The Portable Chekhov

Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860-1904) was a Russian playwright and short story writer, widely regarded as one of history’s greatest writers of short fiction. His theatrical works include four classics, and his short stories are held in high esteem by writers and critics. Alongside Henrik Ibsen and August Strindberg, Chekhov is considered a seminal figure in the emergence of early modernism in theater.

Chekhov practiced medicine throughout most of his literary career, famously stating, “Medicine is my lawful wife, and literature is my mistress.”

After the initial unfavorable reception of The Seagull in 1896, Chekhov renounced the theater. However, the play was revived to critical acclaim in 1898 by Constantin Stanislavski’s Moscow Art Theatre. This theater company also produced Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya and premiered his final plays, Three Sisters and The Cherry Orchard. These four plays present a unique challenge to actors and audiences alike, as Chekhov’s work, characterized by a “theatre of mood” and a “submerged life in the text,” prioritizes atmosphere and subtext over conventional plot.

Initially, Chekhov wrote stories solely for financial reasons. As his artistic ambition grew, he introduced formal innovations that significantly influenced the development of the modern short story. He embraced the challenges these innovations posed to readers, believing the artist’s role was to pose questions rather than provide answers.

Anton Chekhov authored hundreds of short stories and several plays, earning him recognition as both the greatest Russian storyteller and the father of modern drama.

Avrahm Yarmolinsky (1890-1975) was an author, translator, and educator. He primarily taught at Columbia University and the City College of New York. His published works include Dostoievsky, A Life, A Treasury of Russian Verse, and The Russian Literary Imagination.

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