Uncle Vanya the plot of the play. "Uncle Ivan

"Uncle Ivan"- play by A.P. Chekhov completed in 1896

"Uncle Vanya" main characters

Serebryakov Alexander Vladimirovich - retired professor
Sofia Alexandrovna (Sonya) - his daughter from his first marriage, Uncle Vanya's niece
Elena Andreevna - his wife, aged 27
Voynitskaya Maria Vasilievna - widow of the Privy Councilor, mother of Uncle Vanya and the professor's first wife
Voynitsky Ivan Petrovich - uncle Vanya, her son, professor's brother-in-law
Astrov Mikhail Lvovich - doctor
Telegin Ilya Ilyich - impoverished landowner
Marina - old nanny
Employee

"Uncle Vanya" summary

The action takes place in the estate of the first wife of Professor Serebryakov, where he is temporarily forced to live, unable to afford a decent city apartment. For many years, Ivan Petrovich Voinitsky, Uncle Vanya, has been looking after the estate, running the entire household. The daughter of his deceased sister and Professor Serebryakov, Sonya, helps him.

The professor himself married a young beautiful lady - Elena Andreevna, who claims that she married him for love. Elena Andreevna has a strained relationship with her stepdaughter Sonya. The old nanny, Marina, helps the family with the housework. Also in this estate lives the impoverished landowner Ilya Ilyich Telegin.

Professor Serebryakov has constant attacks of gout. Dr. Mikhail Lvovich Astrov arrives at the Serebryakov estate.

Uncle Vanya is jealous of the professor in everything and does not recognize his scholarship, although in the past he idolized him. Voinitsky confesses his love to Elena Andreevna. Elena Andreevna likes the doctor, but she also suspects that Sonya is hiding something from her in this regard. For this, Elena Andreevna decides to have a frank conversation with Astrov. He confesses to her that he has only friendly relations with Sonya, even though she loves him like a man. Astrov jokingly invites Elena Andreevna to secretly have an affair.

At this time, Professor Serebryakov gathers a family council, at which he offers family members to sell the estate. Voinitsky's father bought it for Uncle Vanya's sister - there was barely enough money, and for this Uncle Vanya renounced the inheritance. He worked tirelessly so that there were no debts, and delightedly reread the works of the professor. Voinitsky's sister bequeathed the estate to her daughter, Sonya. Uncle Vanya understands that his life has almost gone in vain - a revolt of the former weak-willed person is brewing.

A scandal breaks out in the family. In desperation, Wojnicki recalls to Serebryakov all his hardships and hardships for the sake of professorial fame and tries to shoot the professor.

Unexpectedly, the doctor discovers that a jar of morphine has disappeared from him, and, suspecting Voinitsky of this, he takes the morphine by force. The Serebryakovs immediately decide to leave the estate. Voinitsky reconciles with the professor and convinces him that he will receive the same maintenance as before. Serebryakov and Elena Andreevna leave, while Sonya and Voinitsky remain at the estate. Astrov also leaves later. Sonya and Voinitsky work in the office, writing down accounts.

Events take place in the estate of Serebryakov. Living with him: Sonya (daughter from his first marriage), Elena Andreevna (second wife), Uncle Vanya. Also present: doctor Astrov. Nanny Marina. The heroes do not like living in the house, Serebryakov wants to sell the estate and move to the city, but Uncle Vanya is against it. After a big fight, they leave. Uncle Vanya and Sonya remain in the house.

The play reveals the theme of a wasted personality, opportunities that were missed and a life lived meaninglessly.

Read the summary of Uncle Vanya Chekhov

Russia, late 19th century. The action of the play takes place in the estate of a retired professor Serebryakov, married by a second marriage to 27-year-old Elena Andreevna. Sonya also lives with him, a daughter from his first marriage, the mother of his first wife and brother-in-law, Ivan Voinitsky, aka Uncle Vanya, he is 47 years old at the time of the events.

Serebryakov's estate used to belong to his first wife, who later died. Uncle Vanya has been taking care of this estate for many years, his niece Sonya helps him. The relationship between Sonya and stepmother Elena Andreevna cannot be called good, Sonya is sure that she did not marry her father out of love.

In addition, it is not known why the impoverished landowner Ilya Telegin, Sonya's godfather, lives on the estate. Mikhail Astrov, Serebryakov's doctor, often comes to the estate. The professor has frequent attacks of gout, and he does not trust the doctor, considering him a poor specialist. In addition, the old nanny Marina lives with them.

Elena Andreevna no longer loves her old husband, Sonya loves Dr. Astrov, and Uncle Vanya loves Elena Andreevna and hates the professor, although he used to admire him.

Once Serebryakov was held in high esteem, everyone respected him, he was surrounded by women, but now no one needs him.

The atmosphere in the house is bad, Elena speaks about it best when communicating with Voynitsky. Voinitsky is always dissatisfied with everything, grumbles, runs after Elena like a dog, which is very unpleasant for her. Voinitsky regrets that he did not marry Elena 10 years ago, he recalls their meeting.

All communication in the house takes place during a thunderstorm, from which everyone woke up. First, Uncle Vanya talks to Elena, then to Astrov. Then Astrov and Sonya. Sonya with Elena Andreevna. Sonya and her stepmother reconciled, Elena said that she would like a young husband and is not happy now.

In the afternoon, Sonya told Elena that she loved Astrov, Elena promised to talk to him so that he would give his answer to Sonya. Astrov did not like Sonya, she was not beautiful, he said that he did not like Sonya, unlike Elena. Astrov began to pester Elena, kiss her, but Uncle Vanya prevented him, Astrov ran away.

At 13:00, Professor Serebryakov gathered all the inhabitants of the house in the living room to tell them something, he suddenly realized that he did not live well in the estate, he wanted to go to the city, but there was no money to live in the city. He wants to sell the estate, move to the city, buy a dacha in Finland and live off the interest. Voinitsky is very surprised at this, he says that his father bought this house for his sister, and now it belongs to Sonya. He says that they have nowhere to go, to him, Sonya and mother. But Voinitsky continues, claiming that he renounced his part of the inheritance in favor of this house and worked hard to pay off all debts. Uncle Vanya was extremely angry, he told him everything that had accumulated over several years.

The result of what happened was that the inhabitants of the house could no longer stay under the same roof. Voinitsky even tried to shoot the professor, but he failed. Serebryakov and Elena quickly left for Kharkov. Astrov unsuccessfully asked Elena to stay. Voinitsky and the professor reconciled, and Astrov followed them.

Uncle Vanya and Sonya remained on the estate, they sat down together at the papers in order to finally put them in order.

Picture or drawing Uncle Vanya

Chekhov "Uncle Vanya", act 2 - briefly

Arriving on vacation at the estate, selfish Professor Serebryakov only burdens all its inhabitants with his late daily routine and incessant complaints of gout. Uncle Vanya continues to confess his love to Elena Andreevna, advising with bitter sarcasm that she, like himself, should not waste her life on trifles. However, Elena remains adamant.

A friend, Dr. Astrov, often visits Uncle Vanya and Sonya - an inspired, enthusiastic person. An ascetic of medical practice, in addition to it, he also gives a lot of strength to forest plantations. Kind, generous, but ugly Sonya is fond of Astrov, but he pays little attention to her. Sonya is embarrassed to talk to the doctor about love herself. Elena Andreevna undertakes to help her in this.

Chekhov "Uncle Vanya", act 3 - briefly

Elena Andreevna feels with trepidation that Uncle Vanya's convictions still had an effect on her. Once she married old Serebryakov out of admiration for his scholarship, but then she became very disappointed in a capricious, pretentious wife. Elena is unhappy in marriage, she wants true love. However, she is not attracted to Uncle Vanya, but to the bright, selfless Astrov.

Elena anxiously takes it upon herself to talk to Astrov about Sonya's feelings. An experienced female instinct tells her: the doctor is in love not with Sonya, but with her - that's why he has been frequenting the estate lately. During the conversation, Elena's assumptions are confirmed. Astrov says that Sonya is not attracted to him, but in a fit of passion he tries to hug and kiss Elena. In this position, Uncle Vanya accidentally enters them. In great embarrassment, in fear of falling morally, Elena tells Astrov that today she and her husband will leave the estate.

"Uncle Ivan". Performance based on the play by A.P. Chekhov. Steps 3-4. Maly Theater

Meanwhile, the mercenary, callous Serebryakov makes a plan for the future for himself. Immediately after the events described above, he gathers all the relatives in the living room and sets out this project of his to them. The income from the estate seems to Serebryakov insufficient. He wants to sell the estate, take the money he received, place some of it in bank papers and live on interest. The stunned uncle Vanya asks where to go after the sale of the estate to him and his old mother? The professor replies that this "will be discussed in due course." Sonya is also shocked: Uncle Vanya and she have been working without rest for many years, and now their father wants to throw them out into the street! Ivan Petrovich, in a fit of just rage, grabs a revolver, shoots Serebryakov twice, but misses.

Chekhov "Uncle Vanya", act 4 - briefly

Overwhelmed by longing from Elena's dislike and meanness of Serebryakov, Uncle Vanya decides to commit suicide. He steals a jar of morphine from Astrov's first aid kit. The doctor notices the loss and persuades Ivan Petrovich to give morphine. Uncle Vanya returns him only under Sonya's persistent begging.

Astrov makes one last attempt to convince Elena to stay with him, but she refuses, not daring to violate the book's moral prescriptions. All the main characters of the play - Uncle Vanya, Sonya, Astrov, Elena Andreevna - due to tragic mismatches and false prejudices, hopes for a better new life are crumbling. They all experience severe mental anguish.

Elena warmly says goodbye to the doctor and uncle Vanya. Ivan Petrovich outwardly reconciles with Serebryakov. The professor leaves the plan to sell the estate, and Uncle Vanya promises to continue to send him the same amounts as before.

Serebryakov and Elena Andreevna leave the estate for the city. Astrov is also leaving for his small estate until next summer. Suppressed Sonya, wiping her eyes, urges Uncle Vanya to do something: otherwise neither he nor she will forget. The two of them sit down to their usual boring chores - they make up accounts for vegetable oil and buckwheat.

Characters

Serebryakov Alexander Vladimirovich, retired professor.
Elena Andreevna, his wife, 27 years old.
Sonya, his daughter from his first marriage.
Voshshtskaya Maria Vasilievna, widow of the Privy Councilor, mother of the professor's first wife.
Voinitsky Ivan Petrovich, her son.
Astrov Mikhail Lvovich, doctor.
Telegin Ilya Ilyich, an impoverished landowner.
Maria is an old nanny.

Act one

Astrov and Marina reminisce about the past years, Astrov complains that he is "drawn out by life", everyday worries and an abundance of work. He notices that his feelings have completely dulled, he loves one old nanny. Astrov is horrified that he works so much without hope of gratitude, without the prospect of rest, and therefore without any sense. Marina complains that after the arrival at the house of Professor Serebryakov and his young wife, everything in the house went awry: the usual daily routine was violated, because Serebryakov sleeps until noon, but then wakes up the servants at night and demands to feed him Voinntsky develops this topic. He and Sonya worked a lot on the estate, squeezed the maximum out of the economy, denied themselves small things in order to send more money to the professor. They believed that he was a genius, that he was a great person, and now Voyntsky understands that Serebryakov is a nonentity. "For twenty-five years he has been chewing on other people's thoughts about realism, naturalism and all sorts of other nonsense; for twenty-five years he has been reading and writing about what smart people have long known, but for stupid people it is not interesting, which means that for twenty-five years he pours from empty to empty. What time, what self-conceit! What pretensions! He retired, and not a single living soul knows him, he is completely unknown, which means that for twenty-five years he has occupied someone else's place. Voypitsky believes that Elena should cheat on her old husband, whom she cannot stand (according to Voynitsky). Elena, Sonya, Maria Vasilievna enter. Astrov asks Elena if it is possible to see the professor who sent for him about his illness. Elena replies that the day before her husband was moping, but today he already feels well, so, apparently, he will not accept Astrov, who traveled thirty miles for him. Maria Vasilievna is immersed in the study of some brochures that are "sent" to her. She idolizes her former son-in-law, calls on everyone to "obey Alexander." Wojitsky constantly laments aloud about his unfulfilled life, unfulfilled dreams, failed destiny, but does not specify what this destiny is. Astrov loves the forest, planting trees in his free time, developing a map of the region, on which he notes the state of the forests of the county over the past fifty years. He advocates for the preservation of forests, for the use of other methods of space heating (not with wood, but with peat), he hopes that soon people will understand that it is impossible to destroy nature thanks to people like him. Astrov tells Elena about this. She understands little, believes that the young doctor should not have such strange hobbies. On the contrary, Sonya, who is secretly in love with Astrov, is enthusiastic about all the doctor's undertakings. After the departure of Astrov and Sonya, who goes to see him off, Voishchsky tries to declare his love to Elena, scolding Serebryakov. Elena is tired of it.

Action two

Night. Serebryakov does not feel well, is naughty, does not let Elena and Sonya sleep, who take turns on duty near him. Serebryakov reproaches Elena with her concern, grumbles, annoys her with promises to die soon, demands even more attention: in this crypt, every day to see stupid people here, listen to insignificant conversations ... I want to live, I love success, fame, noise, but here it’s like in exile. Marina comes to replace Elena and Sonya. Vopshsky seizes a moment to be alone with Elena and again begins to talk about his feelings. Elena complains: “It’s not safe in this house. Your mother hates everything except her brochures and the professor; the professor is irritated, doesn’t believe me, is afraid of you; Sonya is angry with her father, angry with me and hasn’t spoken to me for two weeks now; you hate husband and openly despise your mother; I am irritated and today I began to cry twenty times ... " Elena Voinitsky is disgusted, she leaves, and he begins to lament why he did not marry her himself, but preferred to rush about with Sebryakov, as with a written bag, and forget himself for the sake of his science. Entered Astrov notices that Elena is indeed a luxurious woman. He is drunk; he confesses that only when he is drunk does he truly feel like a man, he performs the most complex operations, draws plans for the future, and believes that he is benefiting humanity. Sonya begs Astrov not to drink anymore. Astrov says that one can suffocate in the Serebryakovs' house, so the air there is saturated with mutual hatred and idleness. Even for Elena, Astrov finds no excuse: “Everything should be beautiful in a person: face, clothes, soul, and thoughts ... She is beautiful, there is no doubt, but .... after all, she only eats, sleeps, walks, she enchants us all with her beauty and nothing else. She has no duties, others work for her ... And an idle life cannot be clean. " Sonya tells Astrov one compliment after another, hinting at her feelings for him. Astrov does not seem to understand what he is talking about. By the way, he notices that he could be carried away by Elena, because she is very beautiful. Sonya knows that although she has many other virtues (kindness, generosity), she cannot win Astrov's love because she is outwardly unattractive. Elena invites Sonya to make peace, assures that she married Serebryakov for love, but did not calculate her strength and was very tired of the whims and grumblings of the eternally dissatisfied old man. He does not even allow her to play the piano under the pretext of his poor health, despite the fact that Elena graduated from the conservatory and music is her profession. Sonya asks Elena to talk to Astrov and find out if she, Sonya, can count on reciprocity. Elena knows the answer even without a conversation, but agrees to fulfill her stepdaughter's request. Elena invites Astrov into the room, asks to show her the maps drawn up by him, understands little from the passionate monologue of the doctor, advocating a reasonable and careful attitude to nature, scolding people for not being able to manage the achievements of progress. “Yes, I understand that if highways, railways were laid down in the place of these destroyed forests, if there were factories, factories, schools, the people would become healthier, richer, smarter, but there’s nothing like that here! There are the same swamps in the county, mosquitoes, the same lack of roads, poverty, typhus, diphtheria, fires ... Here we are dealing with degeneration due to an unbearable struggle for existence; this is degeneration from inertia, from ignorance, from a complete lack of self-consciousness, when a cold, hungry, sick person, in order to save the remnants of life in order to save his children, instinctively, unconsciously grabs at everything that can satisfy his hunger, keep warm, destroys everything, not thinking about tomorrow ... Almost everything has already been destroyed, but nothing has been created yet. Elena ineptly transfers the conversation to Sonya and, making sure that Astrov does not have any feelings for her, asks him to stop visiting the house without the need. Astrov, on the other hand, calls Elena a "cute predator", decides that the conversation was started in order to tease him. He understands that he began to visit the Serebryakovs too often because of Elena. Despite Elena's oaths that she had nothing like this in her thoughts, Astrov makes an appointment with her and kisses her. At this time, Voinitsky enters. Astrov disappears, and Elena announces that she is leaving the estate and demands that Voinitsky persuade Serebryakov to agree to an immediate departure. The professor gathers everyone in one room and announces that he intends to sell the estate, because he cannot live in the countryside, and he does not have enough money to live in the city. Serebryakov asks for advice from his family, citing his impracticality. He proposes to buy a small dacha in Finland, and place the money from the sale of the estate in interest-bearing papers. Voinitsky loses his temper. He wonders where to go with his old mother and Sonya; recalls Serebryakov how much he worked for him without an increase in salary, not daring to spend an extra penny on himself. Finally, Voinitsky says that in fact the estate belongs to Sonya, who inherited it according to the will of her mother, and therefore it is Sonya who must decide what to do with the estate. Maria Vasilievna demands that Voinitsky not contradict Serebryakov, who, of course, knows best what to do. But Voinitsky does not let up: at one time he renounced his part of the inheritance in favor of his sister, Serebryakov's first wife, he himself, with titanic efforts, brought the estate out of debt, and set up the economy. He declares that Serebryakov is zero in science, that he ruined the life of Voinitsky, from whom "Schopenhauer, Dostoevsky could have come out." Everyone persuades Voyntsky not to quarrel with the professor. Voinitsky rushes into the next room, grabs a pistol. Sonya on her knees begs her father to make peace with Voinitskpm, because almost everything said by "Uncle Vanya" is true. Serebryakov goes to Voinitsky, who shoots him twice, but misses. Elena is ill, he begs to take her away immediately from the house.

act four

Serebryakov and Elena are going to leave for Kharkov. Voinitsky is surprised that he tried to kill a man, but a hundred are not brought to justice; from this he concludes that he is mad. He ashamed. Astrov consoles him: “There were only two decent people in the whole district: me and you. But in some ten years, philistine life, despicable life, dragged us in; it poisoned our blood with its rotten fumes, and we became the same vulgar people like everyone else.” Astrov demands that Voinitsky give him back the morphine, which he quietly took from the first-aid kit. Elena comes to say goodbye to Astrov, sends Voinitsky to put up with Serebryakov. Astrov notes that the arrival of the professorial couple turned the whole way of life of its inhabitants upside down, “everyone ... had to give up their business and all summer deal only with your husband’s gout and you ... wherever you and your husband set foot, everywhere you bring destruction ". In parting, they hug. The reconciled Voinitsky, Sonya, Serebryakov enter. They agreed that everything would be the same: Sonya and Voishshkin would work tirelessly, send all the money to Serebryakov, and he, as before, would live in the city of thousands. The Serebryakovs leave. Marina is glad: the usual routine will be established in the house again. Astrov says goodbye: he, too, will not come to this house for a long time. Sonya and Voypitsky sit down to rewrite the accounts. Sonya assures Voinitsky that they must patiently endure all the trials sent to their lot, die humbly, and only after death will they begin a bright and joyful life, only after death will they be able to rest.

In 1889, Chekhov completed a comedy in 4 acts called Leshy. It was published in 1890. Subsequently, after the creation of The Seagull, the writer remade it into the play Uncle Vanya.

In the original version, the drama "Leshy" was staged on 12/27/1889 in Moscow, in the theater of M. M. Abramova. The final completion of the play took place in 1896. It was already called "Uncle Vanya" and had the subtitle "Scenes from village life in four acts." In 1899, when Chekhov was in Yalta, news of the triumph of his play "Uncle Vanya" came there.

In this play, the writer broadly embraces Russian reality and describes the spiritual life of the Russian intelligentsia. He succeeds in this thanks to a very accurate selection of the main characters. Ivan Petrovich, Dr. Astrov, Sonya are people whose concerns and interests go far beyond the narrowly selfish framework of personal life. Life in the provinces is gloomy, full of hopelessness, disappointments, which are further exacerbated by the description of the poverty of the life of ordinary people.

In the play, the leitmotifs of terrible fatigue and loneliness constantly sound. At the same time, they are opposed by the motives of faith in the high ideals of romanticism, attempts to fight alone against the general disorder. Ivan Petrovich and Sonya sincerely believe that by providing materially for Professor Serebryakov, they are thereby serving science. Dr. Astrov draws up a map reflecting the history of the relationship between man and nature, the past, present and future of Russian nature, and this work is the meaning of his life. Provincial heroes already now want to see the results of what they have done and realize the purpose and meaning of their lives. And each character has their own point of view on this matter.

Play analysis

Plot

The storyline is voiced in the very subtitle of the play "Scenes from Village Life". The landowner Ivan Petrovich Voynitsky and his niece Sonya have been financially supporting their son-in-law and, accordingly, their father almost all their lives, sincerely believing that in this way they support science in the person of the scientific luminary Professor Serebryakov. However, with his arrival with his young wife Elena Andreevna, an epiphany occurs in the estate. All these years, Ivan Petrovich worked for the material prosperity of scientific nonentity, who was not capable of creating anything in science at all. Falling in love with Elena Andreevna aggravates the situation. He realizes that his life was wasted, he did not achieve anything, his life wasted in vain, that he was deceived, because he sacrificed his personal life, his family. Helping another, he forgot about himself.

As the story progresses, things get confusing. Ivan Petrovich is unsuccessfully in love with Elena Andreevna, Elena Andreevna is in love with Astrov and not without reciprocity, Sonya is unrequitedly in love with Astrov. And Professor Serebryakov, who settled in the Voinitskys' house, was already tired of everyone with his grumbling and gout. Deciding to improve his material affairs, he proposes to sell the estate and buy a summer house in Finland at the family council. This fills Ivan Petrovich's patience and he shoots the professor twice, fortunately, by. Having reconciled with his relative, the professor and his wife leave, and Sonya and Ivan Petrovich return to their former occupation, managing the estate.

Characteristics of images

The central image of the play is Ivan Petrovich Voynitsky, Uncle Vanya. A man who idolized his son-in-law all his life, revered him as a scientific luminary and, as a result, severely disappointed in him. This is a smart, educated, deeply decent person, capable of sacrifice for the sake of another. His tragedy is that he devoted his whole life to a dummy. He did not achieve anything on his own, did not start a family. The realization of this gnaws at him. His condition is aggravated by unrequited love for Elena Andreevna. He cannot be called a strong personality, because even after realizing everything, he does not try to change something, but dutifully returns to his accounts. In some ways, he resembles a landscape painter from the “House with a Mezzanine”. One could even assume that this is him, only aged. The same inactivity and infantilism with full understanding and awareness of what is happening. He does not even try to escape from that worldly swamp into which he was dragged.

Dr. Mikhail Lvovich Astrov is one of the heroes who attracts attention with the scale of his personality. Elena Andreevna characterizes him most accurately: "... this is a real talent! Courageous, with a free head, on a large scale ... He will plant a tree and already imagine what will happen in thousands of years from this, he already sees the happiness of mankind. Very rare people like that, they need to be respected and loved ... ". Astrov is talented as a doctor, practitioner and thinker. These qualities are manifested in his ability to manage the economy, forestry, in which he put things in order. He loves nature and takes care of it. He belongs to the type of people with whom Russia should be populated. But, even he is not satisfied with the surrounding reality and becomes helpless when confronted with the surrounding reality of Russia. The environment is stronger.

Sonya, like her uncle, served the well-being of her father. There are practically no flaws in her, he is smart, romantic, sacrificial. The reader can only think that her unrequited love for Astrov will eventually be forgotten and she will find her happiness. Because the biggest advantage on her side is her youth.

Elena Andreevna, Serebryakov's wife. The woman is very beautiful in appearance, smart. But, as Astrov says, wherever it passes, destruction occurs. It is in connection with her characterization that he says that “everything should be beautiful in a person, both the soul, and the face, and thoughts.” Unfortunately, Elena Andreevna does not correspond to all these parameters.

And, finally, retired professor Alexander Vladimirovich Serebryakov. Personality extremely unpleasant in all respects. Starting from his eternal grumbling and gout, which he simply got everyone in the house, to his perfect selfishness. Not at all concerned about where his own daughter and Ivan Petrovich will live, who has provided him with a comfortable existence all his life, he simply offers to sell the estate in order to buy himself a summer house in Finland. It is no longer worth saying that as a scientist he is nothing, which, in general, was the cause of Ivan Petrovich's disappointment.

In most of his works, Chekhov avoids voicing his attitude to characters and situations, allowing the reader to draw his own conclusions. But in "Uncle Vanya" the writer's position towards personality and beauty is clearly expressed, which he voiced with Astrov's words: "In the human form, everything should be beautiful: the soul, and the face, and thoughts." And the value of this principle is enduring.