I divide all literary works into two categories: Those I like and those I don't like. No other criterion exists for me. Anton Chekhov More Quotes by Anton Chekhov More Quotes From Anton Chekhov To dine, drink champagne, raise a racket and make speeches about the people's consciousness, the people's conscience, freedom andso forth while servants in tails are scurrying around your table, just like serfs, and out in the severe cold on the street await coachmen--this is the same as lying to the holy spirit. Anton Chekhov hypocrisy lying people When an actor has money he doesn't send letters, he sends telegrams. Anton Chekhov actors money literature The air of one's native country is the most healthy air. Anton Chekhov healthy air country A man who doesn't drink is not, in my opinion, fully a man. Anton Chekhov drink opinion men It is uncomfortable to ask condemned people about their sentences just as it is awkward to ask wealthy people why they need so much money, why they use their wealth so poorly, and why they don't just get rid of it when they recognize that it is the cause of their unhappiness. Anton Chekhov awkward people needs The past,' he thought, 'is linked with the present by an unbroken chain of events flowing one out of another.' And it seemed to him that he had just seen both ends of that chain; that when he touched one end the other quivered. Anton Chekhov unbroken events past He is no longer a city dweller who has even once in his life caught a ruff or seen how, on clear and cool autumn days, flocks of migrating thrushes drift over a village. Until his death he will be drawn to freedom. Anton Chekhov autumn freedom nature I can't accept "our nervous age," since mankind has been nervous during every age. Whoever fears nervousness should turn into a sturgeon or smelt; if a sturgeon makes a stupid mistake, it can only be one: to end up on a hook, and then in a pan in a pastry shell. Anton Chekhov stupid age mistake Dear, sweet, unforgettable childhood! Anton Chekhov attitude sweet children There isn't a Monday that would not cede its place to Tuesday. Anton Chekhov monday tuesday The critics suppose that it is easy to write a play. They aren't aware that writing a good play is difficult and writing a bad one is twice as hard. Anton Chekhov theatre play writing Anyone who says the artist's field is all answers and no questions has never done any writing or had any dealings with imageryYou are confusing two concepts: answering the questions and formulating them correctly. Only the latter is required of an author. Anton Chekhov artist writing two Ivanov: Once I worked hard and thought a lot but I never got tired; now I do nothing and think of nothing, but I'm tired in body and spirit. My conscience aches day and night, I feel deeply guilty but I don't understand where I am actually at fault. And add to that my wife's illness, my lack of money, the constant bickering, gossip, unnecessary conversations, that stupid Borkin... My home has become loathsome to me and I find living there worse than torture. Anton Chekhov tired stupid home And it is the way with us that you may express disapproval of the sun or the moon, or anything you like, but God preserve you from touching the Liberals! Heaven forbid! Anton Chekhov touching moon heaven How unbearable at times are people who are happy, people for whom everything works out. Anton Chekhov frustration happiness people The personal life of every individual is based on secrecy, and perhaps it is partly for that reason that civilized man is so nervously anxious that personal privacy should be respected. Anton Chekhov privacy men civilization When one longs for a drink, it seems as though one could drink a whole ocean-that is faith; but when one begins to drink, one can only drink altogether two glasses-that is science. Anton Chekhov ocean faith science Idea for a short story. The shore of a lake, a young girl who's spent her whole life beside it, a girl like you She loves the lake the way a seagull does, and she's happy and free as a seagull. Then a man comes along, sees her, and ruins her life because he has nothing better to do. Destroys her like this seagull here. Anton Chekhov girl lakes men I swear fearfully at the conventions of the stage. Anton Chekhov conventions stage theatre I'm the seagull. No, that's not it. I'm an actress. That's it. Anton Chekhov seagull actresses
