Anton Chekhov: “The Bishop” (1902) — Short Story Discussion

"Chekhov is one of the few indispensable writers... His stories, which deluge us with feeling, make feeling more intelligent; more magnanimous. He is an artist of our moral maturity." (Susan Sontag)

Anton Chekhov (1860–1904) was a master of the short story and a founder of the modern drama. His works explored the complexities of the human condition with deep psychological insight, empathy, and subtle humor. He described the Russian life of his time with a deceptively simple technique devoid of obtrusive literary devices, and his works are regarded as outstanding representatives of early modernism and 19th-century Russian realism, influencing important writers of an array of genres including Ernest Hemingway, Vladimir Nabokov, Tennessee Williams, James Joyce, and Henry Miller.

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This is a series of occasional meetups to discuss short stories by various authors. (Currently meeting every other Sunday evening.)

This time we will discuss Chekhov's “The Bishop” (1902), about the last days of a terminally ill priest. It's the second last story Chekhov ever wrote before he died of tuberculosis at the too young age of 44.

Please read the story in advance (around 25 pages). Bring your thoughts, queries, critiques, and favourite passages to share with us at the meeting. A pdf copy is available here (a good translation by Robert Payne).

Stories by Chekhov we've previously discussed in this group:

• The House with the Mezzanine: An Artist’s Story (1896)
• The Lady with the Little Dog (1899)
• Gusev (1890)
• The Man in a Case (1898)
• Gooseberries (1898)
• About Love (1898)
• The Black Monk (1894)
• The Huntsman (1885)
• The Student (1894)

BONUS ARTICLE: 10 pictures of young Chekhov, ranked by hotness 🔥