In this eloquent and insightful book, an eminent critic examines each of Chekhov`s full-length plays, shoeing how they relate to each other, to Chekhov`s short stories, and to his life. Richard Gilman places the plays in the context of Russian and European drama and the larger culture of the period and, offering textual commentary and a discussion of stagecraft and dramaturgy, explores the reasons behind the enduring power of these works.