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The Schoolmistress and Other Stories (1920) is a collection of short stories by Russian writer Anton Chekhov. "The Schoolmistress" was written in 1897 and published in an issue of Moscow's daily newspaper Russkiye Vedomosti. Even for Chekhov, whose work is characteristically bleak and noted for its unsparing realism, the title story of this collection is particularly hopeless. And yet, reading it alongside these other stories by a true icon of world and Russian literature, one cannot help but feel a sense of hope, reminded-as Chekhov's readers almost invariably are-of the light one finds in even the darkest of places.
"The Schoolmistress," which Chekhov wrote in Nice, is a brief story that follows Maria Vasilyevna as she returns to the village where she lives and works after collecting her pay in town. On the way, her cart nearly overturns, and she is forced to get out in the middle of a freezing river. To dry off, she takes a break at a local tavern, where she meets the formerly handsome Khanov, a landlord of her acquaintance. As she continues on her journey, she muses on her lot in life. Beset with memories and regrets, she struggles to make it home to a life she can hardly bear. "A Nervous Breakdown," originally published in 1889, is the story of a young law student who reluctantly agrees to accompany his friends on a night in Moscow's red-light district. Overwhelmed with despair and guilt, he struggles to reconcile what he sees with his own idealistic sense of the world. These are only two of the twenty-one works collected in The Schoolmistress and Other Stories, which showcase the immense talents of Anton Chekhov, an icon of Russian literature.
Since our inception in 2020, Mint Editions has kept sustainability and innovation at the forefront of our mission. Each and every Mint Edition title gets a fresh, professionally typeset manuscript and a dazzling new cover, all while maintaining the integrity of the original book.
With thousands of titles in our collection, we aim to spotlight diverse public domain works to help them find modern audiences. Mint Editions celebrates a breadth of literary works, curated from both canonical and overlooked classics from writers around the globe.
About the author
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860 - 1904) was a Russian playwright and short story writer, who is considered to be among the greatest writers of short fiction in history. His career as a playwright produced four classics and his best short stories are held in high esteem by writers and critics. Along with Henrik Ibsen and August Strindberg, Chekhov is often referred to as one of the three seminal figures in the birth of early modernism in the theater. Chekhov practiced as a medical doctor throughout most of his literary career: "Medicine is my lawful wife", he once said, "and literature is my mistress."
Summary
The Schoolmistress and Other Stories (1920) is a collection of short stories by Russian writer Anton Chekhov. “The Schoolmistress” was written in 1897 and published in an issue of Moscow’s daily newspaper Russkiye Vedomosti. Even for Chekhov, whose work is characteristically bleak and noted for its unsparing realism, the title story of this collection is particularly hopeless. And yet, reading it alongside these other stories by a true icon of world and Russian literature, one cannot help but feel a sense of hope, reminded—as Chekhov’s readers almost invariably are—of the light one finds in even the darkest of places.“The Schoolmistress,” which Chekhov wrote in Nice, is a brief story that follows Maria Vasilyevna as she returns to the village where she lives and works after collecting her pay in town. On the way, her cart nearly overturns, and she is forced to get out in the middle of a freezing river. To dry off, she takes a break at a local tavern, where she meets the formerly handsome Khanov, a landlord of her acquaintance. As she continues on her journey, she muses on her lot in life. Beset with memories and regrets, she struggles to make it home to a life she can hardly bear. “A Nervous Breakdown,” originally published in 1889, is the story of a young law student who reluctantly agrees to accompany his friends on a night in Moscow’s red-light district. Overwhelmed with despair and guilt, he struggles to reconcile what he sees with his own idealistic sense of the world. These are only two of the twenty-one works collected in The Schoolmistress and Other Stories, which showcase the immense talents of Anton Chekhov, an icon of Russian literature. Since our inception in 2020, Mint Editions has kept sustainability and innovation at the forefront of our mission. Each and every Mint Edition title gets a fresh, professionally typeset manuscript and a dazzling new cover, all while maintaining the integrity of the original book. With thousands of titles in our collection, we aim to spotlight diverse public domain works to help them find modern audiences. Mint Editions celebrates a breadth of literary works, curated from both canonical and overlooked classics from writers around the globe.
