Course material

1. Anton Chekhov "Rapture" (1883) Wild-eyed and disheveled, Mitya...
Anton Chekhov "Rapture" (1883)
Wild-eyed and disheveled, Mitya Kuldarov burst into his parents' flat and dashed into every
room. His parents were about to go to bed. His sister was in bed already and had just got on
to the last page of her novel. His schoolboy brothers were asleep.
"Where've you come from?" his parents exclaimed in astonishment. "Is something wrong?"
"Oh, I don't know how to tell you! I'm staggered, absolutely staggered. It's ... it's quite
incredible!"
Mitya burst out laughing and collapsed into an armchair, overcome with happiness.
"It's incredible! You'll never believe it! Take a look at this!"
His sister jumped out of bed and came over to him, wrapping a blanket around her. The
schoolboys woke up.
"Is something wrong? You look awful."
"I'm so happy, Mum, that's why! Now everyone in Russia knows about me! Everyone! Till
now only you knew of the existence of clerical officer of the fourteenth grade, Dimitry
Kuldarov, but now everyone in Russia knows! O Lord, Mum!"
Mitya jumped up, ran round every room and sat down again.
"But tell us what's happened, for goodness sake."
"Oh, you lie here like savages, you don't read the papers, you've no ideas what's going on,
and the papers are full of such remarkable things! As soon as anything happens, they make
it all public, it's down there in black and white! O Lord, I'm so happy! Only famous people
get their names in the paper, then all of a sudden - they go and print a story about me!"
"What? Where?"
Dad turned pale. Mum looked up at the icon and crossed herself. The schoolboys jumped out
of bed and ran over to their elder brother, wearing nothing but their short little nightshirts.
"They have! About me! Now I'm known all over Russia! You'd better keep this copy, Mum,
and we can take it out now and then and read it. Look!"
Mitya pulled the newspaper out of his pocket and handed it to his father, jabbing his finger
at a passage ringed with blue pencil. "Read it out!"
Father put on his glasses.
"Go on, read it!"
Mum looked up at the icon and crossed herself. Dad cleared his throat and began: "On
December 29th at 11 p.m. clerical officer of the fourteenth grade, Dimitry Kuldarov - "
"See? See? Go on, Dad!"

2. "...clerical offer of the fourteenth grade, Dimitry Kuldarov, emerging from the public ale
house situated on the ground floor of Kozikhin's Buildings in Little Bronnaya Street and
being in a state of intoxication - "
"It was me and Semyon Petrovich... They've got all the details. Go on! Now listen, listen to
this bit!"
"...and being in a state of intoxication, slipped and fell in front of a cab-horse belonging to
Ivan Knoutoff, peasant, from the village of Bumpkino in Pnoff district, which was standing at
that spot. The frightened horse, stepping over Kuldarov, dragged over him the sledge in
which was seated Ivan Lukov, merchant of the Second Guild in Moscow, bolted down the
street and was arrested in its flight by some yard-porters Kuldarov, being at first in a state
of unconsciousness, was taken to the police-station and examined by a doctor. The blow
which he had received on the back of the head - "
"I did it on the shaft, Dad. Go on and read the rest of the story."
"...which he had received on the back of the head, was classified as superficial. A police
report was drawn up concerning the incident. Medical assistance was rendered to the
victim."
"They dabbed the back of my heard with cold water. Finished? So what do you say to that,
eh? It'll be all over Russia by now! Give it here!"
Mitya grabbed the newspaper, folded it and stuffed it into his pocket.
"Must run now and show the MaKarovs... Then on to the Ivanitskys, Nataliya Ivanova and
Anisim Vasilich... Can't stop! Bye."
Mitya put on his official cap with the cockade and radiant, triumphant, ran out into the
street.
Source:
This story is from pages 20-21 in Delbanco, Nicholas and Alan Cheuse. Literature: Craft &
Voice. 2nd ed. McGrawHill, 2012.
Question:
1. Analyze the main character. What do we know about the character? What are the main
personality traits of the character based on what we learn in the story?