title: The Plays of Anton Chekhov
author:  Anton Chekhov 
description: Chekhov left a legacy of four major dramas as well as hundreds of short comic sketches and stories. Strongly influenced by the Symbolist movement, Chekhov drew upon his personal experiences in depicting the lives of the Russian landed gentry. The period 1996-2004 marks the centennial of the premieres of his best-known plays and brings a renewed appreciation of his place in modern drama. The translations of The Three Sisters, The Seagull, Uncle Vanya, and The Cherry Orchard by Rocamora (theater, Tisch Sch. of the Arts, NYU) remain faithful to the period flavor of the original while being fresh and fluid for modern American actors and audiences. Rocamora also provides a lengthy biographical sketch of Chekhov, which is useful for an understanding of his works. A respected translator, dramaturge, actor, and playwright, Schmidt intends to re-create in American English vernacular the vitality and humor of Chekhov. In this, he succeeds admirably, particularly in some of the short comedies, such as The Proposal. Schmidt's translations seem the more contemporary of the two work under review, and he makes use of many common vulgarisms in the comedies?presumably bringing them closer to what Chekhov's audiences were familiar with. Both titles offer fine contemporary translations that are a pleasure to read. If your collection can support only one "complete Chekhov," go with Schmidt; otherwise, these two titles complement each other and can be recommended for all modern drama collections.?Howard E. Miller, St. Louis<br />Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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  The Boor
  
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  # The Boor
  
  
  ### Anton Chekhov
  
  
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  PERSONS IN THE PLAY
  
  
  
  
  
  HELENA IVANOVNA POPOV, a young
  
  
  widow, mistress of a country estate
  
  
  
  
  
  GRIGORI STEPANOVITCH SMIRNOV,
  
  
  proprietor of a country estate
  
  
  
  
  
  LUKA, servant of MRS. POPOV
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  A gardener. A Coachman. Several
  
  
  workmen.
  
  
  >
  
  
  TIME: The present.
  
  
  SCENE: A well-furnished reception-room in MRS.
  
  
  POPOV'S home. MRS. POPOV is discovered in deep mourning, sitting upon
  
  
  a sofa, gazing steadfastly at a photograph. LUKA is also present.
  
  
  
  
  
  LUKA: It isn't right, ma'am. You're wearing yourself out!
  
  
  The maid and the cook have gone looking for berries; everything that
  
  
  breathes is enjoying life; even the cat knows how to be happy—slips
  
  
  about the courtyard and catches birds—but you hide yourself here in
  
  
  the house as though you were in a cloister. Yes, truly, by actual
  
  
  reckoning y