"The Black Monk" by Anton Chekhov follows the life of Andrey Vasilievich Kovrin, a brilliant scholar who experiences hallucinations of a mystical black monk. As his visions intensify, Kovrin grapples with the blurred lines between genius and madness, leading to a tragic confrontation with reality and his own aspirations. The novella explores themes of creativity, mental instability, and the pursuit of an idealized self.