Lyu Syaoya, Applicant of the Institute of Philology and History, Russian State University for the Humanities, Miusskaya Square, 6, 125047, Moscow, Russia. ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7916-7094
In the portraits of the characters in Anton Chekhov’s short story “The Man in a Case”, the visual is presented in both static and dynamic aspects, and it is closely related to the poetics of space, thereby revealing the conflict between freedom and suppression. With static details and dynamic elements such as gestures, the character of Belikov becomes a universal symbol of fear of life. Spatial metaphors and zoomorphic comparisons emphasize the character’s existential isolation. The contrast with the images of Varenka and Kovalenko (sound expression, color palette) reveals the antithesis of vital energy and “case” stagnation. Special attention is paid to the role of synesthesia in creating portraits: the details of the interior, sounds, and color accents in the work also become a reflection of the characters’ inner world. Thus, Chekhov’s detailed portraits of the characters materialize the conflict itself, making the internal struggle between fear and freedom visible and tangible in the artistic world of “The Man in a Case”.
A.P. Chekhov; The Man in a Case; character portrait; static and dynamic portrait; visual images; ekphrasis
15.01.2026
21.02.2026
Lyu Syaoya. “Means of Portrait Imagery in A.P. Chekhov’s Story The Man in a Caseˮ. Literaturovedcheskii zhurnal, no. 2(72), 2026, pp. 93–107. (In Russ.)
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