Of course, there's a lot more I missed or left out ( which is the case for most of Chekhov stories -- you can keep finding new things every time you reread them).

In any case,  if I were more ambitious -- I would write a book -- or maybe one has already been written -- I would title it:  Chekhov's Buddha. How the stories of Chekhov reflect the teachings of Buddhism.

SORROW

Sorrow

Man marries beautiful woman.

Spends the next forty years neglecting her.

Just when he wakes up to how badly he treated her -- she dies.

And then he dies.

Forty years wasted wandering the desert.

Life goes quickly if you don't love.

Just saw the movie The Tree of Life and it had the same message.

So start loving and start living.

Okay, if that's too much -- then eat some good chocolate.

Fine -- if that's not possible -- how about a nice hot shower?

No problem -- watching a good movie will do.

You got it -- having a meaningful conversation with your neighbor about her dog counts!

THE CATTLE-DEALERS

The Cattle-Dealers

An old man and his son riding on a train with their cattle.

To get his cattle to market the old man has to bribe numerous officials.

The old man considers himself Willy Loman in his heyday. Teaching his son how it's done.

His son seems to have been beaten down by his father -- his life -- and nothing matters.

In fact, the only ones truly suffering here are the poor cattle.

They are not fed and have no water for days and when they finally stagger to their destination -- they are marched to the slaughterhouse.

You feel for them.

What is all their suffering for? So that the old man has a few more rubles to buy presents nobody needs.

Do the cattle represent the oppressed class -- suffering so the rich can get richer?

Maybe not. But I'm certainly not eating hamburger tonight.

IN EXILE

In Exile

Down and out in Siberia.

Grim.

Better not have any illusions that life is going to get better.

No matter who you were.

Better to leave that former life behind.

Best philosophy for survival:

Old Semyon -- "I want nothing and I am afraid of nobody, and the way I look at it is that there is nobody richer and freer than I am."

Worst philosophy: Ask the Gentleman who tried to bring his pretty wife from Russia to live with him. She left him cold.

The Tatar might not agree.

He just wants to taste the good life for one day. "Better one day happiness than nothing."

And there you have it.

Do you keep dreaming of that one day of happiness when you are surrounded by gloom -- or do you just accept what you have and feel free?

And if you're in the mood for more Siberian gloom and doom -- read Dostoyevsky's terrific account of Siberian penal life,  The House of the Dead.

I would also recommend Primo Levi's Survival In Auschwitz -- Levi mentions how the ones who were best able to survive were the ones who abandoned their illusions about what they had before and saw the reality of where they were now.

A LADY'S STORY

A Lady's Story

This is the first Chekhov story that I've read which has a female narrator.

Lamenting the passing of youth -- reminds me of George Bernard Shaw's quote: Youth is wasted on the young.

Allowing rank and wealth to come between her and the man which she very well might have loved -- Natalya Vladimirovna realizes years later that she has wasted her life.

Walls that could have been broken down by her lover Pyotr Sergeyitch and herself stayed upright -- the will and force of love was contained by the prudence of rank and class.

And the result of all that meekness -- all that propriety is unhappiness. Not to go quote happy -- but John Greenleaf Whittier said it best:  "For of all sad words of tongue or pen, The saddest are these: 'It might have been!'"

Moral of the story: Don't let walls stand in the way of love or life.

Edith Piaf: I have no regrets.

Natalya Vladimirovna: I only have regrets.

AFTER THE THEATRE

After The Theatre

What strikes me about this story is how much culture has changed.

A sixteen year old regularly went to the theater -- and was actually inspired by what she saw there. An opera based on a novel that uses poetic verse. Okay so the opera is by Tchaikovsky and the verse is by Pushkin. Not exactly Glee.

She writes letters -- instead of chatting with so-called friends on Facebook.

She dreams of going to the country and getting high not from Crystal Meth but from simply looking at the vast night sky full of stars.

This is not one of Chekhov's masterpieces like Misery. But what is so compelling about Chekhov is he could create a story of a suffering old sledge-driver or of a wealthy capricious young lady -- and bring humanity to them both.

CHAMPAGNE

Champagne

A toast to love.

Love that blinds.

Love that enslaves.

Goodbye to freedom.

To boredom.

To apathy.

In the middle of nowhere -- when you think you've got nothing worth living for -- love can suddenly find you.

And now it will become your sole companion.

It will rule your thoughts.

Day and night it will tell you what to do.

When to do it.

How to do it.

Why to do it.

Can anyone ask for anything more?