Uncle Vanya (Act III)

This act begins like every other I have read, with a very calm and inactive mood as the characters continue to whine about their effortless and pointless lives. All along, the play has consisted of a depressive tone in which little action takes place and a small number of events developed. Surprisingly, close to the end the characters begin to reveal their desires and sentiments, furthermore the emotions they have had all along and have been holding down, begin to burst.

Initially we are introduced to Sonia’s misery due to her unattainable love. She has fallen in love so deeply with Dr. Astroff and by not receiving his affection back it has made her feel undesirable and unattractive. Given that she has now created a friendship with Helen she decides to set forth her feelings and let her step-mother know about her state of mind. Both of them come to the agreement that Helen will speak with the doctor discreetly and try to figure out if the love is reciprocal. A moment before Helen leaves, Sonia briefly remarks “No, it is better not to know—and yet—there may be hope.” With this in mind I began considering what I would prefer. Would I radar have the illusion that my desire was possible even though deep inside I sensed it wasn’t, or would I radar know the disappointing truth and face the fact that my desire is inaccessible? After considering it I determined it would be best to confront reality and move on from there. It is always best to deal with reality than to postpone a fantasy that will sooner or later come to an end.

The conversation that takes place between Helen and Sonia allows us to understand a little better eachs personality, especially Helens. Right from the start Helen has been portrayed as the victim, stuck with a husband she no longer loves and to a life she barely stands, but instances of her conversation permit us to see that she is only a victim because she does nothing to change the fact that she is. When Sonia discusses labors she could do in the country estate to impede her boredom, Helen responds uninterested and unexcited, not even giving a chance to any of the proposals. Another occasion is her unhappiness with being married to the professor. Occasionally she complains about her innocent mistake of getting married with the wrong person, but as several of the men presented in the play devout their love to her, she ignores them and persists on remaining miserably married to the professor denying her feelings. Finally I grasped a little of insensibility in Helens personality in her attempt to extract information from the doctor. Even though she had been placed in a very uncomfortable situation, if offering to do the deed she should have done it as she promised. Lamentably Helen had agreed with Sonia that she would figure out in a discreet and prudent manner whether Sonia’s feeling were mutual. While doing so she directly asked Dr. Astroff if he felt romantic sentiments towards Sonia, completely opposite to what she had promised.

Further on I also focused on Dr, Astroff character. I found it very interesting that he felt passionate of the environment. His extended informative speeches about deforestation and other ecological issues which seemed to bore the rest of the characters were actually very interesting to me. It amazed me that a novel written in 1895 had a message of environmental awareness. Additionally, I found it very comical that his passion for the environment was sort of incorporated to his personality. For instance when revealing his feeling for Helena, he referred to her as “Oh, my sweet tigress! don’t look at me in that way; I am an old bird!”

In this play love is presented as the reality it is and not simplicity like most contemporary films portray it to be. Usually romantic movies have the typical cliché in which love is always found in the most simplistic form, but in reality it is the complete opposite. The play reflects the difficulties and obstacles to which most people can relate and which most people fear such as not being loved back, not loving at all or loving the wrong person. Each character portrays a different situation which develops through the play. Will any of these desires become possible? Will any character find true love or will they remain stuck in their unsatisfied states?

Uncle Vanya (Act II)

The beginning of this act immediately introduces us to a mood of distress and precaution as the professor awakens from a disturbing nightmare and finds himself disoriented. At once we are able to begin recognizing each characters trait more profoundly and insightfully to an extent to which our understanding of their reflections and actions are clearer. On the previous act we were able to perceive the pessimistic attitude of each character and their overall feelings, but the act didn’t convey the reasons behind such personalities. In this act we get the opportunity to grasp closely the explanations for their inexplicable behaviors. For instance, Helena, the professor’s wife, appeared to live contently looking after her husband and his daughter, but her small reaction to his foolish conduct revealed her unhappiness. “This is unbearable! Tell me, what is it that you want me to do?” While replying this to her husband while whimpering we recognize her desperation and misery.

After analyzing each of the characters desires and reactions I had the chance to question why they reacted in such a manner and why they felt so discontent. I concluded that it was due to their lack of hope. Like most of them portray, their elder age prevented them from being able to do certain things such as falling in love, at least they believed it did. Their pessimistic attitudes towards life and the possibilities it presented stopped them from revealing certain feelings as well as overcoming difficulties they didn’t agree with. I believe, instead of becoming stuck on your past you must act in order to change your future which was a feature most characters lacked. Aside from being inactive towards change they as well focused too much on their past and assumed it was unchangeable. Remarks such as “… I am old, I am tired, I am trivial; my sensibilities are dead. I could never attach myself to anyone again…” display the unhappiness of the characters as well as their effortless attitude to change that. The fact that the doctor was old didn’t mean he was incapable of loving someone, he just didn’t realize he was. Both Helen and Sonia had interest in him and one of them attempted to portray it, sadly the doctor couldn’t realize it.

Another reason for which I believe most characters are unhappy, I mentioned in my past blog, and enforce my opinion with the evidence that is provided in this second act. Clearly there is a tangled web of lovers which has now developed into unattainable love. The age difference, as well as ordinary mistakes committed previously form the characters has now evolved into a major problem in which true feelings can’t be expressed. Helen is no longer in love with her husband and is forced to devote her time to him because of her commitment in marriage, Sonia is in love with the Dr. which simply refuses to love anyone again and is unaware of the fact that both Sonia and Helen have a remote interest in him, finally Uncle Vanya is interested in Helen which refuses his love, afraid of the consequences that may take part in it. Due to their inability to convey their feeling s and act accordingly to them the characters have placed themselves in this web in which they sacrifice their happiness for others benefits. Is it truly worth hiding ones feelings for the sake of others? Will this unattainable love become attainable for someone?

Throughout the second act I noticed a series of signs which seemed to constantly come up. One of them was the Watchman and his rattle. Scenes were constantly being interrupted by the regular rattle, until the end of the act when Helen asks for his silence. I quickly searched online for its symbolism in Russia and I learned that in the century provincial Russia the night watchman would tap the grounds with his stick to signal that all was well which I consider completely ironic due to the major amount of chaos going on in the house. I also found it interesting that the deceased wife of Serebrakoff was mentioned twice. Does this have a special symbol or was it just part of the play? Could it be a retrospective of the characters being stuck in their pasts? Finally I would lie to emphasis on the drastic end. Both Sonia and Helene have at last gathered up the courage to be sincere with each other and get past their feuds, excitedly they decide to put music on and immediately after the professor deny their permission the curtains close. Is it Chekhov’s demonstration of their unhappiness and lack of hope? Will the play continue in a melodramatic mood?

Uncle Vanya (Act I)

Immediately after reading the first couple of lines I noticed the pessimistic outlook of the characters to their own lives and towards those who surrounded them. They aspired for a transformation from their boring, drained and disappointing lives to a rebirth of hope in which they wouldn’t mourn for their misused lives. Chekhov introduces the focus of a wasted live in the sense of not only feeling alienated from society and its function but as well feeling distant from oneself.

The initial conversation between Astroff and Marina demonstrates the lack of excitement in both of their lives. While they hold a conversation in which none of them is actually paying attention we can notice the weariness as Marina sits knitting a stocking and is doubtful of the past, as well as it seems that Astroff holds a conversation with himself rambling and whining of how the excess of work has changed him. You would imagine that someone who has chosen medicine as a profession feels passionate about it, so how come he complained that working made him a different man? It was age which changed him, inevitably as time goes by our bodies, our minds and specially our strengths change, it is not that existence is tedious or senseless as Astroff proclaims. While he whimpered about the silly people that surrounded him he referred to himself as “I ask nothing, I need nothing, I love no one…” This self reflection portrays him as a senseless being, but as he reveals with his next memory about the dead patient in Malitskoi he exposes the fact that he is still concerned for others, he feels guilty because a man died under his watch, besides his constant complaining demonstrates he still loves and still cares.

When Voitski enters the scene we are again introduced to a depressive and melancholic man. His dissatisfaction and constant grouching resemble a man displeased with his live, opposite from Astroff, Voitski blames his discontent on others. For instance he blames the change in schedules and the fact that he oversleeps on the professor. Besides from his frustration, with Voitski we also get the chance to begin noticing Chekov’s humorous side. All along he had been presenting a depressive play with miserable and disappointed characters, until Voitski began ridiculing his relatives while describing them. “I don't do anything now but croak like an old raven. My mother, the old magpie, is still chattering about the emancipation of woman, with one eye on her grave and the other on her learned books…” How he depicts each character and compares them with animals or mocks their habits and age are evidence of Chekov’s desire to add satire to the play. The author furthermore includes ridicule in the play when inserting characters such as Telegin referred to as Waffles because of his face. This personage supports the child of his ex-wife and lover, even though he was abandoned by her a day after his marriage. Lamentably he believes that what he is doing is keeping his pride by supporting her, even do that means he will be unhappy, to the audience it’s just plainly absurd.

Close to the end of the act we notice how there is a tangled web of love and envy. Sonia demonstrates her love for the doctor, but previously he had said he loved no one and above it he is disliked by Sonia’s uncle. On the other hand Voitski is in love with Helena, her brother-in-law, which he resents, wife. How will this set of twisted stories end? Will they affect the estates development? As I read the play I also questioned the fact of the constant pauses and silences. Where they just written as an intermission between the characters dialogues or did they signify an uncomfortable moment and lack in the fluidity of the conversations?