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Mark André 's Reviews > Uncle Vanya
Uncle Vanya
by
by
Mark André 's review
bookshelves: favorite-plays
Jun 25, 2018
bookshelves: favorite-plays
Read 3 times. Last read July 23, 2024 to July 25, 2024.
A sort of cynical humor. But what was it about?
Definitely more fun the second time, so far.
2nd review.
Realistic. Adult. People not quite happy with the
way things turned out. But life goes on. Interesting
observations about degradation of the enviorment.
But who’s the hero? Vanya or the Doctor?
Need to try his other famous plays.
Definitely more fun the second time, so far.
2nd review.
Realistic. Adult. People not quite happy with the
way things turned out. But life goes on. Interesting
observations about degradation of the enviorment.
But who’s the hero? Vanya or the Doctor?
Need to try his other famous plays.
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Reading Progress
June 19, 2018
–
Started Reading
June 19, 2018
– Shelved
June 19, 2018
–
7.81%
"A retired professor and his 27 year old wife. I like it already!
' ... for twenty-five years he has been lecturing and writing about things that intelligent people have known all the time, and stupid people aren't interested in, ...'"
page
5
' ... for twenty-five years he has been lecturing and writing about things that intelligent people have known all the time, and stupid people aren't interested in, ...'"
June 20, 2018
–
28.13%
"In countries with a mild climate people spend less energy in the struggle with nature, and so man is gentler and more capable of tender feeling. In such countries people are beautiful, sensitive and flexible in spirit - their speech is elegant, their movements graceful. Science and the fine arts flourish among them; their philosophy is cheerful and there is great refinement and courtesy in their attitude towards ..."
page
18
June 21, 2018
– Shelved as:
favorite-plays
June 22, 2018
–
59.38%
"It would even be pleasant to hang oneself on a day like this ...
There are fewer and fewer forests, the rivers are drying up, the wild creatures are almost exterminated, the climate is being ruined, ...
He knows as much about medicine as astronomy.
... like a ray of sunlight falling into a well ...
Like in The Seagull, these characters seem dis-satisfied with their lives! A loss of idealism?"
page
38
There are fewer and fewer forests, the rivers are drying up, the wild creatures are almost exterminated, the climate is being ruined, ...
He knows as much about medicine as astronomy.
... like a ray of sunlight falling into a well ...
Like in The Seagull, these characters seem dis-satisfied with their lives! A loss of idealism?"
June 23, 2018
–
100%
"On the wall a map of Africa, obviously serving no useful purpose here.
Rather original having the author mock his own stage directions?
So is Sonia right? First we suffer, then we die. And then we get our reward?"
page
75
Rather original having the author mock his own stage directions?
So is Sonia right? First we suffer, then we die. And then we get our reward?"
July 12, 2018
–
Finished Reading
October 23, 2020
–
Started Reading
October 23, 2020
–
10.94%
"Forests temper a stern climate, and in countries where the climate is milder, less strength is wasted in the battle with nature, and the people are kind and gentle. The inhabitants of such countries are handsome, tractable, sensitive, graceful in speech and gesture. Their philosophy is joyous, art and science blossom among them, their treatment of women is full of exquisite nobility�-"
page
7
October 23, 2020
–
18.75%
"ACT II
The dining-room of SEREBRAKOFF'S house. It is night. The tapping of the WATCHMAN'S rattle is heard in the garden. SEREBRAKOFF is dozing in an arm-chair by an open window and HELENA is sitting beside him, also half asleep.
SEREBRAKOFF. [Rousing himself] Who is here? Is it you, Sonia?
HELENA. It is I."
page
12
The dining-room of SEREBRAKOFF'S house. It is night. The tapping of the WATCHMAN'S rattle is heard in the garden. SEREBRAKOFF is dozing in an arm-chair by an open window and HELENA is sitting beside him, also half asleep.
SEREBRAKOFF. [Rousing himself] Who is here? Is it you, Sonia?
HELENA. It is I."
October 23, 2020
–
21.88%
"HELENA. You are cultured and intelligent, Ivan, and you surely understand that the world is not destroyed by villains and conflagrations, but by hate and malice and all this spiteful tattling. It is your duty to make peace, and not to growl at everything.
VOITSKI. Help me first to make peace with myself. My darling! [Seizes her hand.]
HELENA. Let go! [She drags her hand away] Go away!"
page
14
VOITSKI. Help me first to make peace with myself. My darling! [Seizes her hand.]
HELENA. Let go! [She drags her hand away] Go away!"
October 24, 2020
–
28.13%
"ASTROFF. A human being should be entirely beautiful: the face, the clothes, the mind, the thoughts. Your step-mother is, of course, beautiful to look at, but don't you see? She does nothing but sleep and eat and walk and bewitch us, and that is all. She has no responsibilities, everything is done for her—am I not right? And an idle life can never be a pure one. [A pause] However, I may be judging her too severely."
page
18
October 25, 2020
–
39.06%
"[She goes out. The WATCHMAN'S rattle is heard in the garden.]
HELENA. It is long since I have heard music. And now, I shall sit and play, and weep like a fool. [Speaking out of the window] Is that you rattling out there, Ephim?
VOICE OF THE WATCHMAN. It is I.
HELENA. Don't make such a noise. Your master is ill.
VOICE OF THE WATCHMAN. I am going away this minute. [Whistles a tune.]"
page
25
HELENA. It is long since I have heard music. And now, I shall sit and play, and weep like a fool. [Speaking out of the window] Is that you rattling out there, Ephim?
VOICE OF THE WATCHMAN. It is I.
HELENA. Don't make such a noise. Your master is ill.
VOICE OF THE WATCHMAN. I am going away this minute. [Whistles a tune.]"
October 25, 2020
–
42.19%
"VOITSKI. As a peace offering I am going to fetch some flowers which I picked for you this morning: some autumn roses, beautiful, sorrowful roses. [He goes out.]
SONIA. Autumn roses, beautiful, sorrowful roses!"
page
27
SONIA. Autumn roses, beautiful, sorrowful roses!"
October 25, 2020
–
42.19%
"VOITSKI. As a peace offering I am going to fetch some flowers which I picked for you this morning: some autumn roses, beautiful, sorrowful roses. [He goes out.]
SONIA. Autumn roses, beautiful, sorrowful roses!"
page
27
SONIA. Autumn roses, beautiful, sorrowful roses!"
October 26, 2020
–
46.88%
"HELENA. [Perplexed] A tigress? I don't understand you.
ASTROFF. Beautiful, sleek tigress, you must have your victims! For a whole month I have done nothing but seek you eagerly. I have thrown over everything for you, and you love to see it. Now then, I am sure you knew all this without putting me through your examination. [Crossing his arms and bowing his head] I surrender. Here you have me—now, eat me."
page
30
ASTROFF. Beautiful, sleek tigress, you must have your victims! For a whole month I have done nothing but seek you eagerly. I have thrown over everything for you, and you love to see it. Now then, I am sure you knew all this without putting me through your examination. [Crossing his arms and bowing his head] I surrender. Here you have me—now, eat me."
October 26, 2020
–
46.88%
"HELENA. [Perplexed] A tigress? I don't understand you.
ASTROFF. Beautiful, sleek tigress, you must have your victims! For a whole month I have done nothing but seek you eagerly. I have thrown over everything for you, and you love to see it. Now then, I am sure you knew all this without putting me through your examination. [Crossing his arms and bowing his head] I surrender. Here you have me—now, eat me."
page
30
ASTROFF. Beautiful, sleek tigress, you must have your victims! For a whole month I have done nothing but seek you eagerly. I have thrown over everything for you, and you love to see it. Now then, I am sure you knew all this without putting me through your examination. [Crossing his arms and bowing his head] I surrender. Here you have me—now, eat me."
October 26, 2020
–
100.0%
"We shall see all evil and all our pain sink away in the great compassion that shall enfold the world. Our life will be as peaceful and tender and sweet as a caress. I have faith; I have faith. [She wipes away her tears] My poor, poor Uncle Vanya, you are crying! [Weeping] You have never known what happiness was, but wait, Uncle Vanya, wait! We shall rest. [She embraces him] We shall rest. [The WATCHMAN'S rattle is h"
page
64
October 26, 2020
–
100.0%
"Our life will be as peaceful and tender and sweet as a caress. I have faith; I have faith. [She wipes away her tears] My poor, poor Uncle Vanya, you are crying! [Weeping] You have never known what happiness was, but wait, Uncle Vanya, wait! We shall rest. [She embraces him] We shall rest. [The WATCHMAN'S rattle is heard in the garden; TELEGIN plays softly; MME. VOITSKAYA writes something on the margin of her pamphlet"
page
64
October 26, 2020
–
Finished Reading
July 23, 2024
–
Started Reading
July 23, 2024
–
4.69%
"the man has been writing on art .. and he doesn't know the very first thing about it. For twenty-five years he has been chewing on other men's thoughts about realism, naturalism, and all such foolishness; for twenty-five years he has been reading and writing things that clever men have long known and stupid ones are not interested in; for twenty-five years he has been making his imaginary mountains out of molehills."
page
3
July 24, 2024
–
7.81%
"But now--Oh, if you only knew! If you knew how I lie awake at night, heartsick and angry, to think how stupidly I have wasted my time when I might have been winning from life everything which my old age now forbids."
page
5
July 24, 2024
–
7.81%
"But now--Oh, if you only knew! If you knew how I lie awake at night, heartsick and angry, to think how stupidly I have wasted my time when I might have been winning from life everything which my old age now forbids.
SONIA. Uncle Vanya, how dreary!"
page
5
SONIA. Uncle Vanya, how dreary!"
July 24, 2024
–
7.81%
"SONIA. [Imploringly] Mother! Uncle Vanya! I entreat you!
VOITSKI. I am silent. I apologise and am silent. [A pause.]
HELENA. What a fine day! Not too hot. [A pause.]
VOITSKI. A fine day to hang oneself."
page
5
VOITSKI. I am silent. I apologise and am silent. [A pause.]
HELENA. What a fine day! Not too hot. [A pause.]
VOITSKI. A fine day to hang oneself."
July 24, 2024
–
9.38%
"Forests temper a stern climate, and in countries where the climate is milder, less strength is wasted in the battle with nature, and the people are kind and gentle. The inhabitants of such countries are handsome, tractable, sensitive, graceful in speech and gesture. Their philosophy is joyous, art and science blossom among them, their treatment of women
is full of exquisite nobility-�-"
page
6
is full of exquisite nobility-�-"
July 24, 2024
–
10.94%
"Who but a stupid barbarian could burn so much beauty in his stove and destroy that which he cannot make? Man is endowed with reason and the power to create, so that he may increase that which has been given him, but until now he has not created, but demolished. The forests are disappearing, the rivers are running dry, the game is exterminated, the climate is spoiled, and the earth becomes poorer and uglier every day."
page
7
July 24, 2024
–
12.5%
"Don't look at me in that way, I don't like it.
VOITSKI. How can I look at you otherwise when I love you? You are my
joy, my life, and my youth. I know that my chances of being loved in
return are infinitely small, do not exist, but I ask nothing of you.
Only let me look at you, listen to your voice--"
page
8
VOITSKI. How can I look at you otherwise when I love you? You are my
joy, my life, and my youth. I know that my chances of being loved in
return are infinitely small, do not exist, but I ask nothing of you.
Only let me look at you, listen to your voice--"
July 24, 2024
–
17.19%
"...she was seventeen and I was thirty-seven. Why did I not fall in love with her then and propose to her? It would have been so easy! And now she would have been my wife. Yes, we would both have been waked to-night by the thunderstorm, and she would have been frightened, but I would have held her in my arms and whispered: "Don't be afraid! I am here." Oh, enchanting dream, so sweet that I laugh to think of it."
page
11
July 24, 2024
–
18.75%
"ASTROFF. A woman can only become a man's friend after having first been his acquaintance and then his beloved--then she becomes his friend."
page
12
July 25, 2024
–
31.25%
"SONIA. I am ugly!
HELENA. You have lovely hair.
SONIA. Don't say that! [She turns to look at herself in the glass] No,
when a woman is ugly they always say she has beautiful hair or eyes. I
have loved him now for six years, I have loved him more than one loves
one's mother. I seem to hear him beside me every moment of the day."
page
20
HELENA. You have lovely hair.
SONIA. Don't say that! [She turns to look at herself in the glass] No,
when a woman is ugly they always say she has beautiful hair or eyes. I
have loved him now for six years, I have loved him more than one loves
one's mother. I seem to hear him beside me every moment of the day."
July 25, 2024
–
34.38%
"We are confronted by the degradation of our country, brought
on by the fierce struggle for existence of the human race. It is the
consequence of the ignorance and unconsciousness of starving, shivering,
sick humanity that, to save its children, instinctively snatches
at everything that can warm it and still its hunger. So it destroys
everything it can lay its hands on, without a thought for the morrow."
page
22
on by the fierce struggle for existence of the human race. It is the
consequence of the ignorance and unconsciousness of starving, shivering,
sick humanity that, to save its children, instinctively snatches
at everything that can warm it and still its hunger. So it destroys
everything it can lay its hands on, without a thought for the morrow."
July 25, 2024
–
54.69%
"On the wall hangs a cage containing a starling. There is also a map of Africa on the wall, obviously of no use to anybody. There is a large sofa covered with buckram. A door to the left leads into an inner room; one
to the right leads into the front hall, and before this door lies a mat for
the peasants with their muddy boots to stand on. It is an autumn evening. The silence is profound."
page
35
to the right leads into the front hall, and before this door lies a mat for
the peasants with their muddy boots to stand on. It is an autumn evening. The silence is profound."
July 25, 2024
–
100.0%
"We shall rest. We shall hear the angels. We shall see heaven shining
like a jewel. We shall see all evil and all our pain sink away in the great compassion that shall enfold the world. Our life will be as peaceful and tender and sweet as a caress. (...)
My poor, poor Uncle Vanya, you are crying! [Weeping] You have never known what happiness was, but wait, Uncle Vanya, wait! We shall rest.
The curtain slowly falls."
page
64
like a jewel. We shall see all evil and all our pain sink away in the great compassion that shall enfold the world. Our life will be as peaceful and tender and sweet as a caress. (...)
My poor, poor Uncle Vanya, you are crying! [Weeping] You have never known what happiness was, but wait, Uncle Vanya, wait! We shall rest.
The curtain slowly falls."
July 25, 2024
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-45 of 45 (45 new)
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message 1:
by
Mark
(new)
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rated it 4 stars
Jun 25, 2018 07:31PM
Thank you, Rosemarie! - )
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Thank you, Piyangie! - )
Thank you, Uday! - )Nice to hear from you.
Thank you, Starjustin! - )Nice to hear from you.
Thank you, Manuel! - )Tough game, yesterday!
Thank you, Korfushka! - )
Thank you, siriusedward! - )Nice to hear from you.
A major milestone! Chekhov is now your buddy, hopefully! -)
Mihaella wrote: "A major milestone! Chekhov is now your buddy, hopefully! -)"We're cool, but we're not finished! - )
Thanks, W.D.! - )Chekhov still bemuses me somewhat.
Need to revisit this. Have you seen Vanya on 42nd St? Kinda a meta- version of the play...
I just read it for the first time. - )
You'd like it -- a film about putting Uncle Vanya on in NY -- has lotsa scenes from the play in it
Thank you. I do think Act III is quite a hoot. - )
Thank you, Mischenko! - )
Thank you, Jeff! - )Nice to hear from you.
Thank you, Finchens! - )I struggle a bit with Chekhov. Of what I have read this is my favorite.
Thank you, Wafae! - )
Thank you, Kat! - )I like this one best, but I don’t remember why.
Thank you, Lea! - )Nice to hear from you. I wanted more, but didn’t find it. 🤔🧐
Thank you, Ari. - )Good to hear from you. I seem to be having trouble finding a Chekhov I can keep on my favorite plays shelf.
Thank you, Francesc. - )I know it’s heresy but I wasn’t overwhelmed.
Thank you, John. >)Good to hear from you. I’m having more fun, I wonder why, books don’t change...?
Thank you, JD. >)Very nice to meet you. I really like Chekhov, so I’m giving this another try.
Thank you, Eleni! >)Nice to hear from you. I’m having more fun with this second read.
Thank you, Adina! >)Nice to hear from you. I’m liking it more this second time around. What changed? Hmm...
Thank you, Dmitri. >)Good to hear from you. I seem to be more tuned in this time.
Thank you, Sandy! >)Nice to hear from you. I’ve already pushed my rating up one star and I’m not even half done. Clever dialogue.
Thank you, Guille. >)Good to hear from you. I like Chekhov.
Thank you, None! >)Nice to hear from you. I’m still modestly confused as to what this play is actually about, but I enjoyed the characters more this time and gave it another star.
Thank you, Sonja! >)Nice to hear from you. I liked it better the second time. I’m still not sure I know what it’s about, but I had fun reading it.
Thank you, Anastasija! >)Nice to hear from you. I became enamoured with mr Chekhov after reading his Misery with the Short Story club. I had this play on the shelf but had only rated it three stars, so I decided to take another look. I’m still not exactly sure what the play is about, but I bumped my rating up to four stars for all the fun I had rereading it. (I read exclusively in English translations.)
Thank you, Carla! >)Nice to hear from you. I need to read more Chekhov. (I like your new avatar!)
Thank you, Gary. >)Good to hear from you. It’s an interesting experience to reread, after a few intervening years, something you liked and like it even more. Books don’t change. What’s going on?
Thank you, peachygirl! >)Nice to hear from you. Interesting author. Interesting play. Fun to read.
Thank you, Stephen. >)Good to hear from you. I need to read more Chekhov!
Thank you, Celia! >)Nice to hear from you. Interesting. Adult. Sometimes humorous, sometimes not. Recommended. I need to read more Chekhov.
Thank you, Os Livros da Lena! >)Nice to hear from you. It’s remarkable how rereads almost always seem better. Interesting play. No action, just personal confrontations.
Thank you, Ellie! >)Nice to hear from you. Chekhov is just one of those must read kind of guys. This one is interesting. Not sure what it’s about, but it was fun to read. Recommended.
Thank you, Graham. >)Good to hear from you. Chekhov is a must read. He has a lot to say. I read him in English. This one is good.
Thank you, Maximus. >)Very nice to meet you. I liked it better the second time. Still not sure what it is about. Highly recommended.
