The Wasted Life of Ucle Vania's Character
In Chekov's play Uncle Vania, we observe that most characters are consumed by lethargy, boredom, and regret over their disappointing lives.
In Chekov?s play {Uncle Vania}, we observe that most characters are consumed with lethargy, boredom, and regret over their disappointing and unsatisfactory lives, mourning years they have wasted in drudgery. That we may think that they are half-dead characters with bitterness and hopeless seek the renewal of their lives.
Astrov, the overworked country doctor, relates how his feelings have become dead to the world, how he no longer needs, wants, or loves. Overworked and ruined by provincial life, he finds himself numb to the world and dejected at the thought that he will be forgotten in the course of time.
He has lost his idealism and much of his capacity for close human relationships that he could not become fond of another human being. In fact, his seduction of Yeliena does not show that he is in love: he is merely fascinated by Yeliena?s beauty.
He serves as the play?s visionary. In his plans of forest conversation he dreams of a legacy that he can leave for future generations, extols the beauty of nature, and pitches man?s capacity to create over and against his impulse to destroy.
Uncle Vania is thematically preoccupied with what might sentimentally be called the wasted life. The characters feel lost and seem that they do not know what to do; Voinitsky, for instance, keeps asking his mother and all around him about what to do as if he is a little child. And even after his attempts to kill the professor, his worst enemy, he came to realize that he does not know what he have done. Thus, we come to the point that he is a psychologically ill person; though, he knows himself perfectly and he can present a minute analysis of his own personality.
He feels suffocated by the thought that his live has been irretrievably lost. He knows well that his life is ruined and he thinks that his own brother-in-law, Serebriakov, is the responsible one of destroying his life. So, he resorts to drinking because he thinks that it gives and offers him the illusion of life.
In fact, Voinitsky is not the only one who feels that his own life has been wasted, all the characters do feel so. They have lost their hope in life and have realized that their lives become meaningless and a ruined ones.
Voinitsky, for example, is deeply embittered over having spent his life toiling for the benefit of his brother-in-law, Serebriakov. In fact, Voinitsky functions as the play?s misanthrope, offering a number of humorous caricatures of those around him.
Astrov, the region?s doctor, laments the onset of age: his hard years in the country have left him numb to the world. Maria, voinitsky?s mother, pathetically fends off her unhappiness by studying pamphlets. Yeliena, Serebriakov?s wife, finds herself bound to a miserable husband whom she does not love. As for the professor, having retired from public life, feels consigned to the tomb that his estate represents. Finally, Sonia has resigned herself to a loveless, monotonous life, awaiting the peace that death will bring to her.
Actually, the characters of Uncle Vania are dead characters or about to die; they look like visions. They see that life is tedious, stupid and squalid, especially for Astrov. The word ?boredom? is mentioned many times in this play and almost in every page, which means that they have become hopeless characters who feel the burden of age and that they are unimportant figures. We can notice this in Yeliena?s speech, she said: ?I?m a tiresome person of no importance. There?s no happiness for me on this earth. None!? And also in Sonia?s speech: ? I have no hope at all-none, none!?
It is evident that all Uncle Vania?s characters bemoan their old age; they feel bored as if that they have not any target in life:
Voinitsky is just 47 years old; he keeps thinking what he will do if he lives to be 60, he says: ?I?m 47. If I live to be 60; I?ve got 13 years. What a time! How am I to get through those 13 years? What shall I do, how shall I fill in the time??
Astrov as well feel old, he says: ?Voinitsky and I are turning into old grumbles?; ?I?ve aged too much?
Moreover, the professor, at first, wishes to live longer and longer to be a well-known figure, but later on he realizes that he is an old ailing man, whose life is over now.
So, they bemoan their old age, mourn the years that they have wasted in drudgery, pine over lost loves, and muse bitterly over what might have been if their lots had been different. They thus suffer from a sense of loss without knowing exactly what has been forfeited.
Accordingly, from my point of view, I believe that Astorv functions as Chekov?s mouthpiece. He talks about the Russian forests and means the Russian society, which has been destroyed and decayed by hatred, enmity, inertia, and by ignorance. We may feel that he is talking about our recent society and this, which make Chekov a profound writer.
Hence, we can say that Uncle Vania?s characters feel trapped in their hopeless existences, mourn unrecoverable losses.
