The Progression: An Analysis of Dr. Yefimitch in Chekov’s "Ward No. 6"

Quinn Tabler

Elizabeth Chappel

Pre-AP English 10

13 May 2013

The Progression: An Analysis of Dr. Yefimitch in Chekov’s "Ward No. 6"

As the story progresses Dr. Andrey Yefimitch begins to adopt a new personality that shows signs of spiritual, mental, and emotional changes. These changes ultimately land him his own spot in a hospiatl where he was once given the responsibility to care for it's patients. The order and time in which these events take place is debatable and can be argued due to one's perception of the text.

Dr. Yefimitch was far from what one would call an honest man. Throughout his profession, the doctor manipulated and decieved others with his doctoring. He did this to the extent of cluelessly prescribing patients with remedies and medication that even he himself knew to be pointless. I feel like because he was conscious to the foul acts taking place, that it contributed to his madness, and ultimately, his admission into the insane asylum.

In the short story, it was said that Andrey would be found lying on his couch, with his "his face to the cushion," for long durations of time. This behavior was a warning sign that something about his personality or persona was quite off. I feel like this behavior can be contributed to his finnancial issueshe was facing at the time. "He was mortified that after more than twenty years of service he had been neither given a pension nor assistance." Dr. Yefimitch was in debt , having spent the last of his roubles on alcohol which also didn't contribute to his sanity. This lack of money angered the doctor and was an immensly key part of his outbreaks and posistion in the hospital.

It was said throughout the story that Dr. Andrey didn't "understand suffereing" because of his isolation from it and his keen ability to look past it. Guilt is a strong emotion and just happens to be part of what got the best of the doctor. The doctor's guilt for his past ignorance when over-looking others suffereing tore him to pieces as he finally snapped out of his dillusional state of mind toward the end of the book. Once he has finally had enough of it and ends up in the ward, he gets the opportunity to experience it first hand. This only adds to the suffering that this sad, washed up doctor had to live with for the rest of his life.

Dr. Andrey Yefimitch's fate was a direct result of his past actions. He was a dishonest, unhelpful man that ended up in a place he deserved to be. These changes in the doctor were to be seen from the beginning to the end of the story, although the clarity of their effect on the doctor is made more aparent further toward the end. Andrey changed in a way that caused him actual mental illness, and that devoured him emotionally.