To be determined Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

To be determined - Research Paper Example One short story will be used as an example to illustrate the dual existence between the inter and out worlds of different aspects of the Russian society and its ramifications. To conclude, it will be shown that Chekhov had a double role himself. He wrote about the ludicrousy of the upper classes in Tsarist Russian while establishing his own genre of short story writing. In 19th century Russia, Chekhov wrote about Russian society without ever talking about societal issues. It has never been part of Russian culture to complain about the trials and tribulations of society or the government. To judge the Tsar would have meant imprisonment. Folk literature, fairy tales, allegorical tale became part of the culture out of necessity. The need to express dissatisfaction cannot be suppressed. Historically this trend has gone through to the 21rst century. The Industrial Revolution was late in coming to Russia. It had started in Europe in the 18th century. (Nurijand, 2007) With the growth of the industrial revolution in the 19th century, there was a displacement of populations from the rural areas into the cities. (Nurijand, 2007) Populations started social conflicted as social differences became more pronounced. The government was a dictatorial monarchy. Self expression was only allowed under Tsarist terms. Chekhov developed a technique of writing which would be the equivalent of writing a symphony without writing a symphonic poem. He had music without meaning. He wrote where the reader would have to interpret the social and cultural changes which were needed. He developed a new genre of short story. Feelings, thoughts, timbre, and movement are expressed. He was advanced before his time but his existentialism has been used afterwards by such writers as James Joyce, Albert Camus, etc.. In the 19th century, after reading a short story, a reader had questions about himself and society. Many of the societal questions which should have been put on the front page of a newspaper are discretely brought up in his stories for the reader to interpret in the way he sees. In Lady and a Dog, there are many social issues which are addressed. How did the upper class live; what did they do with their time; why were the ladies so suppressed; what was the difference in life in St Petersburg and Moscow? The questions are never ending. Literature has been used in the last two hundred years as a means to express the problems of societies. When society is suppressed, literature is expressed allegorically or through the use of symbolism. It was impossible to explicitly talk about the social problems, but it was possible to write about the socio-psychological condition of man. 19th century literature in France indicated the social unrest of the classes in Paris. Victor Hugo wrote Les Miserables and spoke about such issues as the death penalty. In England, the 19th century showed the social issues of the poor in Charles Dickens' Tale of Two Cities; and the decadency of the r ich with Pride and Prejudice of Jane Austen. In 19th century Russia, Chekhov was confronted about the strict social structure. People could not change easily. They were controlled and judged.. The class structure comprised of 5 distinct and separate groups which was strict and demanding. It wasn't abolished until the Bolshevik Revolution in 1905. "The upper class were the nobility, the landowners (serfdoms) and the capitalists. The middle class were the merchants, tradesmen, civil servants