In our next meeting, we will continue our conversation about Nabokov’s work ‘Lectures on Russian Literature’. This round-table talk will be dedicated to the next Nabokov’s lecture – Anton Chekhov (1860-1904) and his story “The Lady with the Little Dog” (1899). We are going to come close to Chekhov’s masterpiece and observe “the bleak landscapes, the withered sallow along dismally muddy roads, the gray crows flapping across gray skies, the sudden whiff of some amazing recollection at a most ordinary corner—all this pathetic dimness, all this lovely weakness, all this Chekhovian dove-gray world”. We will also think about Chekhov’s best and worst characters. What do they think about? What do they feel? How do they behave? Nabokov states that this typical Chekhovian hero was the unfortunate bearer of a vague but beautiful human truth, a burden which he could neither get rid of nor carry. What we see is a continuous stumble through all Chekhov’s stories, but it is the stumble of a man who stumbles because he is staring at the stars. According to Nabokov Chekhov was serving his people. He believed that the first thing needed was justice, and all his life he raised his voice against every kind of injustice; but he did it as a writer. Please join us on Monday, January 22 at 7p.m. Discussion is led by Elena Neznamova – Associate Professor, MA in Psychosocial Studies – Birkbeck College, University of London, Fulbright-Kennan Institute Research Scholar. (In English)