Introduction
Anton
Chekhov is a Russian writer. He is a
doctor. He has written many short
stories and dramas. A work of Art,
a short story, is about a statue, a work of art, which is disliked by many
persons for its appearance.
Sasha Smirnov
Sasha
Smirnov is a small boy. He is the only
son for his mother. When the story opens
runs in the streets with an object wrapped in a newspaper. He goes to Dr. Koshelkov and unwrap the
statue. He presents the statue
(candelabrum) to the doctor, as a thanking note for saving his life from a
dangerous disease. The doctor, at first,
does not accept the idea of gifting by saying that he did his work and nothing
extraordinary.
Dr. Koshelkov’s
Reaction
Sasha
compels the doctor to have the candelabrum with him. The statue is made of bronze. It has a couple of girls dressed like Eve. The doctor admires the beauty of the
candelabrum but he refuses to accept it.
He says that the candelabrum is not meant for public display. The statue is obscene. He also says that he is a family man and his
children and many women visit him. Sasha
turns a deaf ear for all these reasons of the doctor. Finally, the doctor is compelled to accept
the gift.
The lawyer’s
reaction
Sasha
leaves the place happily by advising the doctor to see the statue just a work
of art and not as a piece of obscenity.
He decides to give it to the lawyer, Ukhov, his friend, who never gets
money for the legal services he does for the doctor. He goes to lawyer and presents him thinking
that he will not object the statue because he is a bachelor. Ukhov says that his mother, his clients would
come often and his servants may laugh at him.
Unmindful of his miserable cries the doctor leaves the candelabrum and
goes off.
Shashkin’s reaction
The
lawyer, in turn, bestows the candelabrum upon his friend Shashkin, a stage
comedian. He gives the candelabrum when the comedian is in the sets. Everybody
laughs at the comedian. He closes the
door and stays alone with the statue to avoid being ridiculed. He is unwilling to talk with the visitors. The wigmaker advises the comedian to sell the
statue at an antique shop, run by an old woman.
Shashkin agrees to the advice and he sells the candelabrum at the shop.
Conclusion
Sasha and his mother run the antique shop. The next day Sasha runs to the doctor
carrying the candelabrum. He goes to the
doctor and presents it to him saying that the statue has a pair and thereby no
one would think badly of the doctor. The
doctor’s jaw drops on hearing this.
