Chekhov, "Ivanov": summary, plot, main characters and analysis of the work

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Summary of Chekhov's "Ivanov" should be well known to all fans of this author's talent. After all, this is one of the most famous plays of the playwright, which is still being performed in domestic theaters. It was written in 1887, and two years later it was first published in a magazine called Severny Vestnik.

Ties

It is necessary to tell a summary of Chekhov's "Ivanov" after mentioning that the events are unfolding in one of the provincial districts in central Russia. The main character is the landowner Nikolai Alekseevich Ivanov. He is reading a book in the garden when his estate manager and relative, Misha Borkin, returns from hunting. He begs for money allegedly to pay workers. The main character has no money, he dreams of being left alone.

An important place in Chekhov's play "Ivanov", a summary of which we present, is occupied by the wife of Nikolai Alekseevich Anna Petrovna, who appears asonce at this moment. She pesters her husband, he is annoyed. Borkin is also not appeased, who reminds that the payment of interest on the debt to Lebedev is ahead. Ivanov is preparing to go to ask for a delay. Borkin gives him plenty of advice, all adventurous.

Lvov and Shabelsky

New heroes appear in Chekhov's play "Ivanov". This is a young doctor Lvov and the uncle of Nikolai Alekseevich, Count Shabelsky. Lvov is concerned that Anna Petrovna has consumption. She needs peace, and she constantly worries about her husband. Lvov reproaches that such behavior can ruin his wife.

The main character admits that he himself cannot understand the changes taking place in him. For the analysis of "Ivanov" by Chekhov, this is an important recognition. The main character tells that he married for love. His wife, who was Jewish, changed her faith for him, left we alth and parents. After 5 years, she is still in love with him, and he feels one emptiness.

At the Lebedevs

Lvov finds this confession hypocritical. He considers Ivanov a fraudster, allegedly knowing why he is actually going to the Lebedevs.

Ivanov takes the count with him, and confesses to his wife that it is hard and sad for him at home. Anna Petrovna tries to remind him how well they lived before, but as a result she is left alone in sadness. But as soon as the doctor begins to condemn her husband, he immediately stands up for him, remembering what kind of person he was before. Unable to stand it, she goes after him.

In Chekhov's work "Ivanov" is of great importancehave a name day for their 20-year-old daughter Sasha, which is celebrated by the Lebedevs. True, the stingy hostess offers only jam. They start playing cards with empty talk. Even from the summary of Chekhov's "Ivanov" one senses an oppressive atmosphere, which the author is able to convey brilliantly. Gossip begins about the main character, who is accused of marrying for convenience, but did not receive anything, which made him unhappy. Sasha vehemently objects to this. She believes that Ivanov's only fault is a weak character.

The appearance of the main character

Summary of Chekhov's "Ivanov" will help you remember this work, prepare for an exam or test. In the next scene, the main character himself appears along with Shabelsky. Borkin comes after them with fireworks.

In the garden, Ivanov confesses to Sasha that his conscience is tormenting him, he feels that he is deeply guilty, but does not understand why. His wife's illness, gossip and debts oppress him even more. Ivanov compares himself with superfluous people. He is outraged and ashamed at the same time. This is an important moment in the play "Ivanov" by Chekhov. The summary should help to better understand what the author wanted to say.

Sasha is sure that she understands the loneliness of the hero, believes that he needs a person who would sincerely love him. Ivanov is not thrilled with the idea of starting another novel. Soon Anna Petrovna and Lvov arrive. She is bored with the doctor, whom she constantly pits against her husband, as he was at the beginning of their marriage.

Sasha confesses his love to the mainthe hero is confused. Then he laughs at all when the girl offers to start living for him again. Anna Petrovna notices them in the garden.

Stay Alone

For the play "Ivanov" by A. P. Chekhov, the main character's constant desire to be left alone is important. He fails to achieve this. The next day, Lvov, Lebedev and Borkin come to see him. Everyone has a serious conversation, but Nikolai Alekseevich does not want to see anyone.

Lebedev offers him money secretly from his wife, but the main character doesn't care anymore. He worries why he cannot understand himself, where his mental illness comes from. He cannot understand why he fell out of love with his wife, and Sasha's love seems to him an abyss.

Lvov calls on the protagonist to explain himself. He believes that he is waiting for the death of his wife in order to receive the dowry that is given for Sasha. Ivanov urges him not to be so self-confident, but it is useless. Soon Lebedev's daughter herself appears.

Ivanov is not happy about her arrival, he does not see any future in their romance. Sasha really wants and wishes to save him from spiritual death. She admits that men do not understand a lot about women, since a loser will actually please every girl more than a lucky one. All this happens because the most interesting thing is active love. Moreover, Sasha is ready to wait for Ivanov while he is at the bedside of his sick wife, no matter how many years it takes.

Explanation with wife

After Sasha's departure toAnna Petrovna comes to Ivanov and demands an explanation. The protagonist admits that he is greatly to blame for her, but when he finds out how she interpreted his actions, blaming that he constantly deceived her, he fundamentally disagrees with this. The wife believes that he decided to turn Sasha's head because he owes her father, and in the future he is going to deceive her in the same way.

Ivanov is outraged by these speculations and asks her to shut up. In the end, he even calls her a Jew, assuring her that she will die soon, as the doctor told him. Seeing how these cruel words affected her, Ivanov is upset, clutches his head and begins to blame himself for everything again.

Explanation with Sasha

According to the plot of the play, about a year passes. We again see the agitated Dr. Lvov, who is choked with hatred for Ivanov. He dreams of tearing off his mask and bringing him to clean water.

The Lebedev family is also sad. Father and daughter confessed to each other that something was embarrassing them in the upcoming wedding. But Sasha is still ready to go to the end, to save this unfortunate, but good, in her opinion, person who is incomprehensible to her. She sincerely loves him, believes that she can put him on his feet. This is the goal a girl sets for herself.

Suddenly, Ivanov appears, who convinces to stop everything, calling what is happening a comedy, convinces that it is not too late to do this. It turns out that in the morning he realized that he had finally died. His despondency, boredom and discontent are simply incompatible with life, so his conscience does not allow him to ruin her youth. He convinces her to give upmarriage to him. But the girl rejects this generous offer, although she sees that instead of active love she receives martyrdom.

Lebedev understands everything in his own way. He believes that it's all about money, offers Ivanov and Sasha ten thousand rubles, but the bride and groom will still be stubborn: each claims that he will do as his conscience tells him.

Decoupling

The main character is trying to explain everything to Lebedev for the last time. He says that he used to be hot, young, sincere and not at all stupid, feelings were seething in him, he worked for ten, fought his way in this life, even "fought with windmills." Now the life with which he fought so desperately takes revenge on him. At the age of 30, he began to have a hangover, he overstrained himself, was left without faith, broken from the inside. I realized that there is no purpose in life, love, turned into a shadow that wanders senselessly between people. He doesn't know who he is or what he really wants. He is choked with anger, and at the same time, pride is indignant in him.

Lvov appears, who manages to shout his accusations against Ivanov, whom he considers a scoundrel. He listens to them calmly and even coldly. He has already judged himself. Ivanov takes out a revolver, steps aside and commits suicide. This is how the play ends tragically.