Fatherless (Platonov)

The more miserable Platonov’s situation and condition become, the more boldly Chekhov employs comedic elements.

We can see many examples of how much of the later Chekhovian dramaturgy can be found in Bezatcovscsina – the figure of the disintegrated (life) protagonist, the seemingly meaningless words not closely tied to the previous lines, but above all, the infallible sense for tragicomedy, the grotesque, the insight and depiction of the absurd, and the almost unparalleled ability to balance the horrific and the amusing. Moreover, it’s not just about the balance and proportions: Chekhov also knows, perhaps more instinctively than consciously at the time of creation, how these grotesque counterpoints should develop.

The more miserable Platonov’s situation and condition become, the more boldly Chekhov employs comedic elements. The finale, the fourth act, is already abundant with these, even though – or rather precisely because – the story is progressing towards the death of the central figure, the hero.

Tibor Déry

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