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
That night, in the house’s dining room, Professor Serebryakov and Yelena sit in chairs and doze in front of an open window. The professor wakes from an unpleasant dream and laments the pain and illness that seem to be tormenting him lately. He curses his old age and openly tells Yelena that she probably finds him repulsive. As he feels sorry for himself and tries to apologize for his age, Yelena tells him to stop. He continues to insist that it’s his fault everyone around him is miserably wasting their youth, and he tells Yelena that he’ll be dead soon anyway, which means that everyone will be free. Yelena tells him to stop talking like that, as it makes her feel exhausted.
The professor’s despair in this moment reveals that he, like so many of the estate’s other occupants, is considerably miserable. Despite Voynitsky’s intense hatred and envy of him, Serebryakov clearly has problems of his own, some of which ironically echo those of Voynitsky. Both men are afraid of being old and of realizing that they’ve wasted their youth. It appears that Serebryakov has more sympathy for the house’s other occupants than Voynitsky does, but the professor’s complaints are still self-obsessed and self-pitying.
Themes
Serebryakov remarks that everyone seems to hate hearing him speak, but he wonders if it’s his right as an old man to be a little egotistical. He hates living in this house with these foolish people and their trivial conversations, and he wishes he could live a life where his academic work makes him famous and respected. It’s driving him crazy to watch others succeed while he rots in this place. Yelena tells him to be patient, as she’ll be old as well in a few years’ time.
As Serebryakov continues his rant, he sounds more and more like Voynitsky. The professor wants to be famous and respected just as much as Voynitsky does, and he’s similarly fixated on the fact that he’s unlikely to leave an impressive legacy behind. Meanwhile, both men suffer due to impossible desires. Serebryakov wants to make his name known and respected, but it seems clear that he’s far past his prime and isn’t likely to undertake much more meaningful work. His insults toward the people of the house also reveal that he doesn’t feel as sorry for them as he previously implied.
Themes
Sonya enters the room and scolds Serebryakov for refusing to see Doctor Astrov after summoning him to the house. The professor stubbornly refuses to talk to Astrov, considering him crazy or foolish. Voynitsky walks in soon afterward, wearing a nightgown and carrying a candle. He warns them of a storm brewing and tells Yelena and Sonya to go to bed—he’ll take care of Serebryakov for the rest of the night. The professor protests, as he doesn’t want to be left alone with Voynitsky and his teasing. Marina soon comes in and sympathizes with the old professor, coddling him as she takes him off to bed. She comforts him by bringing up memories of his late first wife, to whom the house originally belonged. She leads the professor out of the room, and Sonya follows.
Serebryakov’s refusal to be alone in the room with Voynitsky implies that there’s already some tension between the two of them. It’s possible that they’ve had arguments before, or that the professor is simply uncomfortable with Voynitsky’s spiteful comments. Marina seems to be the only character who treats Serebryakov as he wants to be treated. As much as he hates being an old man, he clearly wants the others to give him special treatment due to his age.
Themes
Yelena and Voynitsky are left alone together. Yelena complains that the professor wears her out, while Voynitsky claims that he (Voynitsky) wears himself out and is hardly able to sleep. Yelena goes on to reflect on how the whole house seems troubled and how she’s had to keep herself from crying many times recently, due to all of the resentment and hatred all the house’s inhabitants feel toward one other. She claims that such hatred is slowly destroying the world, and she insists that Voynitsky should try to reconcile everyone instead of complaining. Voynitsky suddenly begs Yelena to reconcile him with his own feelings, once again confessing his attraction to her. Just as before, she recoils from him and tells him to go to bed.
Now that the play has established each character’s specific type of misery, Yelena’s feeling of being overwhelmed is understandable. She finds herself surrounded by people who constantly want things they can never have, and Voynitsky is her most irritating reminder of this. Each time he persists in complaining, his desire to win her affection seems more and more impossible, but the desire itself is equally impossible to dismiss or satisfy. The household was already tense at the beginning of the play, but each time Voynitsky pushes his luck, the situation inches closer to a boiling point.
Themes
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Disheartened, Voynitsky launches into a speech about how he’s wasted his life on nonsense. He feels that his love for Yelena is likewise going to waste, and he asks her what he’s supposed to do with all his agonizing feelings. Yelena tells him that she feels nothing for him and doesn’t know what to say at times like this. She tries to dismiss him again and leave the room, but he blocks her way and insists that they’re wasting both their lives as long as she’s with the professor. Living so close to her without possessing her is agony for Voynitsky, and he begs her to understand how he feels. Yelena tells him that he’s drunk, and he admits to it. He continues chasing her affection, but she eventually gets away from him and leaves the room.
The intense regret Voynitsky feels and his impossible love for Yelena are closely connected, especially in this moment. His anxieties about aging and his regrets are what draw him to Yelena, but it’s exactly these things that drive her away, thus all but guaranteeing that his desire will remain unmet. Because Voynitsky’s regrets fuel his romantic attraction, he sees Yelena as an object of his desire — a glimmer of hope that could save him from his miserable circumstances. Yelena can sense his desperation, and this is likely one reason she ignores his advances.
Themes
Left alone, Voynitsky talks aloud to himself about the missed opportunities in his life. He wishes he had fallen in love with Yelena years ago, so that they’d still be married today. He wishes she would try to understand his feelings, rather than focus on her “pointless” philosophy. He also regrets the days when he admired Serebryakov and supported him financially, as the professor seems to have no fame or notoriety after all his work. Just then, Astrov and Telegin enter, with Telegin holding a guitar. Astrov seems drunk and asks Telegin to play a song. Telegin says that everyone’s asleep, but Astrov insists, so Telegin plays quietly.
Voynitsky’s monologue puts the nature of his misery into even sharper focus. His regret about never achieving fame or prestige leads to his impossible desire for Yelena, which remains just as fruitless as his desire for fame, and so on. Voynitsky could stop this vicious cycle by soberly examining his situation and developing his self-awareness, but at this point, his emotions seem to be completely out of his control. Despite his childish behavior, Voynitsky’s feeling of helplessness makes him a sympathetic (or at least tragic) figure.
Themes
Astrov mentions that the storm woke him up and that he heard Yelena’s voice. He asks Voynitsky why he seems so glum today and asks whether Voynitsky is in love with Yelena. Voynitsky says that Yelena is his good friend, and Astrov tells him that a woman can only be a man’s good friend after she’s been his mistress. Astrov admits his drunkenness is making him rude, but he explains that he only gets this drunk once a month. During these times, he gains much confidence and feels like he can do almost anything. Astrov asks Voynitsky if he wants to get a drink, but before Voynitsky can answer, Sonya enters the room. Astrov apologizes for looking like a mess and quickly leaves with Telegin.
With some teasing and questioning from Astrov, Voynitsky shows some self-awareness when he calls Yelena his good friend. Voynitsky might know that Yelena doesn’t have feelings for him and that this is unlikely to change, or he might just feel too embarrassed about his bad luck with her to claim that she’s anything more than a friend. Either way, his impossible desire makes him self-conscious in this moment, most likely because Yelena herself isn’t present. When he can’t pursue her directly, it’s more difficult for him to maintain the fantasy that she’d leave the professor for him.
Themes
Sonya asks Voynitsky why he’s been getting drunk with the doctor, as such behavior doesn’t suit him at his age. Voynitsky dismisses her concerns about his age, insisting that age doesn’t matter when his life has no real meaning, and is lived “by mirages.” Sonya reprimands him for living in illusions while she does all the work around the house, then notices that Voynitsky is crying. When Sonya asks why Voynitsky is crying, he denies it and wishes his sister (the professor’s first wife) was still alive. He says, “if she only knew.” Sonya wonders what this means, but Voynitsky won’t elaborate. He dismisses the thought and sullenly leaves the room, leaving Sonya to knock on the nearby door and ask Astrov if he’s awake.
Voynitsky’s dismissal of Sonya’s concerns about his age is another sign that he believes his life is practically over now that he’s middle-aged. Like the professor, he’s using his old age as an excuse to behave more selfishly than he might otherwise. Notably, Voynitsky’s admission that he’s living “by mirages” implies that he knows exactly how ridiculous he’s acting as he chases Yelena’s affection. Even as he pursues her relentlessly, he seems to know deep down that his desire is impossible to satisfy. His remark about his sister is most likely an expression of his wish that she were still alive to help and comfort him in his lowest moment.
Themes
When Astrov answers the door, Sonya tells him that he can drink if he must; however, he mustn’t allow her uncle Vanya (Voynitsky) to drink, as it’s especially bad for him. Astrov agrees to this and explains that he’s going home before sunrise. She points out that it’s raining and tells him to wait until morning, but he insists on going. He also tells her not to call him over to perform checkups on the professor anymore, as Serebryakov is always difficult to deal with. Sonya agrees that the professor’s been spoiled, and she asks Astrov if he wants something to eat. He agrees, and the two begin chatting.
This brief respite from the household’s misery lets Sonya and Astrov take a breath and get to know each other better. Sonya continues to show a special interest in Astrov as she once again asks him to stay longer, though it’s possible that her desire for him is just as impossible as Voynitsky’s desire for Yelena.
Themes
As he eats, Astrov remarks that he probably wouldn’t be able to last one month living in this house. He thinks he’d be suffocated by the professor’s illness, Voynitsky’s depression, and even Yelena. Sonya asks what’s wrong with Yelena, and Astrov explains that a woman should be beautiful in every aspect of her being. While Yelena is outwardly beautiful and charming, he considers her spirit to be lacking, as she lives a life of idleness without responsibilities. To him, this means her life can’t possibly be virtuous, but he admits he might be judging her too harshly. He thinks he’s becoming old and bitter like Voynitsky.
At this point, Astrov reinforces another of the play’s central themes: the connection between hard work and virtue. Once again, the play links idleness with disorder and despair, just as it did at beginning of the play, when Marina complained about Serebryakov and Yelena causing chaos with their idleness. Without work to keep her busy, Yelena has become aimless and unhappy, and here Astrov claims that her feelings are somehow infectious, affecting the entire household.
Themes
Sonya asks Astrov if he doesn’t enjoy life. He tells her that he loves life “in general,” but hates the narrow country life he lives. A light of hope at the end of the tunnel can help him tolerate the difficulties of his life, but he feels that he doesn’t see any such light anymore. He admits that he hasn’t even loved anyone in a long time, as he can’t seem to get along with either the dull peasants or the stuffy academics. The people in his life tend to spread rumors about him and call him strange because of his interest in forestry. These reflections drive Astrov to reach for his drink again, but Sonya entreats him not to drink anymore, as he seems cultured and being drunk doesn’t suit him. She asks him to give her his word that he won’t drink anymore, and he agrees.
Sonya’s exchange with Astrov continues to flesh out their characters, giving more context for their actions and beliefs. While Voynitsky hates growing older as he realizes how much time he’s wasted, and Serebryakov can’t stand the physical difficulties of old age, Astrov instead focuses on his growing emotional numbness as he ages. At the same time, his interest in forestry still makes him feel proud and hopeful in a way nothing else can, as it makes him think about the legacy he’ll leave behind for future generations. His agreement not to drink anymore is a sign that he might have more hope left in him than he thinks, or maybe he just wants Sonya to think so.
Themes
Astrov goes on to reflect on his old age and his dried-up feelings. He still appreciates beauty, including Yelena’s beauty, but he doesn’t consider that to be real love, even if something could happen between them. During a lull in the conversation, Sonya asks him how he’d react if she had a friend or sister who loved him. He shrugs and says that he’d probably have to tell her that he couldn’t love her. He insists on leaving so that the two of them won’t be talking until morning, and then he leaves the room. Alone, Sonya feels strangely happy despite Astrov not seeming to show any romantic interest in her. Despite this feeling, she still curses herself for being ugly compared to other young women.
Despite his old age wearing him down, Astrov still has a much healthier attitude about growing old than Voynitsky or Serebryakov. He remains a perfect foil to them, staying relatively resolute and respectable even as life disappoints him. Meanwhile, Sonya finally confirms beyond doubt that she has romantic feelings for Astrov. Her strange sense of happiness in this moment indicates that she might be hiding her own disappointment behind a wall of false hope.
Themes
Yelena enters the room and opens the window, mentioning that the storm has passed. After a brief pause, Yelena suddenly asks Sonya why the two of them seem to be enemies, when neither has done any harm to the other. Sonya hugs her and seconds this sentiment. They agree to stop being cross with each other, then they pour drinks and begin a friendly conversation. Sonya suddenly starts crying, and it isn’t long before Yelena is crying too, as the two of them connect with each other over their personal issues. Yelena says she understands why Sonya might have been angry with her: Sonya thought Yelena might have married the professor for his money, but Yelena admits she married him for love. Still, her feelings have changed since then.
This conversation reveals that even Yelena isn’t immune to the regret that seems to affect nearly everyone living in the estate. But even as she wishes she didn’t marry Serebryakov, she remains faithful to him for reasons that will become clear later. For now, the two women bond in an effort to escape from the negative and emotionally draining energy of this house full of bitter enemies.
Themes
Sonya asks Yelena if she’s happy, and Yelena admits that she isn’t. Then Sonya asks if Yelena finds Astrov attractive, and Yelena answers in the affirmative. Ashamed, Sonya compares herself and her seeming ugliness to the nobility and skill of Astrov. Yelena agrees that the doctor is a charming and deeply good man. She doesn’t even blame him for drinking every now and then, considering the grim and often depressing nature of his work. But she considers herself a “boring incidental character” compared to him. She admits that she’s deeply unhappy, while Sonya can’t help but laugh and admit how happy she feels herself. Yelena suddenly wants to play the piano, so Sonya leaves the room to ask Serebryakov if he wouldn’t mind the noise. Yelena imagines herself playing and crying, but Sonya comes back to inform her that the professor doesn’t want her to play.
The impossible desires of both Yelena and Sonya come to the forefront at this point in their conversation. Notably, both women seem to be aware (at least at some level) that what they want can probably never happen. Sonya still pines for Astrov, she but sadly acknowledges how plain she is, knowing that Astrov only appreciates beauty nowadays. Yelena, meanwhile, admits that she admires Astrov as well. These feelings may even be romantic, but she knows that she’d be unwilling to abandon her husband. Yelena can’t even satisfy her simple desire to let out her feelings while playing the piano, as doing so would bother the professor. The women’s attempt to become friends and lighten the oppressive atmosphere fizzles out at this point. The silence of the piano emphasizes the uncomfortable tension that still hangs heavy in the house.
Themes
