Selected Short Stories of Chekhov

Author: (Russia) 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 representative works of his. The stories are arranged in chronological order of publication, revealing the evolution of Chekhov's creative thought. The later works become more profound in their themes. Some of these stories reflect the miserable lives of the lower classes, such as Vanka and The Cherry Orchard; others depict the timid and servile attitudes of ordinary people, like The Death of a Government Clerk and The Fat Man and the Thin Man; some criticize the opportunistic and obsequious nature of individuals, such as The; others portray the faces of defenders of autocracy, like Sergeant Prishchepov; some expose the oppression of autocracy on society and its conservatism and weakness, such as The Man in the Iron Mask; some satirize the vain, vulgar, and short-sighted philosophy of life, like The Woman Who Jumps Up and Down and Anna on the Neck; some reveal the terrifying and sinister 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 disdain for life that is dull and half-dead, 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 Zhenfeng, have translated his works. Classic masterpieces like Vanka, The, and The Man in the Iron Mask are widely known in China and have been included in school textbooks. The newly issued General High School Chinese Curriculum Standards by the Ministry of Education have designated Chekhov's short stories as required 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.