the Seagull, Uncle Vanya and the Cherry Orchard

Anton Chekhov’s reputation rests just as much on his fiction as on his plays. He is the second most popular playwright after Shakespeare and admittedly one of the most important modern dramatists. Chekhov’s unconventional, innovative approach to drama continues to excite, inspire and perplex his audiences and critics alike. In our class we will ponder the question or Chekhov’s enduring national and international appeal. Our class will serve as an introduction to Chekhov’s dramatic oeuvre. As we read and discuss his three plays, the Seagull, Uncle Vanya and the Cherry Orchard, we will consider these works in their cultural and historical context and explore their major themes, including realism, family relations, psychology, creativity, human nature and selfhood. Discussion questions will be posted on the course site http://www.slavdom.com/index.php?id=156

 

READINGS

Chekhov’s plays the Seagull, Uncle Vanya and the Cherry Orchard

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

SCHEDULE

Class 1 The Seagull

Class 2 The Seagull (cont.)

Class 3 Uncle Vanya

Class 4 Uncle Vanya (cont.). The Cherry Orchard

Class 5 The Cherry Orchard (cont.)