The Ending of Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekov

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How effective in your view is the ending of 'Uncle Vanya'? 'Uncle Vanya' is a play written by the Russian playwright Anton Chekov. Set on an aristocratic Russian estate, the play follows the moment the sleepy life of the inhabitants is disrupted by an old professor and his new wife, and the fiery relationships that emerge. Although the play lacks much direct action, it is rich in subtextual messages and Chekov's unique style of realism undercut by ebbs of humour makes it an intriguing read. Chekov's honest portrayal of characters teaches the audience a lesson on the nature of human relationships, and the danger of remaining idle and lacking ambition in life. The end provides a very natural finish to a truly human play. Chekov does not overdress the emotion in the final acts, and brings the play round in a cycle, ending in the same melancholy mood it began. However Chekov' mastery is his ability to end the play in a way that suggests the characters will continue to live their lives beyond the pages of the play. 'Uncle Vanya' does not follow the conventional "rules" of drama. The play has little flare or outward excitement; the theatricallity is be found within the dialogue and reading between the lines. This muted feeling is maintained throughout the whole play with very few occasions where true emotion bursts through. From the opening lines of the play Chekov presents a feeling of emotional suppression: the weather is described as "overcast" and it is "between two and three o'clock in the afternoon"- a time of languidness and inaction. This matches the rather bland dialogue that follows between Marina and Doctor Astrov whereby the first theme, change, is introduced. Astrov asks Marina "Have I changed much since then?" with the short, rather blunt reply of "Yes...you were young and good looking then...you're beginning to show your age now." As Astrov continues
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