The Duel and Other Stories

By Anton Chekhov and Enrico Conti

"The Duel" is a story by Anton Chekhov. Like many of the tales of the Russian writer, it is a rather profound story, within which there is a substantial metaphor: that of the dual nature of humanity.The setting is idyllic, but for this reason, it is an ironic background to a story full of meanness, whims, moralism , hypocrisy and ruthlessness.The questionable character who opens the whole story is a scornful and shady man who convinces a married woman to live with him. After a short time, however, he decides to get rid of her .Intrigues, lies, and black and grotesque situations lead the reader to reflect on human nature and the meaning of life itself.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Enrico Conti
• Release date: Feb 14, 2019
• ISBN: 9788832517156

Anton Chekhov

Anton Chekhov (1860-1904) was a Russian doctor, short-story writer, and playwright. Born in the port city of Taganrog, Chekhov was the third child of Pavel, a grocer and devout Christian, and Yevgeniya, a natural storyteller. His father, a violent and arrogant man, abused his wife and children and would serve as the inspiration for many of the writer’s most tyrannical and hypocritical characters. Chekhov studied at the Greek School in Taganrog, where he learned Ancient Greek. In 1876, his father’s debts forced the family to relocate to Moscow, where they lived in poverty while Anton remained in Taganrog to settle their finances and finish his studies. During this time, he worked odd jobs while reading extensively and composing his first written works. He joined his family in Moscow in 1879, pursuing a medical degree while writing short stories for entertainment and to support his parents and siblings. In 1876, after finishing his degree and contracting tuberculosis, he began writing for St. Petersburg’s Novoye Vremya, a popular paper which helped him to launch his literary career and gain financial independence. A friend and colleague of Leo Tolstoy, Maxim Gorky, and Ivan Bunin, Chekhov is remembered today for his skillful observations of everyday Russian life, his deeply psychological character studies, and his mastery of language and the rhythms of conversation.

Book preview