in an impartial way is characteristic of an important russian playwright of the 19th century, anton chehkov, a physician who wrote short stories and plays, which depicted people as neither heroic nor foolish. indeed, chehkov's plays seemed plotless to viewers expecting a conventional, single action. instead, emphasis is on people and atmosphere in many small stories. in his plays as in real life, there's not necessarily one outstanding moment of supreme significance, nothing compared, for instance, to the moment when the traditional hero learns some overwhelming truth about the universe. some of chehkov's people achieve understanding, others remain trapped in self delusion. there are important events, but they take place offstage. there are extramarital affairs, a fatal duel, a devastating fire. the sensational is avoided in favor of personal reflection. people rarely confront each other or respond directly. in chehkov, the people and their individual reactions to life are most important as in the three sisters, which represents a break with the more artificial plays of the time. chehkov ga