Anton Chekhov

Lore & Background

Anton Chekhov was born in Taganrog, a commercial port city on the Sea of Azov, the third of six surviving children. His father, Pavel Yegorovich Chekhov, ran a grocery store and was a physically abusive parent; Chekhov later described his childhood as 'suffering.' After his father's bankruptcy in 1876, the family moved to Moscow, leaving Chekhov behind to finish his education. He supported himself by tutoring, selling goldfinches, and writing short sketches for newspapers. He completed school in 1879 and joined his family in Moscow, gaining admission to medical school.

Chekhov began writing humorous sketches under pseudonyms such as 'Antosha Chekhonte' to support his family and pay tuition. He qualified as a physician in 1884, though he made little money from it and treated the poor free of charge. In 1886, after receiving a letter of praise from the celebrated writer Dmitry Grigorovich, Chekhov developed a more serious artistic ambition. His collection At Dusk won the Pushkin Prize in 1888. He renounced the theatre after the poor reception of The Seagull in 1896, but the play was revived to acclaim in 1898 by Konstantin Stanislavski's Moscow Art Theatre, which also produced Uncle Vanya and premiered Three Sisters and The Cherry Orchard.

Reader's Guide

Chekhov's significance lies in his transformation of both drama and the short story. In theatre, his four major plays—The Seagull, Uncle Vanya, Three Sisters, and The Cherry Orchard—present a challenge to actors and audiences by replacing conventional action with a 'theatre of mood' and a 'submerged life in the text.' Along with Ibsen and Strindberg, he is considered a seminal figure in the birth of early modernism in theatre. In short fiction, Chekhov made formal innovations that influenced the evolution of the modern short story. He believed it was not the duty of writers to solve problems, but to correctly state them. His work is noted for its subtlety, psychological depth, and focus on the inner lives of characters. Chekhov's legacy endures through his plays, which remain staples of world theatre, and his stories, which are held in high esteem by writers and critics. He was a physician by profession, once remarking, 'Medicine is my lawful wife, and literature is my mistress.'

Did You Know?

• Chekhov was a physician by profession and treated the poor free of charge.
• He renounced the theatre after the reception of The Seagull in 1896, but it was revived to acclaim in 1898 by Konstantin Stanislavski's Moscow Art Theatre.
• Chekhov's father Pavel has been seen by some historians as the model for his son's many portraits of hypocrisy.
• Chekhov wrote that it is not the duty of writers to solve problems, but to correctly state them.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (Анто́н Па́влович Че́хов) (29 January 1860 – 15 July 1904) (Old Style: 17 January 1860 – 2 July 1904) was a Russian short story writer and playwright." — Anton Chekhov "When a person is born, he can embark on only one of three roads of life: if you go right, the wolves will eat you; if you go left, you’ll eat the wolves; if you go straight, you’ll eat yourself." — Anton Chekhov "That can not possibly be, because it could never possibly be." — Anton Chekhov "Eyes—the head’s chief of police. They watch and make mental notes. A blind person is like a city abandoned by the authorities. On sad days they cry. In these carefree times they weep only from tender emotions." — Anton Chekhov