Uncle Vanya Act IV

In the final act though we are frustrated by Voinitsky's stupidity we pity him because he explains just why he lost his mind, the fact that he has worked his hands to the bone all his life and will lose everything without acknowledgement is a very hard thing to face. He did over react but people like him who don't have anything in their lives except for their work will easily lose control if their one most important thing in life is in peril. People become the exact same way if their child's or spouse's life were in danger or something of the sort. One thing that all of the people search for the most in this play is happiness, this happiness doesn't have to be overwhelming bliss, just satisfaction with their lives and their position and the moment, I found that many still are searching and I don't think that people like Serebryakov ever find that kind of peace. "To wake up on a clear, quiet morning and feel that you had begun your life anew, that all the past had been forgotten, had vanished like smoke." Most of us do wake up and see our families and look out the window and smile but to people like Voinisky this seems so impossible and so out of the ordinary that it is tragic to see how unhappy he has been his whole life. I think that his play is about the pursuit of happiness but that author makes it so that in the end the characters never are truly happy but I guess their satisfaction in there work is good enough.

The way the characters found happiness, well at least Voinitsky, Marina and Sonya, was through work and routine and even though to us that doesn't mean much this kept them distracted and cheerful. This ending reminded me of "Candide" because he too finds use and purpose when he begins to work instead of just being idle and even though this isn't much it's what kept these characters going and that I find very impressive. Even Voinitsky who was ready to give up on himself was able to distract himself with work and so they win two battles, one on boredom and the other and poverty by putting themselves to good use. "Let the go, I... I cannot. I feel miserable. I must get busy with something as soon as possible.... Work, work!" It's interesting how dependent Voinitsky was on his work but as long as it kept him sane it was a good thing. I think that Chekhov is trying to tell his audience that if you are idle like Elena and her husband you will be burdens and disliked but if you do your share in your area you will be respected so even though he isn't encouraging attempted murder he is trying to enlighten his audience to the ways of the world by telling them that without productivity you'll go nowhere in this life.

I found that the end of the play was like a new beginning for the characters left since they now had their lives back to live anew and to do things the way they wanted to without having to serve other people but like a more independent life. I wasn't able to tell how much time went by in the play but I think it was rather consistent so the Chekhov didn't skip days or hours but it was hard to tell. Though there is still some resentment till the very end of the play the return of normalcy lifted the characters spirits. I think that the play was named "Uncle Vanya" because of what a power character he is and all of the lessons we learn from him. In the play he is the one making the most mistakes but also developing and growing the most every day through his issues and I think that this makes him a very strong character, the strongest in fact, and so he is worthy of being the title of the play. Though it doesn't focus only on him he is the one who makes the most terrible errors and suffers the most so, through the author we are closest to him, I find the name very appropriate.