Anna on the Neck

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"Anna on the Neck"
Chekhov's Anna on the Neck by Kukryniksy.jpg
1954 illustration by Kukryniksy
AuthorAnton Chekhov
Original title"Анна на шее"
CountryRussia
LanguageRussian
Published inRusskiye Vedomosti (1895)
PublisherAdolf Marks (1901)
Publication date22 October 1895

"Anna on the Neck" (Russian: Анна на шее, romanized: Anna na sheye) is an 1895 short story by Anton Chekhov

Publication[]

Chekhov sent the story to Vasily Sobolevsky, the Russkiye Vedomosti's editor, on 15 October 1895.[1] It was published in the No. 292, 22 October 1895 issue of the newspaper.

In a re-worked version (now divided into two chapters and with numerous details added, with the view of making the heroine's character more distinct) it was included into Volume 9 of the Collected Works by A.P. Chekhov published by Adolf Marks in 1899–1901.[2] In its final version, the story's last section was told entirely from the point of view of its heroine, who became more sanguine, self-satisfied and distanced from her family. Numerous satirical details were added to the Modest Alexeyevich's character.[1]

Summary[]

In his Notebook I (page 47) Chekhov summarised the plot for "Anna on the Neck", then yet to be written: "A poor girl, gymnasium student, with five brothers, marries a rich state official who counts every single piece of bread, demands from her subserviance and gratitude, is scornful of her relatives... She endures all this, trying not to argue with him, so as not to fall back into destitude again. Then the invitation to the ball comes. Here she causes furore. An important person gets infatuated with her, makes her his lover... Now, seeing how her husband's chiefs fawn before her, at home she's full of disdain: 'Go away you fool!' " The actual story's plot is similar, except that Anna here is much older (she remembers her gymnasium years as belonging to her 'childhood past'), and has two brothers.

The story's title is a double-entendre, having to do with the Order of Saint Anna and the methods of its wear. Anna's husband Modest Alexeyich has just received the 2nd class OSA, a cross which was supposed to be worn on the neck.[3]

Reception[]

In his October 1895 review, the writer and critic juxtaposed Chekhov's story with some similar plots by Alexander Ostrovsky, concluding that where the latter seeks for drama and tragedy, the former is quite content with the comical approach, which he'd developed in his early works.[4]

In 1904 the critic Yuri Dyagilev (writing under the pseudonym Yu. Chereda), analyzed "Anna on the Neck" and "The House with the Mezzanine" along the lines of his own conception according to which Chekhov and Dostoyevsky were the masters of paeans to the 'philistine's happiness'.[5]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Dolotova, L.M., Ornatskaya, T.I. Commentaries to Анна на шее. The Complete A.P. Chekhov in 30 vols. Vol. 8 // Чехов А. П. Полное собрание сочинений и писем: В 30 т. Сочинения: В 18 т. /АН СССР; Ин-т мировой лит. им. А. М. Горького. — М.: Наука, 1974—1982. Т. 8. [Рассказы. Повести], 1892—1894. — 1977. — С. 413—518.
  2. ^ Rodionova, V.M. Commentaries to Анна на шее. The Works by A.P. Chekhov in 12 volumes. Khudozhestvennaya Literatura. Moscow, 1960. Vol. 8, pp. 506-508
  3. ^ А. Лобачевский. Памятная книжка о ношении орденов, медалей и других знаков отличия. СПб., 1886.
  4. ^ «Бедная невеста». По поводу рассказа А. П. Чехова «Анна на шее». — «Московские ведомости», 1895, № 295, 26 октября.
  5. ^ «О пошлости». — «Новый путь», 1904, апрель

External links[]

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