The Seagull

Anton Chekhov (1860-1904) was a Russian dramatist and author known for his haunting and masterful short stories; he is regarded as a seminal figure in the 19th Century realist school. His earliest writings, published in newspapers and journals, were largely comic in tone; as he matured as a writer his work turned to more serious themes. The Seagull (1895) and Uncle Vanya (1898), are among his best-known plays, yet his short stories have been more recently recognized as his prime literary triumph.