The Proposal by Anton Chekhov (1889)

Name: The Proposal
Author: Anton Chekhov

A young man named Ivanov proposes to his lover, Natalia, but she rejects him due to his lack of financial stability. The story explores themes of love, class, and societal expectations.

By Anton Chekhov · First published 1889 · Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance · 5,763 words

First lines

CHARACTERS STEPAN STEPANOVITCH CHUBUKOV, a landowner NATALYA STEPANOVNA, his daughter, twenty-five years old IVAN VASSILEVITCH LOMOV, a neighbour of Chubukov, a large and hearty, but very suspicious landowner

A drawing-room in CHUBUKOV'S house.

What this Textopian page supports

The Proposal 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: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Satire, Short Story
Length: 5,763 words
Structure: 1 section, 208 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

Good citation fit

Work identity for The Proposal by Anton Chekhov
Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
Readability and classroom-planning context
Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph

Discussion starters

What should a reader notice first when entering The Proposal?
How does this play by Anton Chekhov fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
Where does Comedy first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

Genres

Comedy — The Proposal is commonly regarded as one of Anton Chekhov's comedic plays, which sees the main characters humorously squabbling over land.
Drama — As a one-act play, the book encompasses dramatic elements through its use of conflict and tension between characters.
Romance — The story revolves around a marriage proposal, thereby implying themes of love and romance.
Satire — Chekhov's play uses satire to mock and criticize the characters' petty disputes and the social norms of his time.