42 pages • 1 hour read •
A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
65
Play • Fiction
•
Tragedy•
Comedy & SatireRussian Countryside • 1890s
•
Fame•
Conflict•
World History1895
Methuen Drama
Adult
18+ years
Set on a summer country estate, Anton Chekhov's The Seagull follows the intertwined lives of a group of artists and their loved ones, examining themes of disillusionment, the purpose of art, and the impact of living in the shadow of a renowned parent, using dramatic irony to blend comedy and tragedy. This play depicts an attempted suicide and a death by suicide, with mentions of alcohol dependency and infant death.
Melancholic
Contemplative
Bittersweet
Mysterious
Emotional
34,799 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Anton Chekhov's The Seagull offers a richly layered exploration of human emotion and artistic endeavor, receiving praise for its nuanced characters and profound themes. Some critics view the play's pacing as slow, potentially testing audience patience. While the complex narrative can be challenging, the play's emotional depth and character development are widely lauded.
Ideal for readers who appreciate nuanced character studies and introspective themes, The Seagull by Anton Chekhov resonates with fans of introspective literature like Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy or A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen. Themes of unrequited love, artistic ambition, and human folly fascinate those interested in classic Russian literature.
34,799 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Nina
Nina is a young actress who lives across the lake from Sorin's estate and dreams of achieving fame on the stage. She admires Arkadina and becomes entangled in relationships complicated by her ambitions and ideals.
Arkadina
Arkadina is a celebrated actress whose fame and beauty are beginning to fade. She navigates complex relationships with her son Konstantin, whom she often belittles, and Trigorin, who is her lover.
Trigorin
Trigorin is a successful author who visits Sorin's estate as Arkadina's lover. He is introspective about his literary work and becomes involved with Nina, which leads to further complications in his relationships.
Masha
Masha is Polina and Shamraev's daughter who resides on Sorin's estate. She is characterized by her unrequited love for Konstantin and her melancholy expression of it.
Sorin
Sorin is Arkadina's brother and the owner of the estate where the play unfolds. He is kind-hearted and supportive of Konstantin, but feels unfulfilled with his own life experiences.
The Seagull had its premiere in 1896 at the Alexandrinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, where it was initially a failure, almost resulting in Anton Chekhov abandoning playwriting.
The play is notable for its innovative use of subtext, a technique where true thoughts and emotions are implied rather than explicitly stated, which has had a lasting impact on modern drama.
Subscribe to discover more Fun Facts!
The Seagull marked a significant collaboration between Chekhov and Konstantin Stanislavski, whose 1898 production at the Moscow Art Theatre turned the play into a critical success, cementing its place in the theatrical canon.
Subscribe to discover more Fun Facts!
65
Play • Fiction
•
Tragedy•
Comedy & SatireRussian Countryside • 1890s
•
Fame•
Conflict•
World History1895
Methuen Drama
Adult
18+ years
Continue your reading experience
Subscribe now to unlock the rest of this Study Guide plus our full library, which features expert-written summaries and analyses of 9,100+ additional titles.