Eudora Welty and Anton Chekhov: A Long Intimacy Between Strangers

The article using concrete examples from Welty’s stories deals with influence of A.P. Chekhov on E. Welty (1909-2001). Reading and rereading Chekhov resulted in writing “Reality in Chekhov’s stories” (1979) which has become a landmark in US studies of Chekhov. Russian writer’s prose influenced Welty’s use and love for detail, priority for dialogue, metaphors, symbols, simplifying and even eliminating of the plot, desire for brevity. Stylistic similarities reflect Chekhov’s and Welty’s affinity for such cornerstone concepts of human existence as life, death, love, human dignity and justice.

E. Welty, A.P. Chekhov, prose, style, poetics