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Anton Chekhov

Anton Chekhov Quotes

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Famous Anton Chekhov Quotes

“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.”

IfsShouldFirstsHas BeensEndsStoriesUsedLyingMy OwnWrittenSubjectsWallGunConcernedCrossesChaptersHanging On
Author:Anton Chekhov
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“I am not a liberal, not a conservative, not a believer in gradual progress, not a monk. I should like to be a free artist and nothing more.”

ShouldArtistFreedomProgressConservativeBelieverMonk
Book:The Life and Genius of Anton Chekhov: Letters, Diary, Reminiscences and Biography: Assorted Collection of Autobiographical Writings of the Renowned Russian Author and Playwright of Uncle Vanya, The Cherry Orchard, The Three Sisters and The Seagull
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“The unhappy are egoistic, spiteful, unjust, cruel, and less capable of understanding each other than fools. Unhappiness does not bring people together but draws them apart, and even where one would fancy people should be united by the similarity of their sorrow, far more injustice and cruelty is generated than in comparatively placid surroundings.”

PeopleShouldDoeTogetherUnderstandingUnitedFoolSorrowCapableDrawsInjusticeUnhappyCrueltyFancyUnhappinessUnjustSurroundingsSimilarityPlacidSpitefulUnderstanding Each Other
Book:Delphi Complete Works of Anton Chekhov (Illustrated)
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“My mother and father are the only people on the whole planet for whom I will never begrudge a thing. Should I achieve great things, it is the work of their hands; they are splendid people and their absolute love of their children places them above the highest praise. It cloaks all of their shortcomings, shortcomings that may have resulted from a difficult life.”

PeopleShouldMayChildrenWholeHandsAgeMotherFatherDifficultAchievePlanetsHighestAbsolutesPraiseGreat ThingsShould ISplendidShortcomingsCloaksMother And FatherDifficult LifeAbsolute Love
Author:Anton Chekhov
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“When describing nature, a writer should seize upon small details, arranging them so that the reader will see an image in his mind after he closes his eyes. For instance: you will capture the truth of a moonlit night if you'll write that a gleam like starlight shone from the pieces of a broken bottle, and then the dark, plump shadow of a dog or wolf appeared. You will bring life to nature only if you don't shrink from similes that liken its activities to those of humankind.”

IfsShouldWritingMindEyeNightDarkPiecesDogBrokenReaderActivityShadowDetailsInstanceHis EyesBottlesCaptureHumankindShrinksSimileDescribingGleamArrangingStarlightSmall Details
Author:Anton Chekhov
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“Everything I have written up to now is trifling compared to that which I would like to write and would write with great pleasureEither I am a fool and a self-conceited person, or I am a being capable of becoming a good writer; I am displeased and bored with everything now being written, while everything in my head interests, moves, and excites me-whence I draw the conclusion that no one is doing what is needed, and I alone know the secret of how it should be done. In all likelihood everyone who writes thinks that. In fact, the devil himself will be brought to his knees by these questions.”

ThinkingKnowsShouldWritingPersonsSelfDoneFactsMovingInterestSecretWrittenFoolBecomingNeededCapableDrawsDevilConclusionBoredKneesGood WritersLikelihoodConceitedTrifling
Author:Anton Chekhov
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“All I wanted was to say honestly to people: 'Have a look at yourselves and see how bad and dreary your lives are!' The important thing is that people should realize that, for when they do, they will most certainly create another and better life for themselves. I will not live to see it, but I know that it will be quite different, quite unlike our present life. And so long as this different life does not exist, I shall go on saying to people again and again: 'Please, understand that your life is bad and dreary!'”

PeopleKnowsShouldLooksLongDoeImportantDifferentWantedLife IsRealizingGoes OnPleaseImportant ThingsHonestlyAgain And AgainBetter LifeDrearyDifferent LifePresent Life
Author:Anton Chekhov
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“If I wanted to order a ring for myself, the inscription I should choose would be: "Nothing passes away." I believe that nothing passes away without leaving a trace, and that every step we take, however small, has significance for our present and our future existence.”

IfsShouldBelieveWould BeWantedOrderI BelieveExistenceStepsLeavingRingsSignificanceOur FuturePassing AwayEvery StepInscriptions
Book:Anton Chekhov: The Collected Novellas and Short Stories in Multiple Translations: Over 200 Stories From the Renowned Russian Playwright and Author of Uncle Vanya, Cherry Orchard and The Three Sisters in Multiple Translations including Ward No. 6 , The Lady with the Dog and Others
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