The Death of a Government Clerk

Name: The Death of a Government Clerk
Author: Anton Chekhov

A middle-aged government clerk dies suddenly after years of unfulfilled ambitions and a life of monotony. His family is left to deal with the aftermath, revealing their own flaws and shortcomings. The story explores themes of stagnation, disappointment, and the search for meaning in a mundane existence.

By Anton Chekhov · First published 1883 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Tragicomedy, Satire · 1,198 words

First lines

One fine evening, a no less fine government clerk called Ivan Dmitritch Tchervyakov was sitting in the second row of the stalls, gazing through an opera glass at the Cloches de Corneville. He gazed and felt at the acme of bliss. But suddenly. In stories one so often meets with this "But suddenly. " The authors are right: life is so full of surprises! But suddenly his face puckered up, his eyes disappeared, his breathing was arrested. he took the opera glass from his eyes, bent over and. "Aptchee! " he sneezed as you perceive. It is not reprehensible for anyone to sneeze anywhere. Peasants sneeze and so do police superintendents, and sometimes even privy councillors. All men sneeze. Tchervyakov was not in the least confused, he wiped his face with his handkerchief, and like a polite man, looked round to see whether he had disturbed anyone by his sneezing. But then he was overcome with confusion. He saw that an old gentleman sitting in front of him in the first row of the stalls was carefully wiping his bald head and his neck with his glove and muttering something to himself. In the old gentleman, Tchervyakov recognised Brizzhalov, a civilian general serving in the Department of Transport.

What this Textopian page supports

The Death of a Government Clerk is listed on Textopian as a short story by Anton Chekhov, dated 1883 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Short story
Author: Anton Chekhov
Date: 1883 CE
Language: English
Genres: Literary Fiction, Tragicomedy, Satire, Short Story, Psychological Fiction
Length: 1,198 words
Structure: 1 section, 29 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

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Similar titles

Genres

Literary Fiction — The work explores complex themes of social anxiety, human behavior, and the absurdity of life, characteristic of literary fiction.
Tragicomedy — The blend of tragic elements with humor highlights the absurdity of the protagonist's situation, fitting the tragicomedy genre.
Satire — The story critiques social norms and the bureaucratic system, employing satire to expose the ridiculousness of the protagonist's concerns.
Short Story — The narrative is concise and focused, typical of the short story format.