The Beggar — Anton Chekhov

'You are YOUNG. You are STRONG. Why are you BEGGING? Go to WORK!'

Summary

Lushkoff, a DRUNKEN beggar, approaches a LAWYER named Sklifosovsky on the street, asking for MONEY. He tells a PITIFUL story of being a teacher who has lost his job. The lawyer does not BELIEVE him — he KNOWS Lushkoff is lying. But instead of GIVING him money, the lawyer offers him WORK — chopping WOOD at his house.

Lushkoff GOES — reluctantly. He is WEAK and DRUNK. A COOK named Olga meets him at the door. She YELLS at him. She INSULTS him. She CALLS him a 'drunkard' and a 'good-for-nothing.' But then she FEEDS him. She gives him BORSCHT and KASHA (Russian food). And then she MAKES him chop wood.

Every day, the lawyer SENDS Lushkoff to someone else for work — and SEVERAL times, Olga is there. She FEEDS him. She YELLS at him. She MAKES him work. Gradually, something CHANGES. Lushkoff starts to SOBER up. He starts to WORK PROPERLY. He starts to FEEL PRIDE in his labour.

Years later, Lushkoff is a COMPLETELY different man. He is a NOTARY — a RESPECTABLE member of society. He meets the lawyer and THANKS him. But the lawyer says: 'Don't thank ME. Thank OLGA. She was the one who SAVED you.'

'Olga's TOUGH LOVE — her YELLING, her FEEDING, her INSISTENCE on work — is what TRANSFORMED Lushkoff. She gave him not just FOOD — but DIGNITY.'

About the Author — Anton Chekhov

Anton Chekhov (1860–1904) was a RUSSIAN playwright and short story writer, widely considered one of the GREATEST writers of short fiction in world literature. He is known for his DEEP understanding of HUMAN nature, his SYMPATHY for the poor and marginalised, and his ability to find PROFOUND meaning in ORDINARY lives. Famous plays include 'The Cherry Orchard,' 'Three Sisters,' and 'Uncle Vanya.' 'Chekhov wrote about HUMANITY with COMPASSION — even his weakest characters are treated with DIGNITY.'

Character Analysis

Lushkoff starts as a WEAK, drunken beggar who LYED to get money. He is DEPENDENT, SHIFTLESS, and FULL of self-pity. But through HARD WORK and the TOUGH LOVE of Olga, he TRANSFORMS. He becomes a SOBER, RESPECTABLE notary. 'Lushkoff's transformation shows that NO ONE is beyond REDEMPTION — as long as they are given a CHANCE and the DISCIPLINE to change.'

Olga is a COOK — a simple, hardworking woman. She is LOUD, DIRECT, and UNCOMPROMISING. She YELLS at Lushkoff — not out of CRUELTY but out of ANGER at his WASTE of his own life. She feeds him because she CANNOT bear to see a hungry person. 'Olga is the UNSUNG HERO — she does not TEACH or PREACH. She FEEDS, she YELLS, and she MAKES HIM WORK. Her TOUGH LOVE is what saves Lushkoff.'

Sklifosovsky (the Lawyer) is KIND but initially DECEIVED. He gives Lushkoff work instead of MONEY — a WISE choice. But he does not have the PATIENCE or TIME to do what Olga did. He represents WELL-MEANING charity without the PERSONAL investment.

Themes

1. Redemption: 'Lushkoff TRANSFORMS from a drunken beggar to a respectable professional. Chekhov believes that even the LOWEST person can CHANGE.'
2. The Dignity of Labour: 'WORK is not just a way to earn MONEY. It is a way to build DIGNITY, SELF-RESPECT, and PURPOSE.'
3. Tough Love vs Pity: The lawyer gave Lushkoff MONEY (pity). Olga gave him FOOD and WORK (tough love). 'PITY enables. TOUGH LOVE transforms.'
4. Compassion in Action: Olga does not FEEL sorry for Lushkoff — she ACTS. She FEEDS him. She MAKES him work. 'TRUE compassion is not a FEELING — it is an ACTION.'
5. The Power of Kindness: Olga's kindness — combined with her FIRMNESS — is what SAVES Lushkoff. 'Kindness does not have to be GENTLE. Sometimes it is LOUD and ANGRY — but it is still KINDNESS.'

Literary Devices

• Realism: Chekhov is a MASTER of realism — his characters are BELIEVABLE, complex, and human.
• Character Transformation: Lushkoff's CHANGE from beggar to notary is the CENTRAL arc.
• Dialogue: The CONVERSATIONS — especially between Olga and Lushkoff — reveal CHARACTER and THEME.
• Irony: The lawyer THINKS he saved Lushkoff. But the REAL saviour was the COOK.
• Symbolism: The WOOD CHOPPING symbolises HARD WORK and its REDEMPTIVE power.
• Third-Person Narration: Chekhov uses a DISTANT narrator — we observe Lushkoff's transformation OBJECTIVELY.
• Pathos: The story evokes SYMPATHY for Lushkoff — and ADMIRATION for Olga.

Vocabulary

1. Beggar — a person who lives by asking for money
2. Notary — a person authorised to perform certain legal formalities
3. Redemption — the action of saving from sin or error
4. Compassion — sympathetic concern for others
5. Drunkard — a person who drinks alcohol excessively
6. Transformation — a marked change in form or character
7. Dignity — the state of being worthy of honour
8. Respectable — regarded by society as proper and correct
9. Shiftless — lacking in resourcefulness or ambition
10. Labour — work, especially hard physical work

Important Quotes

1. 'You are YOUNG. You are STRONG. Why are you BEGGING? Go to WORK!'
2. 'Olga YELLED at Lushkoff. She CALLED him a good-for-nothing. But she FED him.'
3. 'He was a BEGGAR. He became a NOTARY. What CHANGED?'
4. 'Don't thank ME. Thank OLGA. She was the one who SAVED you.'
5. 'Work gave him DIGNITY. And dignity TRANSFORMED him.'
6. 'Olga did not JUST feed his stomach. She fed his SOUL.'

Exam-Focused Questions

Short Answer Questions (2–3 marks)

1. How did the lawyer respond to Lushkoff's begging? (Answer: The lawyer, Sklifosovsky, did NOT give Lushkoff money. Instead, he OFFERED him work — chopping wood at his house. He believed that WORK, not charity, would help Lushkoff change his life.)
2. How did OLGA treat Lushkoff when he came to chop wood? (Answer: Olga YELLED at Lushkoff, called him a 'drunkard' and 'good-for-nothing,' and INSULTED him. But then she FED him borscht and kasha. She made him WORK — but she also MADE sure he was fed.)
3. What became of Lushkoff years later? (Answer: Years later, Lushkoff had COMPLETELY transformed. He was a SOBER, RESPECTABLE notary — a law professional. He was no longer a beggar but an HONEST, contributing member of society.)
4. Who did the lawyer say was REALLY responsible for Lushkoff's transformation? (Answer: The lawyer said that OLGA — the cook — was the one who SAVED Lushkoff. He gave Lushkoff the OPPORTUNITY, but OLGA provided the DAILY discipline, the food, and the tough love that TRANSFORMED him.)

Long Answer Questions (5–6 marks)

1. Analyse the CHARACTER of Olga. How did her 'tough love' save Lushkoff? (Answer: Olga is a COMPLEX character. She is LOUD, DIRECT, and AGGRESSIVE — she yells at Lushkoff and calls him terrible names. But she is NOT cruel. She is ANGRY — angry that a young, strong man is wasting his life. 'Her anger is a form of LOVE — she CARES enough to be ANGRY.' She also FEEDS him — she gives him borscht and kasha. She DOES not just give him WORK — she gives him NOURISHMENT. The COMBINATION of discipline (yelling, making him work) and care (feeding him) is what Lushkoff needs. 'Olga's tough love is more effective than PITY. She does not enable Lushkoff's weakness — she CHALLENGES it while SUPPORTING him.')
2. What does the story say about the RELATIONSHIP between WORK and DIGNITY? (Answer: The story ARGUES that work is ESSENTIAL to human dignity. Lushkoff was a beggar — he was DEPENDENT, SHIFTLESS, and FULL of self-pity. He had NO dignity because he had NO purpose. When he BEGAN to work — even reluctantly — something SHIFTED. He started to FEEL pride. He started to RESPECT himself. 'Work does not just EARN money. It EARN self-respect.' By the end, Lushkoff is a notary — not because of the JOB title, but because he became a PERSON who CONTRIBUTES, who is RELIABLE, who has VALUE. 'Chekhov's message is CLEAR: there is DIGNITY in ALL labour — and without work, humans LOSE themselves.')
3. Why does Chekhov call the story 'The Beggar' even after Lushkoff stops begging? (Answer: The title has MULTIPLE meanings. (1) LITERALLY: Lushkoff BEGINS the story as a beggar. (2) SYMBOLICALLY: Even after he stops begging, Lushkoff is 'begging' for a DIFFERENT kind of help — for someone to believe in him, to give him a CHANCE. (3) IRONICALLY: The REAL 'beggar' might be the one who does NOT see OTHERS' true needs. 'The title reminds us that BEGGING is not JUST about asking for money — it is about being LOST, without DIRECTION, needing someone to SHOW you the way.' By the end, Lushkoff is NO longer a beggar — but the title PRESERVES his JOURNEY, from WHO he was to WHO he became.)

AP Board / Indian Context

Chekhov's story is UNIVERSAL — but it has SPECIAL resonance in India. 'In India, where millions of people live in POVERTY and many are forced to BEG, Chekhov's story raises IMPORTANT questions: should we GIVE to beggars, or should we offer them WORK? Is PITY helpful, or does TRANSFORMATION require something more?' Olga's approach — TOUGH LOVE combined with SUPPORT — offers a MODEL that goes beyond SIMPLE charity. 'The story also celebrates the DIGNITY of LABOUR — a value that is CENTRAL to India's development philosophy. Every HONEST worker, no matter how humble, deserves RESPECT.'

Character Sketch — Lushkoff

Lushkoff is a DYNAMIC character — he changes COMPLETELY over the course of the story. He starts as a WEAK, DRUNKEN beggar who lies to get money. He is FULL of self-pity and SHIFTLESS. But through HARD work and DISCIPLINE, he TRANSFORMS into a SOBER, RESPECTABLE notary. 'Lushkoff proves that CHARACTER is not FIXED — it can change. With the RIGHT support (tough love + nourishment + work), even the most LOST person can find their WAY.'

Character Sketch — Olga

Olga is a COOK — simple, hardworking, and DIRECT. She does not PHILOSOPHISE about Lushkoff's problems — she ACTS. She YELLS at him because she CARES. She FEEDS him because she cannot BEAR to see hunger. She MAKES him work because she BELIEVES that WORK gives DIGNITY. 'Olga is the TRUE HERO of the story — a woman who TRANSFORMS a life not through WORDS but through ACTIONS. Her LOVE is LOUD, MESSY, and EFFECTIVE.'

Grammar and Writing Practice

Paraphrase: 'You are YOUNG. You are STRONG. Why are you BEGGING? Go to WORK!' (Rewrite: You possess youth and physical capability; why do you choose to solicit alms when you are fully capable of earning an honest living through labour?)

Summary (75 words): Lushkoff, a drunken beggar, asks a lawyer for money. The lawyer sends him to chop wood instead. Olga the cook yells at him, feeds him, and makes him work. Gradually, Lushkoff changes — he stops drinking, works properly, and becomes a notary. Years later, he thanks the lawyer, who says: 'Thank Olga, not me.' Chekhov's story of REDEMPTION through TOUGH LOVE and WORK.

Discussion Questions for Classroom

1. Is it better to GIVE money to beggars or to offer them WORK? Why?
2. Why was OLGA's approach more effective than the LAWYER's?
3. What does the story teach about the DIGNITY of LABOUR?
4. Can a person REALLY change? What does Lushkoff's story tell us?
5. Have you ever experienced 'tough love' that helped you CHANGE?

Additional Reading Comprehension Questions

1. What LIE did Lushkoff tell the LAWYER to get money? (Answer: Lushkoff CLAIMED that he was a TEACHER who had lost his job. He told a PITIFUL story to evoke SYMPATHY. The lawyer did NOT believe him — but instead of giving money, offered him WORK.)
2. How did OLGA treat Lushkoff when he first arrived at the lawyer's house? (Answer: Olga YELLED at Lushkoff. She CALLED him a 'drunkard,' a 'good-for-nothing,' and a 'lazy beggar.' But then she FED him BORSCHT and KASHA. She COMBINED harsh discipline with genuine CARE.)
3. What CHANGED in Lushkoff over time? (Answer: Lushkoff gradually SOBERED up. He started WORKING properly. He began to feel PRIDE in his labour. Eventually, he quit drinking, found RESPECTABLE work as a NOTARY, and became a PRODUCTIVE member of society.)
4. Why did the LAWYER say Olga — not HIM — was responsible for Lushkoff's transformation? (Answer: Because the lawyer gave Lushkoff an OPPORTUNITY, but Olga gave him the DAILY DISCIPLINE and CARE that changed him. She MADE him work. She FED him. She treated him with DIGNITY underneath her harsh words. Her TOUGH LOVE was what truly TRANSFORMED him.)

Writing Prompts for Students

1. Write a LETTER from Lushkoff to OLGA, thanking her for changing his life.
2. Imagine you are Lushkoff BEFORE his transformation. Write a DIARY entry describing your DAY.
3. Write a SHORT scene between Olga and Lushkoff — BEFORE his transformation and AFTER.
4. Write an ESSAY on the theme: 'The DIGNITY of LABOUR.'