In 1891, the author wrote the story presented here. It should be noted that the audience very warmly welcomed the work of Chekhov's “The Leader”. A summary of it is given below. Researchers of the writer's work claim that it is based on a real story. Initially, the draft version of the story was called The Great Man. Let’s try to find out, after reading a brief summary of the author’s creation, why he changed its title.
The life of the couple Dymovs
Olga Ivanovna, a young and romantic woman, married thirty-one-year-old doctor Osip Stepanovich Dymov, who had practice in two hospitals and served as an additional titular adviser. At this wedding was the whole color of the creative intelligentsia: artists, artists, singers. Each of them was something remarkable and already a little famous. Olga Ivanovna also had talent in all areas little by little, at least her friends assured her.
She drew a little, sculpted and sang. All this spoiled creative company, led by the hostess of the house, spent whole days in discussions of art exhibitions, theatrical productions and the emergence of new art stars. And people sang here, played musical instruments, sculpted and painted. The day of Osip Stepanovich began very early. First, from 9 a.m. to noon, he received patients in his ward, and then went to the other end of the city to open the corpses of the dead. Dymov was busy all day until late in the evening. However, medical practice did not bring income of more than
500 rubles a year. Spouses usually dined together. And after that, Osip Stepanovich went about his work, and his wife went to the theater or to the concert, from where she returned cheerful and inspired only after midnight. Windy and frivolous, she draws her heroine in the story "The Leader" by Chekhov. A brief summary of it will help us understand the characters of the main characters of this story.
Spouse relationship
Dymovs lived well. Osip Stepanovich adored his wife. He worked hard to cover the expenses of the young wife for entertainment events. Olga Ivanovna, in turn, also loved her husband, explaining to her friends and creative people why she, such a beautiful and smart girl, chose a simple and mundane person.
The story of their acquaintance in the hospital, where the girl went to visit her sick father, and she told love at all gatherings with artists, singers and poets. She called him “my dear head waiter” or simply “Dymov”. The woman said to Osip Stepanovich that he has only one big flaw: he is not interested in art. To which the man answered her that he had been engaged in medicine and natural sciences all his life and that he simply had no time to be interested in paintings and poems. Such different people as Osip Stepanovich and Olga Ivanovna could be happy further. What prevented their family consent, we learn further, continuing to read the story of Chekhov's “The Founder”. Its summary does not distort the main meaning of the author’s creation.
Creative intelligentsia at the cottage of Olga Ivanovna
A creative company was gathering at the Dymovs' house on Wednesdays, where newly-minted celebrities would be invited. With every knock on the door, the hostess shuddered and pointedly exclaimed: “This is it!”, Meaning by this word the invited “star”. Dymov, as a rule, did not participate in these gatherings. The guests and wife did not even remember him.
In this honest company was a young handsome artist by the name of Ryabovsky. Olga Ivanovna was very proud that this illustrious person seemed to tell her that she was talented in painting. He corrected her sketches, praising them. Meanwhile, the pictures of himself were successful. He sold one of them at an exhibition for five hundred rubles. Olga Ivanovna was happy: ahead of her was an unforgettable time of service to art and communication with gifted people. The period from April to July, she intended to spend with friends in the country. Then she was invited to a trip of artists to the Volga, which was supposed to end in late autumn. And now the woman has been visiting the country for several months. Bored husband, snatching a minute, rushes to her. But he did not find a warm welcome from his wife here. She sends her husband, who is tired of the road, back to the city for a pink dress and gloves, intending to put them on at the wedding of a familiar telegraph operator. Dymov immediately rushes to the station. How will such blind love for the wife of the protagonist end? Whom will Chekhov make happy in the ending of the story “The Leader”? A brief summary of it will help us understand this.
Roman Dymova with Ryabovsky
Olga Ivanovna spends the rest of the summer on the Volga with the artist Ryabovsky. A romance erupts between young people.
Quiet July moonlit nights, the silver surface of the river, brooding clouds in the sky, dark shadows - all contributed to the romantic atmosphere of this trip. Olga Ivanovna recalled that her friends prophesied the future of a great artist to her. She dreamed of glory, dreaming of enthusiasm and recognition of people. She was especially flattered that next to her was this beautiful young blond genius - Ryabovsky. He confessed his love to her, calling himself his slave, wrapped her in his cloak from the cold and damp night air. The woman was happy. She rarely recalled her husband. Her husband sent her 75 rubles a month, which, however, was often not enough to cover expenses. Summer has passed, it is time to return home. What awaits our heroes further, we learn by continuing to read the work. So, Chekhov A.P. “The Springbok”. A summary of chapters or episodes will allow us to trace the chain of changes in the personal lives of the characters.
Dymov guesses about the betrayal of his wife
The cooling in relations between Ryabovsky and Olga Ivanovna began as early as a trip along the Volga. The artist, whose inspiration was gone along with the warm sunny days, became gloomy and inhospitable. He was burdened by an affair with Dymova, not hiding his indifference. Olga Ivanovna returned home. At first, she wanted to hide treason from her husband. But when she saw joyful tears from meeting her in front of her husband and his meek sweet smile, the woman decided that lying to such a person was a crime. However, the young wife did not immediately begin to tell Dymov about the affair with the artist.
And soon he himself already realized that he was being deceived. After all, this romance continued already in the city. From that moment, Osip Stepanovich became sad, tried not to be left alone with his wife. Meanwhile, the relationship between Olga and Ryabovsky came to a standstill. The artist needed inspiration, and he found another muse. Once, having come to his workshop, our heroine found a woman there and realized that her genius had found another. She immediately broke off relations with him. It would seem that now there are no obstacles to the happiness of the spouses. However, it is not. It was too late for Olga Ivanovna to correct the mistake. We learn about this while continuing to read the story (its summary). “Jumpers” (Chekhov A.P.) - this is the material of the school curriculum in high school. The works of the great classic help today's youth to formulate the right approach to assessing spiritual and moral human qualities.
Dymov’s illness and death
And Osip Stepanovich gives himself entirely to the service of medicine. Sucking a film from a boy suffering from diphtheria, he becomes infected and becomes seriously ill. The disease is rapidly gaining momentum. Dymov is weakening every day. His friend and colleague Korostylev takes care of him. The local luminary of medicine, Dr. Shrek, is invited to the patient’s bed. He comes and states the fact: Osip Stepanovich is hopeless. The patient is delirious. But even now, a gentle, quiet person does not complain about anything. And if he started talking, then it would become clear to everyone that not only diphtheria was to blame, but also his wife, who was cheating on him. Soon Olga Ivanovna was announced that her husband had died. The sad ending to the story “The Leader” by Chekhov. Its brief content allows us to understand the whole depth of awareness of our mistake by the main character. We learn about this from the next chapter.
Late remorse of Olga
For a short time of her husband’s illness, the woman managed to understand that the real talent and great man is him, Osip Stepanovich. And how had she not seen this before? Around her were strangers to whom she smiled. Now where are they? Do her friends know that she has grief? Why is no one in a hurry to express her condolences? Korostylev, a close friend of Dymov, reproaches Olga Ivanovna for ruining her husband, a great scientist and physician. But the worst thing for a woman is the reproaches of her conscience. She wants to bring everything back, forget her betrayal, explain to Dymov that this was a mistake. But, unfortunately, it is too late: it is already impossible to fix something. When a woman enters the office to her husband, he is already dead. After reading a summary of Chekhov’s story “The Springbok,” we conclude that we must correct our mistakes on time. And you need to appreciate and love loved ones who are next to us. Unfortunately, it often happens that we do it too late.
We read the story of Chekhov's “The Founder” (summary). In their reviews, critics called him "the pearl between short stories." It is easy to verify that this comparison is absolutely true.