Anton Chekhov

Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860–1904) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer whose work helped shape modern drama and the short story. Born in Taganrog, he trained as a physician at Moscow University and supported his family by writing while practicing medicine. Chekhov published hundreds of stories noted for their psychological insight, understatement, and compassion. In the theatre he developed a new kind of realism, emphasizing subtext and everyday life in plays such as *The Seagull*, *Uncle Vanya*, *Three Sisters*, and *The Cherry Orchard*, many staged by the Moscow Art Theatre. He died in Badenweiler, Germany.