Ivanoff a Play by Anton Chekhov
Ivanoff is a play written by Anton Chekhov in 1889. The play revolves around the life of a middle-aged man named Ivanoff, who has reached a point of stagnation in his life. He is a successful businessman but feels unfulfilled and disconnected from society. The play explores themes of alienation, loneliness, and the search for meaning in life. The story takes place in a small town in Russia and follows Ivanoff as he navigates his relationships with his wife, children, and colleagues. Throughout the play, Chekhov uses humor and irony to highlight the absurdity of Ivanoff's situation and the superficiality of society. The play ends with Ivanoff realizing that he has been living a lie and that true happiness can only be found by embracing his own individuality and rejecting societal expectations. The play is a powerful commentary on the human condition and the search for meaning in life, and it continues to be studied and performed around the world today.
By Anton Chekhov · First published 1889 · Genre: Drama, Tragedy, Realism · 4 chapters · 29,372 words
First lines
CHARACTERS / NICHOLAS IVANOFF, perpetual member of the Council of Peasant Affairs / ANNA, his wife. Nee Sarah Abramson / MATTHEW SHABELSKI, a count, uncle of Ivanoff / PAUL LEBEDIEFF, President of the Board of the Zemstvo / ZINAIDA, his wife / SASHA, their daughter, twenty years old / LVOFF, a young government doctor / MARTHA BABAKINA, a young widow, owner of an estate and daughter of a / rich merchant / KOSICH, an exciseman / MICHAEL BORKIN, a distant relative of Ivanoff, and manager of his estate / AVDOTIA NAZAROVNA, an old woman / GEORGE, lives with the Lebedieffs / FIRST GUEST / SECOND GUEST / THIRD GUEST / FOURTH GUEST / PETER, a servant of Ivanoff / GABRIEL, a servant of Lebedieff / GUESTS OF BOTH SEXES
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Ivanoff a Play is listed on Textopian as a play by Anton Chekhov, dated 1889 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Play
- Author: Anton Chekhov
- Date: 1889 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Drama, Tragedy, Realism
- Length: 29,372 words
- Structure: 4 chapters, 747 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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- Work identity for Ivanoff a Play by Anton Chekhov
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Genres
- Drama — As 'Ivanoff a Play' is a play, its primary genre is Drama. The book's text mainly consists of dialogue and stage directions, characteristic of the Drama genre.
- Tragedy — Anton Checkov presents the tragic decay of Ivanoff's life in this play, revealing the theme of despair and disillusionment making it fall under the subcategory of Tragedy.
- Realism — Checkov's work often emphasizes realism, with a focus on the authentic depiction of human conditions and emotions. In 'Ivanoff a Play', the characters deal with real-world issues which places it in the Realism genre.
Tags
Drama · Play · Russian Literature · Classic Literature · Tragedy · Family Dynamics · Love Story · Mental Illness · Social Commentary · Nineteenth Century Literature · Realism · Symbolism
Contents
More by Anton Chekhov
- The Horse-Stealers and Other Stories (1900)
- The Schoolmaster and Other Stories (1900)
- The Party and Other Stories (1900)
- The Cook's Wedding and Other Stories (1900)
- The Bishop and Other Stories (1900)
- The Duel and Other Stories (1900)
- The Schoolmistress and Other Stories (1900)
- The Wife and Other Stories (1900)
- All works by Anton Chekhov