A. P. Chekhov: Between Orthodoxy and Nihilism

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Andrić, N., and J. Radojević. “A. P. Chekhov: Between Orthodoxy and Nihilism.” Dva veka russkoi klassiki, vol. 8, no. 1, 2026, pp. 8–31. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.22455/2686-7494-2026-8-1-8-31
Abstract:
This article analyzes A. P. Chekhov’s attitude toward Orthodoxy and nihilism. This topic was the subject of numerous studies in the early 20th century and remains relevant today. In this article, the criteria for selecting Chekhov’s texts were primarily thematic representativeness and consistency with our central idea of the writer’s individual attitude toward Orthodoxy, rather than a collective one. Using comparative and analytical approaches and drawing on Chekhov’s extensive correspondence, we examined relevant motifs in a number of his works. We conclude that Chekhov’s attitude toward Orthodoxy is ambivalent, ranging from an atheistic poetics to a theistic and teleological worldview. The study also demonstrated that the nihilistic worldview attributed to Chekhov is unfounded.
Keywords: A. P. Chekhov, Orthodoxy, nihilism, anomie, religious consciousness, liturgical sense of peace
Author: Neda Andrić
Information about the author:
Neda Andrić, DSc in Philology, Professor, University of Montenegro, Faculty of Philology, Danila Bojovića bb, 81400 Nikšić, Montenegro.

ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-8167-1696

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Author 2: Jovan Radojević
Information about the author 2:
Jovan Radojević, PhD in Philology, Independent Researcher, Student Street bb. L2, 81000 Podgorica, Montenegro.

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Received: October 16, 2025
Approved after reviewing: December 22, 2025
Published: March 25, 2026
Issue: 2026 Volume 8 No. 1
Pages: 8-31
DOI: Visit Website
EDN:
https://elibrary.ru/VMTIBS
UDK: 821.161.1.09"19"
Publication Type: Research Article

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