“We will talk about the positive aspects of Chekhov’s worldview. Until now, a very significant part of the reading public, in their judgments about Chekhov, stubbornly adheres to the view that it is impossible to conclude about the positive ideals of the named writer for lack of sufficient data. Chekhov is considered an objective artist-photographer, who looked at life through the eye of an impartial observer, stood outside all parties, and refused to express his personal views. At the same time, reference is made to the authority of the writer himself: through the mouth of one of his heroes, Chekhov, as is known, defended the principle of “free art,” that is, art that requires from the artist only reproductions, direct impressions, not refracted through the prism of any particular tendency or ideas. But the “freedom” of art in this case only means freedom from “civil” tendencies, freedom from the prevailing assessment of the fruits of literary creativity. ..."