Chekhov Stories

A collection of Short Stories by Anton Chekhov featuring "A Tragic Actor", "In A Strange Land", "Oh The Public", "The Looking Glass", "Her Husband", and "Overdoing It", read in English, unabridged. These stories are small masterpieces. The scene is set quickly and within a few sentences the story line is underway. But all seem to contain an element of the unexpected. In "A Tragic Actor", a man who believes he is destined for great things, but his life does not turn out as planned. The protagonist, Alexander Ivanovich Petrov, is a struggling actor who has never had much success. He spends his days working at a small theatre in a small town, and his nights drinking and dreaming of the day when he will finally make it big.

Young impressionable Masha sees a tragic actor Fenogenov during his benefit night and falls madly in love with him. Masha decides to run away with the actor and marry him despite her father's clear disapproval. Her father disowns her describing her husband as idle, stupid, and of no fixed home or occupation. Masha later finds herself in desperate need of money and has to seek help from her farther. Read in English, unabridged.

Audio book collection of Chekhov's short story works featuring: "Talent", "Anyuta", "The Helpmate", "Ivan Matveyitch", "Polinka". Read in English, unabridged, and accompanied by Tchaikovskiy piano music. In "The Helpmate," the story centers on a woman who is trapped in a loveless marriage and her husband's attempts to find her a suitable replacement. Chekhov deftly uses irony and symbolism to illuminate the characters' inner lives and the futility of their situation. The result is a moving and insightful tale that speaks to the universal experience of longing for love and connection.

This audio book features a trilogy of interlinked stories: "About Truth", "About Freedom", "About Love". Read in English, unabridged, and accompanied by orchestral music based on original compositions of Dvorak. In "About Love", Anton Chekhov explores the theme of love through the lens of unrequited love. The story centres around the character of Olga, who is in love with a man who does not return her affections. Chekhov uses Olga's unrequited love to examine the nature of love itself, and to question whether true love is possible if it is not reciprocated.

A native Frenchman no longer tutors the wealthy landlord's children as they've grown up and left the house. The Frenchman is now paid simply to be around, to be properly dressed, to smell of scent, and to listen to Kamyshev's babble, to eat and drink and sleep. It may sound like a dream job but there's always a catch. Chekhov challenges the reader to reflect on the meaning of happiness and fulfilment, and the lengths people will go to find it. Read in English, unabridged.

"Excellent People" by Anton Chekhov is a poignant and introspective story that revolves around the lives of Vladimir Semyonitch Liadovsky and his sister, Vera Semyonovna. Vladimir is a self-proclaimed literary man, passionate about his writing and aspiring for greater recognition. Meanwhile, Vera, a woman doctor, leads a life overshadowed by past tragedies and her devotion to her brother. Despite their contrasting personalities, they share a deep bond. "Excellent People" delves into themes of purpose, existential questioning, and the clash between idealism and pragmatism. Chekhov skilfully captures the complexities of human relationships and the internal struggles of individuals as they navigate their desires and beliefs. Through the contrasting perspectives of the two siblings, the story explores the profound impact of differing ideologies on their bond, leaving the reader with a thought-provoking reflection on the pursuit of personal passions and the search for meaning in life. Read in English, unabridged.

This volume of Chekhov stories includes: "A Trivial Incident", "Bad Weather", "The Chorus Girl", "Zinotchka", "A Gentleman Friend". Read in English, unabridged. In "Zinotchka", Anton Chekhov tells the story of a young woman who is forced to marry a much older man. The story explores the theme of arranged marriage and the power dynamics between men and women. Chekhov uses symbolism and irony to highlight the characters' struggles with their relationships. In "A Gentleman Friend", Chekhov tells the tale of a young man's infatuation with a married woman. The story is set in 19th-century Russia and explores the themes of love, obsession, and disappointment. The protagonist, Ivan, is a poor law student who falls in love with the beautiful and wealthy Elena. Elena is married to a older man who is unable to give her the attention she desires.

These stories, as part of "Excellent People and Other Stories" by Anton Chekhov, showcase the author's profound understanding of human nature and his ability to depict the complexities of relationships. Through vivid storytelling and astute observations, Chekhov captures the essence of the human experience, unveiling the depths of longing, disillusionment, and resilience that exist within us all. Reading the unabridged English versions allows readers to fully immerse themselves in Chekhov's masterful prose and explore the timeless themes that continue to resonate with audiences today. In "At Christmas Time" by Anton Chekhov, the story revolves around a group of friends who gather together during the holiday season. As they share anecdotes and engage in lively discussions, the true nature of their relationships and individual personalities gradually unfold. Chekhov skillfully explores the dynamics of friendship, exposing the complexities and contradictions that arise when people with diverse backgrounds and perspectives come together in a festive setting. "The Lady with the Dog" presents a captivating narrative of forbidden love. Set in the late 19th century, the story follows the chance encounter between Dmitri Gurov, a middle-aged married man, and Anna Sergeyevna, a young woman also trapped in an unhappy marriage. What begins as a casual fling evolves into a profound emotional connection that challenges the societal norms and moral expectations of the time. Chekhov delves into the characters' inner turmoil, exposing their vulnerability and the transformative power of love. Read in English, unabridged.

"Gooseberries" by Anton Chekhov is a short story about Ivan Ivanovich, a man who visits his brother and reflects on his own life. While picking gooseberries, Ivan compares his unsatisfied life to the abundant berries and realizes that he has been living for material wealth and social status, instead of finding true happiness and fulfillment. He also reflects on the futility of life and the inevitability of death. Through Ivan's musings and introspection, Chekhov explores themes of mortality, materialism, and the search for meaning in life. The story ends with Ivan feeling a sense of contentment and appreciation for the simple joys of life, such as the taste of ripe gooseberries. Read in English, unabridged.

Anton Chekhov's novella Anyuta is a compelling exploration of the human struggle for love and recognition in a rapidly changing world. Through its narrative, the work interrogates issues such as class and gender dynamics, ultimately positing that the experience of being an outcast can lead to greater self-awareness. The protagonist, Anyuta, embodies the plight of a woman navigating her way through a male-dominated society as she tries to reconcile her desires with reality. Read in English, unabridged.

Anton Chekhov's short story, About Love, is an exploration of the human capacity for love and its implications in an array of social and interpersonal relationships. The narrative follows two protagonists, Vanyushin and Anna Stepanovna, as they traverse a tumultuous journey of love, betrayal and misunderstanding. Through their experiences, the author elucidates how love can often be maligned by feelings of insecurity, loneliness, fear and doubt. Read in English, unabridged.

"Oh! The Public" by Anton Chekhov is a short story that follows the head ticket collector, Podtyagin, as he performs his duties on a late-night train journey. Despite being sleep-deprived and tempted to drink, he decides to "buck up and work" and begins inspecting the tickets of the passengers. One passenger, an invalid wrapped in a fur coat and rug, moans about being woken and argues with Podtyagin over the requirement for a ticket. The argument escalates and other passengers become indignant at the apparent persecution of the invalid. After the argument, Podtyagin begins to feel uneasy and questions his own actions, despite being in the right according to duty. The story is a commentary on bureaucracy, public service, and the social class structure of the time. Read in English, unabridged.

Natalya Andreyevna Bronin (also known as Nikitin), a successful opera singer, is relaxing in her bedroom when her husband, Denis Petrovitch Nikitin, arrives. He has just been visiting a wealthy man named Zagvozdkin and is upset because Zagvozdkin wouldn't lend him money. Denis expresses his views on capital and business to his wife, who is tired and just wants to go back to sleep. The story highlights the dynamic between the couple, with Denis being loud and boisterous while Natalya is reserved and tired. It also touches on the theme of capital and business, with Denis being critical of wealthy people who don't invest their money. Read in English, unabridged.

The Helpmate by Anton Chekhov is an intriguing exploration of the complexities of interpersonal relationships. Through its use of symbolic imagery, Chekhov creates a narrative that examines the idea of reliance and codependence among those in a marriage. The protagonist, Nikolay, struggles to navigate his own feelings on the subject while simultaneously confronting his wife's discontentment with their status quo. Read in English, unabridged.

Yegor Savvitch, an artist, is sitting in his room feeling depressed. His landlady's daughter, Katya, is visiting him and wants to discuss their future together. Yegor says he cannot marry because artists must be free, but Katya pleads with him not to leave her as she is afraid of her strict mother. Yegor eventually agrees to pay his debts and gives Katya a glass of vodka. He begins to dream of becoming great and imagines a future filled with success and adoration. Read in English, unabridged.

"Joy" is a short story by Anton Chekhov about a young man named Mitya Kuldarov who arrives home late at night, bursting with excitement. He eagerly tells his family that his name has been published in the newspaper, making him famous throughout all of Russia. Mitya is ecstatic about his sudden celebrity status, as before this moment, only his family knew of his existence as a registration clerk. He shows his family the newspaper article, which describes how he had fallen under a horse in an intoxicated state but was not seriously injured. Mitya can hardly contain his joy and runs out to share the news with his friends and acquaintances. The story highlights how even the smallest recognition can bring immense happiness and self-importance to a person's life. Read in English, unabridged.

Overdoing It by Anton Chekhov is a short story about a land surveyor who hires a peasant cart driver to take him to the estate he has been summoned to survey. The journey is long and tortuous, and the surveyor is jolted and marvelled at the capacity of the Russian drivers for combining a slow pace with a jolting that turns the soul inside out. The surveyor is worried about the danger of the journey, but the driver, Klim, reassures him that there are no robbers on the road. The surveyor even lies to Klim that he has three revolvers to protect himself. The journey becomes even more suspicious when the cart suddenly turns to the left, leaving the surveyor to wonder where Klim is taking him to. Read in English, unabridged.

Ivan Matveyitch by Anton Chekhov is an archetypal example of the Russian realist tradition, and serves as an exploration of human identity in a rapidly changing, modernizing nation. Through his depiction of the titular protagonist, a common man on the cusp of middle-agedness, Chekhov paints a vivid portrait of a character struggling to reconcile his sense of self with shifting cultural and social expectations. Read in English, unabridged.

"The Looking Glass" is a short story by Anton Chekhov about a young woman named Nellie who is sitting in her room and staring into a mirror. Nellie is dreamy and lost in thoughts of her future and the man she loves. As she stares into the mirror, she sees the reflection of her future husband and begins to imagine her life with him. Suddenly, Nellie's dream is interrupted by a crisis. Her husband is ill and Nellie rushes to the doctor's house for help. However, the doctor is exhausted from treating patients with typhus and is unable to help Nellie's husband. Despite Nellie's pleas, the doctor refuses to see him, leaving Nellie in despair. The story ends with Nellie left to deal with the situation on her own, questioning the reality of her dreams and the future she had envisioned. Read in English, unabridged.

Surely that needs no explanation… If the teacher rides a bicycle, what can you expect the pupils to do? You will have them walking on their heads next! Read in English, unabridged.

"Boots" by Anton Chekhov tells the story of Murkin, a piano-tuner who, due to a mistake by the hotel attendant Semyon, is left without his boots. Semyon admits to having accidentally taken the boots to the neighboring actress's room, but upon retrieving them, Murkin discovers they are not his. They belong to Pavel Alexandritch, an actor who only stays at the hotel on Tuesdays and who is now unreachable. Murkin is desperate to find his own boots as he has an appointment with a client, Madame la Générale Shevelitsyn. Semyon suggests that Murkin wears the boots that are left, even though they are two left boots and full of holes. Murkin is hesitant, but in the end, he puts them on and goes to Madame la Générale Shevelitsyn's house. He is ridiculed by the servants, and his client cannot contain her laughter. The story shows the hardships faced by the poor, and the difficulties people go through to make ends meet. Read in English, unabridged.

Polinka, written by Anton Chekhov, is an evocative social commentary that explores the complexity of human relationships within a patriarchal society. Through the lens of a rural Russian family, we are presented with an artful inquiry into the negotiation of power and gender roles within a homogeneous cultural context. The narrative centers on protagonist Polinka, who struggles to find her voice amidst oppressive social constraints. In this way, Chekhov challenges the audience to question their assumptions about traditional gender relations. Read in English, unabridged.

Anton Chekhov's Who Was to Blame? is a complex narrative that examines the culpability of human beings when confronted with difficult ethical dilemmas. Through his use of intricate subplots and symbolism, Chekhov crafts an exploration of moral ambiguity, challenging the reader to consider the impacts of individual decisions on larger societal issues. Throughout the story, Chekhov uses real-life characters and scenarios to invite readers to contemplate their own ethical responsibilities. Read in English, unabridged.

An Inadvertence by Anton Chekhov tells the story of Pyotr Petrovitch Strizhin, who returns home from a christening party after drinking several glasses of alcohol. Desperately craving another drink, he finds what he believes is a bottle of vodka in the cupboard, but it turns out to be paraffin. Upon drinking it, he experiences intense pain and believes he is dying. He goes to his sister-in-law, Dashenka, to say goodbye and confess his mistake. However, instead of offering sympathy, she scolds him for touching the paraffin and being careless with money. In the end, Strizhin realizes that Dashenka cares more about her possessions than his well-being. Read in English, unabridged.

In this tender tale by Anton Chekhov, a young boy ventures into the world with his somewhat wayward nanny. Overwhelmed by the new experiences, the boy grapples with the vivid impressions of the day. As evening falls, he struggles to sleep, his mind filled with images of soldiers, big cats, horses, glass, oranges, and bright buttons. Unable to contain his excitement, the boy ultimately breaks into tears. Chekhov beautifully captures the innocence and wonder of a child's encounter with the world.

The story "A Tripping Tongue" is a dialogue between Natalya Mihalovna, a young married lady who just returned from Yalta, and her husband. She talks about her experience in Yalta, including the prices, the mountains, and the immoral behavior of some aristocratic ladies. She also mentions the Tatar guides, but her husband becomes suspicious because she previously said that she only saw them from a distance. Natalya gets offended and accuses her husband of being jealous of Suleiman, her guide. The story ends with the couple arguing about whether or not it was necessary to have a guide in the mountains. Read in English, unabridged.

Chekhov has always been huge inspiration for many great writers who came in contact with Chekhov's art. Thomas Man wrote that Chekhov's short stories attain to full epic stature and can even surpass in intensity the great towering novels. 'If I understood that better in later life than in my youth, this was largely owing to my growing intimacy with Chekhov’s art; for his short stories rank with all that is greatest and best in European literature.' he concluded . But what is it that makes Chekhov's stories so poignant, so striking and so inspiring? This volume offers some Chekhov's best stories, including: An Inadvertence, A Tripping Tongue, Boots, In An Hotel, Ladies. Read in English, unabridged.

"Ladies" by Anton Chekhov tells the story of Fyodor Petrovitch, the Director of Elementary Schools in the N. District, who offers a vacant post to a schoolmaster, Vremensky, who lost his voice. However, when Fyodor Petrovitch's wife, Nastasya Ivanovna, asks him to consider Polzuhin, a young man she knows, for the same post, Fyodor Petrovitch refuses, stating that he does not give posts through patronage. Despite his refusal, he begins receiving letters recommending Polzuhin for the position, and Polzuhin himself appears before Fyodor Petrovitch. In the end, Fyodor Petrovitch, tired of the pressure, gives the post to Polzuhin, leaving Vremensky in a dire situation. The story is a satire on the corrupt nature of patronage and nepotism in society. Read in English, unabridged.

In "In An Hotel" by Anton Chekhov, Madame Nashatyrin, the wife of a colonel, complains to the hotel-keeper about the scandalous behavior of Staff-Captain Kikin, who is staying in the hotel. She is outraged by the vulgarity of Kikin's language and the lewd stories he tells. The hotel-keeper sympathizes with Madame Nashatyrin but explains that Kikin owes him three months of rent and refuses to leave. Despite Kikin's disgraceful behavior, the hotel-keeper admits that he is a handsome, intelligent man when sober. Madame Nashatyrin is surprised to learn that Kikin is not married and begins to mull over this new information. The story ends with Madame Nashatyrin lost in thought as her daughters, Lilya and Mila, continue to sit at the window, blushing at Kikin's scandalous stories. Read in Enlgish, unabridged.

"The Huntsman" by Anton Chekhov follows Yegor Vlassitch, a huntsman, who longs for a simple life with his love, Pelagea. When Yegor's boss, the Count, takes an interest in Pelagea, Yegor confronts his feelings of jealousy and insecurity. The story delves into themes of class dynamics, love, and the complexities of human emotions. Read in Russian, unabridged.