Destruction. It’s a powerful word, which sums up Pandora’s box of emotions. This implies damage beyond a state of repair, or even, sometimes, beyond a state of existence. Destruction plays an important role in Anton Chekhov's Uncle Vanya. What is destroyed and who is the destroyer depends on the point of view. A particular moment at the end of Act 1 captures the complexity and multiplicity of this concept. After Astrov's denunciation of man's destruction of the environment and Vanya's subsequent condemnation of Yelena's way of life, Yelena states: "It's like Astrov was saying earlier: you're destroying the forests without thinking, and soon there will not be a tree left on the planet. You destroy human beings in the same way, and soon trust, honesty and the possibility of self-sacrifice will also disappear from the planet” (Chekov, 217-218). Although she clearly reacts to Astrov and Vanya, her intentions here are vague, which highlights the mystery of her character. Indeed, in his notes, director Leonid Heifetz writes: “[Yelena] is a mysterious woman and a lot depends on the actress” (Heifetz, 99). It is with this in mind that I use this essay to explore possible ways an actress could interpret this line – which I will call The Moment – ​​and the implications this has for the character as a whole and for the piece as a whole. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay One possible interpretation of the Moment is that Yelena is not thinking about destruction at all. Instead, she can't forget Astrov. Later in the play, it becomes clear that Elena and Astrov are passionately attracted to each other. This attraction stems from their interactions in Act 1. After Astrov gives his speech and walks out, his words and essence clearly linger in Yelena. Before The Moment, Vanya may be talking to Yelena about her husband, Professor Alexander, but her mind quickly wanders away from discussing that topic: "Oh, poor thing, stuck with an old man like that!" But all this sympathy for me – oh, I know what's behind it. It’s like Astrov said earlier” (Chekhov, 217). The fact that she diverted the conversation from her husband to Astrov is an indication of her attraction to the latter. On the previous page, she emphasizes her age – “You're still young, aren't you? » – alluding to her interest in him (Chekhov, 216). Later, in Act 2, it is evident that the attraction was strong enough to last beyond the moment she says, “This man has genius” (Chekhov, 230). If we consider in conjunction with Alexander's old age, Astrov's relative youth, his "genius" and his obvious passion (his environmentalism), it becomes clear why he could magnetize her. However, this interpretation falls somewhat flat. While it's true that Yelena's attraction to Astrov is undeniable, it doesn't seem very plausible that she's quoting Astrov just because she's thinking about him. Destruction is too powerful a concept; The Moment must come from a deeper, multi-faceted place within her to resonate. It's an oversimplification to limit Yelena's character to simple attraction. In order to fully understand Yelena in The Moment, we must analyze what Astrov's quote means to her; in other words, we must come to understand the importance of destruction in his life. In Amy E. Meyer's directorial notes from her 2007 production of Uncle Vanya at Connecticut College, she describes Yelena as "attracted to Astrov" but lacking "the courage to act." on hisfeelings or on his heart to betray his marriage vows” (Meyer, 49). Looking at The Moment through this lens, we can see what destruction can mean for Yelena. So far, Yelena has felt comfortable in life. But now she begins to feel consumed by two forces: one pulling her toward Astrov and the other toward her husband. She sees this as the destruction of the unsatisfying but easy life she created for herself. This battle for her heart presents a moral dilemma: should she remain faithful? This inner debate – the push and pull of lust and loyalty – puts Yelena in a state of inner turmoil. She admits in Act 2: “It is not crime and criminals that destroy the world; they are small, insignificant emotions” (Chekhov, 222). If we view “the world” as her calm and peace in life, we understand that Yelena feels torn by the emotions presented in the dilemma. Watching The Moment again, we can consider "trust, honesty, and the possibility of self-sacrifice" as his perception of important qualities in a relationship. Her attraction to Astrov is emblematic of the breakdown of trust she and Alexander should have for each other. His attraction is a “petty little emotion” that sows destruction in his marriage. The word “should” is important in the penultimate sentence. You have to have confidence in a good marriage. If Yelena has reached a point where she is interested in other men, her relationship with the professor must not be very strong. They must be lacking in the aforementioned key qualities of a relationship, which would explain why she's attracted to Astrov. Assuming she keeps her detachment and boredom away from Alexander (both of which she admits to feeling when she says, "Detached? Oh yes. And bored," 217), she is not completely open with him – there is a lack of “trust”. and honesty. As for "self-sacrifice", choosing to give in to her feelings for Astrov, which she does later in the play when they kiss, is not indicative of self-sacrifice, but rather of personal satisfaction and indulgence. The destruction could therefore be interpreted as ironic. She laments the loss of these important marital qualities, yet they were not present in her marriage to begin with. In other words, her marriage was destroyed from the moment she realized she had made a mistake in marrying Alexander. This is a moment that well precedes the introduction of Astrov into his life, as Act 2 indicates: “I was dazzled by him; he was so famous and so intelligent. It wasn’t real love, it was a fantasy, but at the time I thought it was real” (229). This interpretation can be taken a little further. In The Moment she says: “You are destroying forests without thinking, and soon there will not be a single tree left on the planet. » This can be treated as a situation analogous to that of one's marriage. She married Alexander “without thinking” or having “real” love, and now she must face the consequences. For her, the consequences go beyond just having a marriage not based on honesty. She is “deeply unhappy” (Heifetz, 99). While discussing her marriage to Sonya, near the end of Act 2, she illustrates how Yelena's marriage destroyed her happiness. In a rare moment of happiness, Elena says, “I want to play the piano now, I really do” (Chekhov, 231). But she immediately remembers that “the music drives him [Alexander] crazy” (Chekhov, 231). This is a clear metaphor on Chekhov's part: Alexander literally denies "music" – a classic trope of joy – from being present in Yelena's life. Inevaluating this alongside The Moment, Yelena's perception of "the forest" begins to emerge from the mist. This represents his happiness. After marrying the professor and staying with him for so long, there's not an ounce of pleasure left, not a tree. She was emotionally destroyed. Another consequence that comes from this is that Yelena destroyed her future by marrying Alexander. If her life before marriage was a forest of opportunities, Yelena has destroyed all her prospects of hope. This interpretation is consistent with Elena's exit from the play. She rejects Astrov, choosing to stay with the professor. In other words, she refuses the only opportunity left for her to escape from her miserable marriage: she cuts down her last tree of hope. So The Moment almost feels like a self-fulfilling prophecy: she recognizes that she's in a desperate situation, and she does nothing to change it. The Moment can also be seen as a reaction to Vanya. After all, this comes right after Vanya says, "You don't care about anything, do you?" You just drift through life” (Chekhov, 217). “You destroy forests without thinking” is a response addressed to Vanya. From her point of view, he's doing something right: he wants her to realize that her marriage has put her in a bad situation. Yelena, however, doesn't see it as helping and she rejects him. She can see his love for her and his jealousy of Alexander, even though he doesn't explicitly admit it until a few lines into The Moment. She is repulsed by Vanya, calling him “annoying” and, later, “disgusting” (Chekhov, 218, 223). Vanya's attraction to her is an additional complication in the simple life to which she has become accustomed. This is another destructive force, as is his desire to stay true to his vows and give in to his lust for Astrov. It is difficult to find any greater meaning in Uncle Vanya. It is a naturalistic piece which therefore does not seek to pass judgment, but rather to present life. Barbara Mackay's review of the Sydney Theater Company production rates the play this way: "Uncle Vanya is neither pessimistic nor optimistic, he does not choose between good and bad characters, he considers people and their search of work and love in a non-critical way, as Chekhov wanted. Although the play does not convey a specific message, it presents themes and ideas that provoke and inspire the audience's thinking. The choices a production makes allow different themes to resonate more poignantly. For example, depending on how The Moment is played, the destruction appears differently. Uncle Vanya can be interpreted as a play “about people trying to find value in their work and purpose in their lives” (Meyer, 49). For such an interpretation, Elena would have to be in search of happiness. Her attraction to Astrov is significant in The Moment because it is a possible escape from the monotony of her life. In a production interpreted this way, a director might choose to make Elena's perception of "destruction" the various aspects that complicate her easy life: her mutual attraction to Astrov, her loyalty to her husband, love for Vanya for her. This is because it is through these complications that Elena tries to evaluate what she wants in life. When Yelena finally decides to leave with the professor, it is not because she was not offered an escape: she makes the conscious choice to stay with her husband. She may desire Astrov, but she realizes that the passion is momentary and that she must look elsewhere for purpose in her life. Likewise, Uncle Vanya can be interpreted as a play about failure and wasted lives. So that./1