The Seagull

While Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull is now regarded as one of his most famous plays, it was not until the second time it premiered in Russia that it garnered success. Written in 1895 and first produced the following year, The Seagull is set against the backdrop of a summer country home, and tackles The Consequences of Disillusionment, The Purpose of Art, and the price of Living in the Shadow of a Renowned Parent. Chekhov relies heavily on dramatic irony to reveal the ridiculousness of the characters’ plights, landing this genre-bending play most often in the comedic category. It has been adapted numerous times for film, musicals, and as a ballet. The play is still widely performed across the globe.

This guide references the Farrar, Straus and Giroux 1997 translation by British playwright Tom Stoppard, whose plays Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Travesties, and The Real Thing all received Tony Awards.

Content Warning: This play depicts an attempted suicide and a death by suicide. It also contains depictions of alcohol dependency and a brief mention of infant death.

Plot Summary

Set against the backdrop of the Russian countryside in 1895, Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull chronicles the lives of a family of artists and those who love and work for them.