Ionych

"Ionych"
Author	Anton Chekhov
Original title	"Ионыч"
Country	Russia
Language	Russian
Published in	Niva (1898)
Publisher	Adolf Marks (190)
Publication date	August 1898

"Ionych" (Russian: Ионыч) is a 1898 short story by Anton Chekhov.

Publication

The story was published in the No.9, September 1898 issue of the Montly Literary Supplements to Niva magazine. With minor changes Chekhov included it into Volume 9 of the 1899-1901, first edition the Collected Works by A.P. Chekhov, published by Adolf Marks.

Background

The story, written in Nice, France, in the early 1898, was originally intended for Russkaya Mysl. Chekhov opted against sending the manuscript by post and, upon returning home, in May, handed it to Vukol Lavrov. Then he suddenly changed his mind and in a 6 June letter asked Viktor Goltsev to send it back, saying it was not fit for Russkaya Mysl. On 10 June he received the galley proofs and the same day sent it to Niva. This magazine's editor Rostislav Sementkovsky was apparently pleasantly surprised and flattered. "I've read your story with immense delight and, needless to say, all your wishes will be met," he wrote Chekhov in a 18 June letter.

Reception

The story was warmly received. The most detailed and, in retrospect, insightful review came from D.N. Ovsyaniko-Kulikovsky, who, writing for Zhurnal Dlya Vsekh, hailed Chekhov as "an independent force blazing in literature the trail of its own." The critic subjected to thorough analysis Chekhov's method who "...never gives us a well-worked, all-round portrait of his characters... Just provides one, two, three strokes and then backs this sketch up with a kind of see-through, unusually subtle and to shrewd psychological analysis." Ovsyaniko-Kulikovsky considered "Ionych" the most perfect, complete example of Chekhov's art.

External links

• Ионыч, the original Russian text
• Ionych, the English translation