Russian literature you can read for FREE: Anton Chekhov

The Library of Foreign Literature has uploaded many timeless works in acclaimed English translations. Enjoy!


‘Ward No. 6’

Anton Chekhov is considered to be a true master of the short genre. The author of the aphorism ‘Brevity is the sister of wit’ has written over 500 short stories and novellas, translated into over 100 languages and many have been adapted for film.

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‘My Life’

The main character, Misail Poloznev, the son of a noble architect, refuses to follow in his father's footsteps and becomes a simple house painter. His decision is condemned by his family and society. Through trials, disappointments and losses, he tries to find his meaning in life, but encounters misunderstanding even among his loved ones.

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‘The Lady with the Dog’

Main character Dmitry Gurov is married, but easily sees women on the side. However, one holiday, an unexpected romance haunts him. It seems this is not just a casual affair, but true love. Returning home from vacation, he constantly seeks new encounters with this lady and her dog…

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‘In the Ravine’

This tale of feminine treachery and greed is worthy of a Hollywood adaptation. Aksinya, the youngest daughter-in-law in the Tsybukin family, displays a knack for quickly grasping the nuances of her family’s business. Gradually, she not only seizes power in the household, but also cold-bloodedly murders a rival for the inheritance – her newborn nephew, Nikifor. And soon, thanks to her efforts, Grigory Tsybukin, the head of the family, finds himself on the street…

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‘Gooseberries’

The story's main character works in an office, but dreams of living outside the city and buying an estate, where there's sure to be a gooseberry bush. He economizes on everything and saves every penny. He even marries for money, but his stinginess causes his wife to wither and die. Years later, his dream does come true – he becomes a gentleman with an estate, greedily eating his gooseberries…

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‘Three Sisters’

This is a play about three sisters and their brother who live in a provincial town. Their father died a year ago and, now, they are pondering what to do next. Olga, the eldest, works as a teacher, Masha, the middle sister, is unhappy in her marriage and the youngest sister can't find a man or an occupation she enjoys. These intelligent sisters lead rather empty and useless lives, dreaming and making plans that will never come to fruition. At the same time, they fail to understand their brother, who marries a simple woman and abandons his studies.

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‘The Cherry Orchard’

Chekhov's most important play condemns the nobility as a class that has outlived its usefulness and is unable to adapt to the new realities of life.

The main character, landowner Lyubov Ranevskaya, has spent her entire fortune in France. All she has left is an estate with a beautiful cherry orchard, but it, too, is about to be auctioned off to pay off her remaining debts. Yermolai Lopakhin, the grandson of serfs who served Ranevskaya's family, but is now a wealthy merchant, offers to lease the land and pay off the debts. But, Ranevskaya ignores his idea and, in the end, he buys the estate himself.

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‘The Seagull’

Amateur playwright Konstantin Treplev stages a play he wrote at his uncle's country estate. He casts his neighbor's daughter, Nina, with whom he is in love, in the leading role. Friends and neighbors gather at the premiere of this amateur play. They praise Nina's performance, but criticize the play itself for being excessively decadent. This greatly upsets the author, especially when Nina falls in love with one of her admirers, leading Treplev to even attempt suicide.

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