Some people think it’s a tragedy, others a comedy. This means interpretations of The Seagull vary. However, despite this privileged position they’re dissatisfied with their lives in one form or another.īy which we mean almost all of the characters are in love with someone they should be in love with.Ĭhekhov’s plays often avoided any traditional plot developments, instead focussing on creating a mood for the audience. Set in the Russian countryside, it concerns a wealthy family of prominent actors and playwrights. Some literary critics call it a “slice-of-life” drama. There’s not a huge deal of equilibrium shattering plot developments, it’s more about discussions on culture and a love triangle. “A comedy – 3F, 6M, four acts, rural scenery (a view over a lake) much talk of literature, little action, five bushels of love.” They often don’t explicitly state what they’re feeling, instead skirting around subjects and matters in a way that’s open to interpretation.Ĭompare this to Shakespeare, where characters often go to great lengths in explaining exactly what they’re thinking.īut, anyway, the plot! Chekhov described The Seagull as: Unlike many other plays from his era, Chekhov relied heavily on subtext to add extra weight to his characters’ actions. The Seagull (or T’ Seagull, if you want Northern England speak) was written in 1895 and had its first production a year later. It’s a dramatisation of artistic and romantic interests between a set of characters in turn of the century Russia. With his reputation as a genius of short fiction prose, The Seagull backs that assertion up mightily. Anton Chekhov (1860-1904) was a Russian playwriter and short story specialist.

The seagull by anton chekhov