Which two plays of Anton Chekhov made creative use of Shakespeare’s Hamlet?
A) A Marriage Proposal
B) Three Sisters
C) The Cherry Orchard
D) Uncle Vanya
E) The Seagull
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

The correct answer is B and E (which corresponds to Three Sisters and The Seagull).

Anton Chekhov, the renowned Russian playwright, frequently engaged with and referenced Western literary classics in his works. Among these, William Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet played a significant role in shaping the thematic undercurrents and character dynamics of several Chekhovian dramas. The two plays that make the most prominent and creative use of Hamlet are:

1. The Seagull (Option E):
This play is explicitly and deeply saturated with references to Hamlet. Chekhov establishes direct parallels between the characters and conflicts of both plays. For instance, the protagonist Konstantin Treplev mirrors Hamlet's existential dread, artistic angst, and complex, resentment-filled relationship with his mother, Arkadina (who represents Gertrude). Arkadina's lover, the writer Trigorin, represents the Claudius figure. The play features direct quotations from Hamlet; in Act I, Arkadina and Konstantin exchange lines directly from Gertrude and Hamlet's closet scene dialogue, highlighting the theatricality and emotional friction of their relationship.

2. Three Sisters (Option B):
In Three Sisters, the character of Solyony represents a parodic or dark reflection of Hamlet. He explicitly compares himself to Lermontov (a romantic figure) but also embodies a Hamlet-like isolation, bitterness, and existential cynicism, often quoting or referencing themes of mortality and futility. Moreover, the broader thematic structure of the play—dealing with inaction, the burden of intellectualism, philosophical paralysis, and the inability to escape one's provincial circumstances—directly echoes the core philosophical dilemmas faced by Prince Hamlet.

Therefore, the two plays that creatively employ Shakespeare's Hamlet are Three Sisters (B) and The Seagull (E).