Cherry Orchard and Other Plays

Collected in this volume are five of Chekhov's most popular dramatic works: "e;Ivanov"e;, "e;The Sea-Gull"e;, "e;Uncle Vanya"e;, "e;Three Sisters"e; and "e;The Cherry Orchard"e;.

Firstly in "e;Ivanov"e; we find the taut psychological drama of Nikolai Ivanov, a man who is severely conflicted by the illness of his wife, his mounting debts, and his own internal desires.

Secondly, "e;The Sea-Gull"e; is the story of the romantic and artistic conflicts between four main characters: Nina, the daughter of a wealthy landowner; Madame Irina Arkadina, a once leading actress; Konstantin Treplyov, her son and a playwright; and Trigorin, a well-known writer.

Thirdly, "e;Uncle Vanya"e; is a melancholic portrait of a cast of characters examining their respective miseries and failures to accomplish in their lives that which they might have hoped to.

Fourthly, "e;Three Sisters"e; is a story which concerns the lives of an aristocratic family, the Prozorovs, who struggle to search for meaning in the modern world.

Lastly "e;The Cherry Orchard"e; is the tale of an aristocratic Russian woman and her family who return to their estate, a cherry orchard, to oversee its auction in order to pay the mortgage.

Taken together this collection of dramas exhibits Chekhov's literary prowess and provides a brilliant portrait for the dramatic social environment of Russia at the turn of the 20th century.

This edition follows the translations of Marian Fell and Julius West and includes a biographical afterword.