{"product_id":"plays-5","title":"Plays","description":"\u003cp\u003eFive masterful dramatic works from one of the world's best-loved playwrights, Anton Chekhov's \u003ci\u003ePlays\u003c\/i\u003e is translated with notes by Peter Carson, and an introduction by Richard Gilman in Penguin Classics.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAt a time when the Russian theatre was dominated by formulaic melodramas and farces, Chekhov created a new sort of drama that laid bare the everyday lives, loves and yearnings of ordinary people. \u003ci\u003eIvanov\u003c\/i\u003e depicts a man stifled by inactivity and lost idealism, and \u003ci\u003eThe Seagull\u003c\/i\u003e contrasts a young man's selfish romanticism with the stoicism of a woman cruelly abandoned by her lover. With 'the scenes from country life' of \u003ci\u003eUncle Vanya\u003c\/i\u003e, his first fully mature play, Chekhov developed his own unique dramatic world, neither tragedy nor comedy. In \u003ci\u003eThree Sisters the Prozorov\u003c\/i\u003e sisters endlessly dream of going to Moscow to escape the monotony of provincial life, while his comedy \u003ci\u003eThe Cherry Orchard\u003c\/i\u003e portrays characters futilely clinging to the past as their land is sold from underneath them.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePeter Carson's moving translations convey Chekhov's subtle blend of comedy, tragedy and psychological insight. In his introduction, Richard Gilman examines how Chekhov broke with theatrical conventions and discusses each play in detail.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAnton Chekhov (1860-1904) was born in Taganrog, a port on the sea of Azov. In 1879 he travelled to Moscow, where he entered the medical faculty of the university, graduating in 1884. During his university years, he supported his family by contributing humorous stories and sketches to magazines. He published his first volume of stories, \u003ci\u003eMotley Tales\u003c\/i\u003e, in 1886, and a year later his second volume \u003ci\u003eIn the Twilight,\u003c\/i\u003e for which he received the Pushkin Prize. Today his plays, including \u003ci\u003eUncle Vanya\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Seagull\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eThe Cherry Orchard\u003c\/i\u003e are recognised as masterpieces the world over. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIf you enjoyed \u003ci\u003ePlays\u003c\/i\u003e, you might like Chekhov's \u003ci\u003eThe Shooting Party\u003c\/i\u003e, also available in Penguin Classics.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Penguin Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54248560984408,"sku":"9780140447330","price":17.5,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0278\/1295\/4195\/files\/9780140447330_08caa40a-648d-4898-87dd-bf981d9a936d.jpg?v=1770911131","url":"https:\/\/agendabookshop.com\/products\/plays-5","provider":"Agenda Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}