The Black Monk

By Anton Chekhov

Book Overview

The Black Monk is a novella written by Anton Chekhov, one of the most celebrated Russian writers of the late 19th century. The story follows the life of a young man named Andrey Vasil'ich Kovrin, who is a brilliant scholar and a promising intellectual. However, he is haunted by the memory of a black monk that he saw during a childhood illness.As he grows older, Kovrin becomes increasingly obsessed with the idea of the black monk and begins to see him again. He becomes convinced that the monk is a symbol of his own genius and that he is destined for greatness. However, as his obsession grows, Kovrin's mental health begins to deteriorate, and he becomes increasingly isolated from the people around him.The Black Monk is a powerful exploration of the human psyche, and Chekhov's masterful prose captures the complexity of Kovrin's mental state with great sensitivity and nuance. The novella is a haunting meditation on the nature of genius, the power of obsession, and the fragility of the human mind. It is a must-read for anyone interested in Russian literature or the complexities of the human psyche.""In ancient times a happy man grew at last frightened of his happiness -- it was so great -- and to propitiate the gods he brought as a sacrifice his favourite ring. Do you know, I, too, like Polykrates, begin to be uneasy of my happiness. It seems strange to me that from morning to night I feel nothing but joy; it fills my whole being and smothers all other feelings. I don't know what sadness, grief, or boredom is. Here I am not asleep; I suffer from sleeplessness, but I am not dull. I say it in earnest; I begin to feel perplexed.""This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1162689048
• ISBN13: 9781162689043
• Release Date: September 2010
• Publisher: Kessinger Publishing, LLC
• Length: 36 Pages
• Weight: 0.18 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.1" x 7.5" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

How our beloved one destroys us!

The Black Monk is a very difficult short story with different interpretations. However, the result is always the same, that is, he will die either on his own way to obtain the professorship or die in a way told in this story. Perhaps, the first way of dying is better than the second one, because he would die happily, while the second way left much pain not only to himself, but also to his beloved ones, who in fact made him die in the second way.

To be or not to be insane

"'The Black Monk" is a great existentialist story. The main character must choose between the rigid bourgeois conventions of his fiancee and to-be father-in-law in their ordered country gardens or he must choose a path of intellectual and spiritual freedom that the apparition of the Black Monk reveals to him. In choosing the latter, he comes into direct conflict with society's expectations and norms of behavior although he finds his greatest spiritual happiness and release in his new and emerging understanding and experiences. He is branded as mentally unstable and struggles to find his way back to his own true sense of being. As for "Peasants," this is a brilliant piece showing the tragic conditions of a poor, rural community and disproves the adage that "ignorance is bliss." Ulttimately, a great duo of thoughtful and moving stories.

A Powerful and Moving Story

This story has all the mystery of a parable, all the breadth of high Russian literature and the richness of a dream. A ghost-like figure haunts a rather Romantic protagonist, arriving in the form of a column of darkness that resolves into a hooded monk and begins to communicate with the hero about the nature of humanity in the world. As a picture of insanity, and yet a terrible descent into understanding, Chekhov's story is a powerful tribute to Russian and Catholic folklore as well as a portrait of the lone intellectual becoming immersed in asceticism. Highly recommended.