Chekhov’s play “Three Sisters”, which was written in 1900, immediately caused a lot of controversy and conflicting opinions of critics. They still talk about the work, it is explored and interpreted in the spirit of modern trends.
Happiness is the foundation of everything
The summary of “Three Sisters” can be put into several phrases. This is a play about a distant and almost unattainable happy future, about which sisters dream. They dream of bright days, but at the same time do not make any effort to make them come. Their whole lives pass in illusions and fantasies. The result is complete disappointment.
This play rightfully occupies a worthy place in world drama. "Three Sisters" successfully put on the theaters of different countries. And in Japan, and in America, and in Europe, and in Australia, they know perfectly well who wrote "Three Sisters." Because the theme in this play is eternal.
"Three sisters". Chekhov. Summary
The play takes place in a small provincial town, in the house of the Prozorovs. The main characters of the work are three sisters. The names of the sisters are Irina, Maria and Olga.
The play begins with the birthday of the younger sister, Irina. She is 20 years old. She anticipates positive changes and frankly says this: “I don’t know why my soul is so light ...” In the fall, the family plans to move to Moscow. The sisters are sure that their brother Andrei will go to university. The general mood is uplift and joy, an anticipation of good changes in life.
Apathy and frustration
Summary of "Three Sisters" in the second act. In mood it is very different from the first. Here, optimism and joy are replaced by disappointment and disbelief in a good future. The tone of the story becomes minor. Andrew does not find a place for longing and boredom. He does not like his position. To be the secretary of the zemstvo council is so prosaic and banal. After all, he dreamed of a professorial career in Moscow.
The heroine Masha is bitterly disappointed in her own husband. She used to think of him as “terribly learned, smart, and important,” but now she is experiencing frank boredom in the company of his schoolmates.
Irina is dissatisfied with the work - the work on the telegraph seems to her unethical and not at all sublime.
Olga is returning from the gymnasium - she is also out of sorts, she has a headache.
In a gloomy arrangement Vershinin. He believes that there is no happiness in life, but there is only monotonous work that does not bring satisfaction. And even Chebutykin, who is trying to pester and cheer up others, admits that "... loneliness is a terrible thing ..."
Anxious forebodings
Three years have passed since the birth of Irina. The first action took place at noon, there were hopes for a change for the better.
The third action is preceded by remarks that the alarm sounds offstage - a fire broke out. In the house of the Prozorovs, people gather who are fleeing the fire.
Irina is disappointed and literally sobs. She realizes that they will never leave for Moscow, that life goes on in the bustle of petty affairs. The work "Three Sisters" takes on a hue of tragedy and hopelessness.
Masha thinks about the meaning of life: “Somehow we will live our life, what of us will be?” Andrey cries bitterly. He says that when he married, he believed that everyone would be happy.
But Tuzenbach is most disappointed. He admits that three years ago he imagined a happy life!
Chebutykin went into a binge. Hacking, insecurity, loss of optimism - these are the summary of “Three Sisters” in the third act.
Wistful Autumn Time
The mood of the heroes is also shaded by the weather. Autumn is coming, migratory birds fly south , as if leaving this hopeless land. The artillery brigade also leaves the city for another place of deployment. Officers before leaving come to say goodbye to the Prozorov family. And the city will be even more empty without this noisy company of young people.
Chekhov's play successfully conveys the general despondency of the main characters thanks to subtle remarks about the weather, about flying birds, about departing officers.
Masha decides to part with Vershinin. Yes, she loved him very much, but now she is only disappointed. Olga has already become the head of the gymnasium, but thoughts about Moscow do not leave her. She is aware that she will never be there.
Irina falls into despair. Out of hopelessness, she decides to accept the resignation of Tuzenbach’s hand and heart.
Chebutykin in tenderness: “Fly, my dear, fly with God!”
Broken dreams
The summary of The Three Sisters does not convey the pain and depth of despair that are present in the play. Each replica, each word testifies to the great internal tragedy that the heroes experience.
Salty in love with Irina, he deliberately quarrels with the baron, and then challenges him to a duel and kills him.
Broken Andrew. He does not seek to change his life. He can only ask nowhere, why life is so gray, and people are so lazy and uninteresting.
The culmination of the play
Chekhov’s play “Three Sisters” is deeply tragic and hopeless. Its climax comes when the military leaves the city. The sounds of a military march are heard in the air. And Olga sincerely says that, it seems, a little more, a little more, and everyone will find out why they live, what is the purpose of each.
The curtain is falling. The action is over. Nothing can be changed.
This is the summary of the Three Sisters. But the depth and magnitude of this literary work consists in the fact that for a long time after the end of the play you can talk about the meaning of life, try to understand what the characters did wrong when they made a mistake, why their life went according to such a scenario.
Reasons for failure
If you ask critics to name the most hopeless work in Russian drama, most likely many will single out Three Sisters (Chekhov). The summary of the play conveys the despair of the characters and the inability to change their fate. Circumstances are such that the heroes seem to fall into an invisible cell from which it is impossible to get out. They are smart, talented, ambitious, they want to change the world, but something prevents them from moving and starting all over again. They expect that circumstances themselves will change, and do not make any efforts to become better. They live in anticipation of change and do not want to turn off the beaten track. Because at least it’s boring, at least uninteresting, but it’s so convenient. And no need to make any mental or physical movements.
The vulgarity of the bourgeois lifestyle is well described by Andrei. He argues that the city is already two hundred years old. And for two centuries people "... only eat, drink, sleep, then die ... others are born, and also eat, drink, sleep and, in order not to stupor from boredom, diversify their lives with nasty gossip, vodka, cards, scumbagling ... "
Heroes blame others for their failures. But they themselves are not able to look at them with a critical look. It seems to them that they deserve a better share, but do not think that they themselves are mired in the vulgarity of the philistine world.
By and large, they do not cause respect. There is compassion, but sometimes I want to push them, make them tear themselves away from their small world and begin to act.