"Chekhov, speaking simply and never otherwise than as an artist and a humane man, shows us in fullness and plenitude the mystery of our lives."-Eudora Welty

"What writers influenced me as a young man? Chekhov! As a dramatist? Chekhov! As a story writer? Chekhov!"-Tennessee Williams

The Seagull is Anton Chekhov's brilliant four-act play that is considered a monumental work of drama, and one of the most sublime literary examinations of the complexities of love and friendship. First performed over a century ago, this play remains one of the most widely staged productions throughout the world.

The four protagonists in The Seagull are all artists; Trigorin is a well-established writer, Arkadina is a renowned yet aging actress, her son Treplev is a struggling writer, and Nina is a young aspiring actress who is in love with Treplev. Success in love and in their art is a shared intent, yet within the play each character experiences an existential crisis in the darkness of unrequited love. With its play-within-a-play, its nods to Shakespeare, and intimate and profound character portrayals, this is an essential read for all serious students of drama and Russian literature.

With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of The Seagull is both modern and readable.

The Seagull (1895) is one of the most important dramatic works of literature ever written. With its extraordinary expression of subtext, and penetrating exploration of friendship and selfishness, this story of the conflicts, love and insecurities of four creative individuals is an essential work of dramatic literature.