Marina Character Analysis in Uncle Vanya

Marina Timofeevna is the elderly nurse and housekeeper of Professor Serebryakov’s country estate. She has a kind and motherly personality, often comforting and coddling Sonya and the professor in their time of need. However, Marina also isn’t afraid to speak her mind in more private settings, and she sometimes shows her stern side. Marina has a strong sense of morality and Christian faith, which she cites as a reason for her disapproval of the professor and his wife. Life has descended into chaos since the couple moved into the country house, and Marina can’t approve of this disarray. Unlike the main characters, Marina is content with her place in the world and even with her old age. When Yelena and Serebryakov leave the house for good at the end of the play, Marina believes that everything is back to the way it should be.

Marina Quotes in Uncle Vanya

The Uncle Vanya quotes below are all either spoken by Marina or refer to Marina. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

I sat down, closed my eyes — like this — and thought: will those who will be living a hundred, two hundred years from now, those for whom we are now laying down the road to the future, will they remember us in their prayers? Nyanya, they won’t!

Related Characters: Astrov (speaker), Serebryakov, Marina

Page Number and Citation: 146

Explanation and Analysis:

Marina Character Timeline in Uncle Vanya

The timeline below shows where the character Marina appears in Uncle Vanya. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...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... (full context)

Marina offers Astrov something to eat, but he once again declines her offer. He continues listing... (full context)

...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... (full context)

...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.... (full context)

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... (full context)

...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... (full context)

...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... (full context)

Just then, Professor Serebryakov, Sonya, Marina, and Telegin enter the room. The professor wonders where the others are, complaining that the... (full context)

...more manic as the others try fruitlessly to calm him down. As Sonya clings to Marina for comfort, Voynitsky announces that he realizes what he must do and that Serebryakov will... (full context)

...down. Serebryakov reluctantly agrees, and he and Yelena step into the room Voynitsky ran into. Marina holds a distraught Sonya and comforts her as they wait. (full context)

Later that evening, Marina and Telegin sit in Voynitsky’s room, which doubles as an office and has a map... (full context)

Voynitsky and Astrov enter the room, and Voynitsky tells Marina and Telegin to leave him alone for an hour. As the two of them depart,... (full context)

Astrov remarks that the professor is probably glad to be out of this place, and Marina enters the room to confirm that the couple has left. As planned, Sonya and Voynitsky... (full context)

Just before Astrov leaves, Marina offers him tea, then vodka, which he finds much more tempting. After taking a drink,... (full context)

Marina Character Analysis

Marina Quotes in Uncle Vanya

Act 1 Quotes

Marina Character Timeline in Uncle Vanya