Uncle Vanya is a play written by Anton Chekhov. It is set on a typical Russian estate in the late 19th century. After Alexander and his new wife relocate back to the estate, life for the estate inhabitants changes dramatically. There are a couple of misunderstandings that are a bit comical which help develop the play.
Considering the historical context, the play is set prior to the Russian revolution, an era that was characteristic of people giving up on everything outside family and dedicating themselves for the glory of their families. This is a role that Vanya plays so well. But at the end of the day, he is disillusioned upon the return of Alexander a situation that is worsened by the intention of Alexander wanting to sell the estate.
It is indeed a moving play though in a very simple way. This seen as it develops its major themes of work and reward as well as sacrifice and hope. The message of sacrifice is carried by Vanya but hope is seen through Sonia who at some point gets to see faith and where it lies. On the same not, it is through her character that hope is built. Lack of love as seen through Vanya and his niece Sonia is an aspect that paints sadness in the play but it is self inflicted.
Almost everyone in the play is in a bit of a mess or in deep pain. They do not do so much to change their current positions nor their destinies. The ideal of just being free is a far off dream and getting out of their positions and situations easy yet no one wants to do something about it. The play therefore signifies how some people can really sacrifice their lives for others and those who are sacrificed for don’t see or are not thoughtful enough to see this.
Work Cited
SparkNotes Editors. (n.d.). SparkNote on Uncle Vanya. Retrieved June 12, 2013, from http://www.sparknotes.com/drama/unclevanya/citing.html
