Anton Chekhov: Enemies
Selected Excerpts
“That repellent horror which is thought of when we speak of death was absent from the room. In the numbness of everything, in the mother's attitude, in the indifference on the doctor's face there was something that attracted and touched the heart, that subtle, almost elusive beauty of human sorrow which men will not for a long time learn to understand and describe, and which it seems only music can convey.”
"You are in sorrow, I understand. But I'm not asking you to a case of toothache, or to a consultation, but to save a human life!" he went on entreating like a beggar. "Life comes before any personal sorrow! Come, I ask for courage, for heroism! For the love of humanity!"
“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.”
Discussion Questions
Anton Chekhov’s “Enemies” is a story of grief. What stood out to you the most in reading this short story?
Chekhov introduces us to Kirilov, the town physician, and his wife who have just lost their son to diphtheria. How does his description of their grief speak to experiences you’ve had?
Abogin arrives soon after the physician’s son’s death, and requests the doctor’s services to care for his wife whom he fears is dying of an aneurysm. When has duty come before your own emotional or spiritual needs? How did you cope?
Abogin and Kirilov are both blinded by their individual grief. How has the “blindness” of grief affected past relationships for you or people you know? How does it affect professional judgement?
Chekhov’s “Enemies” does not end with any sense of resolution. How is grief in the medical system cared for and viewed compared to this portrayal? What do you take away from this classic?
Reflections from #MedHumChat
“One thing that fascinates me about this story is that the concept of suffering is so elusive--even though it begins with the worst imaginable blow. At various points suffering is "beautiful" and "egoistic"--and both men are suffering, though very, very differently.” —@SuzanneKovenMD
“"Life comes before any personal sorrow! Come, I ask for courage, for heroism!" This is pretty much the heart of medicine (in the public eye). We put our lives in the backseat, even when struggling. And no matter what, we expect a heroic outcome to every story.” —@dkats_premd
“I often feel that the expectation of the profession requires some sacrifice, but the problems arise from then building a system that extols the tolerance of physical, mental and emotional abuse as virtuous & noble.” —@DrV_NeoMD
“I have learned to *try* to slow down, esp when I'm interacting with others. It's so easy to misunderstand even the simplest sentence when you're dealing with strong emotions & then you react based on what you felt, not what you heard.” —@mcshannon17
“I'm a first year medical student and part of a medical humanities group that participates in Schwartz rounds! Already, I can see how that brings in a sense of comradery and empathy outside of the patient care setting that is essential.” —@therhealmvp
About this #MedHumChat
“Enemies” was chosen as a stand alone piece for a #MedHumChat discussion on January 15, 2020 exploring classic works of literature.
We were honored to be joined by special guest Dr. Suzanne Koven (@SuzanneKovenMD), a primary care physician and Writer in Residence at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.
This chat was curated by Dr. Becca Omlor (@BeccaOm15).
About the Author
Antov Chekov (1840—1940) was a Russian playwright and master of the short story. He was also a physician, and many of his works explore encounters with medicine and illness.