Themes: Greed
The young lawyer accepts the bet because he believes that life in any form is better than death. So sure is he of his convictions that he even adds an extra ten years to the banker’s proposed sentence. If the lawyer was only concerned with the money, then he would have accepted the initial term of five years; his decision to extend the bet to fifteen years suggests that his greed is not for material wealth but rather intellectual validation.
Expert Q&A
Examine the terms and conditions of the bet critically.
The bet involves the young man enduring 15 years of solitary confinement in a lodge without crossing the threshold, seeing people, or receiving communication. He can have books, music, wine, and tobacco, but only through a window. If he breaks the terms, the banker is free from paying the two million rubles. The bet, likely a verbal agreement, is binding with many witnesses present, ensuring the banker's obligation to pay if the man completes the term.
What are the terms of the bet in Chekhov's "The Bet" and what motivates each character to participate?
In "The Bet," the banker bets two million rubles that the lawyer cannot endure five years of solitary confinement. Motivated by a belief that life, even in isolation, is better than death, the lawyer accepts but extends the term to fifteen years. The banker, driven by pride and the challenge, agrees despite having nothing to gain. Both were likely intoxicated when the bet was made, adding to its impulsive nature.
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