If in the first act you introduce a gun, by the third act you have to use it. Anton Chekhov More Quotes by Anton Chekhov More Quotes From Anton Chekhov Common hypocrites pass themselves off as doves; political and literary hypocrites pose as eagles. But don't be fooled by their eagle-like appearance. These are not eagles, but rats or dogs. Anton Chekhov eagles hypocrite dog My own experience is that once a story has been written, one has to cross out the beginning and the end. It is there that we authors do most of our lying . . . one must ruthlessly suppress everything that is not concerned with the subject. If, in the first chapter, you say there is a gun hanging on the wall, you should make quite sure that it is going to be used further on in the story. Anton Chekhov wall gun lying Lying is the same as alcoholism. Liars prevaricate even on their deathbeds. Anton Chekhov alcoholism liars lying Why are we worn out? Why do we, who start out so passionate, brave, noble, believing, become totally bankrupt by the age of thirty or thirty-five? Why is it that one is extinguished by consumption, another puts a bullet in his head, a third seeks oblivion in vodka, cards, a fourth, in order to stifle fear and anguish, cynically tramples underfoot the portrait of his pure, beautiful youth? Why is it that, once fallen, we do not try to rise, and, having lost one thing, we do not seek another? Why? Anton Chekhov lost-ones beautiful believe But at the same time, in reality, what a difference there is between the world today, and what it used to be! And with the passage of more time, some two or three hundred years, say, people will look back at our own times with horror, or with sneering laughter, because all of our present day life will appear so clumsy, and burdensome, extraordinarily inept and strange. Yes, certainly, what a life it will be then, what a life! Anton Chekhov laughter reality years Life on earth is inconceivable without trees. Anton Chekhov earth forests tree After us they'll fly in hot air balloons, coat styles will change, perhaps they'll discover a sixth sense and cultivate it, but life will remain the same, a hard life full of secrets, but happy. And a thousand years from now man will still be sighing, "Oh! Life is so hard!" and will still, like now, be afraid of death and not want to die. Anton Chekhov air-balloons men years Wisdom.... comes not from age, but from education and learning. Anton Chekhov age education inspirational He who desires nothing, hopes for nothing, and is afraid of nothing, cannot be an artist. Anton Chekhov sarcastic funny art In two or three hundred years life on earth will be unimaginably beautiful, astounding. Man needs such a life and if it hasn't yetappeared, he should begin to anticipate it, wait for it, dream about it, prepare for it. To achieve this, he has to see and know more than did his grandfather and father. Anton Chekhov change dream beautiful Medicine is my lawful wife and literature my mistress; when I get tired of one, I spend the night with the other. Anton Chekhov tired night science In order to cultivate yourself and to drop no lower than the level of the milieu in which you have landed, it is not enough to read Pickwick and memorize a monologue from Faust... You need to work continually day and night, to read ceaselessly, to study, to exercise your will... Each hour is precious. Anton Chekhov exercise night order Better to perish from fools than to accept praises from them. Anton Chekhov fool accepting praise I think human beings must have faith or must look for faith, otherwise our life is empty, empty. To live and not to know why the cranes fly, why children are born, why there are stars in the sky. You must know why you are alive, or else everything is nonsense, just blowing in the wind. Anton Chekhov stars children thinking My own experience is that once a story has been written, one has to cross out the beginning and the end. It is there that we authors do most of our lying. Anton Chekhov stories writing lying You confuse two things: solving a problem and stating a problem correctly. It is only the second that is obligatory for an artist. Anton Chekhov problem artist two An artist must only judge of what he understands, his field is just as limited as that of any other specialist... That in his sphere there are no questions, but only answers, can only be maintained by those who have never written and have had no experience of thinking in images. Anton Chekhov criticism artist answers To regard one's immortality as an exchange of matter is as strange as predicting the future of a violin case once the expensive violin it held has broken and lost its worth. Anton Chekhov violin broken matter Cross out as many adjectives and adverbs as you can. ... It is comprehensible when I write: "The man sat on the grass," because it is clear and does not detain one's attention. On the other hand, it is difficult to figure out and hard on the brain if I write: "The tall, narrow-chested man of medium height and with a red beard sat down on the green grass that had already been trampled down by the pedestrians, sat down silently, looking around timidly and fearfully." The brain can't grasp all that at once, and art must be grasped at once, instantaneously. Anton Chekhov writing men art We shall find peace. We shall hear angels, we shall see the sky sparkling with diamonds. Anton Chekhov losing-a-loved-one inspiration peace
