The Letter by Anton Chekhov (1886)

Name: The Letter
Author: Anton Chekhov

Father Fyodor Orlov, the clerical superintendent of the district, paces his drawing room near nine in the evening, exhausted after church services and waiting for his visitor, the old priest Father Anastasy, to leave. Anastasy, prohibited from officiating pending an inquiry into drunkenness, quarrels, careless record-keeping, and rumors of selling unlawful marriages and fasting certificates, lingers because he dreads facing people at home and has business the next day with the priest investigating him. Ashamed of overstaying, Anastasy asks timidly for a parting glass of vodka; Father Fyodor refuses, citing propriety, though he softens with a promise of a drink the next day and feels pity for the broken old man with nine unsuccessful children. The deacon Liubimov arrives, bald but still vigorous, and reports troubling news from Nikolay Matveyitch, just back from Harkov, about the deacon's son Pyotr. Pyotr, whom Father Fyodor recalls disliking since childhood as irreverent and overly talkative, is living in style, eating turkey during Lent, and keeping house with another man's wife, whom he passes off as his lawful wife, claiming they were "married at Kulikov's restaurant." Father Fyodor reacts with anger, blaming the deacon for failing to instill proper values in his son. The deacon protests that he did everything he could—schooling, tutors, a university education—but that Pyotr always dismissed his admonitions with "Why? What for?" Anastasy interjects with a rambling, half-drunk anecdote about a gentleman who questioned him similarly, which Father Fyodor rebukes. The deacon begs Father Fyodor to dictate a corrective letter to Pyotr, praising his superior's learning and judgment. Father Fyodor agrees and dictates a severe letter accusing Pyotr of living a heathen life disguised by culture and comfort, attributing his ruin to infidelity and misplaced trust in science over faith. Both the deacon and Anastasy are full of admiration for the letter's eloquence, calling it a mark of brilliant intellect and education. Relieved of his own irritation, Father Fyodor sends the two men off so he can rest before the Easter-night service. Walking home through the dark, star-lit streets, the deacon and Anastasy discuss the letter and Pyotr's situation, with Anastasy blaming the woman living with Pyotr for entrapping him. Anastasy suggests it might be better not to send the letter at all, but the deacon insists he must send something to fulfill his paternal duty. They arrive at the deacon's small house, tended by his sister who is confined to bed. Seeing the table set with Easter cakes and eggs, Anastasy is moved to tears thinking of his own home, then covers this with a forced laugh, and wheedles a glass of vodka from the deacon, drinking it quietly so his bedridden sister won't hear. He grows maudlin, speaking of his own sinfulness and the need for mercy toward sinners rather than only the righteous, urging the deacon to forgive Pyotr outright rather than send the harsh letter. The deacon, now free of his earlier anger and full of tender memories of Pyotr as a boy, rereads the letter and wavers, but ultimately decides to send it anyway "to bring him to his senses." Before sealing it, however, he adds a cheerful, gossipy postscript about a new, lively school inspector popular with local girls and about a military chief likely to be dismissed—commentary entirely at odds with the letter's severe tone. Pleased with this addition and unaware that it undermines the solemn effect of the letter, he seals the envelope and leaves it prominently on the table.

By Anton Chekhov · First published 1886 · Genre: Drama, Literary Fiction, Social Commentary · 5,618 words

First lines

The clerical superintendent of the district, his Reverence Father Fyodor Orlov, a handsome, well-nourished man of fifty, grave and important as he always was, with an habitual expression of dignity that never left his face, was walking to and fro in his little drawing room, extremely exhausted, and thinking intensely about the same thing: "When would his visitor go? " The thought worried him and did not leave him for a minute. The visitor, Father Anastasy, the priest of one of the villages near the town, had come to him three hours before on some very unpleasant and dreary business of his own, had stayed on and on, was now sitting in the corner at a little round table with his elbow on a thick account book, and apparently had no thought of going, though it was getting on for nine o'clock in the evening.

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The Letter is listed on Textopian as a short story by Anton Chekhov, dated 1886 CE.

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Work type: Short story
Author: Anton Chekhov
Date: 1886 CE
Language: English
Genres: Drama, Literary Fiction, Social Commentary, Tragedy, Satire
Length: 5,618 words
Structure: 1 section, 100 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

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Genres

Drama — The work explores complex human emotions and moral dilemmas, focusing on interpersonal relationships and societal expectations.
Literary Fiction — The narrative delves into character development and philosophical themes, emphasizing the inner lives of the characters.
Social Commentary — The story critiques social norms, particularly regarding morality, religion, and familial responsibilities.
Tragedy — The characters face significant personal failures and societal pressures, leading to a sense of despair and moral conflict.