Chekhov

Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860–1904) was a Russian physician, playwright, and short-story writer. Born in Taganrog, he studied medicine at Moscow University and practiced as a doctor while writing. He produced humorous sketches in his early years, then shifted toward more serious, psychologically astute fiction and drama. His medical background informed his observational style and interest in ordinary people's lives.

Chekhov is best known for his plays The Seagull (1896), Uncle Vanya (1899), Three Sisters (1901), and The Cherry Orchard (1904). These works helped transform modern drama by emphasizing character over action, subtext over explicit sentiment, and a quieter, more ironic tone. His prose and plays often focus on unfulfilled desires, social change, and the complexities of everyday relationships. In short fiction, he wrote hundreds of stories including The Lady with the Dog, Ward No. 6, and The Death of a Government Clerk, which display his concise, humane style and keen observational power.

Chekhov’s influence extends beyond Russia; he is regarded as a founder of modern Russian drama and one of the greatest writers of the short story. The term Chekhovian is used to describe his characteristic blend of understatement, irony, and deep sympathy for flawed, ordinary people. He died in Badenweiler, Germany, in 1904 from tuberculosis, but his work continued to shape theatre and narrative techniques worldwide.