Anton Pavlovich Chekhov is the greatest master of a short story in world literature, able to create complete artistic types through a few expressive details, strokes, plot circumstances. This facet of his skill was fully manifested in the story "Surgery".

Only two heroes - paramedic Kuryatin and sexton Vonmiglasov - appear before us in a rural hospital. A deacon with a bad tooth comes to the paramedic, who is conducting the reception in the absence of a doctor, and asks for help - this is the plot. The development of the action continues until the paramedic starts active actions - tooth extraction. Kuryatin's attempt to extract a tooth, however unsuccessful, is the first climax of the story. The tension doesn't drop. The paramedic tries to extract a bad tooth a second time - this is the second climax of the story. The denouement comes when the sexton, having found two protruding protrusions of a broken tooth in his mouth, is removed home. Events follow one after another, the plot is chronological, the ending of the story remains open - the tooth is not removed.

One of the most striking characteristics of Chekhov's heroes is their language. Vonmiglasov’s speech (the surname itself is also “speaking”) is replete with church vocabulary, he remakes even ordinary words in a church manner. Paramedic Kuryatin struggles to show his importance by using medical terms. His speech consists of unfinished sentences, he constantly jumps from one subject to another. Noteworthy is the mention of the landowner Alexander Ivanych of Egypt. For the first time, the paramedic speaks about him to give significance to his person, allegedly he once used this person. The second time - in order to calm the raging deacon after failed attempt remove the tooth. And after the third time, it begins to seem that the landowner was the only patient of the paramedic.

One gets the impression that the paramedic in the hospital is a random person, he cannot be trusted with an appointment. This impression is intensified when he sorts through the tools and doubts the correctness of the decision. The result is logical - a random person took up what he did not know how to do, and therefore harmed another person.

The speech characteristics of the characters change - from mutually respectful at the beginning of the story to accusations and curses against each other at the end of the story. material from the site

Chekhov's humor is amazing - it would seem that it does not pretend to any generalization, is associated only with this work, but always reveals some important, typical feature of human relations.

Plan

1. The deacon Vonmiglasov comes to the village hospital for paramedic Kuryatin and talks about his bad tooth.
2. The paramedic undertakes to remove a bad tooth and selects tools.
3. An attempt to pull out a diseased tooth ends in failure.
4. The paramedic decides to try again.
5. The second attempt ends in failure - the tooth broke at the root.
6. The deacon leaves, scolding the paramedic. He does not consider himself guilty.

Many works of A.P. Chekhov, although they make the reader laugh, they serve to express moral values ​​and important ideas. For example, the story "Surgery" raises the topical issue of ignorance in such an area as protecting the health of citizens before society. Calling the book the name of a whole medical direction, the author generalizes, thereby saying that all medicine in Russia is in a deplorable state, and not just the zemstvo hospital. He knew from experience how much the state needs not only health care reforms and appropriate funding, but also the responsible attitude of people to this position. The work of the writer is devoted to the problem of his absence.

The writer takes as a basis for the plot a real case from the medical practice of that time. As a doctor, he knew that a lot of non-professionals worked in this area, who did not heal, but crippled. Surgery is precisely the branch of medicine where mistakes are most painful and obvious. The author exposed the pressing problem of a society where health care for people with low incomes turns into a lottery, where it is almost impossible to win, and losing is very expensive. Therefore, Chekhov's work can be attributed to acutely social stories.

The author focuses on the ridicule of vices, that is, he wants to correct the situation. If people see how ridiculous their behavior looks, they will stop behaving like that. Laughter hurts a person, unlike moralizing attacks and teachings. In style, the writer is even closer to the feuilleton. The apt characteristics of the characters point to their shortcomings, revealing the vicious nature behind them. Their outward appearance is not as ridiculous as the inner ugliness of the soul. The humor in "Surgery" plays the role of an accuser who is pleasant to listen to, despite his accusations. It manifests itself even in the plot: the doctor left to get married, the paramedic knows nothing, but still gets to work, the deacon is enough, then he curses the doctor, because he is unable to love his neighbor and endure earthly torments. Thus, the work can be called a humorous story.

What is the story about?

The action takes place in a zemstvo hospital on a Sunday, where medical assistant Kuryatin is taking patients, because the doctor has left to get married. Vonmiglasov comes there with a toothache. At first, the patient praises the doctor: “That’s why you, benefactors, are placed, God grant you health, so that we are for you day and night, fathers ... until the grave of life ...”. Kuryatin himself claims that surgery is nothing ... just spit. But after an unsuccessful attempt to pull out a tooth, both of them change their point of view: the deacon begins to swear, and the failed dentist is already defending himself by the fact that this is not an easy task - to tear a tooth. During the second attempt, the patient has two protrusions in the mouth in place of the tooth, which finally infuriates him: “They impaled you here, Herods, to our death!”. The healer, on the other hand, is trying to justify that he had already removed a tooth for a certain Egyptian landowner, but he speaks about it so indistinctly that you involuntarily think: was there a landowner? The sexton goes home, and the paramedic did not even try to correct the situation. Chekhov chose an open ending for the work: the patient leaves the office, and at this point the narrative ends abruptly.

Main characters

The characters are depicted in a satirical manner characteristic of the writer. He drew attention to their comical behavior and painted an ironic portrait of the whole class. Their characters are schematic, but at the same time they contain the fruits of the author's close observation of the changing and pulsating reality. The heroes of the story "Surgery" by Chekhov are designed in black and white colors of the feuilleton: they are deprived of a full-fledged inner world. Images are built around one vice, which is ridiculed and condemned. The reader does not see their lives, families and circumstances that influenced the formation of personality. The important thing, and Anton Pavlovich emphasizes this, is that vices develop with the tacit consent of society. We all don't pay attention to what's going on and do nothing to fix it.

1. Paramedic Kuryatin. Narcissistic, important, ignorant person who likes to talk and splurge. He has a remarkable conceit, and even if life itself destroys him, he is always ready to give a bunch of excuses, contradicting himself. He changes his point of view depending on what he needs to sell to the interlocutor. medical worker does not feel any special responsibility, he simply sits out his duty, while trying to maintain an affected "pleasantness" and not cripple anyone. From a professional point of view, he is an amateur. The author gives him a humorous description:

“A fat man of about forty, in a worn chunchun jacket and frayed tricot trousers. On the face is an expression of a sense of duty and pleasantness. Between the index and middle fingers of the left hand is a cigar that spreads a stench.

1. Dyak Vonmiglasov. Hypocritical, narrow-minded, talkative, rude and impulsive. Changes mind like a glove depending on what's in this moment feels. He does not need evidence and reflection to draw a conclusion, just superficial impressions are enough, and the judgment is ready. This hero also went to work not according to his calling: he is too stupid to carry worthy service in the church. The character is frivolous, but at the same time it is distinguished by hypocrisy. Religion for him is just a convention: “For a second, the deacon looks for an icon with his eyes and, not finding one, is baptized on a bottle of carbolic solution, then he takes out a prosphora from a red handkerchief and puts it in front of the paramedic with a bow.”

The characterization of heroes is one of the brightest means of creating a comic effect in Chekhov's works. The book "Surgery" is one of the best of its kind, because it is still relevant today. Ignorance hurts not only specific person but also to the whole society. It does not develop, because it is deaf to progress and lives only for the sake of obtaining small profits and consumer existence, devoid of a higher goal. The writer laughs at this, but this is not a cheerful laugh, but a sad smile, because little has changed in Russia over the years.

Themes

• Anton Pavlovich Chekhov raises the topic of blatant lack of professionalism on the part of people who take responsibility for the health and life of the patient. Lack of knowledge and skills necessary for high-quality performance of work destroys specialists, killing their creative impulse to work. They serve time in the workplace, not at all thinking about how to do better. They only think about how to profit and deceive the client, and general level confidence in the Russian worker is falling. Most importantly, not without reason. Domestic medicine is used only by people with low incomes for lack of a better one. Therefore, the sphere of activity itself is dying, because talented and smart people see no prospects in it.
• Laziness. The writer in the story "Surgery" ridicules the ignorance and stupidity of the philistines who only want to earn money, not work. The paramedic did not bother to master the necessary skills and knowledge and is quite pleased with his lack of professionalism, hoping "at random".
• Hypocrisy. We see another "chameleon" Kuryatin, who treats the deacon with disdain and recalls the landowner with admiration. Insincerity once again falls under the scope of the author. In addition, the problem of social inequality can be traced here: medicine is better for the rich than for the poor.
• hypocrisy. The clerk is baptized and on the bottle, his religious feeling is reduced to the observance of customs. It is important for him what people think, therefore ostentatious faith is his constant companion.

the main idea

The work is full of meaning, although not large in volume. The main idea of ​​the story "Surgery" is that ignorance and hypocrisy harm the whole society, and not a specific character. People after such disgraceful services will not go to the doctor, they will remain like a deacon, with the negative consequences of their untreated diseases. They will think that this is all medicine, and they will be afraid of treatment, since they will mentally associate it with an inept paramedic and an irresponsible doctor. Patients will go to healers or start the disease to a disastrous outcome. Thus, each specialist must perform his duties professionally and responsibly, because it is he who contributes to the organization of public order.

Each of us must, to the best of our ability, not succumb to laziness and make ourselves a real professional who will really help and protect the honor of the uniform. It is these people who lead the country to a brighter future, and do not drag it into the abyss of rude and vulgar living in a world where everyone wants only profit. The meaning in Chekhov's story has a cleansing effect, he teaches a person to look at himself from the side without rose-colored glasses. Thus, the healing effect of such literature is based on the doctor's ability to open an abscess and treat the wound, but not of a person, but of the whole society. The reader laughs because he himself saw this sore and felt pain, but did not pay attention. However, a doctor is a doctor, to honestly tell the patient the whole truth about his condition and prescribe treatment.

What does the story teach?

In many of Chekhov's works, the finale remains open, and here everything ends with an ellipsis: "The deacon takes his prosphora from the table and, holding his cheek with his hand, goes home ...". It would seem that the author does not answer the questions posed. However, this opinion is erroneous. The unfinished narration provides food for fantasy. The reader's thoughts complete the picture: the minister of the church told the parishioners about what had happened, they hacked at their noses that there was no need to be treated. Thus, the unfortunate paramedic discredited the profession, and now there is no trust not only to him, but to all doctors. That is, each of us thinks about the personal responsibility of a person for all the bad things that happen around. For example, people can die without the timely help of a doctor, but fundamentally refuse it, because they do not believe in its benefits.

The story evokes conflicting feelings and, among other things, teaches us not to jump to conclusions. On the one hand, the paramedic is not to blame for the fact that the doctor left, and the doctor also has the right to privacy. You can't blame them indiscriminately for not being able to do everything possible to help. It becomes simply a pity for them, because the working conditions in the provinces have always been difficult. Is there really only one doctor in the hospital? If that's the case, he can't sit there 24/7. On the other hand, they both treat their work irresponsibly, that is, they leave their posts on duty and take on what they do not know how to do. This causes a feeling of irritation and indignation, because their negligence can cost a person's life. This duality is the value of the work "Surgery", it provokes us to think. Each situation must be subjected to a comprehensive analysis, and not content with a narrow and biased view, like a narrow-minded and hypocritical deacon.

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Year of publication of the book: 1884.

Chekhov's story "Surgery" was first published in 1884. Two years later, the work was published in the collection Motley Stories. A.P. Chekhov's story "Surgery" was translated into several languages ​​during the author's lifetime. Today, this work is deservedly included in school curriculum, and Chekhov himself consistently occupies high places among.

Chekhov's story "Surgery" summary

The story "Surgery" begins with the fact that a doctor is absent in the Zemstvo hospital due to his marriage. His place is temporarily taken by paramedic Kuryatin. A forty-year-old man has a rather untidy appearance and constantly carries a fetid cigar with him.

Further in Chekhov's story "Surgery" we can read how the deacon Vonmiglasov comes to the hospital. He is a tall old man with a thorn in one eye and a huge wart on his face. He complains to the paramedic that he has been suffering from severe toothache for several days, which radiates to his ear. A man cannot even sing in a choir, because everything in his mouth is so swollen that it seems impossible to clearly pronounce the words. Vonmiglasov even tried to get rid of the pain on his own - he applied vodka to the tooth, wore a red thread on his wrist, but nothing helped.

The protagonist of Chekhov's story "Surgery" asks the patient to sit down and open his mouth. The paramedic immediately notices the bad tooth and offers to remove it. The sexton says that he trusts the doctor, because he is specially trained to save people from various diseases. Kuryatin, in turn, calls surgery a trifle and says that there is nothing complicated in it.

The paramedic tells how the landowner Alexander Egyptian recently came to him from St. Petersburg. He, like Vonmiglasov, complained about the sharp toothache. And the doctor managed to pull out the patient's tooth in a few minutes without any problems. The main thing, according to the doctor, is to know which tool is better to tear bad teeth.

After that, in our short story Chekhov "Surgery" summary you can read how Kuryatin takes the forceps and makes an attempt to pull out Vonmiglasov's tooth. He exerts all his strength, but the patient interferes with him with his hands. No matter how hard the paramedic tried, the tooth remained in place. Here the laudatory words about the doctors, with which Vonmiglasov was so scattered, are replaced by insults against Kuryatin.

You can read Chekhov's story "Surgery" online on the Top Books website.

Kuryatin

Sergei Kuzmich Kuryatin, paramedic of the Zemstvo hospital, who received the deacon Vonmiglasov with a toothache. He is about 40 years old, overweight, smokes cigars. He was never able to pull out the deacon's aching tooth, breaking it off, and at the same time causing him great suffering.

Vonmiglasov Efim Mikheich

Deacon. An old man of high stature, strong physique. On the right eye is a thorn. He came to the paramedic Kuryatin in the hospital for an appointment with a toothache. At first, he completely trusted the paramedic and praised him in every possible way. After an unsuccessful attempt to pull out a tooth, which caused him severe suffering, he changed his mind about Kuryatin, and after he broke off his tooth, he generally called him a devil and Herod.

Priest

An acquaintance of the deacon Efim Vonmiglasov, who reproaches him for his bad speech during the liturgy.

Deacon

He advised the deacon to apply vodka with horseradish to the aching tooth.

Glikeria Anisimovna

She gave the deacon Yefim Mikheich to wear a thread from Mount Athos for toothache and advised him to rinse the aching tooth with warm milk.

Doctor

The doctor who left to marry, instead of whom the paramedic Kuryatin received patients.

sexton's wife

An episodic character, it was with her that Yefim Vonmiglasov sat down to drink tea, during which he had a terrible toothache.