Ward No: 6 is a short novel written by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov. It was first published as several chapters in 1892. After one year, in 1893, all chapters were gathered into a single book and published again. Anton Chekhov (29 January 1860 – 15 July 1904) is a Russian playwright and short-story writer. He has been one of the greatest writer in the world.
Story is about conversation of a doctor (Andrey Yefimitch) and mentally deranged person (Ivan Dmitrich). Andrey Yefimich became a doctor to humour his father, although actually wanting to become a priest. The doctor fills his time reading books. Andrey Yefimitch complains that there is no one of intelligence to converse with in the rural town where he has landed–then discovers a perceptive intelligence in one of his own patients in the mental ward, Ivan Dmitrich, who suffers from paranoia. Ivan Dmitrich is a smart man who studies at university. After a while, he loses his mind and think that everyone is spy and come to learn something from himself. Then he finds himself in mental home. Doctor understands that Ivan is a smart person and start to making conversations with Ivan. After some time, whole town talk about doctor because he spends his all time in ward six. Most of people think that Andrey Yefimitch lose his mind as well.
Ward No:6 is a very successful novel. It tells Russian’s problems, injustice and stolidity of that period. It leads the reader to question what normality and abnormality is and to reconsider his behaviour to people who are seen as abnormal from the society. Therefore, it is a novel that everyone should read.
Deniz Mert Algün