The-Bet

TheBetbyAntonChekhovAntonChekhov•AntonChekhov,bornon29January1860,diedon15July1904,wasaRussianphysicianandauthorwhoisconsideredtobeamongthegreatestwritersofshortstoriesinhistory.Hiscareerasadramatistproducedfourclassicsandhisbestshortstoriesareheldinhighesteembywritersandcritics.Chekhovpracticedasamedicaldoctorthroughoutmostofhisliterarycareer:Medicineismylawfulwife,heoncesaid,andliteratureismymistress.”BirthhouseChildhood•Hisfather,PavelYegorovichChekhov,thesonofaformerserf,wasfromavillageandranagrocerystore.Adirectoroftheparishchoir,devoutOrthodoxChristian,andphysicallyabusivefather,PavelChekhovhasbeenseenbysomehistoriansasthemodelforhisson'smanyportraitsofhypocrisy.Childhood•Chekhov'smother,Yevgeniya,wasanexcellentstorytellerwhoentertainedthechildrenwithtalesofhertravelswithhercloth-merchantfatheralloverRussia.Ourtalentswegotfromourfather,Chekhovremembered,butoursoulfromourmother.Theintroductionofthepassage•TheBetisan1889shortstorybyAntonChekhovaboutabankerandayounglawyerwhomakeabetwitheachotheraboutwhetherthedeathpenaltyisbetterorworsethanlifeinprison.Thestoryhasatwistending.Theintroductionofthepassage•Asthestoryopens,thebankerisrecallingtheoccasionofthebetfifteenyearsbefore.Guestsatapartythathewashostingthatdayfellintoadiscussionofcapitalpunishment;thebankerarguedthatcapitalpunishmentismorehumanethanlifeimprisonment,whiletheyounglawyerdisagreed,insistingthathewouldchooselifeinprisonratherthandeath.Theyagreetoabetoftwomillionrublesthatthelawyercannotspendfifteenyearsinsolitaryconfinement.Thebetwason,andthelawyercasthimselfintoisolationforfifteenyears.Theintroductionofthepassage•Themanspendshistimeinconfinementreadingbooks,writing,playingpiano,studying,drinkingwine,andeducatinghimself.Inthemeantime,thebanker'sfortunedeclinesandherealizesthatifheloses,payingoffthebetwillleavehimbankrupt.Thedaybeforethefifteen-yearperiodconcludes,thebankerresolvestokillthelawyersoastonotowehimthemoney.However,thebankerfindsanotewrittenbythelawyer.Thenotedeclaresthatinhistimeinconfinementhehaslearnedtodespisematerialgoodsforthefleetingthingstheyare.Therefore,todemonstratehiscontempt,heintendstoleaveconfinementfiveminutespriortowhenthebetwouldbeup,thuslosingthebetandunwittinglysavinghisownlife.WorksbyAntonChekhov•Plays•Platonov(1881)•OntheHarmfulEffectsofTobacco(1886,1902)论烟草的危害•Swansong(1887)•Ivanov(1887)•TheBear(1888)•ATragedianinSpiteofHimself(1889)•TheWedding(1889)•TheWoodDemon(1889)•AMarriageProposal(1890)•TheFestivities(1891)•TheSeagull(1896)•UncleVanya(1897)•ThreeSisters(1901)•TheCherryOrchard(1904)WorksbyAntonChekhov•Novel•TheShootingParty(1884)•Novellas•TheSteppe(1888)•TheDuel(1891)•TheStoryofanUnknownMan(1893)•ThreeYears(1895)•MyLife(1896)•Shortstories•TheBet(1889)•TheBlackMonk(1894)•Rothschild'sViolin(1894)•TheDarling(1899)•TheLadywiththeDog(1899)•Relatedarticles•Chekhov'sgun•OsipDymov•Fragments•WildHoney•apriori•英[,eiprai'ɔ:rai,,ɑ:pri:'ɔ:ri]美•adj.先天的；（拉）演绎的，推理的•adv.先天地；演绎地；推理地•Incessantly•[ɪn‘sesntlɪ]•adv.不停地，不间断地•Stake•英[steɪk]美[stek]•n.桩，棍子；赌注；火刑；奖金•vt.资助，支持；系…于桩上；把…押下打赌•vi.打赌•Stake•英[steɪk]美[stek]•n.桩，棍子；赌注；火刑；奖金•vt.资助，支持；系…于桩上；把…押下打赌•vi.打赌•[过去式staked过去分词staked现在分词staking]•Rapture•英['ræptʃə]美['ræptʃɚ]•n.兴高采烈•vt.使…狂喜•[过去式raptured过去分词raptured现在分词rapturing]•Erudite•英['erʊdaɪt]美['ɛrudaɪt]•adj.博学的；有学问的•n.饱学之士•Ethereal•英[ɪ'θɪərɪəl]美[ɪ'θɪrɪəl]•adj.天上的；轻的；象空气的•renunciation英[rɪnʌnsɪ'eɪʃ(ə)n]美[rɪ,nʌnsɪ'eʃən]•n.放弃；脱离关系；拒绝承认；抛弃；弃权SummaryAbankerandalawyerbettwomillionsthatthelawyercouldn’tstickinacellfor15years.Thebankerimprisonedthelawyerinhisgarden.Thelawyerdidlotsofthingsinthebanker’shouse.Butthelawyerleftthebanker’shousefiveminutesbeforethestipulatedtermandviolatetheagreement.QuestionsWhatyourideaaboutcapitalpunishmentandlife-imprisonment?Whowinthebet?Howdoeshewinthebet?Whydoyouthinkhewinthebet?Weknowintheend,thelawyerwrotethebankeraletter,doyouthinkhewroteitintentionally,incasethebankerkillhim?Howdoyouthinkaboutwhatthelawyerwroteintheletter?Doyouhavesomeideaaboutthelifefromthelawyer’swords?“Neveratanyother,notevenafterhisterriblelossesontheExchange,hadhefeltsuchcontemptforhimselfasnow.”Doyouthinkthebankerknownthelawyer’swordsintheletter?Trytoanalyzethepersonalityofthebankerandthelawyer.Thankyou!