«“There is no real difference between a warm, snug study and this ward, . . . A man's peace and contentment do not lie outside a man, but in himself.”» (Ch. X) ~ «“… if you will reflect more on the subject you will understand how insignificant is all that external world that agitates us. One must strive for the comprehension of life, and in that is true happiness.”» (X) ~ [All of the English quotations were taken from Constance Garnett translation] ~ #Finished: #WardNo6 by #AntonChekhov. • Rating: 6/10 #AndreyYefimitchRagin is an unmotivated and lazy doctor of a provincial hospital, who likes to spend his time with reading, and whom I think should've been a philosopher. After his conversations with the philosophical but agitated and paranoid patient, #IvanDmitritchGromov, of Ward No. 6 in the mental asylum, on topics like corruption in society, immortality and stoical topics like ignoring the pain and suffering, Ragin is gradually alienated by his acquaintances, and eventually ends up becoming a patient in Ward No. 6. ~ Partially a criticism towards Russian intellectuals of that time who only watched the corruption and sufferings of the poor and done nothing else, the story also shows that some people, like #Ragin's aggressive friend #MihailAveryanitch, and the cunning district doctor that assisted Ragin, #YevgenyFyodoritchHobotov, who seemingly fit in the social norms aren't actually much different the mad ones. The novella has some great quotes full of wisdom, obviously inspired by Stoicism; however, I found it mostly uninteresting, except the uncanny final chapters, which might have inspired Kafka. I'm sure there are better Chekhov works that I haven't read. ~ «“its a good thing you have faith. With such a belief one may live happily even shut up within walls.”» (IX) ~ «“… The wise man, or simply the reflecting, thoughtful man, is distinguished precisely by his contempt for suffering; he is always contented and surprised at nothing.”» (X) ~ #AntonChekov #WardNoSix #DoctorRagin #Gromov #Hobotov #SergeySergeyitch #Чехов #AltıncıKoğuş #russianliterature #book #books #bookstagram #literature #bibliophile #reading #read #instabook #bookworm #bookish #classics https://www.instagram.com/p/CNCUoQfLg-8/?igshid=ludm8xresm6j
