Enemies by Anton Chekhov (Review).
How inhumane we can be and how outer world plays with the inner world of emotions!
Title: Enemies (Short Story). Date of publication: 1887. Genre: Psychological Fiction. Pages: 70
Apparently a plain story it is full of twists and turns. It plays with readers' mind from emotional as well as intelligent point of view. Characters are well knitted, dialogues well crafted and descriptions well thought and imagined. Anton Chekhov has the ability to deeply explore the depths of human psyche and emotions. However, sometimes the overly detailed descriptions and lengthy and unnecessary movements of characters make it a little bit boring for readers, as it makes harder for them to stick to the main point. Otherwise it’s a fine treat for mind.
The story opens with the scene when Dr. Kirilov and his wife are mourning over the death of their only son Andrey. Andrey was just 6 and died of a respiratory infectious disease.
At this time a man comes to the door who it seems is in an emergency. This incident gives a complete new direction to the mood of the story, highlighting the impact of external events over human emotions. Moreover themes of ,death, grief, betrayal, and human psyche are central to the story. Questions such as, what is death and how helpless is man before its inevitability. How trust, lack of decision making and simple mindedness can destroy one’s peace of mind are relatable to anyone dealing with or who has experienced these or one of these in their life.
Through this story Chekhov not just provokes the questions of human intelligent and emotions but also strikes the readers' mind to the injustices of the social system as a whole.
Anton Chekhov’s unique descriptive style and his indirect way of exposing the nature and material condition of his characters create a lasting impact on readers' mind. As is the case with the character of Abogin and Dr. Kirilov, both of whom suffer inner conflicts.
The central idea of the story is the drama between human emotions, sorrows and selfishness, vice and passions inherent in human nature that surpass all other things in time of wild moments. That is evident at the end of the story. When Abogin, who comes to take Dr. Kirilov because his wife is dying of a heart attack. Dr. Kirilov is hesitant at first to go with the man as he’s morning over the death of his son but Abogin’s incessant and genuine entreats make his heart melt to go with him and save a human being.
However what surprises and outrages the Abogin and makes Dr. Kirilov furious is that the lady wasn’t ill and had no heart attack but eloped with someone whom Abogin mentioned earlier to Dr Kirilov.
What follows this is a war of word between Dr. and Abogin. The descriptions and conversation of this scene are very exciting as it makes readers think upon Humans' follies and how people play with trust, emotions and feelings of others and how humans forget everything in the moments of wild situation. And how our perceptions of other people and their actions and beliefs are developed which go with us all our lives till death.
It’s a fine read in the genre of psychological fiction. Anton Chekhov is a master of the themes like human psyche, betrayal, trust, life and death. Go and give it a try you will enjoy it.
