Summary of the story “Ionych” by Chekhov

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  • Ekaterina Ivanovna in the story Ionych

Ekaterina Ivanovna is one of the main characters in the story of the famous and popular writer Chekhov, but the story is called “Ionych”.

The girl at that time was only eighteen years old. Her parents were nobles. And that’s why different guests often came to them. The girl never went to school, but that was because she received her education at home. Besides this, more than anything else, she likes to play the piano, as well as read various and very interesting books. She dreams of growing up quickly and moving to Moscow, where she can graduate from the conservatory and become famous. But the daughter’s parents don’t really like such plans, that’s all, because there they won’t be able to protect her from all mistakes and she will have to solve all the problems on her own. Besides that, they won’t even be able to control her there, which means that the girl will do whatever she wants there.

Dmitry Ionych visits their house almost every day and he really likes the girl. And then one day he buys a ring and proposes to the girl right in front of his parents. But he has liked her for a long time, despite the fact that she has a spoiled character, but all this can be corrected. But the girl doesn’t want to get married at all, but wants to make a career first. She thinks that marriage can interfere with the fulfillment of her desire, but for the sake of desire she is ready to give up her house and everything she has. After some time, she moved to Moscow, where she entered the conservatory.

Several years pass and everything she previously dreamed of is broken into small pieces. Of course, she completed her studies, but she never became a famous pianist. But for this you had to have connections, and she didn’t have those. In addition, she no longer believed in herself and that she could succeed in anything. And then she decided to return to her parents for a while and live there. On the street she meets the same Dmitry Ionych who proposed to her several years ago. And now she treats him completely differently. In the conversation, she says that she has been thinking about him all this time, and also that she did not treat him nicely.

If he loved her before, now these feelings have long passed and are not going to return. He barely finished talking with her when he left this city forever and never returned.

And Catherine, having suffered a little in Moscow, returns home again, and this time forever. Now she just plays the piano and never believes that anything in her specialty can change. She developed various diseases, which she began to treat in Crimea.

All the heroes of the story Ionych

The image of Ekaterina Ivanovna in Chekhov’s story “Ionych”

Ekaterina Ivanovna is the central heroine of Anton Pavlovich Chekhov’s story “Ionych”, a young girl of eighteen years old from the small noble family of the Turkins, whom the main character visits several times. Ekaterina, or “Kitty” as her parents call her, received an excellent education at home and enjoys reading and playing the piano. She dreams of leaving for Moscow and, after studying at the conservatory, making a brilliant career in music, in order to forever leave her native provincial city, where, in her own opinion, she does not belong. Such grandiose plans frighten the young girl’s parents, who are accustomed to protecting their daughter from everything in the world and controlling her every step.

Seeing Catherine for the first time, the main character, Dmitry Ionych, was captivated by her youth and beauty. The young man almost immediately falls in love with “Kitty”, his feelings overshadow his mind, he does not see a single flaw in the naive and very spoiled girl and decides to propose marriage to her. Catherine refuses him, citing the fact that marriage will harm her successful career as a pianist, making her a hostage to family life. In the end, the young people stop seeing each other, as the Turkins send their precious daughter to Moscow to study at the conservatory.

Several years pass, Catherine grows up. Not only her appearance changes, but also her outlook on life. During her studies at the conservatory, the girl loses all hopes of a brilliant career in art and is disappointed in her own capabilities, realizing that she is a useless pianist. Having arrived in her hometown for the holidays, Ekaterina meets with Dmitry again, this time she wants to communicate with him. In a personal conversation, she admits that all these years she has been thinking about him.

The girl repents of her decision, telling Dmitry that her refusal to him was a big mistake. Despite the fact that her facial features are still as sweet, and her smile still sparkles with youth, Ionych no longer feels the same tender feelings for Catherine as before. He leaves Turkina's house in a hurry, which greatly hurts the owners. But this is indifferent to him - both Ekaterina and the entire Turkin family arouse sharp hostility in him, and he perceives the long-standing refusal of the once beloved girl as a gift of fate. Dmitry Ionych will never again appear in the house of hospitable nobles, who have become unbearable inhabitants for him.

“Ionych” A. P. Chekhov Briefly

Anton Pavlovich Chekhov Story “Ionych” Summary

The story of the village doctor Dmitry Ionovich Startsev was born from the pen of the genius of classical Russian prose Anton Pavlovich Chekhov in 1898 and is now included in the compulsory school curriculum. The article presented below will help you quickly get acquainted with the content of the story, find out all the necessary information about its characters and the history of the creation of a work of classical literature.

A brief retelling of the plot of the story by A.P. Chekhov's "Ionych"

The actions of the story take the reader to the 19th century. Dmitry Ionovich Startsev is a young, promising, but poor zemstvo doctor, serving in a rural hospital near the city of S.

In the city, the main character makes a pleasant acquaintance with the Turkins family: mother, father and 18-year-old daughter Ekaterina. A young doctor falls in love with a girl and decides to propose marriage to her.

Ekaterina Turkina plays the piano, is preparing to enter the Moscow Conservatory and dreams of a future career as an artist. The alliance with the zemstvo doctor does not appeal to her at all, and she refuses Startsev. Dmitry Ionovich takes the refusal hard, but after his beloved leaves, he gradually comes to his senses and plunges headlong into work.

Four years later. Startsev worked a lot. He gained weight and wealth. All this time he did not see Catherine, but, having received an invitation to the Turkin family’s house, he agreed to come. Seeing Catherine again, Dmitry Ionovich realizes that he still likes her. However, he is glad that he did not marry her. Catherine admits to him that she remembered him in Moscow. The life of an artist no longer seems so tempting to her. Startsev leaves the girl’s confessions unanswered. He leaves the Turkins' house and never returns there.

More years pass. The zemstvo doctor is now simply called “Ionych”. He became even richer, fuller and more irritable. His life is joyless and monotonous. Ekaterina grows old in her parents' house, gets sick often and plays the piano every day.

List of characters in the story by A.P. Chekhov's "Ionych"

  • Startsev Dmitry Ionovich is the main character of the story, a zemstvo doctor.
  • Turkin Ivan Petrovich is the head of the Turkin family.
  • Vera Iosifovna Turkina is his wife, Catherine’s mother.
  • Turkina Ekaterina Ivanovna (Kotik) is the only daughter of the Turkins couple, the beloved of the main character of the story.
  • Pavlusha is the servant of the Turkins.
  • Panteleimon is Startsev's servant.

Summary of the story by A.P. Chekhov's "Ionych" by chapters

Chapter 1. Meet the Turkin family

To passers-by, city C seemed the most boring place on earth. Its natives had a different opinion, who considered the local theater, library and gambling establishments to be very tolerable places for spending leisure time. There were also extraordinary personalities in this town. Like, for example, the Turkin family - nice and interesting people in all respects.

The father of the family, Turkin Ivan Petrovich, skillfully supported any conversation and had a rare sense of humor. His wife, Vera Iosifovna Turkina, read aloud novels of her own composition. And the daughter, Ekaterina Ivanovna, otherwise known as Kotik, played the piano talentedly. And all family members, without exception, loved to receive guests.

Once such a guest was the main character of the story, the zemstvo doctor Dmitry Ionovich Startsev. He was kindly received in this house. I listened to the hostess’s novel, had conversations with the owner, but was most impressed by the beauty of Ekaterina Ivanovna. The girl fell into his soul, and then, returning home, he did not notice the long journey in his thoughts about the young beauty.

Chapter 2. Failed date

Dmitry Ionovich wanted to visit the hospitable home of the Turkins again and see Kotik, but for a long time his work did not allow him to do this. A year has passed. He received a letter from Vera Iosifovna, who was tormented by headaches of unknown etymology. She hoped that the talent of the zemstvo doctor would help her get better.

Startsev regularly visits his new patient and falls more and more in love with her daughter. Then Kitty gives the hero a note in which he makes an appointment at the cemetery. Despite the fact that Dmitry Ionovich is very indignant at the place chosen by the spoiled girl for the meeting, he is in a hurry to see her. However, Ekaterina Ivanovna does not come at the appointed hour. Startsev can only wander alone through the cemetery and indulge in philosophical thoughts.

Chapter 3. Unsuccessful declaration of love

The next day, Startsev goes to visit the Turkins. He decided to propose to Kitty. Thoughts are swarming in his head: about the night spent in the cemetery, about the dowry for Ekaterina Turkina, about his love for her, and even about the fact that perhaps she is not a match for him... The doctor drives the last thought away.

Dmitry Ionovich volunteers to accompany Ekaterina Ivanovna to the club and talks to her on the way. The girl reacts very dryly to confessions

doctor and refuses him. She has completely different plans for life, she intends to become an artist in the capital, and not the wife of a village doctor. Startsev is disappointed with this outcome of events. He can't come to his senses for three days. But then he gets back to work. And the beloved who refused him leaves for Moscow. The doctor remembers her and is even glad that he did not marry.

Chapter 4. Disappointment

4 years have passed. The zemstvo doctor gained experience. Among his patients were not only villagers, but also many city dwellers. He became noticeably richer and changed externally and internally - he gained weight and became irritable. He doesn't like walking anymore. He is not satisfied with the society around him. Startsev is bored. Not finding common topics for conversation with the locals, the doctor became more and more immersed in himself. Those around him nicknamed him the “inflated Pole” for his excessive silence and angry appearance.

The only thing that didn’t irritate the doctor was the evening game of screw and the money he was getting more and more. One day, a message from Vera Iosifovna burst into the hero’s usual everyday life, inviting him to visit. Startsev met his love again. She lost weight and lost the childlike innocence of her features. She remained very pretty, but did not evoke the old feelings in the doctor. He thought to himself that he was glad the marriage didn't happen. In addition, the family that he once liked so much now irritated the zemstvo doctor.

Kitty admitted that she thought about Startsev in Moscow and an alliance with him no longer seems stupid to her. She was disappointed in her talent. Now she is interested in the life of her former boyfriend, but Startsev is in a hurry to leave the hospitable home.

After some time, the Turkins' lackey brings Startsev a letter from Ekaterina Ivanovna, in which she expresses her hopes for a meeting. But the doctor leaves the message unanswered.

Chapter 5. “Ionych”

Several more years passed. The hero of the story has become completely fat, and now it is difficult for him to walk even short distances. He became much richer. And although he does not have enough time and energy for all his patients, he does not give up his practice as a zemstvo doctor out of greed. Locals simply call the doctor “Ionych,” but he often gets angry and shouts at his patients.

Startsev has turned into a common man who cares nothing more than profit. With the loss of feelings for Kitty, he lost everything bright that was in him.

Nothing has changed in the Turkin family. The father of the family jokes, the mother reads novels aloud, and their daughter, who has grown old, is often sick and continues to play music.

Brief description of the main characters of the story “Ionych”

  • Startsev Dmitry Ionovich

At the beginning of the story, Dmitry Ionovich appears before the reader as a young and promising doctor who is open to love, communication and dreams of realizing himself in his profession. The hero is contrasted with the inhabitants of the boring and lost city C, who are only interested in gambling and material wealth.

Startsev meets the beautiful Turkin family and falls in love with their daughter. Kotik’s refusal becomes a kind of turning point in life for the hero, after which he gradually degrades and turns into Ionych - a man similar to those whom he himself despised at the beginning of his career as a zemstvo doctor. He is getting old, getting fatter, interested only in money and gambling, and a possible married life with Kitty seems too difficult for him.

A static character in a story. The father of the most educated and hospitable family in the city. He loves his wife and daughter, jokes a lot, makes puns, and puts on plays in the amateur theater. Doesn't change over time.

  • Turkina Vera Iosifovna

A pleasant-looking lady, the wife of Ivan Petrovich. He writes novels and reads them aloud to his guests. Playfully flirts with all the men who come to her house. Static, like her husband. With age, Vera Iosifovna develops constant migraines.

  • Turkina Ekaterina Ivanovna

At the beginning of the story, she is a young, capricious and naive dreamer. She sees herself as a famous artist, plays the piano a lot and is preparing to enter the conservatory.

After a trip to Moscow and disappointment in her musical inclinations, Ekaterina Ivanovna becomes wiser. She is no longer characterized by stupid dreams, and she admires Startsev’s work - healing ordinary people.

Brief conclusions on the story of A.P. Chekhov's "Ionych"

In the story “Ionych” Anton Pavlovich Chekhov raises the topic of human degradation. Before the reader's eyes, the young and ambitious doctor gradually transforms into a boring, mercantile and unpromising man in the street. Philosophical quests, the desire to love and be loved, the true dream of helping people, that is, real values, no longer play an important role for the main character. He becomes a pitiful creature, unnecessary to the world, someone whom he himself would have harshly condemned at the beginning of the story.

The image and characteristics of Ekaterina Ivanovna in the story by Ionych Chekhov, essay

In the story by A.P. Chekhov's "Ionych", the role of the main character was given to an eighteen-year-old girl from a family of nobles, Ekaterina Ivanovna Turkina. All family members loved to receive guests. One day, Dmitry Ionovich Startsev, a village doctor, became such a guest.

“Kitty,” as her parents affectionately called her, received her education while being home-schooled. She loved to read. But Catherine’s main hobby was playing the piano. In her dreams, she leaves for Moscow, studies at the conservatory and becomes a famous pianist. And she would forever leave her county town, where she did not belong, as she believed. But parents are frightened by such far-reaching plans. After all, there they will not be able to protect her from all troubles, and besides, they will lose control over her.

Having met Catherine for the first time, Dmitry Ionovich, the hero of the story, is struck by her beauty. Dmitry falls in love with a girl and declares his love to her. But spoiled Catherine coldly accepts his confessions, believing that marriage could interfere with her future career as a famous pianist. Soon, her parents nevertheless send her to Moscow. There she enters the conservatory, and the young people no longer see each other.

After several years, having completed her studies at the conservatory, Catherine realizes that all her dreams have crumbled into small fragments. She has changed externally and internally. She has lost faith in her abilities and understands that she will never become a famous pianist. Then she decides to return to her hometown for a while, to her parents. In her house, she again meets Dmitry Ionovich, who arrived there at the invitation of her mother. Now Catherine is looking for communication with him and admits that in the past she did not act very nicely with him. And all the years I remembered him.

The girl hints to Dmitry that she regrets her past decision. She has become a little older, but is still sweet and charming, but the young man no longer feels in love with her. And her past refusal now evokes in him only a feeling of relief and joy about the failed marriage. He quickly leaves, greatly offending the owners. But he doesn't care. Their entire family, including Catherine, irritates him; their philistine, noble life seems unbearable to him.

Catherine finally left Moscow and settled in her parents’ house. Playing the piano has become her hobby, and she has no plans for it to become something more. Her health began to deteriorate, and to improve it, she began to leave for Crimea for a while every year.

Ekaterina Ivanovna story Ionych


Ekaterina Ivanovna Ionych image and characteristics
This is a beautiful young girl who studies music and dreams of entering the conservatory. A self-confident opinion about her own talent forces Ekaterina Ivanovna to reject Turkin’s proposal. Repentance for this act comes to her too late.

A few years later, significant changes take place at Kotik. Simplicity and naivety disappear without a trace. Ekaterina Ivanovna becomes more beautiful, but in her entire appearance one can feel something “timid and guilty.” The matured girl still attracts Startsev, but at the same time he notices some incomprehensible flaw in her: “something was already missing in her, or something was superfluous.”

3. Talent . Ekaterina Ivanovna learned to play from a local music teacher at home. She had a distorted view of her abilities. The daily game at family gatherings only added to the deception. Mother and father and the guests vied with each other in praising the girl, who felt triumphant at the same time.

Home musical “triumphs” gave birth to Kotik’s confidence in the brilliant future of the great artist. Ekaterina Ivanovna, in general, is not to blame for the fact that she wanted to escape from the gray provincial life. One can understand her desire for “fame, success, freedom.”

4. Attitude towards Startsev . “Kitty” considered Dmitry Ionych’s passionate love a natural and logical recognition of her “unsurpassed talent.” Having made an overnight date with him at the cemetery, she was simply joking, not suspecting that her note would be taken seriously. In the scene of the decisive explanation, the blindness of the “great pianist” is shown quite clearly: “family life would bind me forever.” The cruel refusal of “Kitty” largely ruined both the fate of Dmitry Ionych and her own.

5. “The Great Pianist” . Studying in Moscow opened Ekaterina Ivanovna’s eyes. She finally realized that her childhood dreams had no basis: “I’m as much a pianist as my mother is a writer.” A belated “epiphany” forced Ekaterina Ivanovna to take a fresh look at the man who had once fallen in love with her. Now she herself longs to communicate with Startsev alone. However, the past cannot be returned.

The fatal mistake of youth cannot be corrected. Dmitry Ionych completely lost interest in life and became hardened in heart. It’s even unpleasant for him to remember his forgotten, enthusiastic love. The gray everyday life, from which the dreamy girl wanted to escape, again draws her into itself. She is doomed to play the piano for several hours every day out of boredom and try to improve her health with autumn vacation trips to the Crimea. If for Ekaterina Ivanovna’s mediocre parents old age is at least brightened up by their beloved daughter, then bitter loneliness awaits her.

Brief summary of “Ionych” for the reader’s diary

Startsev Dmitry Ionych comes to Dyalizhe as a rural doctor to carry out his medical practice. In a nearby city, he meets the Turkins family, educated and cultured people. Ionych falls in love with their young daughter. The girl is very talented, plays the piano beautifully and dreams of breaking out of her parents' nest.

The doctor decides to propose, but the girl unexpectedly refuses him and leaves for Moscow. Ionych is not very upset. Indulging in games of screw, thirsting for profit.

A few years later, the girl returns to the family and proposes a meeting. But now Ionych refuses her. Now he is a fat and rich doctor, but very nervous and irritable towards his patients.

My opinion

A person who has given himself over to the desire to get rich will sooner or later achieve his goal, but as a person he easily degrades, and the people who previously respected him become unpleasant.

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