Uncle Vanya

Discuss alcohol as a motif of resignation in the play and the significance of alcohol in the play’s exploration of Despair Versus Work and Faith.

Compare and contrast the relationships between Helena and Voitski, Helena and Astroff, and Helena and Serebrakoff. What do they reveal about the male characters?

Select one extended monologue from the play for close reading. Identify and analyze some of the literary devices and significant linguistic choices in the passage. How does your chosen passage contribute to the play’s presentation of themes and the characterization of the speaker?

Analyze the role and function of the secondary character Telegin in the play. Consider how his character marries comedic and tragic elements and how the social context of 19th-century Russia is reflected in his circumstances.

How does the relationship between Helena and Sonia change throughout the play? What significance does their relationship have regarding the theme of The Complexities of Interpersonal Relationships?

Uncle Vanya contains some of the earliest discussions of climate change and environmental degradation as a result of human activity in Western literature. Compare and contrast the environmental concerns expressed in Uncle Vanya with those affecting the modern world. To what extent have attitudes changed with the times?

“Chekhov’s gun” is a narrative principle famously derived from Anton Chekhov’s approach to writing. It states that every element mentioned in a story must be necessary to the plot and that all irrelevant elements should be eliminated. Discuss the extent to which this principle is followed in Uncle Vanya, as well as the effectiveness and impact of such concision in theater.

How does the depiction of romance in Uncle Vanya contribute to Chekov’s exploration of the power dynamic between men and women? Consider the position of women in 19th-century Russia.