Tragedy
The Three Sisters is definitely a tragedy. There's a lot less of the tomfoolery and pratfalls that make critics argue that The Cherry Orchard, another Chekhov drama, is a comedy. Not so much in this one. Sure, there are some light moments for the sisters, but mostly we watch life crush their dreams one by one. Less resilient ladies (or a more melodramatic playwright) might put a suicidal end to it all when the sisters' lovers abandon them, their fiancés get shot in senseless duels, and a tacky soccer mom devours their house. In Chekhov's realistic reflection of life, the sisters take the licking and keep on ticking.