Uncle Vanya

Uncle Vanya is a play in four acts written by celebrated Russian playwright and author Anton Chekhov (1860-1904). It is set in a provincial Russian estate and focuses on the tensions and disappointments between the disaffected Ivan “Uncle Vanya” Voitski and his circle of family and friends. As the characters navigate their intertwined lives, they grapple with regret, unrequited love, and the search for meaning and hope. The play reflects the uncertainty and change of Russian society at the end of the 19th century.

After its publication in 1897, the play was first produced in 1899 by the Moscow Art Theater under the trailblazing director Konstantin Stanislavski (1863-1938). Uncle Vanya is widely acknowledged as a masterpiece of Early Modernist theater. It has since been adapted into numerous award-winning theatrical productions and films worldwide.

This guide uses the 2024 Global Grey e-book edition of Marian Fell’s 1912 English translation of the play. In keeping with the stylistic choice of the translation, this guide uses the Anglicized versions and spellings of transliterated character names.

Content Warning: This play includes depictions of alcohol abuse, sexual harassment, and attempted murder, as well as discussions of suicide and depression.

Plot Summary

Uncle Vanya is set in a dilapidated country estate in rural Russia.