Anton Chekhov (1860-1903) wrote over 400 stories, novels and sketches while completing his studies and beginning his practice as a doctor.  Both his medical and literary careers were well established before he wrote his most renown works, The Seagull (1895), The Three Sisters (1900-01) and The Cherry Orchard (1903).

 A Woman's Kingdom was written in 1894, and tells the unhappy story of Anna Akimovna, who inherits a rural factory from her father, only to be miserable with her newly acquired wealth and power.  She is horribly lonely, finding herself surrounded by townspeople who are often poor and drunk (and wanting charity from her), and a flock of meddling women with hilarious names like Stinging Beetle and Varvarushka.  The piece may have been inspired by Chekhov's work with the poor in Novgorod and his subsequent move from Moscow to a  farmhouse at Melikhovo village in 1892.

His hemorrhages began in 1884 and continued until his death.