4.3.4 - The Anniversary by Anton Chekkov

Book Back Questions

1. ‘Female company is uplifting’ – How is this disproved in the play “The Anniversary”?

The play “The Anniversary” clearly disproves the idea that female company is always uplifting. Mrs. Tatiana, the banker’s wife, enters the bank at a very important time when preparations are going on for the anniversary meeting. Instead of encouraging her husband, she distracts him with continuous and irrelevant talk about her journey and family matters. Her chatter disturbs the accountant who is busy preparing the financial report. Later, Mrs. Merchutkina enters the bank and creates complete chaos by demanding wages that the bank does not owe her. She refuses to listen to reason and keeps arguing. Instead of helping, both women increase confusion and tension in the bank. Thus, female company becomes a source of disturbance rather than support in the play.

2. Write an essay on “The Anniversary” as a hilarious comedy.

“The Anniversary” by Anton Chekhov is a highly amusing comedy based on confusion and misunderstanding. The play is set in a bank on the occasion of its fifteenth anniversary. Serious preparations are interrupted by unnecessary visitors. Mrs. Tatiana distracts her husband with irrelevant talk, while Mrs. Merchutkina creates chaos by demanding money that the bank does not owe her. The exhausted accountant loses patience and finally creates more confusion by chasing the wrong person. The climax becomes funnier when the shareholders enter during the chaos and calmly praise the banker. The contrast between their calm behavior and the internal confusion creates humour. The play uses exaggeration, mistaken identity, and absurd situations to entertain the audience, making it a hilarious comedy.

3. Sketch the character of Shipuchin.

Shipuchin is the banker and the central character of the play. He is ambitious and eager to impress the shareholders during the anniversary celebration. He depends heavily on his accountant’s hard work but wants all the credit for himself. Shipuchin is polite and patient at the beginning, especially with his wife and Mrs. Merchutkina. However, as interruptions increase, he becomes nervous and irritated. He fails to control the situation and finally loses his temper. His weakness and inability to handle pressure are clearly shown. Shipuchin is also shown as a practical man who finally pays Mrs. Merchutkina just to restore peace. Thus, he is ambitious, nervous, weak, and comic in nature.

4. Comment on the relationship between Kirin and Shipuchin.

Kirin and Shipuchin share a strained professional relationship. Kirin, the accountant, works tirelessly for days to prepare the financial report. He is promised a golden watch if the anniversary meeting goes well. Though Kirin does all the hard work, Shipuchin enjoys the attention and praise. This makes Kirin feel irritated and unappreciated. Kirin is practical and straightforward, while Shipuchin is diplomatic and polite. When chaos increases, Kirin loses patience and threatens to throw Mrs. Merchutkina out. In the end, due to confusion, Kirin mistakenly chases Tatiana. Their relationship reflects tension between hard work and authority, creating comic situations throughout the play.

5. Narrate Tatiana’s experiences in her mother’s place.

Tatiana narrates her experiences continuously after arriving at the bank. She talks about her visit to her hometown, where she met her mother and sister. She describes her train journey and shares details about her sister’s date. Her narration is casual and irrelevant to the serious work happening in the bank. She speaks without realizing that her husband and the accountant are under pressure preparing for the anniversary meeting. Her long and unnecessary storytelling irritates the accountant and distracts the banker. Instead of helping, her narration adds to the confusion and delay. Thus, Tatiana’s experiences become a source of disturbance rather than comfort.