Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Uncle Vanya, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Old Age and Regret
Industry vs. Idleness
Impossible Desires
Legacy and Prestige
Summary
Analysis
In the early afternoon, in the garden of a large country house, an old nurse and housekeeper named Marina sits and knits a stocking. A doctor named Mikhail Astrov walks by, and Marina offers him a drink. Astrov declines and asks Marina how long the two of them have known each other. After thinking on it, Marina figures that it’s been 11 years since Astrov first visited the house. She remarks that Astrov was younger and more handsome back then; Astrov can’t help but agree. He explains that he’s gradually become a different person, as his long and difficult work as a doctor has exhausted and disheartened him over the years. He thinks he’s become eccentric by spending so much time with strange people, but he says he still appreciates Marina and enjoys her company.
This very first conversation deals with old age, a subject that will remain relevant throughout the play. Right from the start, it’s clear that the play will concern itself with characters whose glory days are long behind them. Losing hope and motivation as one grows older is an issue that affects Astrov and several other characters, putting emphasis on the past and wasted time. According to Astrov, it’s possible for a person to change completely (often into something worse) after enough time has passed.
Themes
Marina offers Astrov something to eat, but he once again declines her offer. He continues listing his recent woes, including a horrible epidemic of typhus he recently witnessed. He grimly describes the guilt he feels when he lets a patient die, feeling almost as if he killed someone on purpose. Reflecting on his work, he doubts if future generations will remember or appreciate what he’s doing. Marina remarks that people might not remember his good works, but God will. Astrov thanks her for saying this.
The theme of legacy and prestige first appears during this conversation, which focuses on what meaningful impact (if any) Astrov will have made on the world when he’s gone. Marina, in response, establishes herself as a comforting presence that brings him down to earth and reminds him to focus on what matters to him. Astrov’s descriptions of his dying patients shed more light on what’s emotionally weighing him down.
Themes
Just then, Ivan Voynitsky (also known as Vanya) emerges from the house, looking a bit disheveled. Astrov asks if Voynitsky has had enough sleep, which causes Voynitsky to start on a tirade of his own. Voynitsky complains that his life schedule has been thrown off track ever since Professor Serebryakov and his wife Yelena moved into the house. Before the couple moved in, Voynitsky and his niece Sonya used to work around the clock and keep an orderly schedule. But now Sonya does most of the work, while Voynitsky spends much of his time lazing around and eating. Marina agrees that the professor’s presence has made life in the house more chaotic, and she agrees that this is no way to live. Astrov asks how long the professor is staying, and Voynitsky admits that Serebryakov has decided to live in the house permanently.
The title character’s entrance introduces another central theme: the contrast between hard work and idleness. The apparent laziness of Serebryakov and Yelena seems to have rubbed off on everyone else in the estate, suggest that idleness is somehow infectious Voynitsky’s disheveled appearance reflects the toll that his lazier lifestyle has taken on him. Rather than helping them relax, a slower pace seems to be upsetting the balance of the estate.
Themes
Professor Serebryakov, Yelena, Sonya, and Ilya Telegin (a poor landowner who also lives on the property) enter the garden, returning from their walk together. Voynitsky offers them tea, but Serebryakov asks to have the tea in his study, as he still has some work to get done today. Serebryakov, Yelena, and Sonya enter the house, while Telegin sits near Marina. Almost as soon as they’re out of earshot, Voynitsky remarks on how beautiful Yelena is. Telegin points out what a nice day it is and wonders what more they could ask for, surrounded by the beauty of nature. But Voynitsky continues to pine for Yelena.
Voynitsky’s comment about Yelena is the first hint of his impossible desires. As Yelena is married and doesn’t seem to show much interest in him, it already seems unlikely that he could earn her affection, but this doesn’t stop him from admitting his feelings to everyone nearby, implying that this is a serious desire he’s held for a while, not just a passing fancy. In contrast, Telegin is the only character introduced so far who seems satisfied with what he already has.
Themes
Get the entire Uncle Vanya LitChart as a printable PDF.
Astrov asks Voynitsky if anything’s new, but Voynitsky insists that nothing has changed; if anything, he’s gotten slightly worse. Voynitsky feels that he’s become lazy and mentions that his mother, Mariya Vasilyevna, is consumed by her reading and political ideas as usual. He especially complains about Professor Serebryakov, whom Voynitsky considers to be a washed-up academic who doesn’t know anything about art despite writing so much about it. Regardless, Voynitsky still considers the professor to be lucky, as many people still take him seriously, and he seems to have better luck with women than Voynitsky. Astrov remarks that Voynitsky is probably jealous of the professor, and Voynitsky admits to this. Voynitsky wishes Yelena could love him instead of the professor and wonders what she sees in such an irrelevant old man.
More of Voynitsky’s personality and motivations become clear during this conversation. He reiterates his impossible desire for a relationship with Yelena, but Astrov introduces a new element of jealousy. Voynitsky admitting to his own envy is a sign that he does have some self-awareness, despite his rude and bitter behavior. He uses the idea of prestige to belittle Serebryakov, though it’s likely that this is just another aspect of Voynitsky’s jealousy, as he hasn’t achieved any academic success either. His mention of his recent laziness suggests that this laziness and a general lack of direction could be contributing to his bitter mood.
Themes
Astrov asks if Yelena is faithful to Serebryakov. Voynitsky confirms that she is, but he considers this a misfortune. In his opinion, it would be better for her to be unfaithful and find someone she really loves than to waste her life and her youth on an old man like the professor. Telegin scolds Voynitsky for talking like this, explaining how he (Telegin) was abandoned by his wife the day after their wedding, as she ran away to be with a man she really loved. Despite this, Telegin still loves her and considers it his duty to take care of her and her family. He gave her his property so that she could give her children an education, and he feels a sense of pride for this, even though he’s lost his happiness. Though Telegin’s former wife’s beauty and youth have since faded, Telegin’s principles remain.
The theme of old age returns here, and the play explores it from two different angles. Voynitsky uses old age as yet another justification to criticize the professor he resents, while Telegin sees things differently. He knows that everyone gets old, even his once-beautiful ex-wife. So rather than focusing on people’s temporary, fleeting qualities, Telegin fosters a genuine sense of love and responsibility for the people he cares about, and honoring his commitment to his loved ones allows him to take pride in his actions, even if he’s no longer happy since his wife left him. His wife, on the other hand, placed too much value in her youth—and now that it’s gone, she has nothing to fall back on..
Themes
Sonya, Yelena, and Mariya Vasilyevna (Voynitsky’s mother) emerge from the house. Sonya quickly tells Marina (the housemaid) that people from the nearby village have come to the house to inquire about something. Marina goes off to meet them as Sonya stays to pour the tea. Astrov mentions that he’s come to the house to see Yelena’s husband, Professor Serebryakov, about his rheumatism. Yelena explains that the professor has seemed depressed and complained about pain in his legs recently, but he seems to be feeling better today. Nonetheless, Astrov resolves to spend the night at the house, which seems to please Sonya. During the ensuing conversation, Telegin mentions that he’s Sonya’s godfather and a trusted family friend.
The primary goal of this section is to establish who the characters are in relation to one another. However, there are a few significant details to note. Sonya’s pleased reaction to Astrov agreeing to spend the night is a sign that she might have feelings for him, or at least enjoy his company. Meanwhile, the professor’s complaints reinforce the play’s focus on old age, as the elderly professor struggles to live with his conditions (some of which might be more imagined than real).
Themes
Suddenly, Mariya Vasilyevna mentions an interesting pamphlet she recently received from one of her scholarly friends. Voynitsky tells his mother to drink her tea and not speak about such things, but Mariya wonders why he doesn’t like to hear her talk anymore. She mentions that he used to be a “man of enlightenment” who cared about serious topics. Voynitsky admits that he was such a man before, but that it never did anyone any good. He regrets all the time he spent reading and studying, which he now considers a waste of his life. He wishes he had followed other pursuits, so that he could have things in his life that he can seemingly no longer obtain at the age of 47.
This conversation sheds more light on Voynitsky’s troubled state of mind and helps to explain his aggressive behavior. Voynitsky has allowed his regrets to consume him, making him feel as though he's wasted his youth—and by extension, his life. This narrow-minded view is what’s made him so resentful of Serebryakov and other people around him. He lashes out in spite because he feels that he has nothing meaningful to look forward to. It’s possible that he never really cared about academic pursuits in the first place and only saw them as a means to an end that he never achieved—an unrealized legacy.
Themes
Mariya scolds Voynitsky for this talk, insisting that it wasn’t his ideas that failed him. Instead, he’s to blame for his own lack of action. Voynitsky bitterly remarks that he can’t write constantly and waste away like Professor Serebryakov (whom Mariya admires), and Sonya begs the two of them to stop fighting. Yelena fills an uncomfortable pause by mentioning how nice the weather is, only for Voynitsky to mutter that it’s “lovely weather for hanging oneself.” Telegin tunes a guitar as Marina (the housemaid) returns to call the chickens and explain what the men from the village wanted. As Telegin begins playing a song on the guitar, they all sit in tense silence again.
Voynitsky’s dark joke highlights how close to the brink he’s already been pushed. The Voynitsky that Mariya remembers is long gone, and there doesn’t seem to be much left in him except bitterness and scorn. His mention of Serebryakov “wasting away” as he writes reveals how Voynitsky sees academic work nowadays. To him, it can barely even be considered work, as his constant study and writing kept him cooped up indoors and made him miss out on life’s more exciting opportunities.
Themes
A workman enters the garden and tells Astrov that someone at the nearby factory needs medical attention and that they’ve called for him. Frustrated, Astrov agrees to visit the factory, clearly wishing he didn’t have to. Sonya insists that he should return for dinner later, but Astrov figures he’ll be back too late for that. On his way out, he invites Yelena and Sonya to visit the nearby garden and tree nursery that he manages. Yelena wonders if forestry would be boring for him, but he insists that it’s fascinating. He explains his efforts to conserve nature, and his friend’s theory that people tend to be kinder and better off if they live near a forest.
Astrov’s forestry hobby is an important aspect of his character, giving him a sense of purpose and a respite from his emotionally taxing job. This also makes him a sharp contrast to Voynitsky, who’s fallen into laziness and apathy while Astrov constantly toils as a doctor and a forester. Meanwhile, Sonya’s insistence that Astrov should stay for dinner is another hint that she’s romantically interested in him.
Themes
Astrov’s words don’t convince Voynitsky, who mocks Astrov by mentioning log stoves and building wooden sheds. Astrov replies that it’s alright to utilize the forest’s resources, but there’s no reason to destroy it completely. As he describes the pollution and destruction of Russia’s natural beauty, he sees that Voynitsky is looking at him ironically, as if Astrov isn’t being serious. Astrov admits that maybe his deep concern for forestry is a bit mad, but he explains how he feels a deep sense of fulfilment and pride when he sees his trees growing and imagines how much he’s helping future generations. As he finally goes inside, Sonya follows him and eagerly asks when he’ll return.
The contrast between Astrov and Voynitsky grows sharper than ever as Astrov explains his passion for forestry. While Voynitsky stews in his regret and self-pity, Astrov focuses his attention outward, to the wider world and the generations of people who will live after him. These two characters approach the idea of legacy from completely different angles. Voynitsky can only see it in terms of his own fame (or lack thereof), while Astrov looks outside himself. Astrov is a troubled figure as well, but he takes some measure of peace in the idea that his legacy will be something that extends beyond his own life and perhaps might benefit future generations.
Themes
Voynitsky and Yelena converse as they walk toward the garden’s terrace. Yelena berates Voynitsky for his teasing and petty arguments with everyone. Voynitsky admits that he hates Professor Serebryakov, but Yelena tells him that there’s no good reason to hate the professor. Voynitsky insists that she’s wasting her life with Serebryakov, which angers Yelena. She tells Voynitsky that Astrov is right; everyone has a “devil of destruction” in them. Just as mankind is destroying Russia’s forests, Voynitsky is destroying the professor’s peace of mind for no good reason, as he has no sympathy for nature or humanity. These remarks make Voynitsky uncomfortable. Yelena remarks that Sonya is clearly attracted to Astrov, and she wonders why she (Yelena) hasn’t opened up to him more. Voynitsky desperately tells Yelena that he loves her, but Yelena doesn’t reciprocate, telling him to be quiet so that no one hears.
At this point, the impossibility of Voynitsky’s desire for Yelena becomes clear. She has no feelings for him, and she’s uncomfortable with his open and shameless flirting. However, this exchange reveals much more about Voynitsky than about Yelena. His discomfort at Yelena’s scolding implies that he once believed in being a kind and honorable person, or maybe he still does at some level. But even if he’s aware of how far he's fallen from his ideal self, he remains unable or unwilling to confront this reality directly. Instead, his desperate hope that Yelena could suddenly fall in love with him and abandon the professor consumes his thoughts, day and night. Without that fantasy to distract him, he might have to take Yelena’s words to heart and realize how unreasonable he’s become—and facing this reality isn’t something Vanya is prepared to do.
Themes
