Characterization of Bipolar Disorder in Anton Chekhov's The Black Monk.

Abstract

Anton Chekhov (1860-1904) was a famous Russian author and physician known for his dramas and short stories. Many of his works also address mental health problems. Here, the present paper is investigating his novella The Black Monk that was published in 1894. Its main protagonist, Kovrin, likely suffered from bipolar disorder as he exhibited elevated mood, grandiosity, lack of sleep, and delusions. His symptoms are analyzed based on current DSM-5 criteria, and he appears to meet diagnostic criteria for bipolar I disorder. Chekhov himself suffered from a mood disorder, but we speculate that he himself exhibited some bipolar symptoms. Those were likely an inspiration for when he wrote The Black Monk.