Uncle Vanya:
The character of 'Vanya' is the 47 year old Uncle to Sonya, and the brother-in-law to the retired scholar, Serebryakov. Arguably, Vanya can be seen as the play's misanthrope, as he offers a vast spectrum of comical caricatures of his surrounding family members, due to his melancholy, depressed and lethargic attitude towards life. Additionally, this brooding, introspective character could even be interpreted as the tragic hero of the play, as he becomes a bitter, ageing man who believes he has wasted his life in toil for the esteemed Professor - causing him to express: "I haven't lived!" Throughout the play, Vanya frequently becomes enraptured with an obsessive anger when considering these wasted years and what could have been, causing him to become lecherous and lustful towards Yelena - the wife of the Professor - which ultimately catalyses his downfall as his cravings for Yelena's youthful beauty push her into the arms of his closest friend, Astrov. Chekhov's Vanya regularly believes himself to be rejected, silenced and dismissed in his "wretched" state of mind; subsequently, meaning that he submerges in the conclusion of the play as less of a tragic hero, and more of a progressively deteriorating man craving his final years of life to pass in a painless blur.
Vanya's Key Relationships in the play:
- Yelena
- Astrov
- Sonya
- Serebryakov
- Lethargy/Inertia
- Hopeless Romance
- Betrayal
- Lust/Romance
Yelena:
The role of Yelena is the 27 year old wife of the Professor, Serebryakov, who is approximately 40 years her senior. Although possibly regarded by many critics as being merely a lethargic, idyll woman who simply lounges all day eating and sleeping; it could alternatively be argued that Chekhov instead affirms Yelena as a much more vital role within the plot as she fascinates all who encounter her within the household. Notably, Yelena brings a halt to the work of Sonya and Vanya, with Vanya becomes consumed in a state of dazed lust for her, and Sonya becoming enraptured with jealously and the ways in which she can be more like her stepmother, in order to achieve the attentions of Astrov. The role of Yelena can be regarded as one of contradictions, which makes her an extremely challenging character to interpret as both an actor and director, as she possess both qualities of innocence and experience, as well as youth and maturity. Unlike many of the characters whose sense of alienation stems from their age or displacement, Yelena feels alienated in her role as an "indolent", minor and oppressed character - who is drained of her youth and energy by all who feel as if they have wasted their younger years as the plot develops to it's conclusion.
Yelena's Key Relationships in the play:
- Vanya
- Sonya
- Serebryakov
- Astrov
What themes does Yelena accentuate?
- Youthful Beauty
- Hopeless Romance
- Familial Conflict
- Betrayal
- Jealously
- Lust/Romance/Flirtation
Sonya:
The character of Sonya is the approximately 27 year old kind, gentle, naive daughter of Serebryakov- from his first marriage. Like her Uncle Vanya, Sonya has dedicated her youth to the maintenance of the estate, and subsequently now suffers an extremely negative outlook on her own future, believing that she too has wasted her youth - causing her to crave the promise that she will "rest" in death. Throughout the play, Sonya attempts to oppress any tensions rising within the familial relationships; however, her primary character motivation is to captivate the attentions of Doctor Astrov. Notably, when her affections are disappointed by Astrov's love for her step-mother, Yelena, Sonya become miserable and returns to her toils, looking forward to peace in death - one of Chekhov's most tragic portrayals of the youthful in 'Uncle Vanya'.
Sonya's Key Relationships in the play:
- Vanya
- Serebryakov
- Astrov
- Yelena
What themes does Sonya accentuate?
- Hopeless Romance
- Jealousy
- Beauty Vs Intelligence
- Lethargy/Depression
- Familial Conflict
- Wasted Youth
Astrov:
The character of Astrov forms the philosopher of ‘Uncle Vanya’, marked by Chekhov’s characteristically extended, brooding and introspective speeches focusing on the preservation of the natural world against the oppressive industrialisation infecting 19th century Russia. Overworked and ruined by provincial life, Astrov frequently believes his emotions to be numb to the world, there is no one he loves and nothing he wants in his dejected beliefs that his legacy will most certainly be forgotten by future generations to follow. Chekhov’s entirely three-dimensional and naturalistic composure of Astrov provides the audience with such a vast spectrum of interpretations, ranging from his intelligent, forward-thinking speeches being the words of a visionary, or merely the excessive ramblings of a drunk. Personally, as an actor, I would want to explore the latter interpretation, as I believe this is extremely versatile in infusing moments of both comedy and tragedy, as Astrov’s drunken state can be both farcical, but also melodramatically tragic for other characters such as Sonya; who fails to convince him of her love in the midst of his drunken arrogance.
Astrov's Key Relationships in the play:
- Vanya
- Sonya
- Marina
- Yelena
What themes does Astrov accentuate?
- Conservation of the natural world.
- Hopeless Romance
- Betrayal
- Lust/Romance
- Rejection/Ignorance
Serebryakov:
The character of Serebryakov forms the aged professor, plagued with rheumatism and gout, whom is married to the “magnificent” Yelena, which arguably he takes for granted in his ill health. The esteemed and retired scholar is deeply consumed with the toils and burdens of old age as he expresses “when I got old I became offensive to myself.” Additionally, as the father to Sonya, Chekhov reveals to the audience the sense of subtle conflict between the female characters of Sonya and Yelena, who appear to both vie for his attentions throughout, much to the Professor’s arrogant unawareness of how significantly he has adapted the nature of the house. Frequently, Serebryakov finds himself detestable in his infirmity and thoroughly regrets his move to the countryside, as he finds himself engulfed not only in meaningless chatter and indifference with his family, but also consumed within inescapable conflict with his son-in-law, Vanya.
Serebryakov's Key Relationships in the play:
- Yelena
- Vanya
- Sonya
What themes does Serebryakov accentuate?
- Wasted Years
- Hypochondria
- Aged vs Youth
- Familial Conflict
Marina:
The character of Marina is the kind, elderly, maternal and devout nurse of the house. Throughout the plot, Marina thoroughly resents the sense of disorder and chaos caused by the arrival of the Professor and his wife, as she frequently craves the previous beneficent sense of order in which the household once possessed. Instantly from the opening of the play, Marina is established as a maternal figure, who provides comfort and advice to a number of characters throughout the plot, from her detached and unbiased stance/perspective on the events of the play.
Marina's Key Relationships in the play:
- Astrov
- Sonya
- Telegin
What themes does Marina accentuate?
- Maternal Guidance
- Friendship
- Familial Conflict
- Loyalty
Telegin:
The character of Telegin is the impoverished landowner who works on the estate owned by the Professor, and later Sonya after the departure of Serebryakov and his wife. Telegin can be interpreted as a largely comical figure, who appears hopeless and pathetic in his romance, whilst dejected and silenced by the conflict within the household - causing him to make the occasional ignored or inappropriate interjection. Within many interpretations of the production, such as The St James Theatre's modern adaptation of 'Uncle Vanya' the role of Telegin forms the play's on-stage musician, playing the guitar in a number of scenes. Within this specific performance, I particularly loved the way in which Telegin was frequently an irritation to the other characters as they attempted to clear up the set around him, whilst he remained in a trance-like, concentrated state playing his guitar - thus, creating a moment of comedy as he becomes irritated as he is moved back and forth around the stage, out of the others way.
Telegin's Key Relationships in the play:
- Vanya
- Marina
- Astrov
What themes does Telegin accentuate?
- Dejection/Rejection
- Friendship/Loyalty
- Betrayal
- Despair
Maria:
The character of Maria is the mother of Vanya, who remains enraptured with the Professor - Serebryakov - throughout the play, as she appears besotted and dazed with his vast spectrum of introspective, knowledgable and brooding speeches. Maria frequently passes her days annotating pamphlets on various social issues, to which Vanya becomes annoyed at, stating: "But we've been...reading pamphlets for fifty years. It's time we stopped." The most interesting quote, which entirely sums up the character of Maria is stated by Vanya in Act One, as he states that she has one eye "fastened on the grave" and the other fixed on her "books of learning for the dawn of a new life."
Maria's Key Relationships in the play:
- Vanya
- Serebryakov
What themes does Maria accentuate?
- Familial Conflict
- Lethargy/Inertia
- Repetitive Thinking/Concepts - shown through her continuous readings of the pamphlets.
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