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The Bet

The Bet. Anton Chekhov. SETTING. Set in Russia in 1885 Autumn Party at the Banker’s estate Lodge where the young lawyer resided on the Banker’s property. CHARACTERS. The Old Banker Spoiled and frivolous Places a bet with the Young Lawyer concerning an argument over capital punishment

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The Bet

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  1. The Bet Anton Chekhov

  2. SETTING • Set in Russia in 1885 • Autumn • Party at the Banker’s estate • Lodge where the young lawyer resided on the Banker’s property

  3. CHARACTERS • The Old Banker • Spoiled and frivolous • Places a bet with the Young Lawyer concerning an argument over capital punishment • Young Lawyer • 25 years old • Would rather choose life in prison over death • Takes the Banker’s bet

  4. THE BET • The Young Lawyer must live isolated for 15 years with no human contact • Live in the lodge on the Banker’s property • Can have books, food, wine, mail, etc. • Cannot see or talk to anyone

  5. Plot • Exposition/Basic Situation • Banker introduced as the main character • Dark autumn night • Remembers the dinner party he had given 15 years ago • Flashback interrupts the story

  6. Plot • Flashback • Dinner party • Autumn • Disagreement arises • over the use of capital • Punishment • Leads to the bet • between the Banker • and Lawyer • Lawyer accepts the bet

  7. Plot • Flashback • Year 1: loneliness and • depression/ constantly • played the piano/refused • wine and tobacco • Year 2: No piano/ asked for the classics • Year 5: music again/ ate/ drank wine/lay in his bed

  8. Plot • Flashback • Year 6: studied languages, philosophy, and history • Year 10: sat immovably at the table and read only the Gospels, theology, histories of religion • Last 2 years: read immense quantities of natural sciences, Shakespeare, Bryon, and medicine

  9. Plot • Rising Action/Complications • Banker remembers how he gambled his millions • Realizes the lawyer has won the bet, but he has no money to be able to pay • Climax • Banker goes to the lodge late at night with the intention of killing the lawyer

  10. Plot • Falling Action • Finds the lawyer face down asleep • Discovers and reads the letter • Returns to the house • Is informed by the watchmen that the lawyer had left • Denouement/Resolution • Takes the letter from the table and locks it up in a fireproof safe

  11. CONFLICTS • Elemental: Capital punishment more immoral vs. life imprisonment more immoral • Internal: The prisoner – the meaning of his life vs. his desire for money • Internal: The Banker – desire to kill the lawyer vs. paying the bet

  12. POINT OF VIEW • 3rd Person Limited The story is told from the Banker’s thoughts and feelings. The narrator is outside the story. 3rd person pronouns are used.

  13. THEME • Consider theme from the perspective of both characters and what they struggled with in the story and how they handled their conflicts. • Lawyer: Freedom and social interaction are essential human needs. • Banker: Earthly accomplishments are worthless in the face of death.

  14. OTHER ELEMENTS • Situational Irony: The lawyer has spent his entire imprisonment gaining knowledge and wisdom, but as a result has lost his capacity for hope and no longer sees any use for knowledge and wisdom.

  15. TECHNIQUES USED • Flashback – interrupting the present action in a story to show earlier events and is triggered by the present event.

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