Philosophy of the turn of the century and the humanistic shift – A.P. Chekhov on Sakhalin

the study examines A.P. Chekhov’s Sakhalin Island as a text that combines documentary precision with a philosophical testimony of human existence. The aim of the paper is to reveal the “philosophy of the turn of the century” and the “humanistic shift” in the writer’s work. The methodology relies on literary analysis, philosophical interpretation in the context of existentialism, and a historical-cultural approach. The results demonstrate Chekhov’s transition from the position of an observer to that of an ethical witness. Sakhalin Island appears as a “letter of existence”, where the recording of facts is united with the affirmation of human dignity, freedom, and responsibility. The scientific novelty of the study lies in viewing the text as a precursor to the existential philosophy of the 20th century, while its practical significance is found in the potential for a renewed understanding of the humanistic tradition in Russian literature.

Chekhov, Sakhalin Island, philosophy of the turn of the century, humanistic shift, existentialism, ethical testimony, the Other