The Irony of Fate
Goncharov planned a fourth novel, set in the 1870s, but it failed to materialize. Instead he became a prolific critic, providing numerous theater and literature reviews; his "Myriad of Agonies" (Milyon terzaniy, 1871) is still regarded as one of the best essays on Alexandr Griboyedov's "Woe from Wit". Goncharov also wrote short stories: his "Servants of an Old Age" cycle as well as "The Irony of Fate", "Ukha" and others, described the life of rural Russia. In 1880 the first edition of "The Complete Works of Goncharov" was published. After the writer's death, it became known that he had burnt many later manuscripts.