In 'The Death of a Civil Servant', an administrative clerk accidentally sneezes on a hierarchical superior at the opera, which results in great embarrassment and hilarious and futile attempts at atonement. The other short stories included in this volume, 'A Calculated Marriage', 'The Culprit', 'The Exclamation Mark', 'The Speech-Maker', 'Who Is to Blame?' and 'A Defenceless Creature' are in the same absurdly comical vein. This short collection shows Chekhov in an amusing, playful light, poking fun at the greed, sycophancy and ignorance of his characters, with the moral detachment that also characterizes his major, serious works.
- ISBN13 9780714545738
- Publish Date 12 April 2017 (first published 13 April 2012)
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Publish Country GB
- Publisher Alma Books Ltd
- Imprint Alma Classics
- Format eBook
- Language English