The summary of Chekhov's Ivanov should be familiar to all fans of this authorâs talent. After all, this is one of the most famous plays of the playwright, which still goes on in domestic theaters. It was written in 1887, two years later it was first published in a journal called The Northern Herald.
Tie
A brief summary of Chekhovâs âIvanovâ is necessary after mentioning that events unfold in one of the provincial counties in central Russia. The main character is the landowner Nikolai Alekseevich Ivanov. He reads a book in the garden when his estate manager and relative Misha Borkin returns from the hunt. He begs the money supposedly to pay the workers. The protagonist has no money, he dreams of being left alone.
An important place in Chekhovâs play âIvanovâ, the summary of which we expose, is occupied by the wife of Nikolai Alekseevich Anna Petrovna, who appears just at that moment. She pesters her husband, he is annoyed. Borkin, who recalls that ahead of the payment of interest on Lebedevâs debt, is not appeasing. Ivanov is preparing to go to ask for a respite. Borkin gives him a lot of advice, all adventurous.
Lviv and Shabelsky
In the play of Chekhov's "Ivanov" new heroes appear. This is a young doctor Lviv and uncle Nikolai Alekseevich Count Shabelsky. Lvov is concerned that Anna Petrovna has consumption. She needs peace, and she is constantly worried about her spouse. 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 Chekhov's Ivanov, this is an important admission. The main character says that he married for love. His wife, who was Jewish, changed her faith for him, left wealth and her parents. After 5 years, she is still in love with him, and he feels one emptiness.
Lebedev
To Lvov this confession seems hypocritical. He considers Ivanov a fraud, allegedly knowing why, in fact, he is going to Lebedev.
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 remains alone in sadness. But as soon as the doctor begins to condemn her husband, he immediately intervenes for him, remembering what kind of person he used to be. Unable to stand, she goes after him.
In Chekhovâs work âIvanovâ, the birthday of Sashaâs 20-year-old daughter, who celebrate the Lebedevs, is of great importance. True, the stingy hostess offers only jam. Start playing cards for empty talk. Even in the brief content of Chekhov's Ivanov, there is an oppressive atmosphere that the author knows how to convey brilliantly. Gossip begins about the main character, who is accused of having married by calculation, but received nothing, from which he became unhappy. Sasha ardently objects to this. She believes that Ivanovâs only fault is a weak character.
The appearance of the protagonist
A summary of Chekhov's Ivanov will help you remember this work, prepare for the exam or standings. In the next scene, the main character himself appears along with Shabelsky. Borkin comes for them with fireworks.
In the garden, Ivanov confesses to Sasha that he is tormented by conscience, he feels that he is deeply guilty, but does not understand what. His wifeâs illness, gossip and debts oppress him even more. Ivanov compares himself with extra people. He is indignant at this and at the same time ashamed. This is an important point in the play of 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 man who would sincerely love him. Ivanov is not enthusiastic about the idea of ââstarting another novel. Soon Anna Petrovna and Lviv arrive. She is bored with the doctor, to whom she constantly contrasts her husband, as he was at the beginning of their marriage.
Sasha declares his love to the protagonist, he is confused. Then he laughs at all when the girl offers to start him living again. Anna Petrovna notices them in the garden.
Stay alone
For the play "Ivanov" by A.P. Chekhov, the constant desire of the protagonist to be left alone is important. He fails to achieve this. The next day, Lvov, Lebedev and Borkin come to him. Everyone has a serious conversation, but Nikolai Alekseevich does not want to see anyone.
Lebedev offers him secretly from his wife money, but this no longer worries the main character. He worries why he canât figure out for himself where his mental illness comes from. He cannot understand why he has fallen out of love with his wife, and Sashaâs love seems to him an abyss.
Lviv 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, which they give for Sasha. Ivanov urges him not to be so self-confident, but it is useless. Soon, Lebedevâs daughter herself appears.
Ivanova is not happy with her arrival, he does not see any future in their novel. Sasha really wants and wants to save him from spiritual death. She admits that men donât understand much in women, since a loser will in fact appeal to 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 will be at the bedside of his sick wife, no matter how many years it would take.
Explanation with spouse
After Sashaâs departure, Anna Petrovna arrives at Ivanov, who needs an explanation. The protagonist admits that she is guilty before her, but when she finds out how she interpreted his actions, accusing him of constantly deceiving her, fundamentally disagrees. The wife believes that he decided to turn the head of Sasha, because he owes her father, and in the future 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 liquid, assuring her that she will die soon, as the doctor told him. Seeing how these cruel words acted on her, Ivanov is upset, clutching his head and again begins to blame himself for everything.
Explanation with Sasha
According to the plot of the play, it takes about a year. We again see the excited doctor Lviv, who is stifled by hatred of Ivanov. He wants to rip off his mask and bring him to clean water.
Cheerfully in the Lebedev family. Father and daughter admitted to each other that something was bothering them in the upcoming wedding. But Sasha is still ready to go to the end, save this unfortunate, but good, in her opinion, person who is incomprehensible to her. She sincerely loves him, believes that she can put on her feet. This is the goal that the girl sets for herself.
Suddenly, Ivanov arises, who urges to stop everything, calling the incident a comedy, convinces that it is not too late to do this. It turns out that in the morning he realized that he was completely dead. 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 refuse to marry 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 the whole thing is about money, he offers ten thousand rubles to Ivanov and Sasha, but the bride and groom are still stubborn: everyone claims that he will do as his conscience tells him to.
Denouement
The protagonist 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, his feelings were seething in him, he worked for ten, made his way in this life, even âfought with windmillsâ. Now the life with which he fought so desperately takes revenge on him. At the age of 30, he began a hangover, he overstrained himself, remained without faith, was broken inside. I realized that in life there is no goal, love, has turned into a shadow, which is meaninglessly loitering between people. He does not know who he is and what he really wants. Anger strangles him, and at the same time pride resents in him.
Lvov appears, who manages to shout out his accusations against Ivanov, whom he considers a scoundrel. He listens to them calmly and even coldly. He has already passed a sentence. Ivanov takes out a revolver, steps aside and commits suicide. So tragically ends this play.