Childhood and youth
The future playwright was born on January 29, 1860 in Taganrog. Today the street where the Chekhovs lived is named after the writer.
His ancestors were:
- His paternal grandfather, Yegor Mikhailovich, was a serf near Chertkov in the Voronezh province. He was able to buy out the family in 1841. He had a tough temper and often used force.
- Father - Pavel Egorovich. At the time of the ransom he was 16 years old. By the age of 31, he had saved enough money and opened a shop. He was despotic and cruel, often swearing and resorting to assault. At the same time, he remained an extremely pious person: he attended all services and participated in choral singing, and later created his own choir of his sons.
- Mother - Evgenia Yakovlevna Morozova. The daughter of a merchant, her great-grandfather was a serf who ransomed the family. She was a quiet woman who steadfastly endured poverty and her husband’s difficult character. She lived exclusively in the interests of children and family, and did not like to read.
Evgenia and Pavel married in 1854, and the marriage produced five sons (Anton was the third) and a daughter. Everyone had a difficult childhood: the children got up early in the morning and went to sing in the church choir, and after school they guarded their father’s shop.
In 1868, Anton entered the gymnasium. Here a love for books and theater began to manifest itself (the boy saw his first performance at the age of 13), the desire for creativity awoke and the pseudonym “Chekhonte” appeared. The high school student wrote humorous stories and skits, which were published in the high school magazine. At the age of 18, the first play “Fatherless” was written.
In 1874, Pavel Egorovich went bankrupt. After 2 years, he secretly left for Moscow, where the whole family had moved before. Only Anton remained in Taganrog - he was finishing his studies and could not leave . Since the family was in dire straits, he had to start working part-time. The schoolboy gave lessons to the children of the new owner of their house. Financial affairs improved a little only after 1.5-2 years, when my father found a place.
Chronological table of Chekhov's life and work
Chekhov's House in Taganrog
The chronological table below displays the most significant events in Chekhov's life and work. The images created by this writer remain in the reader’s memory for a long time. The problems raised by Anton Pavlovich will not leave anyone indifferent. Many events happened in his life that are not so easy to understand. However, systematization of information will help to better understand the great classic.
| Date/year | Event |
| 1860 January 17(29) | In the city of Taganrog, a future writer was born into a merchant family. |
| 1869-1879 | Admission to the Taganrog gymnasium. Education. |
| 1876 | Father's bankruptcy. Due to the difficult financial situation, the family moves to Moscow. Anton Pavlovich Chekhov remains in Taganrog to complete his gymnasium studies. Gives private lessons to earn a living. |
| 1877 | First trip to Moscow |
| 1878 | The first play was written - “Fatherlessness”. But a work is published only after the death of the author. |
| 1879 | Admission to Moscow University at the Faculty of Medicine. Education. At this time, he wrote his first stories and published them in the magazines “Dragonfly”, “Oskolki”, “Alarm Clock”. |
| 1880 | “Letter to a learned neighbor” and humoresque “What is most often found in novels, stories, etc.” are published. Writes other humorous works. |
| 1882 | She is working on a collection of short stories, “Prank.” He is going to publish it, but due to censorship the book never saw the light of day. |
| 1883 | The Russian gymnasium society accepts Anton Pavlovich into its ranks. |
| 1884 | Graduated from university. He began practicing medicine. Worked as a doctor (Chikinsky hospital). “Tales of Melpomene” are published. Six stories by A. Chekhonte.” A well-received story comes out - “Drama on the Hunt.” |
| 1885 – 1886 | The author is popular among writers. Writes short humorous stories. The collection “Motley Stories” and the story “Children” are published. Critical reviews of his work from the writer D. Grigorovich. |
| 1887 | Two books by the writer are published - “At Twilight. Essays and stories" and "Innocent speeches". Anton Pavlovich Chekhov's play “Ivanov” (comedy) is being staged for the first time on the theater stage in Moscow. Receives the Pushkin Prize for his creativity and the development of Russian literature. |
| 1888 | Anton Pavlovich writes “The Steppe” (story), based on his impressions of a trip to the Azov Sea. The book is published in the journal “Northern Herald” and signed with the real name of the author. This period was marked by a transition from Chekhov's early creativity to a new, more conscious and mature one. |
| 1889 | He writes “A Boring Story” and publishes it in the “Northern Messenger” magazine, without hiding his real name. |
| 1890 | Traveling to the island of Sakhalin. He lives there for several months, communicates with people, finds out the reasons for the exile. Collects a huge amount of research material. Conducts a population census. Returns back by sea. The book “Gloomy People” is published. |
| 1890 – 1895 | Returns home to Moscow. Settles in Malaya Dmitrovka. Works on the work “Sakhalin Island” and other famous stories. Accepts popular writers, writers, actors and artists. |
| 1891 | Travels around Europe. Collects materials for work. |
| 1892 – 1899 | Lives near Moscow on the Melikhovo estate. Writes a large number of works. |
| 1892 | The famous “Ward No. 6” is published. |
| 1895 | Chekhov meets Ivan Bunin and Leo Tolstoy. |
| 1896 | The plays “The Seagull”, “Uncle Vanya” and the story “The House with a Mezzanine” are published. |
| 1897 | The unfinished story “Men” is published. Health problems begin (bleeding). Goes to France. Works as a doctor. |
| 1898 | He writes the stories “Man in a Case”, “Darling”, “Gooseberry”. He meets the woman who would later become his wife, Olga Knipper. Buys a plot of land in Yalta. The writer's father, Pavel Yegorovich, dies. The Moscow Art Theater is staging “The Seagull” for the first time. |
| 1899 | Sells ownership of his works. He writes the story “In the Ravine.” Meets Maxim Gorky. |
| 1900 | Writes “Three Sisters” (play). |
| 1901 | Chekhov marries Olga Knipper. Visits Europe again. |
| 1902 | Refuses the title of academician. He goes to Yalta due to worsening tuberculosis. There he becomes close to Maxim Gorky. |
| 1903 | Creates "The Cherry Orchard". |
| 1904 | He is going abroad to improve his health. |
| July 2 (15), 1904 | Death of A.P. Chekhov from tuberculosis. |
| July 9 1904 | Buried. Burial place: Moscow, Novodevichy Cemetery. |
Moving to Moscow
Anton graduated from high school in 1879. He moved to Moscow and entered the university at the Faculty of Medicine. That same year, Anton's older brother, Ivan Chekhov, received a teaching position. In Voskresensk he was given a fairly spacious apartment where the whole family could come for the summer. In 1881, during his visit, Anton met the head of the local hospital, and from the next year he already helped in receiving patients, although he was a student. After finishing his studies in 1884, Anton Pavlovich entered here as a district doctor, and later he worked for some time at the Zvenigorod hospital.
According to the recollections of his contemporaries, Chekhov the doctor conducted the examination slowly and carefully, with love for the work and the patient . He paid special attention to the mental state of the patient and the impact of the environment on his psyche. Later, these observations helped him in his literary studies.
Chekhov's debut in print occurred at the end of 1879. As a freshman, he published a story in the Dragonfly magazine entitled “Letter to a Learned Neighbor.”
Over the next few years, he wrote short stories, humoresques, and feuilletons. They went under pseudonyms (most often “Chekhonte” - that’s what his teacher called him in the gymnasium) or without indicating the author at all in humorous magazines: “Spectator”, “Alarm Clock”, “Dragonfly”, “Oskolki” and others.
The first collection “Prank” was prepared in 1882, but was not published. The reason is unknown, probably there were difficulties with censorship. Two years later, “Tales of Melpomene” was released.
THE IMPORTANT DATES IN THE LIFE AND WORK OF A. P. CHEKHOV
(All dates are given in old style.)
1860
January 17.
In Taganrog, in the family of grocery store owner Pavel Egorovich Chekhov, a son, Anton, was born.
1867
He entered the preparatory class of the parish Greek school at the Tsar Constantine Church.
1868
Entered the Taganrog classical gymnasium.
1873
While studying at the gymnasium, he and his brothers entered a craft class at the Taganrog District School to learn shoemaking and tailoring.
1875 — 1876
He compiled a handwritten journal “Stutterer” and sent it to his older brothers who had gone to study in Moscow.
1876
April
. Chekhov's father, having gone bankrupt and fleeing debt prison, went to Moscow to join his sons.
July.
Chekhov's mother and her younger children moved to Moscow. The Chekhovs' house passed to the court employee, the Chekhovs' tenant G.P. Selivanov.
1876 — 1879
Until he graduated from high school, he lived with Selivanov. For the right to live and eat in Selivanov's house, he rehearsed his nephew. He made money by giving private lessons. He was a regular visitor to the city library and theater, and took part in amateur performances.
March - April 1877
First time visiting Moscow.
1879
He graduated from high school, went to his family in Moscow and entered the medical faculty of Moscow University, where he listened to lectures by famous professors: G. A. Zakharyin, A. A. Ostroumov, N. V. Sklifasovsky, F. F. Erisman and others.
1880
9th of March.
The publication of the first printed work - “Letter from the Don landowner Stepan Vladimirovich to his learned neighbor Dr. Friedrich” - in the magazine “Dragonfly” No. 10.
1880 — 1884
Collaboration in humorous magazines “Dragonfly”, “Alarm Clock”, “Spectator”, “Moscow”, “Entertainment”, “Oskolki” and others under the pseudonyms: Antosha Chekhonte, Man without a spleen, My brother’s brother, etc.
1883
With the close participation of his brother, the artist Nikolai Chekhov, he undertakes the publication of the first collection of stories “At Leisure”, which was not published.
1884
In June he graduated from Moscow University. He worked as a doctor at the Chikinsky hospital in Voskresensk and at the Zvenigorod hospital.
I started working on a study on the history of medicine, “Medical practice in Russia.”
The first collection of stories, “Tales of Melpomene,” was published.
Printed: “Examination for Rank”, “Surgery”, “Tears Invisible to the World”, “Chameleon”, “Mask”, “Oysters”. “Wedding with the General”, etc.
1885
In the summer he lived near Moscow in Babkino (near Voskresensk) on the estate of A. S. and M. V. Kiselev.
He began collaborating with Petersburgskaya Gazeta.
In September, the censorship banned the production of the play “On the High Road” and the story “Supernumerary Guardian” (“Unter Prishibeev”), which was published in October under the title “The Slander.”
In December - the first trip to St. Petersburg.
Printed: “Horse Name”, “Jager”, “Intruder”, “Dead Body”, “Grief”, etc.
1886
January.
He began to collaborate in A. S. Suvorin’s newspaper “New Time”.
May.
The collection “Motley Stories” by A. Chekhonte was published in the publication of the magazine “Oskolki”.
May - August.
Lived in Babkino.
Autumn.
The Chekhov family moves to the Korneev house on Sadovo-Kudrinskaya Street.
Published: “Children”, “Melancholy”, “Witch”, “Heavy People”, “Tina”, “Vanka”, “At the Mill”, etc.
1887
April May.
Trip to Taganrog.
Summer
. Lived in Babkino.
The third collection “At Twilight” has been published.
October.
The collection “Innocent Speeches” has been published.
The play “Ivanov” is finished. The beginning of acquaintance with V. G. Korolenko.
November 19.
The first performance of the play “Ivanov” at the F. A. Korsh Theater in Moscow. The play was not understood and caused great controversy.
December 2nd.
Meetings in St. Petersburg with V. G. Korolenko, A. N. Pleshcheev and N. K Mikhailovsky.
Printed: “Champagne”, “Beggar”, “Enemies”, “Vera”, “Defenseless Creature”, “Typhoid”, “Volodya”, “Happiness”, “Pipe”, “Cold Blood”, “Boys”, “Kashtanka” "
1888
February March.
The beginning of cooperation in “thick” magazines. The appearance of the story “Steppe” in “Severny Vestnik”.
June.
The collection “Stories” has been published.
Summer.
He lived with his family in Ukraine in the Lintvarevs’ estate on Luka, near Sumy.
October.
Awarding half the Pushkin Prize of the Academy of Sciences for the collection “At Twilight”.
The appearance in print of an obituary about the remarkable Russian scientist-traveler N. M. Przhevalsky.
28 of October.
The first performance of the vaudeville “Bear” at the Korsh Theater.
December.
I met P.I. Tchaikovsky in St. Petersburg. He participated in the collection “In Memory of V. M. Garshin”, where he published the story “The Seizure”.
Printed: “I want to sleep,” “Steppe,” “Lights,” “Name Day,” “Fit,” “Bear,” “N. M. Przhevalsky."
1889
January February.
I was in St. Petersburg, where on January 3 I was present at the Alexandria Theater at the play “Ivanov,” staged in a new edition. The performance was a resounding success.
March 16.
Elected as a full member of the Society of Lovers of Russian Literature at Moscow University.
April 25 - September 5.
Chekhov and his family live in Sumy on Luka. Here his brother, the artist Nikolai Chekhov, died of consumption and was buried here.
September.
Return to Moscow. I finished the story “A Boring Story.” Worked on the play "Leshy".
October 14.
P. And Tchaikovsky visits Chekhov.
27th of December.
The play “Leshy” took place at the M. Abramova Theater in Moscow. The play was not a success.
Printed: “Princess”, “Boring Story”.
1890
January February
. Stay in St. Petersburg. Preparing for a trip to the island. Sakhalin. Compiling a bibliography and reading literature about Sakhalin.
March.
A collection of stories “Gloomy People” with a dedication to P. I. Tchaikovsky was published.
April 21.
Traveled to Sakhalin along the route: Moscow - Yaroslavl (by train); Yaroslavl - Nizhny Novgorod - Kazan - Perm (by steamship); Ekaterinburg - Tyumen - Tomsk - Achinsk - Krasnoyarsk - Irkutsk - st. Larch (on horseback); Blagoveshchensk - Nikolaevsk - Sakhalin (by steamship).
July 11.
Arrival on the island Sakhalin.
July 11 - September 11.
Stay in Northern Sakhalin. A survey of the island and places of imprisonment and hard labor, carried out a census of exiled settlers.
11 September.
I went to South Sakhalin, where I continued to explore the island.
October 13.
Traveled by steamship from Southern Sakhalin to Odessa through the Great and Indian Oceans, the Red Sea, the Suez Canal, and visited the island. Ceylon, Hong Kong and Singapore.
December 8
. He returned to Moscow to Malaya Dmitrovka (now Chekhov Street), where the family lived at that time.
Printed: “Thieves”, “Gusev”, “From Siberia”.
1891
March, April.
Trip to Southern Europe along the route: Vienna - Venice - Bologna - Florence - Rome - Naples - Nice - Paris.
May 2.
Returned to Moscow.
Summer until September 5 - 7
. He lived in the estate of Bylim-Kolosovsky, Bogimovo, Kaluga province. He worked on the book “Sakhalin Island” and the story “Duel”.
September.
Returned to Moscow. Continued work on the book “Sakhalin Island”.
October.
Participated in the fight against hunger. Negotiations with the editors of Russkie Vedomosti about the collection “Help for the Starving.”
The appearance in print of the feuilleton “Magicians,” written by Chekhov together with the zoologist V. A. Wagner regarding the brochure by K. A. Timiryazev “Parody of Science.”
October November.
I finished work on the stories “The Wife” and “The Jumper”.
December
. The collection “Help for the Starving” has been published, which contains a chapter from the book “Sakhali Island” - “Fugitives on Sakhalin”.
Printed: “Women”, “Duel”, “Magicians”.
1892
January February.
He went to Nizhny Novgorod, and later to the Voronezh province to participate in public assistance to the hungry.
March
. The Chekhovs move to Melikhovo. The beginning of a lot of work to restore the estate.
March - June
. Work on works: “Ward No. 6”, “Neighbors”, “The Story of an Unknown Man”.
July - October
. Fighting the impending cholera epidemic. Management of the Melikhovo cholera site. Participation in the sanitary congress in Serpukhov.
November
. The beginning of cooperation in the magazine “Russian Thought”, where the story “Ward No. 6” was published.
December 25
. The appearance in “New Time” of the story “Fear”, which ended Chekhov’s constant collaboration in the reactionary newspaper Suvorin.
Printed: “Wife”, “Jumping”, “In Exile”, “Neighbors”, “Ward No. 6”, “Fear”.
1893
April
. Letter from I.E. Repin to Chekhov with an enthusiastic review of “Ward No. 6”.
Summer.
He worked as a local doctor in connection with a new outbreak of cholera epidemic. Wrote the story "The Black Monk". I sent the manuscript “Sakhalin Island” to the editors of the journal “Russian Thought”.
In Melikhovo, Chekhov is visited by the writer I. N. Potapenko, a close friend of the family L. S. Mizinov and others.
December 28th
. The beginning of cooperation in the newspaper “Russian Vedomosti” (the story “Big Volodya and Little Volodya”).
Published: “The Story of an Unknown Person”, “Big Volodya and Little Volodya”.
1894
March, April.
A trip in the spring to Crimea, to Yalta, due to deteriorating health.
Aug. Sept
. A trip along the Volga and to Psel, to Sumy, then to Taganrog and Crimea.
September
. Departure from Odessa abroad along the route: Vienna - Abbazia - Milan - Genoa - Nice - Paris - Moscow.
October 19
. Return to Melikhovo.
November.
Chekhov's work as a juror in the Serpukhov Zemstvo Court and trustee of the Talezh Rural School.
Published: “The Black Monk”, “The Indian Kingdom”, “Rothschild’s Violin”, “Student”, “Literature Teacher”, “In the Estate”, “The Head Gardener’s Story”.
1895
Summer.
Publication of the book “Sakhalin Island” (in the publication of “Russian Thought”).
August 8 - 9.
First trip to L.N. Tolstoy in Yasnaya Polyana.
October November
. Work on the play "The Seagull".
I started writing “House with a Mezzanine.”
Printed: “Three Years”, “The Spouses”, “White-fronted”, “Anna on the Neck”, “Murder”, “Ariadne”.
1896
January February.
Chekhov in St. Petersburg. Troubles with the production of “The Seagull” at the Alexandrinsky Theater. Meetings with V. G. Korolenko and D. N. Mamin-Sibiryak. On the way back to Melikhovo through Moscow, I visited the Khamovnichesky house of L.N. Tolstoy.
March, April
. I started writing the story “My Life”.
March - August.
He took a material and organizational part in the construction of a school building in the village of Talezh.
Aug. Sept.
Trip to the North Caucasus and Crimea along the route: Rostov, Nakhichevan, Kislovodsk, Novorossiysk, Taganrog, Feodosia.
17 October
. The first production of “The Seagull” on the stage of the Alexandria Theater. Failure of the play.
Printed: “House with a Mezzanine”, “My Life”, “The Seagull”.
1897
January.
Work on the national census. Management of a census tract.
February.
He began building a school for peasant children in Novoselki.
March 21 - 22.
Arrival in Moscow. A sharp deterioration in health. Hemoptysis. Chekhov was admitted to the clinic in the department of Prof. A. A. Ostroumova.
March 28
. Visit to Chekhov by L.N. Tolstoy.
11 April.
Return to Melikhovo.
September - December.
Departure abroad. Stay in Nice. Acquaintance with M. M. Kovalevsky, a famous historical and sociologist. Lively interest in the Dreyfus trial.
1898
January February
. Follows the Dreyfus case using transcripts. He admires the courage of the writer E. Zola, who came out in defense of Dreyfus with an open letter to President F. Faure “I accuse.” A sharply negative attitude towards “New Time”, which launched a campaign against Zola.
March, April.
The artist I. E. Braz paints a portrait of Chekhov in Nice. Chekhov, on his way back to his homeland, through Paris, meets with the sculptor M. M. Antokolsky and negotiates with him about a monument to Peter I for Taganrog.
May.
Return to Melikhovo.
September.
Meeting the artists of the Art Theater at the rehearsal of “The Seagull” in Moscow.
September 18.
Arrival in Yalta for treatment as prescribed by doctors.
October 13
. News of the death of his father, Pavel Egorovich, on October 12 in Moscow. Chekhov decided to move to Yalta for permanent residence.
October November.
Acquisition of a plot of land in Outka (Yalta) and the beginning of construction of a house.
The beginning of Chekhov's correspondence with Gorky.
December 17.
The exceptional success of the first production of “The Seagull” at the Art Theater.
December 18
. Welcome telegrams from the Art Theater.
A. M. Gorky and V. A. Posse invite Chekhov to collaborate in the magazine “Life”.
Published: “Man in a Case”, “Gooseberry”, “About Love”, “Ionych”, “Case from Practice”, etc.
1899
January.
Negotiations with the publisher A.F. Marx about selling him the right to publish his works. Conclusion of an agreement with Marx on unfavorable terms for Chekhov.
March 19-April 10.
Personal acquaintance of Chekhov with A. M. Gorky.
April.
Chekhov's departure to Moscow. Meetings of Chekhov with L.N. Tolstoy.
1st of May.
"Gull". Closed performance at the Art Theater in Moscow, especially for the author.
May 24.
Chekhov at the rehearsal of “Uncle Vanya” at the Art Theater.
June 16.
Beginning of correspondence with the artist of the Art Theater O. L. Knipper.
8 September.
The final resettlement of the Chekhovs from Melikhovo to Yalta.
October 26
. The first performance of "Uncle Vanya" at the Moscow Art Theater.
October 30.
I finished the story “The Lady with the Dog” for “Russian Thought”.
November December.
The beginning of social activities in Yalta. Participation in the creation of a sanatorium-boarding house for poor tuberculosis patients. Drawing up an appeal for collecting donations and distributing it in print.
Work on the story “In the Ravine” for the magazine “Life”.
December.
Meetings with the artist I. I. Levitan.
Printed: “Darling”, “New Dacha”, “On business”, “Lady with a dog”.
1900
January.
Election to honorary academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences in the category of fine literature.
January.
The story “In the Ravine” appeared in the magazine “Life”. Gorky published an article in the Nizhny Novgorod List “On the new story by A.P. Chekhov “In the Ravine”.”
March
. At the invitation of Chekhov, A. M. Gorky came to Yalta.
April.
Tours of the Art Theater in Sevastopol and Yalta. The performances “The Seagull” and “Uncle Vanya” took place at the Yalta City Theater.
Daily meetings with K. S. Stanislavsky, V. I. Nemirovich-Danchenko, theater artists, writers A. I. Kuprin, I. A. Bunin, D. N. Mamin-Sibiryako, S. Ya. Elpatievsky and others.
May June.
Trip to Moscow. Traveling with A. M. Gorky, artist V. M. Vasnetsov and Yalta doctor A. N. Aleksin along the route: Georgian Military Road - Mtskheta - Tiflis - Batum.
June - October
. Life in Yalta. Work on the play “Three Sisters” especially for the Art Theater.
October November
. Arrival in Moscow with the finished play “Three Sisters”. Reading of the play to the actors of the Art Theater. Participation in the first rehearsals.
December 11th.
Deterioration of health. Departure abroad. December 14. Arrival in Nice. He continued working on the play “Three Sisters”.
Printed: “At Christmas time”, “In the ravine”.
1901
January.
I left Nice for Italy along the route: Pisa - Florence - Rome.
January 31st.
The first performance of “Three Sisters” at the Art Theater in Moscow.
February, 15.
Return to Yalta.
March.
Working on the story "Bishop".
May.
Arrival in Moscow. Marriage to O. L. Knipper. Departure with my wife for kumys in the Ufa province, to a sanatorium near the Aksenovo station.
26 of May.
Visit to A. M. Gorky in Nizhny Novgorod.
July 8 or 9.
Return with O. L. Knipper to Yalta.
12-th of September.
Visit to the sick L.N. Tolstoy in Gaspra.
November December.
Gorky's arrival in Yalta. Frequent meetings with Chekhov. Joint visit to the sick L.N. Tolstoy. Chekhov is visited by writers living in Crimea: A. Kuprin, I. Bunin, S. Elpatievsky and others.
Printed: “Three Sisters.” The first edition of the works of A.P. Chekhov in 10 volumes was completed. A. F. Marx (1899 - 1901).
1902
January March.
Exacerbation of the pulmonary process. Meetings of Chekhov with A. N. Tolstoy and A. M. Gorky.
January 11.
A welcoming telegram to Chekhov from the VIII Pirogov Congress of Doctors after the first act of the play “Uncle Vanya”, staged by the Art Theater for the participants of the congress.
Horses, February.
Chekhov congratulates Gorky on his election to honorary academician of the Academy of Sciences.
10th of March.
The exclusion of Gorky from the list of Honorary Academicians due to his “political unreliability.”
April.
I received from V. G. Korolenko a copy of his application to renounce the title of honorary academician as a sign of protest against the cancellation of Gorky’s elections. Chekhov invites Korolenko to “act together” and invites him to come to Yalta for negotiations.
May 24.
Arrival of V. G. Korolenko in Yalta.
July August.
He stayed with his wife at the dacha of K. S. Stanislavsky in Lyubimovka near Moscow. August 16. Return to Yalta.
25-th of August.
Refusal of the title of academician in response to the exclusion of Gorky from the academicians.
October November.
Visit to the Art Theater in Moscow. Attended the rehearsal of Gorky's play "At the Lower Depths".
November, end.
Return to Yalta. Exacerbation of the tuberculosis process in the lungs.
December.
Working on the story "The Bride".
The story "The Bishop" was published.
1903
January.
Deterioration of health. Pleurisy.
Correspondence with K. S. Stanislavsky, V. I. Nemirovich-Danchenko, O. L. Knipper regarding the play “The Cherry Orchard.”
April.
Reading the proofs of the story “Brides” to Gorky and Veresaev, sent from the editorial office of “Magazine for Everyone.”
April 22.
Departure for Moscow.
End of May - June.
Life in Naro-Fominsk near Moscow at the dacha of M. F. Yakunchikova.
July 9.
Return to Yalta.
Aug. Sept.
Work on the play "The Cherry Orchard". Editing the fiction department of Russian Thought.
October.
I sent the play “The Cherry Orchard” to the Art Theater.
December
. Arrival in Moscow. Regular attendance at rehearsals of “The Cherry Orchard” at the Art Theater.
The story “The Bride” was published. Publication of the second edition of the Collected Works of A. P. Chekhov in 16 volumes as a supplement to the magazine “Niva” in the publication of A. F. Marx.
1904
January. Start.
Drawing up, on the initiative of A. M. Gorky and L. N. Andreev, a collective letter from a group of writers to the publisher A. F. Marx with a demand to terminate the contract, which was unfavorable for Chekhov.
January 17.
Honoring Chekhov at the Art Theater at the first performance of “The Cherry Orchard” on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of his literary activity.
February.
Attended the “Wednesdays” of the writer N. D. Teleshov in Moscow.
February, 15.
Return to Yalta.
1st of May.
Departure from Yalta to Moscow. A sharp deterioration in health.
June 3.
Departure from Moscow to Germany to the Badenweiler resort, accompanied by his wife Olga Leonardovna Knipper-Chekhova.
July 2.
Chekhov's death in Badenweiler at 3 am.
July 9
. Chekhov's funeral in Moscow at the Novodevichy cemetery.
The play “The Cherry Orchard” was published (in the second collection of the “Knowledge” partnership). Then it was published as a separate book in the publication of A.F. Marx.
Prerequisites for travel
1885−1886 - the heyday of Chekhov as the author of short humorous stories. According to Anton Pavlovich himself, he wrote one work a day. Many believed that the writer would remain in this genre, but in the spring of 1886 Chekhov received a letter from the writer Grigorovich. He advised not to waste talent on small stories, but to write something big, worthwhile, which posterity will appreciate. Later other writers joined the letter.
Chekhov heeded the advice - he almost completely broke with frivolous humorous magazines and began writing longer and more thoughtful works . There was a desire to travel: the writer visited the Crimea, the Caucasus, and his native places in the south. The trip provided him with material for “The Steppe,” which was published in Severny Vestnik and attracted increased attention from critics and readers. In the same year, the collection “At Twilight” was published, for which half the Pushkin Prize was awarded in 1888.
It is noteworthy that at this time the author’s detachment and lack of any evaluation appeared in the works (most clearly visible in “I Want to Sleep,” “Princess,” “Women”). For some this was an advantage of the work, for others it was a disadvantage.
And yet the grandiose work failed. In the fall of 1887, in a letter, Chekhov mentioned a novel of 1.5 thousand lines, work on which lasted 2 years and ended in nothing.
The author himself explained the failure by 2 factors:
- Lack of personal freedom.
- Immaturity, inability to do complex and serious work.
Recent travels had cheered him up and forced him to “grow up,” but this was clearly not enough. A longer trip was required, and the choice fell on Sakhalin.
Road to the East
It is believed that the decision to travel across Russia to Sakhalin was finally made in the summer of 1889 after a conversation with Karatygina, who had visited there several years earlier. But Anton Pavlovich kept the travel plan secret until the last: he told about the departure only at the beginning of 1890, and already left in the spring.
The journey through Siberia took almost 3 months. During the trip, 9 essays “From Siberia” were written. The writer arrived at his destination in the second half of July.
He spent several months on Sakhalin collecting material for the book. He talked with local residents and prisoners, and did not ignore political ones, although the administration prohibited contacts.
Interesting biographical fact: Chekhov was able to meet the famous adventurer and swindler Sonya Zolotoy Ruchka.
The writer returned home by sea. He worked for several days in the Vladivostok library, studying additional material about the region, then went back. He returned to Tula at the end of 1890.
Based on the collected materials, a book in the genre of travel notes, “Sakhalin Island,” was written. Its individual chapters were published in 1893-1894 in the magazine “Russian Thought”. The book was published separately in 1895.
Last years
After his return, Chekhov lived in Moscow for 5 years (with interruptions). In 1892, he acquired the Melikhovo estate in the Moscow region (today it is located near the city of Chekhov), where his family settled. There he wrote and practiced medicine. Anton Pavlovich traveled to Europe twice - in 1891 and 1894.
Due to worsening tuberculosis in 1899, the writer was forced to leave. He sold the estate and the rights to his works (including everything that he would write over the next 20 years), and with the proceeds he bought a plot of land in Yalta. Since then, he rarely came to Moscow.
In September 1898, the writer met the artist Olga Knipper at a rehearsal of The Seagull. An active correspondence began between them - almost 450 letters from Chekhov and more than 400 from Olga have survived. In 1900, the troupe in which Knipper was a member came on tour to Crimea. The artist settled in the writer’s house, and in June 1901 they got married.
Unfortunately, the couple had no children:
- Soon after the wedding, Olga became pregnant, but had a miscarriage.
- In the spring of 1902, she became pregnant again, but during a performance she fell into an open manhole. After surgery and long-term treatment, she became infertile.
In the summer of 1904, Chekhov went to a resort in Germany. On the night of July 14-15, he died.
The body was transported to Moscow and buried on July 22 at the Novodevichy Convent cemetery. According to doctors, death was due to an exacerbation of tuberculosis, from which the writer had suffered since childhood.
Key dates of life
Anton Pavlovich lived only 44 years, of which he devoted 25 to creativity. Today he remains one of the most famous playwrights in the world - his plays have been translated into many languages and have been performed on stages for over a century.
The table of Chekhov's life and work will help you get acquainted with the main dates of his biography.
| date | Event |
| January 29, 1860 | Chekhov's date of birth |
| 1869−1879 | Studying at the gymnasium |
| 1877−1878 | Creation of the first play "Fatherlessness" |
| 1879 | Moving to Moscow |
| 1879−1884 | Study at Moscow University |
| 1880 | Debut publication |
| 1884 | The first collection "Tales of Melpomene" |
| 1888 | Award of the Pushkin Prize. Publication of the story “Steppe” |
| 1890 | Travel to Sakhalin |
| 1892−1899 | Accommodation on the Melikhovo estate, work |
| 1898 | Meet Olga Knipper |
| 1899 | Moving to Yalta due to illness |
| 1901 | Wedding with Knipper |
| July 1904 | Trip to a German resort |
| July 15, 1904 | Death |
Despite his short life, Chekhov left a large and varied creative legacy. He wrote more than 500 works - stories, humoresques, novellas, plays.
Today he is a classic of Russian and world literature, whose works are known all over the world, and specialists are interested in chronology. The chronological table of Chekhov's life briefly describes the significant events of his biography.
A brief chronicle of Chekhov's life and work
| 1860 | On January 17 (29) in Taganrog, Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was born into the family of the 3rd guild merchant Pavel Georgievich Chekhov and his wife Evgenia Yakovlevna. |
| 1869–1879 | Studying at the Taganrog gymnasium. |
| 1879 | September. Moving to Moscow. |
| 1879–1884 | Studying at Moscow University at the Faculty of Medicine. |
| 1880 | The first story is “Letter to a learned neighbor.” |
| 1882 | Stories “A Bad Story”, “Fair”, “The Lady”, “Belated Flowers”. |
| 1883 | Stories “Thick and Thin”, “In the Bath”, “Death of an Official”, “Daughter of Albion”. |
| 1884 | Stories “Chameleon”, “Surgery”, “Ferment of Minds”, “Exam for Rank”. |
| 1885 | Stories “Grief”, “Intruder”, “Unter Prishibeev”, “Horse name”, “Over salted”, “Small fry”, “The cook is getting married”. |
| 1886 | Stories “Tosca”, “Romance with Double Bass”, “Vanka”, “Heavy People”. Vaudeville "On the dangers of tobacco." |
| 1887 | Collection “At Twilight” (awarded the Pushkin Prize). Stories “Defenseless Creature”, “Kashtanka”, “Winning Ticket”. Comedy "Ivanov". |
| 1888 | The story “I want to sleep.” The stories “Steppe”, “Lights”. Vaudeville "Bear", "Proposal". Comedy "Leshy" (the original version of "Uncle Vanya"). |
| 1889 | Stories “Literature Teacher” (1889–94), “Fit,” “Princess.” The story "A Boring Story". Vaudeville "The Reluctant Tragic". |
| 1890 | April-December. Trip to Sakhalin Island. Vaudeville "Wedding". |
| 1891 | The story "Duel". |
| 1892 | Stories “The Jumper”, “In Exile”. Vaudeville "Anniversary". The story "Ward No. 6". |
| 1892–1898 | Purchase of the Melikhovo estate in the Moscow region. |
| 1893 | The story “Big Volodya and Little Volodya.” The story "The Story of an Unknown Man". |
| 1894 | Stories “The Student”, “Rothschild’s Violin”, “The Old Gardener’s Tale”, “In the Manor”, “The Black Monk”. |
| 1895 | Stories “White-fronted”, “Ariadne”, “Anna on the neck”. Book "Sakhalin Island". The story "Three Years". |
| 1896 | The story "House with a mezzanine." The story "My Life". Plays "Uncle Vanya", "The Seagull". |
| 1897 | Stories “In the native corner”, “Pecheneg”. The story "Men". |
| 1898 | Stories “Case from Practice”, “Ionych”, “Man in a Case”, “About Love”, “Gooseberry”. |
| 1898 | Moving to Yalta, building a house. |
| 1899 | Stories “Darling”, “Lady with a Dog”, “On Duty”, “New Dacha”. |
| 1900 | The story "At Christmastide". The story "In the ravine". Elected academician in the category of fine literature. |
| 1901 | May 25. The play "Three Sisters". Marriage to the actress of the Moscow Art Theater O. L. Knipper. |
| 1902 | The story "Bishop". Refusal of the title of academician (together with V. G. Korolenko) due to failure to be elected to the Academy of M. Gorky. |
| 1903 | Story "The Bride". Play "The Cherry Orchard". |
| 1904 | January 17. Premiere of “The Cherry Orchard” at the Art Theater. |
| 1904 | May-July. Return from Yalta to Moscow. A trip for treatment to the resort of Badenweiler in Germany. July 2 - died in Badenweiler. |
| 1904 | July 9. He was buried at the Novodevichy cemetery in Moscow. |
► See all topics in the book “Stories and Plays by A.P. Chekhov: situations and characters"
