The Chorus Girl and Other Stories

What It's About

The Chorus Girl and Other Stories is the eighth volume in Constance Garnett's Tales of Chekhov series, gathering twelve stories that range from the very short to the near-novella-length "My Life." Across the collection, Chekhov turns his attention to moral compromise and self-deception in ordinary settings: a chorus girl confronted by her lover's wife, a village undertaker forced to reckon with a wasted life, a young man who abandons his class privileges to work with his hands. The stories move between town and provincial estate, but share a common interest in the small moments where a character's true nature is exposed.

Key Concepts

Guilt, jealousy, and misplaced blame recur throughout the collection, often surfacing through a single confrontation or realisation rather than a dramatic plot. Several stories, particularly "My Life," also examine the stagnation of provincial Russian society and the tension between inherited social position and personal conscience. Chekhov's characteristic restraint is on display here: endings are left open or quietly ironic rather than resolved.

About the Author

Anton Chekhov (1860–1904) was a Russian physician, playwright, and short story writer, born in Taganrog. He trained and briefly practised as a doctor while building a literary career, and became one of the most influential figures in the development of the modern short story and of realist drama.

About This Edition

This is a 1920 translation by Constance Garnett.