The Bear

Overview

Anton Chekhov’s one-act comic play throws Elena Ivanonva Popova, a land-owning widow with dimples, on her cheeks up against Grigory Stepanovitch Smirnov, a middle-aged landowner. He arrives at her house claiming her late husband owed him money and he wants the debt repaid immediately. They argue and almost have a duel over the debt before they realise that they have fallen in love with each other.