Chekhov is widely considered one of the greatest short story writers of the past two centuries; his international influence can hardly be overestimated.

Thomas Winner, in his introduction to Chekhov and his Prose, states that Chekhov "is recognized today as perhaps the greatest of short-story writers whose innovations in form and technique as well as expressions of many hitherto untried themes have immeasurably altered our literary traditions." In his economic use of descriptive language, Chekhov has been called the Russian Guy de Maupassant, in reference to the great French short story writer.

"The Darling," first published in 1899, is widely considered to be one of Chekhov's finest short stories. It is often discussed in conjunction with "The Lady with the Pet Dog," as an example of Chekhov's depictions of the place of women in Russian society. "The Darling" is also often categorized among Chekhov's sketches of peasant...