Plays: Ivanov; The Seagull; Uncle Vanya; Three Sisters; The CherryOrchard (Penguin Classics)

Great

I wanted to read "The Seagull" by Chekhov since it is one of his most famous ones, but I was disappointed, it was not so interesting or exciting. His short stories are better.

I've read much of Tolstoy, Gogol, and Pushkin, but by far my favorite 19th century "Russian" author is Chekhov. Unfortunately, in the West, he's one of the most underrated 19th century authors of all time. Russians and Ukrainians alike all read Chekhov's works in school. In the West, we read only the short stories of Jack London (or the like), and plays by written other Westerners. Chekhov's plays are at least, if not more, engaging than his short stories. If you enjoy being transported to another time and another place, as well as feeling moved by the grace of words that flow across the page, read these plays. They are certain to reward both the novice and the expert alike. See my Amazon books about money:[...]

I’ve yet to read a penguin classic that isn’t well made

I have read Chekov in various translations at very points in my life, and Chekov's charm and elegance are all in full display in this edition. What I love about Chekov (I'm restricted to translations in English as I have no knowledge of Russian) are his gentle portraits of the human condition and people in their daily lives and struggles. This edition brings the reader into the very distinctive world of Chekov's Russia - and yet relates so well, as all great literature does, to our own.

I read this book before But I wanted to have it in my new home as well.

The greatest writer after Shakespeare. Wonderful, realist, domestic settings with the most profound examinations of self, identity, love and the human condition. Just buy it and buy the BBC films and dive in. AMAZING.

His short stories are incredible. Like a religious experience for me. I found his plays a bit tedious. Plenty of that great dark Chekhov humor, but too much melodrama... which ironically he was said to have loathed and tried to avoid. Lots of weeping, histrionics, carrying on. Also a sameness between plays, in terms of characters, setting, themes.

Purchased to read plays for uni. Edition is great and contains several plays for a cheaper price than buying individually.

本自体はOKです。 本の内表紙の頭尾、本の上側、本の縦側に、Mangotsfield School L.R.C.のゴム印が押してある。 又張り紙があって This book should be returned on or before the last date stamped above.と記載。 更に表紙全体が透明ヴィニル・カバーで覆っている。 ➡ どう見ても公共の本を、販売したと思われる。 こんな盗品？は恥ずべきことだと思う。持っていてみっともない。

The translation is not great. It looks like was done with Google translate.

A good quality book with a really interesting content. The plays are not just some portrayal of realistic lifestyle of the Russian society, but follows the various thoughts of different individuals providing many perspectives to the readers. There are unexpected turn of events which keeps one immersed in the book. The language used is very polite and respectful which definitely seems to be very rarely used these days.

For anyone who doesn't know Chekhov, I recommend you get acquainted with his work immediately. His short stories are superb, and his five plays are masterpieces of theatre. It is such a shame that he died when he was only 44 - like Mozart, you really wonder what on earth he would have produced by the time he was 60. As always with Chekhov, I am amazed at the fact he is able to create tension and high drama from absolutely nothing - boredom, loss of zest for life, inability to move on, hopeless incompetence, arrogance, etc etc. Characters are absolutely pared down to the minimum necessary to dissect a psychological state, atmosphere, general state of affairs etc., and the language is an exercise in economy - it functions only as a vehicle for creating dramatic effect. If the penguin translation is faithful, then there is little, if any, superfluous imagery, and nothing that digresses from the function of each moment of dramatic intensity. The tone and themes of each play - as with his short stories - are always ambiguous: bittersweet, tragicomic, sad and joyful, generosity and miserliness, adultery vs sterile faithfulness etc. In this lack of commitment to a stable reality Chekhov was well ahead of his time and it is easy to see how his plays have exerted such an influence on the development of the modern play.