Zinotchka by Anton Chekhov (1907)

Name: Zinotchka
Author: Anton Chekhov

The story revolves around a young woman who lives with her mother and sister in a small town. She is engaged to be married but feels trapped by the societal expectations placed upon her. The narrative explores themes of love, freedom, and the constraints of rural life.

By Anton Chekhov · First published 1907 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Coming-of-Age, Romantic Fiction · 2,852 words

First lines

The party of sportsmen spent the night in a peasant's hut on some newly mown hay. The moon peeped in at the window; from the street came the mournful wheezing of a concertina; from the hay came a sickly sweet, faintly troubling scent. The sportsmen talked about dogs, about women, about first love, and about snipe. After all the ladies of their acquaintance had been picked to pieces, and hundreds of stories had been told, the stoutest of the sportsmen, who looked in the darkness like a haycock, and who talked in the mellow bass of a staff officer, gave a loud yawn and said:

What this Textopian page supports

Zinotchka is listed on Textopian as a short story by Anton Chekhov, dated 1907 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Short story
Author: Anton Chekhov
Date: 1907 CE
Language: English
Genres: Literary Fiction, Coming-of-Age, Romantic Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Short Story
Length: 2,852 words
Structure: 1 section, 46 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

Good citation fit

Work identity for Zinotchka by Anton Chekhov
Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters

What should a reader notice first when entering Zinotchka?
How does this short story by Anton Chekhov fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
Where does Literary Fiction first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

Genres

Literary Fiction — The work explores complex human emotions and relationships, focusing on themes of love, hatred, and social propriety.
Coming-of-Age — The narrative centers on the protagonist's youthful experiences and realizations about love and interpersonal dynamics.
Romantic Fiction — The story involves romantic elements, particularly the first love and the emotional turmoil associated with it.
Psychological Fiction — The text delves into the psychological aspects of the characters, particularly the feelings of jealousy, hatred, and the complexity of human emotions.