"The Man in the Case". A Greek teacher, a lonely elderly man, closed from the outside world, cowardly and timid.
History of creation
Anton Chekhov wrote the story "The Man in the Case" in 1898, and in the same year the text was published in the literary and political journal Russkaya Mysl. The story became the first part of the "Little Trilogy" series, which also included Chekhov's texts "Gooseberry" and "About Love".
The author conceived the series in the spring and summer of 1898, when he lived in the village of Melikhovo, Moscow Region. Chekhov wrote his first story in a month, and in early June it was already being prepared for publication. Chekhov was not going to close the series with the story "About Love", but he fell ill with tuberculosis, creative activity the writer fell, and the series was never continued.
Illustration for the story "The Man in the Case" It is not known whether Belikov had a prototype, but some of Chekhov's contemporaries believed that a certain Alexander Dyakonov, an inspector of a Taganrog gymnasium, became the hero's prototype. According to another version, in the image of Belikov, Chekhov described the then-famous conservative publicist Mikhail Menshikov. However, researchers note that the similarities between Belikov and Menshikov are found to be exclusively external. Most likely, Belikov is a collective image.
In 1939, the film "The Man in the Case" directed by Isidor Annensky was released at the "Belarusfilm" studio. The role of Belikov was played by actor Nikolai Khmelev.
The story "The Man in the Case"
Belikov is an elderly Greek teacher whose full name unknown. The hero is over forty, he has a pale little face, similar to the muzzle of a ferret. Belikov wears dark glasses and hides his face behind a raised collar, and plugs his ears with cotton wool. From time to time a weak crooked smile appears on the hero’s face, and Belikov’s figure looks crooked and small, as if he was “pulled out with tongs” from somewhere. Even in warm and clear weather, the hero wears a wadded coat, galoshes and an umbrella and strives to dress warmer even in summer.
The hero prefers loneliness and seeks to isolate himself from the outside world, to create a protective shell around himself, a kind of “case” inside which the hero will be protected from external influences. The writer also calls Belikov's thoughts "case" - narrow. The “case considerations” of the hero make a depressing impression on those around him.
Things belonging to Belikov are also stored in cases. The hero keeps everything in cases - an umbrella, a watch, which he keeps in a case made of gray suede, and even a penknife for sharpening pencils, the hero takes out of the case.
Belikov has a suspicious character. What is happening around causes anxiety in the hero, frightens and irritates. Belikov's favorite phrase; “No matter what happens,” sounds in the speech of the hero for any reason. To take a break from the disgusting and disturbing reality, the hero studies ancient languages, likes to remember the past and praise morals and customs that never really existed.
According to Belikov, "something can come out" from any innocent undertaking. The hero is upset when a new one opens in the city. drama club or tea, because any innovation can end badly. Belikov was discouraged by the deviation from the rules, even if what was happening was not directly related to him. The hero began to worry when he heard about the leprosy of schoolboys or love affairs outside classy lady.
Belikov worked at the gymnasium for fifteen years, and all this time he oppressed those around him with his own presence. The hero creates an atmosphere of heightened anxiety at the teachers' councils, worrying that information about, for example, the students making noise in the classrooms would not reach the authorities. Belikov treats the authorities with great respect and demands the same from those around him. Belikov is feared and listened to by colleagues and even the director of the gymnasium. A suffocating atmosphere is formed around the hero, "like in a police box." Some colleagues consider Belikov an informer.
Frame from the film adaptation of "The Man in the Case" Outside of work, Belikov behaves no better. The hero goes out into society and visits acquaintances, but these visits are difficult for him and Belikov makes them only for the sake of decency. In the city of Belikov they are afraid, the ladies are afraid to arrange home performances on Saturdays, people are afraid even to send letters or raise their voices. And the hero himself is afraid public opinion and therefore does not keep female servants at home, and even in food he is guided not by his own tastes, but by what people will think if they see him at a meal.
Belikov is constantly afraid of everything and even in his own apartment he cannot sleep peacefully: he fears for his own fate, because he thinks that either a servant will kill him in a dream, or thieves will get into the house. The hero's apartment itself is like a box. Small bedroom, four-poster bed, shutters and shutters everywhere. The hero is afraid of people to such an extent that it is difficult for him to walk next to someone, and the crowded gymnasium where Belikov works also causes fear in him.
Once Belikov happened to fall in love. This happened after meeting Varya, the sister of one of Belikov's young colleagues. However, this relationship ends in nothing. The hero is afraid to get married, because “no matter what happens,” and the girl’s brother once kicks Belikov out of the apartment and lowers him down the stairs. This humiliating scene takes place in front of Varya. The humiliated Belikov returns home, goes to bed and does not get up again, and dies a month later, thus ending his sad biography. According to modern experts, Chekhov's Belikov is a classic psychasthenic.
Quotes
“To bury people like Belikov is great pleasure».
“All this is wonderful, but no matter what happens.”
“You get married, and then what good will you get into some kind of story.”
"The Little Russian language, with its tenderness and pleasant sonority, resembles ancient Greek."
MAN IN A CASE
(Story, 1898)
Belikov - main character, grammar school teacher of the Greek language. The teacher of the gymnasium Burkin tells about him to the veterinarian Ivan Ivanych Chimshe-Gimalaysky. At the beginning of the story he gives complete description V .: “He was remarkable in that he always, even in very good weather, went out in galoshes and with an umbrella, and certainly in a warm coat with wadding. And his umbrella was in a case, and his watch was in a case made of gray suede, and when he took out his penknife to sharpen his pencil, his knife was also in a case; and his face also seemed to be in a case, for he always hid it in his upturned collar. He wore dark glasses, a jersey, stuffed his ears with cotton wool, and when he got into a cab, he ordered to raise the top. In a word, this person had a constant and irresistible desire to surround himself with a shell, to create for himself, so to speak, a case that would seclude him, protect him from external influences. Reality irritated him, frightened him, kept him in constant anxiety, and, perhaps, in order to justify this timidity of his, his disgust for the present, he always praised the past and what had never happened; and the ancient languages that he taught were for him, in essence, the same galoshes and umbrella where he hid from real life.
B.'s main fear is "no matter what happens." Any deviation from the accepted rules leads him to despair and anxiety. His fear is not only existential, but also social character- he is afraid, as if it did not reach the authorities. Despite his inconspicuousness and dullness, B., according to Burkin, "held in his hands" not only the gymnasium, but the whole city, where, under his influence, "began to be afraid of everything." The case metaphor, acquiring more and more details of Belikov's fear of life, unfolds throughout the story.
With the appearance in the city of a new teacher of history and geography, Mikhail Savvich Kovalenko and his sister Varenka, who unexpectedly shows disposition towards B., the society decides to marry her hero. He is convinced that marriage is a serious step, that it is necessary to get married, and B.
agrees, but the thought of marriage plunges him into exhausting anxiety, so that he loses weight, turns pale and sinks even deeper into his case. First of all, he is embarrassed strange image thoughts” of his possible bride and her brother. He walks a lot with Varenka and often comes to visit them, but he pulls with an offer. One day, B. sees] her and her brother riding bicycles, and this leaves him dumbfounded. He goes to Kovalenko, who hates him, and "like an older comrade", warns: such fun as riding a bicycle is "completely indecent for a youth educator." In addition, he warns a colleague that he will have to report the conversation to the director of the gymnasium. In response, Kovalenko declares that he does not like fiscals, and lowers B. down the stairs. After all that happened, the hero falls ill and dies a month later. Burkin summarizes: “Now, when he was lying in a coffin, his expression was meek, pleasant, even cheerful, as if he was glad that at last they put him in a case from which he would never come out.”
The image of B. - "a man in a case", a comic figure, almost caricatured, but also expressing the tragedy of life, became a household name during Chekhov's lifetime.
Who are they case people? They surround us everywhere, but few people realize that they can be characterized by such an interesting term. Because not everyone read famous story Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, who was called so - "The Man in the Case." It was this Russian prose writer-dramatist who for the first time in history proposed such a type of personality. However, about everything - in order.
visual image
Anyone who is familiar with knows how rich the world of his works is on human types. Who just does not meet in his stories! And conscientious individuals, not satisfied public laws and themselves, and narrow-minded inhabitants, and noble dreamers, and opportunistic officials. And images of "case" people are also found. In particular - in the story mentioned above.
In the center of the plot of "The Man in the Case" is a gymnasium teacher named Belikov. Teaching Greek - has long ceased to be anyone needed. He is very strange. Even if it's sunny outside, he puts on galoshes, a warm wadded coat with a high collar and takes an umbrella. Obligatory "accessory" - dark glasses. He always stuffs his ears with cotton. He rides in a cab, with the top always up. And Belikov also keeps everything in cases - an umbrella, a watch, and even a penknife.
But this is just an image. It would seem that the description only says that the person is neat and prudent, maybe a little more pedantic. But it is not for nothing that they say that outward manifestation reflected internal state person. And indeed it is.
Personal characteristic
Examples of "case" people encountered in life are reflected in Belikov. He is a mixture of sociopath, paranoid and introvert. He is afraid of all living things. His is: "No matter what happens." He treats everything that surrounds him with caution and fear. Belikov is not able to think freely, since each of his ideas is in a "case".
And okay, if that's how he was in society. But even at home, he behaves similarly! He dresses in a long dressing gown and a cap, closes the shutters on the windows tightly, snapping the latches. His bed has a canopy, and when Belikov lies down in it, he covers himself with a blanket with his head.
Naturally, he observes all the posts, and does not get female servants - fearing that others will suspect him of having a relationship with them. Belikov is a real hermit. Which, in literally words, afraid to live.
Consequences
Naturally, such a lifestyle that Belikov leads cannot fail to affect anything. Who are the case people? These are real hermits who believe that they live quite normally for themselves, unlike the rest. This is also manifested in Chekhov's hero.
At one point, he meets Varenka, a girl who is the sister of a new teacher of geography and history. She shows an unexpected interest in Belikov. Which society begins to persuade to marry her. He agrees, despite the fact that the thought of marriage oppresses and disturbs him. Belikov is losing weight, turning pale, becoming even more nervous and fearful. And the first thing that worries him the most is the lifestyle of the “bride”.
Who are the case people? Those who do not understand others because of their detachment. Varenka loves to ride a bike with her brother. And Belikov is sure that this is quite usual hobby is not normal! Because it is not good for someone who teaches history to young people to ride a bicycle. And the woman on it vehicle and it doesn't look right at all. Belikov did not hesitate to express his thoughts to Varenka's brother, who cannot stand it. And he threatened to report his passion to the director of the gymnasium. In response, Varenka's brother lowered Belikov down the stairs. What is the result? Belikov falls ill - from stress, he is not let go by the thought that someone will find out about his shame. And he dies a month later. Such is the end.
Main thought
Well, who are the case people - you can understand by the example of Belikov. And the idea, in principle, Chekhov wanted to convey a simple one. The prose writer tried to convey to readers that life “closed” from society only cripples human soul. You can't be outside the others. We are all members of a single society. Everything that a person has confused himself, set up - only fences him off from life. From reality filled with colors. And indeed it is. Spiritual wretchedness only limits human existence. What is Chekhov thinking about in this story.
Modernity
A person of the 21st century who has read Chekhov knows what kind of people are called case. And he is able to recognize them among the rest. Now they are called introverts. These are people whose mental makeup is characterized by a focus on contemplation, isolation and focus on their own inner world. They are not inclined to communicate with other people - it is difficult for them to establish contact with anyone.
However, to understand the essence this term, it suffices to refer to the etymology. "Introvert" is a word derived from the German introvertiert. Which literally translates as "inward-facing".
Subject “ case man” can rightfully be considered a cross-cutting in the work of Chekhov. The writer takes the first step in revealing this topic in his early work“Teacher of Literature”, but in 1898 three stories appeared, the so-called “Little Trilogy”, which can be combined into a cycle based on their common problems.
The author gives the most grotesque picture of the “case” life in the first story of the trilogy, where the theme is already stated in the title. Chekhov draws a clearly exaggerated image, which is an artistic generalization of the social phenomenon of that time. So, before us appears Belikov - a man with a very interesting and even “wonderful” character and habits: “in very good weather” he “went out in galoshes and with an umbrella and certainly in a warm coat with wadding. And his umbrella was in a case, and his watch was in a case made of gray suede, and when he took out his penknife to sharpen his pencil, his knife was also in a case; and his face, it seemed, was also in a case, since he always hid it in his upturned collar. It is no coincidence that the author pays special attention to the portrait of the hero. With the help of the characteristics of life, Belikov's costume, he seeks to reveal his soul, inner world, show his true face.
Yes, already from portrait description we see that the teacher of the Greek language has completely fenced himself off from living life, tightly locked himself in his “case” little world, which seems to him better than the real one. The case "envelops" the brain, controls the hero's thoughts, suppressing positive principles. Thus, he is deprived of everything human, living, turns into a mechanical machine of rules and circulars.
But the worst thing is that he imposes these rules and prejudices on the whole world around him, in which all goals are set and achieved only when necessary. Oppressing everyone with his caution, Belikov puts pressure on people, makes them afraid: “Our teachers are all thinking people, deeply decent, brought up on Turgenev and Shchedrin, but this little man, who always walked in galoshes and with an umbrella, held the entire gymnasium in his hands for fifteen years! What about a gymnasium? The whole city!" Developing Chekhov's thought, we understand that the "case" is a generalized image of the whole of Russia with its state regime. New turn in understanding the problem brings the image of the Maura. The darkness and ignorance of people from the people is also a “case” covering all the big aspects of life.
But the trends of the new time penetrate the city. Independent, free personalities appear (Kovalenko, his sister), revealing with merciless force the “suffocating atmosphere” of such a life. They find the key to solving the problem, which is contained in the main phrase of the work: “No, it’s impossible to live like this anymore!” Indeed, with the advent of such people, the reign of Belikov ends. He is dying. But it seems that the hero lived precisely for this, finally he reached his ideal: “Now, when he was lying in a coffin, his expression was meek, pleasant, even cheerful, as if he was glad that they had finally put him in a case. from which he will never come." Yes, Belikov died, but “how many more such people are left in the case, how many more there will be!”. During the funeral, the weather was rainy and all the teachers of the gymnasium “were in galoshes and with umbrellas”, as if continuing the traditions of the deceased.
What awaits people leading a “case” lifestyle? Of course, the inevitable loneliness, worse than which there is nothing in the world.
But what helped the author to create such an original grotesque image that the reader will remember for a long time? Of course, these are various artistic figurative and expressive means.
Being interested in the life, costume of the hero, the writer gives a complete, detailed description of his nature, draws an accurate portrait of his soul. For such a description, Chekhov uses complex syntactic constructions with a large number of homogeneous members expanding the panorama of reality.
The phonetic composition of the work is striking in its diversity. But we note that the sound “o” (assonance) is often found, which also conveys the isolation of the hero’s life, going in a circle, his remoteness from the world.
Many of Belikov's household items are symbolic. So, a cover, glasses, galoshes and an umbrella are indispensable attributes of a “case” of a person's existence. It is no coincidence that the story begins and ends with their mention.
The lexical composition of the story also surprises us with its richness. It contains both common and obsolete words(“cabman”, “sweatshirt”, “batman”, etc.), which convey the atmosphere of the era.
I would like to note that in the most important, key phrase of the work, there is an inversion: “It is impossible to live like this anymore.” It seems to draw the reader's attention to these words, makes them think about their deep meaning.
Chekhov's language is particularly lively, emotional and at the same time simple, which makes his stories accessible and understandable.
The subtleties of the author's skill amaze us already at the first reading of the story, the true intention of his works is revealed to us.
It seems to me that the problem that Chekhov touches on in the story “The Man in the Case” will always remain relevant. The writer warns about the danger of philistine, worldly vulgarity. Unbeknownst to themselves, everyone can fall into the “case” of their own prejudices, ceasing to think and reflect, seek and doubt. And this is really scary, as it leads to spiritual devastation and degradation of the individual.
Tasks and tests on the topic "The symbolic meaning of the image of Belyakov in A.P. Chekhov's story "The Man in the Case""
- Morphological norm - Important topics for repeating the exam in the Russian language
Lessons: 1 Assignments: 8
- NGN with subordinate adverbial clauses (subordinate comparisons, modes of action, measures and degrees) - Complex sentence Grade 9
A.P. Chekhov is one of the Russian writers who understood that money, rank, authority, power are all just external ways of enslaving the human personality. The real tool, the all-pervading tool, is fear. Some kind of manic fear of life completely dominated the soul of Belikov, the central figure in Chekhov's story "The Man in the Case", published in 1898. Belikov is a “man in a case”, an absurd, insignificant creature, who, however, managed to intimidate the whole city: “We teachers were afraid of him. And even the director was afraid. Come on, our teachers are all thinking people, deeply decent, brought up on Turgenev and Shchedrin, but this man ... held the entire gymnasium in his hands for fifteen whole years. Yes, high school! The whole city!" There are many influential people among Chekhov's characters: generals, governors, secret advisers, millionaires. But the hero who holds the whole city in his hands is only one - "the man in the case." The power of fear comes into contact with the dominion of nothingness. The purpose of this story A.P. Chekhov, it seems to me, is to convey to people the essence of fear: “Under the influence of people like Belikov, over the past ten or fifteen years in our city they have become afraid of everything. They are afraid to speak loudly, to send letters, to make acquaintances, to read books, they are afraid to help the poor, to teach them to read and write.” The compositional technique, which Chekhov often resorts to in his work, contributes to the disclosure of the image of Belikov - a story within a story. The hunters, who settled down for the night in the barn of the headman Prokofy, told different stories. One of them, by the name of Burkin, told about a resident of his city, a teacher of the Greek language Belikov. What was special about this man? Only by the fact that “even in very good weather he went out in galoshes and with an umbrella, and certainly in a warm coat with wadding.” In addition, “he had an umbrella in a case, and a watch in a case made of gray suede, and when he took out a penknife to sharpen a pencil, he also had a knife in a case.” His face, too, seemed to be covered with a case, as he always hid it in his upturned collar. Belikov, according to the narrator, wore dark glasses, a sweatshirt, stuffed his ears with cotton wool, and when he got into a cab, he ordered to raise the top. What it is, a fad or Belikov's way of life, Burkin does not explain. However, he notices that this person had a constant desire to “surround himself with a shell, create for himself, so to speak, a case”, which allegedly protected him from the outside world, secluded him. Belikov lived in constant anxiety, fearing the irritants of reality. Belikov praised the past, expressing disgust for the present, and the ancient languages that he taught were the same umbrella and galoshes where he hid from real life. And this strange man instilled fear in everyone. Those around him seemed to feel that Belikov was hiding his thought in a case: “For him, only circulars and newspaper articles were clear, in which something was forbidden.” If, for example, a circular forbade pupils to go outside after nine o'clock, this was clear and definite to him. Belikov always doubted the resolution of something and was afraid "as if something did not work out." The atmosphere of his dwelling was added to the appearance and way of thinking. Belikov's bedroom was small, like a box, the bed was with a canopy. Going to bed, the hero covered himself with his head. But even this could not protect Belikov from the fears that haunted him, he was always afraid of everything. One day, the director of the gymnasium came up with the idea to marry Belikov and the sister of the new teacher of geography and history Kovalenko, who, however, hated Belikov at first sight. Kovalenko could not understand how people tolerate this fiscal, "this vile mug." And this "vile mug" also condemned young man: walks in an embroidered shirt, constantly on the street with some books, and then he also started a bicycle. Belikov's threats to report this whole conversation to the director brought Mikhail Savvich out of balance. Kovalenko grabbed "him from behind by the collar and shoved him." And when Belikov fell down the stairs, he saw that just at that moment Varenka (that same sister) entered with two ladies. He became a laughing stock - it's better to "break your neck, both legs." Varenka, recognizing Belikov, could not contain her laughter: "... with this rolling, flooded "ha-ha-ha" everything ended." Belikov became very ill, and a month later he died. Like his whole life, the weather on the day of the funeral was overcast. And the hero, as in life, was in a case, which now became a coffin for him. The people who buried Belikov hid the pleasure that they got rid of the vigilant supervision of this man. Concluding his story, Burkin expresses deeply philosophical thought: “But is it that we live in a city in stuffiness, in cramped quarters, write unnecessary papers, play screw - is this not a case?” Case life is just existence. And Chekhov in his work always advocated a full life. With the story “The Man in the Case”, the author wanted to say that fear of reality can imprison a person in a case he himself created. Moreover, the “case” is clearly socio-political in color: here Chekhov gives a brief, precise, satirical, sometimes grotesque description of the life of the entire Russian intelligentsia and Russia in general during the just ended reign of Alexander III.
