Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was a Russian playwright and short-story writer, known for his significant contributions to the world of literature. Born on January 29, 1860, in the small southern seaport of Taganrog, he was the son of a grocer. His grandfather, a serf, bought his own freedom and that of his three sons in 1841. Chekhov recalled his childhood as quite gloomy due to the tyranny of his father, religious fanaticism, and long nights spent working in the store.

Chekhov's career as a playwright produced four classics, and his best short stories are held in high esteem by writers and critics. Along with Henrik Ibsen and August Strindberg, Chekhov is often referred to as one of the three seminal figures in the birth of early modernism in theatre. Professionally, he was a physician and once remarked, "Medicine is my lawful wife, and literature is my mistress."

Initially, Chekhov wrote stories to earn money, but as his artistic ambition grew, he introduced formal innovations that influenced the evolution of the modern short story. His plays, such as "The Seagull," "Uncle Vanya," "Three Sisters," and "The Cherry Orchard," present challenges to acting ensembles and audiences, offering a "theatre of mood" and a "submerged life in the text."

Chekhov renounced theatre after the initial reception of "The Seagull" in 1896, but its subsequent revival in 1898 by Konstantin Stanislavski's Moscow Art Theatre brought it acclaim. This theatre also produced "Uncle Vanya" and premiered his last two plays, "Three Sisters" and "The Cherry Orchard."

Despite the complexities posed by his works, Chekhov believed that the role of an artist was to ask questions, not to provide answers. He passed away on July 15, 1904.