In my opinion it is not the writer's job to solve such problems as God, pessimism, etc his job is merely to record who, under what conditions, said or thought what about God or pessimism. The artist is not meant to be a judge of his characters and what they say his only job is to be an impartial witness. I heard two Russians in a muddled conversation about pessimism, a conversation that solved nothing all I am bound to do is reproduce that conversation exactly as I heard it. Drawing conclusions is up to the jury, that is, the readers. My only job is to be talented, that is, to know how to distinguish important testimony from unimportant, to place my characters in the proper light and speak their language.
More Quotes from Anton Pavlovich Chekhov:
There ought to be a man with a hammer behind the door of every happy man.Anton Pavlovich Chekhov
My business is to be talented, that is, to be capable of selecting the important moments from the trivial ones.... It's about time for writers particularly those who are genuine artists to recognize that in this world you cannot figure out everything. Just have a writer who the crowds trust be courageous enough and declare that he does not understand everything, and that alone will represent a major contribution to the way people think, a long leap forward.
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov
You are right in demanding that an artist approach his work consciously, but you are confusing two concepts the solution of a problem and the correct formulation of a problem. Only the second is required of the artist.
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov
To a chemist there is nothing impure on earth. The writer should be just as objective as the chemist he should liberate himself from everyday subjectivity and acknowledge that manure piles play a highly respectable role in the landscape and that evil passions are every bit as much a part of life as good ones.
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov
I am writing a play which I probably will not finish until the end of November. I am writing it with considerable pleasure, though I sin frightfully against the conventions of the stage. It is a comedy with three female parts, six male, four acts, a landscape (view of the lake), lots of talk on literature, little action and tons of love.
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov
I am dying. I haven't drunk champagne for a long time.
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov
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Based on Topics: Art Quotes, Drawing & Painting Quotes, God Quotes, Language Quotes, Law & Regulation Quotes, Pessimism QuotesBased on Keywords: muddled
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