Selected Short Stories of Chekhov - World Young Adult Literature Classics Collection

Author: (Russian) Chekhov
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: This book is one of the "World Youth Literature Classics Collection," featuring twelve of Chekhov's short stories, all of which are his representative works. The stories are arranged in chronological order of publication, revealing the evolution of Chekhov's creative thought. The later the story, the deeper the theme. Some reflect the tragic lives of the working class, such as Vanka and The Cherry Orchard; others portray the timid and servile mindset of ordinary people, like The Death of a Minor Official and The Fat Man and the Thin Man; some criticize the opportunistic and servile nature of individuals, such as The (The); others depict the face of defenders of autocracy, like Sergeant Prishchepov; some expose the oppression of autocracy on society and its conservatism and weakness, such as The (The); some satirize the vain, vulgar, and short-sighted philosophy of life, such as The (The) and Anna on the Neck; some reveal the terrifying reality of Russian society under autocracy, such as Ward No. 6; and some express the pursuit and longing for a better life, awakening people to their aversion to dull and half-dead existence, such as Love and The Unmarried Bride. Chekhov's short stories hold an irreplaceable position in both Russian and world literary history due to their highly concise lyrical art and humorous, yet profound, style. They have been translated into over one hundred languages and remain bestsellers to this day. Chekhov's short stories are among the most influential foreign literary works in China. Many renowned literary figures, such as Lu Xun, Zhao Jingshen, and Zheng Zhifeng, have translated his works. Classic masterpieces like Vanka, The (The), and The (The) are household names in China and have been included in school textbooks. The newly issued General High School Chinese Curriculum Standards by the Ministry of Education designate his short stories as mandatory reading for students. Chekhov was a great Russian playwright and short story writer of the late 19th century, an outstanding representative of the Russian Realist literary movement, and is renowned as one of the "Three Kings of Short Stories in the World," alongside Guy de Maupassant and O. Henry.