CHECKOV The Seagull

Characters

Irina Nikolayevna Arkadina an actress

Konstantin Gavrilovich Treplyov Irina's son, a playwright
Boris Alexeyevich Trigorin a well-known writer
Nina Mikhailovna Zarechnaya the daughter of a rich landowner
Pjotr Nikolayevich Sorin Irina's brother
Ilya Afanasyevich Shamrayev a retired lieutenant and the manager of Sorin's estate
Polina Andryevna Ilya's wife
Masha Ilya and Polina's daughter
Yevgeny Sergeyevich Dorn a doctor
Semyon Semyonovich Medvedenko a teacher
Yakov a hired workman
Cook a worker on Sorin's estate
Maid a worker on Sorin's estate
Watchman a worker on Sorin's estate; he carries a warning stick at night

Plot
Act I
The play takes place on a country estate owned by Sorin, a retired senior civil servant in
failing health. He is the brother of the famous actress Arkadina, who has just arrived at
the estate for a brief vacation with her lover, the writer Trigorin. Sorin and his guests
gather at an outdoor stage to see an unconventional play that Arkadina's son, Konstantin
Treplyov, has written and directed. The play-within-a-play features Nina, a young woman
who lives on a neighboring estate, as the "soul of the world" in a time far in the future.
The play is Konstantin's latest attempt at creating a new theatrical form, and is a dense
symbolist work. Arkadina laughs at the play, finding it ridiculous and incomprehensible;
the performance ends prematurely after audience interruption and Konstantin storms off
in humiliation. Arkadina does not seem concerned about her son, who has not found his
way in the world. Although others ridicule Treplyov's drama, the physician Dorn praises
him.
Act I also sets up the play's various romantic triangles. The schoolteacher Medvedenko
loves Masha, the daughter of the estate's steward. Masha, in turn, is in love with
Konstantin, who is in love with Nina; Nina does not return his feelings. When Masha tells
the kindly old doctor Dorn about her longing, he helplessly blames the lake for making
everybody feel romantic.

Act II
Act II takes place in the afternoon outside of the estate, a few days later. After
reminiscing about happier times, Arkadina becomes engaged in a heated argument with
the house steward Shamrayev and decides to leave immediately. Nina lingers behind after

the group leaves, and Konstantin shows up to give her a seagull that he has shot. Nina is
confused and horrified at the gift. Konstantin sees Trigorin approaching, and leaves in a
jealous fit. Nina asks Trigorin to tell her about the writer's life; he replies that it is not an
easy one. Nina says that she knows the life of an actress is not easy either, but she wants
more than anything to be one. Trigorin sees the seagull that Konstantin has shot and
muses on how he could use it as a subject for a short story: "A young girl lives all her life
on the shore of a lake. She loves the lake, like a seagull, and she's happy and free, like a
seagull. But a man arrives by chance, and when he sees her, he destroys her, out of sheer
boredom. Like this seagull." Arkadina calls for Trigorin, and he leaves as she tells him
that she has changed her mind they will not be leaving immediately. Nina lingers
behind, enthralled with Trigorin's celebrity and modesty, and gushes, "My dream!"

Act III
Act III takes place inside the estate, on the day when Arkadina and Trigorin have decided
to depart. Between acts Konstantin attempted suicide by shooting himself in the head, but
the bullet only grazed his skull. He spends the majority of Act III with his scalp heavily
bandaged. Nina finds Trigorin eating breakfast and presents him with a medallion that
proclaims her devotion to him using a line from one of Trigorin's own books: "If you ever
need my life, come and take it." She retreats after begging for one last chance to see
Trigorin before he leaves. Arkadina appears, followed by Sorin, whose health has
continued to deteriorate. Trigorin leaves to continue packing. There is a brief argument
between Arkadina and Sorin, after which Sorin collapses in grief. He is helped off by
Medvedenko. Konstantin enters and asks his mother to change his bandage. As she is
doing this, Konstantin disparages Trigorin and there is another argument. When Trigorin
reenters, Konstantin leaves in tears. Trigorin asks Arkadina if they can stay at the estate.
She flatters and cajoles him until he agrees to return to Moscow. After she has left, Nina
comes to say her final goodbye to Trigorin and to inform him that she is running away to
become an actress, against her parents' wishes. They kiss passionately and make plans to
meet again in Moscow.

Act IV
Act IV takes place during the winter two years later, in the drawing room that has been
converted to Konstantin's study. Masha has finally accepted Medvedenko's marriage
proposal, and they have a child together, though Masha still nurses an unrequited love for
Konstantin. Various characters discuss what has happened in the two years that have
passed: Nina and Trigorin lived together in Moscow for a time until he abandoned her
and went back to Arkadina. Nina never achieved any real success as an actress, and is
currently on a tour of the provinces with a small theatre group. Konstantin has had some
short stories published, but is increasingly depressed. Sorin's health is still failing, and the
people at the estate have telegraphed for Arkadina to come for his final days. Most of the
play's characters go to the drawing room to play a game of bingo. Konstantin does not
join them, and spends this time working on a manuscript at his desk. After the group
leaves to eat dinner, Konstantin hears someone at the back door. He is surprised to find
Nina, whom he invites inside. Nina tells Konstantin about her life over the last two years.
She starts to compare herself to the seagull that Konstantin killed in Act II, then rejects
that and says "I am an actress." She tells him that she was forced to tour with a secondrate theatre company after the death of the child she had with Trigorin, but she seems to

have a newfound confidence. Konstantin pleads with her to stay, but she is in such
disarray that his pleading means nothing. She embraces Konstantin, and leaves.
Despondent, Konstantin spends two minutes silently tearing up his manuscripts before
leaving the study. The group reenters and returns to the bingo game. There is a sudden
gunshot from off-stage, and Dorn goes to investigate. He returns and takes Trigorin aside.
Dorn tells Trigorin to somehow get Arkadina away, for Konstantin has just killed himself.