“Wisdom... does not come from age, but from education and learning” (Good readings”). Through his long life of knowledge and perseverance, Anton Chekhov is not only considered one of the most recognized Russian playwrights, but also the master of the modern short story. He is a literary genius who hides secret motivations in his characters. In his literature, Chekhov describes Russian life during the time he grew up. Towards the last years of his life, Chekhov stopped producing short stories and emphasized drama. His last two plays, The Cherry Orchard and The Three Sisters, were both written for the Moscow Art Theater (“Britannica”). In the play The Three Sisters, Chekhov describes the dreams of three young provincial sisters. Similarly, he depicts a Russian family in decline in The Cherry Orchard. Through these two works, Anton Chekhov illustrates the themes of love, memory of the past and defeat. In The Cherry Orchard and The Three Sisters, love is one of the main themes depicted in both works. Many love triangles are present in The Cherry Orchard. Acting on their love, the characters tend to make bad decisions. Their affection for another person makes them act in a way they normally wouldn't. The main characters fall in and out of love with each other and it is difficult for them to find happiness in their lives. They don't know exactly what they want and this leads to a lot of confusion and chaos. “I don't know what to do about it. He's a good boy, but every now and then, when he starts talking, you can't understand a word he says. I think I like it. He is madly in love with me. He is an unfortunate man; something happens every day” (The Cherry Orchard” 1,19). As I say this quote,… middle of the paper… The Cherry Orchard and The Three Sisters, both families ultimately fail. Their greatest dreams are defeated, and neither receives the life they all hoped they would one day have. Through the plays The Cherry Orchard and The Three Sisters, Anton Chekhov illustrates the themes of love, memory of the past and defeat. Both the Ranevskaya and Prozorov families have endured great hardships in different ways in their lives. Unfortunately, the way they dealt with these situations is very similar, both ending in defeat. Anton Chekhov wrote these two stories in a way that makes them both literary masterpieces. Through trial and error with his writings, Chekhov is now considered the best Russian playwright. As Anton Chekhov once said: “You have to be a god to be able to distinguish successes from failures without making mistakes” (“BrainyQuote”).