A. (Aleksandr) Sukhovo-Kobylin

Born in 1817, Aleksandr Sukhovo-Kobylin was a Russian playwright and philosopher best known for a trilogy of satirical plays that took aim at the machinery of imperial bureaucracy. He studied in Moscow as well as in Germany, and his work earned a reputation for wit, severity, and a very clear eye for the ridiculous.

A major turning point in his life came when he was drawn into a long and damaging murder case involving a French woman with whom he had been associated. Although he was ultimately cleared, the ordeal lasted for years and left a deep mark on both his life and writing. That experience helps explain the anger and absurdist energy readers often find in his drama.

Today he is most often remembered for Krechinsky's Wedding, The Case, and The Death of Tarelkin, works that remain notable for their fierce comedy and their attack on official corruption and legal nonsense. He died in 1903 in Beaulieu-sur-Mer, France.