3. Reading Literature: Key Ideas and Details 3
• Grade 8: Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or
incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal
aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.
• Grades 9-10: Analyze how complex characters (e.g.
those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop
over the course of a text, interact with other characters,
and advance the plot or develop the themes.
• Grades 11-12: Analyze the impact of the author’s choices
regarding how to develop related elements of a story
or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is
ordered, how the characters are introduced
and developed).
Reading Literature: Craft and Structure 5
• Grade 8: Compare and contrast the structure of two
or more texts and analyze how the differing structure of
each text contributes to its meaning and style.
• Grades 9-10: Analyze how an author’s choices
concerning how to structure a text, order events within
it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g., pacing,
flashbacks), create such effects as mystery, tension, or
surprise.
• Grades 11-12: Analyze how an author’s choices
concerning how to structure specific parts of a text
(e.g., the choice of where to begin or end a story,
the choice to provide a comedic or tragic resolution)
contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well
as its aesthetic impact.
Reading Literature: Craft and Structure 6
• Grade 8: Analyze how differences in the points of
view of the characters and the audience or reader (e.g.,
created through dramatic irony) create such effects as
suspense or humor.
• Grades 9-10: Analyze a particular point of view or
cultural experience reflected in a work of literature from
outside the United States, drawing on a wide reading of
world literature.
• Grades 11-12: Analyze a case in which grasping point of
view required distinguishing what is directly stated in a
text from what is really meant (e.g., satire, sarcasm, irony,
or understatement).
Reading Literature: Integration of Knowledge and Ideas 7
• Grade 8: Analyze the extent to which a filmed or live
production of a story or drama stays faithful to or departs
from the text or script, evaluating the choices made by
the director or actors.
• Grades 9-12: Analyze multiple interpretations of a
story, drama, or poem (e.g. recorded or live production
of a play or recorded novel or poetry), evaluating how
each version interprets the source text (Include at least
one play by Shakespeare and one play by an American
dramatist).
STANDARDSStudent Matinee performances and pre-show workshops provide unique opportunities for experiential learning and
support various combinations of the Common Core Standards for English Language Arts. They may also support
standards in other subject areas such as Social Studies and History, depending on the individual play’s subject matter.
Activities are also included in this Curriculum Guide and in our pre-show workshops that support several of the
Massachusetts state standards in Theatre. Other arts areas may also be addressed depending on the individual play’s
subject matter.
COMMONCORESTANDARDS
INENGLISHLANGUAGEARTS
2
4. Acting
• 1.7 — Create and sustain a believable character
throughout a scripted or improvised scene
(By the end of Grade 8).
• 1.12 — Describe and analyze, in written and oral form,
characters’ wants, needs, objectives, and personality
characteristics (By the end of Grade 8).
• 1.13 — In rehearsal and performance situations, perform
as a productive and responsible member of an acting
ensemble (i.e., demonstrate personal responsibility and
commitment to a collaborative process)
(By the end of Grade 8).
• 1.14 — Create complex and believable characters through
the integration of physical, vocal, and emotional choices
(Grades 9-12).
• 1.15 — Demonstrate an understanding of a dramatic work
by developing a character analysis (Grades 9-12).
• 1.17 — Demonstrate increased ability to work effectively
alone and collaboratively with a partner or in an
ensemble (Grades 9-12).
Reading and Writing Scripts
• 2.7 — Read plays and stories from a variety of cultures
and historical periods and identify the characters,
setting, plot, theme, and conflict (By the end of Grade 8).
• 2.8 — Improvise characters, dialogue, and actions that
focus on the development and resolution of dramatic
conflicts (By the end of Grade 8).
• 2.11 — Read plays from a variety of genres and styles;
compare and contrast the structure of plays to the
structures of other forms of literature (Grades 9-12).
Technical Theatre
• 4.6 — Draw renderings, floor plans, and/or build models
of sets for a dramatic work and explain choices in using
visual elements (line, shape/form, texture, color, space)
and visual principals (unity, variety, harmony, balance,
rhythm) (By the end of Grade 8).
• 4.13 — Conduct research to inform the design of sets,
costumes, sound, and lighting for a dramatic production
(Grades 9-12).
MASSACHUSETTSSTANDARDSINTHEATRE
• Strand 6: Purposes and Meanings in the Arts — Students
will describe the purposes for which works of dance,
music, theatre, visual arts, and architecture were and are
created, and, when appropriate, interpret their meanings
(Grades PreK-12).
• Strand 10: Interdisciplinary Connections — Students will
apply their knowledge of the arts to the study of English
language arts, foreign languages, health, history
and social science, mathematics, and science and
technology/engineering (Grades PreK-12).
AUDIENCEETIQUETTEAttending live theatre is a unique experience with many valuable educational and social benefits. To ensure that all
audience members are able to enjoy the performance, please take a few minutes to discuss the following audience etiquette
topics with your students before you come to the Huntington Theatre Company.
• How is attending the theatre similar to and different from going to the movies? What behaviors are and are not appropriate when
seeing a play? Why?
• Remind students that because the performance is live, the audience will affect the actors’ performance. No two audiences are
exactly the same and no two performances are exactly the same — this is part of what makes theatre so special! Students’ behavior
should reflect the level of performance they wish to see.
• Theatre should be an enjoyable experience for the audience. It is absolutely all right to applaud when appropriate and laugh at
the funny moments. Talking and calling out during the performance, however, are not allowed. Why might this be? Be sure to
mention that not only would the people seated around them be able to hear their conversation, but the actors on stage could
hear them, too. Theatres are constructed to carry sound efficiently!
• Any noise or light can be a distraction, so please remind students to make sure their cell phones are turned off (or better yet, left
at home or at school!). Texting, photography, and video recording are prohibited. Food and gum should not be brought into the theatre.
• Students should sit with their group as seated by the Front of House staff and should not leave their seats once the
performance has begun.
3
Connections
5. ARTISTS
Anton Chekhov was born on January 29,
1860, in a town called Taganrog in southern
Russia, the third child of six. His father, Pavel
Yegorovich Chekhov, was the son of a former
serf, who purchased freedom for himself and
his family from the nobleman who owned
him. A devout Orthodox Christian who owned
a grocery store and was very musical, Pavel
was also physically abusive. Chekhov’s mother,
Yevgeniya Morozov, was known within her
family as a wonderful storyteller. Her father
was a traveling cloth salesman, so Yevgeniya
raised her children on stories of her travels
from when she was a young girl. In translations
of Chekhov’s letters to his brother, Mikhail,
Chekhov reflected, “Our talents we got from
our father but our soul from our mother.”
Chekhov — later in life — wrote very critically
of his father and his abusive tendencies. It is
thought that the common use of hypocritical
characters in his stories and plays is based on
Pavel. Chekhov was very close with his mother,
however, and praised her greatly in his writing.
4
The Playwright:
Anton Chekhov
Anton Chekhov, playwright (1898, by Osip Braz)
Chekhov’s family
“Every work of art has to express
some great idea. True beauty is
always a serious matter.”
— Dorn, The Seagull, Act I
6. 5
As a child, Chekhov attended the Greek Boys
School in his home town of Taganrog, where
he received a religious education, and then
the Taganrog Gymnasium for Boys, from
which he graduated in 1879. In 1876, Chekhov’s
father went bankrupt, and most of the family
moved to Moscow. Chekhov, however, stayed
in Taganrog to continue his studies at the
Gymnasium and take care of his family’s home.
While living apart from Chekhov, his mother
became both physically and mentally ill, which
upset Chekov deeply. He wrote to his cousin,
Mikhail, on May 10, 1877:
. . . If I send letters to my mother, care of you,
please give them to her when you are alone
with her; there are things in life which one can
confide in one person only, whom one trusts
. . . My second request is of more importance.
Please go on comforting my mother, who is
both physically and morally broken. My mother’s
character is such that the moral support of
others is a great help to her. It is a silly request,
isn’t it? . . . There is no one in this wicked
world dearer to us than our mother, and so
you will greatly oblige your humble servant by
comforting his worn-out and weary mother . . .
During his time at the Taganrog Gymnasium for
Boys, Chekhov enjoyed attending and performing
in amateur theatrical productions. He worked
many jobs to pay for his education, from catching
and selling goldfinches, to selling short sketches
to newspapers, and sent any leftover money to
his family in Moscow, accompanied by spirited,
funny, letters. While still a young student, he
wrote his first full drama, Fatherless, and read as
much as he could.
In 1879, Chekhov was able to move to Moscow,
and became financially responsible for his whole
family. He continued to write sketches to make
money, and became skilled at composing short
stories depicting contemporary Russian life. He
became known as a satirist of Russian street
life. In Moscow, Chekhov attended medical
school at the I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State
Medical University and became a physician.
Though he earned enough money through
his medical practice to support his family, his
income remained modest because he treated his
poor patients for free. Medicine was Chekhov’s
occupation but his passion for writing only grew
as his popularity as a writer did.
Taganrog Gymnasium for Boys
7. 6
Unbeknownst to his family, Chekhov contracted
tuberculosis, a disease which would trouble him
for the rest of his life. In 1887, with his health
suffering, Chekhov moved to Ukraine to rest.
A theatre manager there hired him to write a
play. The result of this commission, titled
Ivanov, was the first play Chekhov wrote that
was actually produced.
In 1892, Chekhov bought Melkhovo, a country
estate outside of Moscow, where he would write
some of his best-known works including Uncle
Vanya and The Seagull. Chekhov’s parents and
a sister lived with him in the main house, and
he was a responsible and helpful landlord to his
tenants on the property. Despite his own health
problems, Chekhov offered medical services and
organized relief funds for local villagers suffering
from cholera and famine. He took great pleasure
in the garden surrounding the small cottage he
built to serve as a writing space, and relished
A young Anton Chekhov
Chekhov & his wife, Olga Knipper
the opportunity to discuss the trees and flowers
he planted with visitors.
The Seagull premiered at the Alexandrinksy
Theatre in Petersburg, Russia, on October 17, 1896.
The play was not well received. The audience
booed, and the lead actress playing Nina, Vera
Komissarzhevskaya, was so impacted by the
audience’s negative response that she lost
her voice following the opening performance.
Chekhov was incredibly discouraged, and claimed
in a letter the following day that he would “never
either write plays or have them acted” again.
However, one theater director in Petersburg was
quite impressed with Chekhov and persuaded
acting theorist Constantin Stanislavsky to see
the show, which resulted in a longstanding
relationship with the famous director/actor.
Stanislavsky’s breakthrough style of realism,
established in his book An Actor Prepares,
supported Chekhov’s writing, so when The Seagull
was performed at the Moscow Art Theatre in
1898, with Stanislavsky himself playing Trigorin, it
acclaimed. Chekhov’s friend, Vladimir Nemirovich,
remembered the applause sounding like “a dam
breaking.”
In 1901, Chekhov married Olga Knipper, the
actress who played Arkadina in the Moscow
Art Theatre’s production of The Seagull. He had
remained disinterested in marriage longer than
was considered socially acceptable at the time,
8. 7
but his marriage with Olga was very special. They
maintained a largely long distance relationship for
the duration of their marriage, but corresponded
frequently. Their letters have since become widely
published and document their opinions of theatre,
including criticisms of the popular acting styles at
the time.
Though Chekhov’s marriage played an important
role in his life, he was not faithful to his wife — it
is estimated that he had at least 33 other affairs.
Chekhov had several significant relationships during
his marriage to Olga, such as with opera singer
Lika Mizinova, Lydia Yavorskaya, a young actress,
and Lydia Avilova. Aspects of his relationships with
these three women are depicted in pieces of The
Seagull. For instance, when Lika Mizinova wished for
a more serious relationship with Chekhov but did
not receive it, she began an affair with a married
novelist, Potapenko, who abandoned her when she
became pregnant. This particular storyline is a direct
reflection on the story of Nina and Trigorin.
In May of 1904, Chekhov’s tuberculosis became
fatal. Olga sat with him while he died peacefully.
Though Chekhov did not achieve a great deal of
popularity outside of Russia during his own lifetime,
his legacy had an enormous impact on the literary
and theatrical communities of the world in years
to come.
Pictured above: Stanislavsky in The Seagull
Pictured below: Chekhov, later in life
Pictured left: Guest cottage at a
Melikhovo, where Chekhov wrote
The Seagull
9. 8
The Seagull is considered to be the first of Chekhov’s great plays and is defined by its complex, layered
characters and heavy use of subtext. (Subtext is the message that is implied in the text, rather than what
is directly stated.) Many well-known actors made their mark in the theatre world through playing a role
in The Seagull.
A few notable productions:
• 1938: Uta Hagen made her Broadway debut playing Nina at the Shubert Theatre in New York.
• 1992: Laura Linney starred as Nina, Jon Voight as Trigorin, and Ethan Hawke as Konstantin, at
Broadway’s Lyceum Theatre.
• 2001: Meryl Streep starred as Arkadina, Christopher Walken as Sorin, and Philip Seymour
Hoffman (among other notable cast members) in the New York Shakespeare Festival
production in Central Park.
“It is the feeling of beauty that speaks in us, and
beauty cannot endure what is commonplace and trivial.”
— Anton Chekhov in a letter to his uncle, January 18, 1887
Chekhov and the Moscow Art Theatre, 1899, first reading of The Seagull
The Seagull
10. 9
THEMESFORWRITING&DISCUSSION
Fame & Celebrity
In The Seagull, Nina dreams of leaving behind her
small town and restrictive family to make a
glamorous, exciting life for herself as an actress.
In her first one-on-one conversation with Trigorin,
a famous Russian writer, she confesses her desire
to live the sensational life of an artist. “What a
wonderful life,” she gushes. “You don’t know
how much I envy you! People’s destinies are so
different. Some people just drag along, unnoticed
and boring – they’re all alike, and they’re all
unhappy. Then there are others, like for instance
you – you’re one in a million! Your life turned out
bright, interesting, full of meaning. You’re happy.”
To this, Trigorin responds that his life is not all
she perceives it to be: “I’m happy? Hmm. You talk
about fame, about happiness, about some sort of
bright, interesting life, but those are just big words.
They don’t mean anything to me . . . It’s a stupid
life! Here I am talking to you, I’m all worked up, and
still I can’t forget for a minute that I’ve got a story
to finish.”
There is a clear difference between how these two
characters view the idea of fame. Nina, who is not
famous, sees celebrity as fulfilling, glamorous, and
ideal. Trigorin’s rebuttal of Nina’s claim, however,
in an insider’s perspective that offers a less
glamorous look at what life in the spotlight is
really like. He is obsessive and withdrawn, unable
to take his mind off his work; the fame does not
satisfy him. Trigorin’s assertion that he no longer
even loves his art is lost on Nina, who claims that
if she were in his shoes, she would tolerate the
negative aspects of fame for the rest. It is clear
that being on the inside and being on the outside
of experiencing fame leads to very different
perceptions of it.
The mother and son pair of Arkadina and
Konstantin also struggle with fame. Arkadina is
11. 10
an acclaimed actress in Russia who finds solace
and comfort in belittling the lifestyles of those
around her in the small town where The Seagull
takes place. “Oh, what could be more boring than
this divine country boredom,” she laments. “It’s
hot, it’s quiet, nobody does a thing, we all just sit
around and talk… You know, my dears, I do love
it here, but if I were working now – in a room in
a hotel somewhere, memorizing my lines for a
new play – that would be heaven!” She frequently
takes a judgmental, condescending tone
towards her playwright son, Konstantin, and
because Arkadina knows he longs for the
acknowledgment and affirmation that she has
achieved as an artist, flaunts her fame in front of
him to make her feel better about herself. During
the performance of Konstantin’s play in Act I, she
pays little attention and patronizingly mocks her
son’s work. In the final act of The Seagull,
Arkadina admits that she has never actually read
her son’s writing, offering the poor excuse that
there is “just never enough time.” Konstantin, who
desperately seeks the approval of those around
him, takes his mother’s dismissal of him as a real
artist to heart. In Act I, a visibly tense Konstantin
is talking to his uncle – Sorin – before his new
play is scheduled to premiere in front of the town.
Anticipating that his mother will disapprove of his
work, he insults her, dismissing her kind of theatre
as tired, restrictive, and easy. In the middle of
trying to convince Sorin that his new form of
theatre is more valuable than his mother’s,
Konstantin suddenly exhibits a bout of
insecurity, confiding:
Oh Uncle…it’s awful! She has all these famous
people at her parties, writers and actors, and I’m
the only one there who isn’t famous, and they only
tolerate me because I’m her son. And who am I?
I left the university after my third year, I’m not
talented, I haven’t got a cent to my name, my birth
certificate says I’m from Kiev and I was “born in to
the middle class.” Why? Because my father was
from Kiev and he was “born in the middle class; he
just happened to be a famous actor! So there I am
with all those actors and writers, and finally
12. 11
someone is kind enough to talk to me, but
I know they think I’m a nobody, and I just
want to die!
Although Konstantin deals with his
insecurities by insulting his mother, the
feelings of inadequacy that stem from his
lack of fame only lower his self-esteem.
Although Konstantin’s speeches about a
“new kind of theatre” give the impression
that he is confident that his art is more
substantive and worthy than his mother’s
popular theatre, he is still desperate for the
approval of a wider audience than he has
access to.
Just as with Nina and Trigorin, there is a
divide between Arkadina and Konstantin
caused by their relationships with fame.
Arkadina insults Konstantin to justify her
life choices – ones that others, even those
who look up to her, might be critical of; as Nina’s
family demonstrates, acting was not considered
a noble profession during this period. Arkadina’s
shaky relationship with Trigorin and her constant
belittling of Konstantin and her family’s small town
reveal that despite her glamorous lifestyle, she is full
of feelings of insecurity and inadequacy. Meanwhile,
despite the support, praise, and encouragement of
his artistic ambitions that Konstantin receives from
his community, he does not feel fulfilled. He
continuously longs for more, both in regard to and
outside of his art. His longing obsesses him so much
that he is oblivious to Dorn’s and Sorin’s words of
encouragement and ignorant of Masha’s feelings
for him. Even with Nina, Konstantin’s fear that she
doesn’t take him seriously leads him to lost trust in
her, just as this leads her to lose her trust in him. It
seems that despite his insistence that art favored by
the masses not “real art,” it is actually the mass
approval that comes with fame for which he longs.
The Wounded Angel, (Finnish: Haavoittunut enkeli), 1903, by Finnish symbolist painter Hugo Simberg, reminiscent of Konstantin’s play in The Seagull.
13. 12
QUESTIONS
Today’s obsession with fame is a cross cultural phenomenon that some say began with the worship
of Greek gods. Greek citizens believed that the gods had a direct impact on their lives and closely
followed the stories of the gods’ personal lives. Myths are an outgrowth of this obsession.
Ancient Greek mythology, the iconography of saints in the Middle Ages (5th-15th centuries),
and the popularization of artists during the Renaissance (14th-17th centuries) are early examples
of celebrity culture.
1. Why does Nina admire Trigorin and Arkadina so much? Although Konstatin is critical of his
mother and Trigorin, what does his own desire for notoriety say about his true feelings
about them?
2. Chekhov’s The Seagull depicts lives both impacted by and free from fame and celebrity. Compare
and contrast the words and actions of those who are celebrity insiders (such as Arkadina and
Trigorin) with the words and actions of those who are on the outside (such as Nina and
Konstantin). How do these characters treat each other? What do they seem to want? How do
they work toward their goals? Would they behave differently if their roles were reversed?
3. What examples of celebrity worship exist in our culture today? What is it about the idea of a
celebrity that is so powerful? Why do people become obsessed with someone who they admire?
What does this add to their lives?
4. How do you think celebrity culture has changed with the rise of social media? Do you think
people feel more fulfilled now that they can access more information about the celebrities they
admire? How does the impression that the information is coming directly from celebrities
themselves (via Twitter, for example) impact a fan’s opinion of fame?
5. Do you believe that the ideal of fame exists only for those on the outside? Why or why not?
14. 13
Existentialism
Many of the characters in The Seagull are grappling with the meaning of life – questioning their
very existence and the purpose of their lives. This mode of thinking, born in the late 19th century, is
called existentialism. Existentialism questioned the meaning of life, and brought importance to the
self and the individual. Danish philosopher Søren Aabye Kierkegaard is widely considered to be the
father of existentialism, though he never actually used the term (it would later be coined by
Jean-Paul Sartre in the 20th century). One of Kierkegaard’s major philosophical accomplishments is
his writing on the influence of the self. Kierkegaard stated that the individual, rather than religion or
society, gave meaning to life. He felt that the self’s relation to the world was rooted in introspection,
or self-reflection, as opposed to the larger society and its influences. In his 1846 essay Concluding
Unscientific Postscript to Philosophical Fragments, he stated that “subjectivity is truth” and “truth
is subjectivity,” an opinion that stems from the notion that an individual’s opinions are derived from
their own personal truth.
Kierkegaard’s early existentialism influenced Chekhov as he wrote
The Seagull. The concept of existentialism is first seen through the
character of Masha at the beginning of Act I, when she declares
that she is “in mourning for [her] life,” a sentiment that sets the
tone for the play. Masha, like many of the play’s other characters,
feels that her life is meaningless without something unnamed that
it currently lacks. In her case, she doesn’t see the point of living
without Konstantin’s love. She explains to Medvedenko that
although she has money and his love, they are not enough.
Sorin also spends the majority of his time questioning the meaning
and purpose of his life, and recalling a time when he had dreams
and ambitions. In Act I, he tells Konstantin, “There was a time, all I
ever wanted was two things: get married and be a writer. And I
never did either one.” Instead, Sorin spent the majority of his life
working in an office. He feels that things “just happened” to him,
but he never made happen what he truly wanted—and therefore feels unfulfilled.
Sorin’s failing health adds another layer of complexity to his questions about the purpose of his
life. In Act II, as he and Dorn discuss the quality of their lives, Sorin remarks that Dorn has “lived an
interesting life. Me? I worked for 28 years in a government office, and I haven’t had a life, I haven’t
experienced it or anything. And I want to – you understand what I mean? You’ve been everywhere,
done everything; it’s easy for you to be philosophical: you don’t care anymore. But I want to live!
Which is why I drink sherry after dinner and smoke cigars. And everything. That’s why.”
Sorin augments his own personal failure by smoking and drinking, two habits he knows are bad for
his health. In the face of illness and nearing life’s end, Sorin enjoys these small risks and pleasures to
combat the decades of lack of excitement.
A drawing of Kierkegaard
15. 14
QUESTIONS
An important aspect of existentialism is individualism, the notion that every person exists in their
own unique way. The philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, who first coined the term “existentialism,”
claimed that all existentialist philosophers shared a belief in the idea that “existence precedes
essence.” This means that the most important aspect of a person is that they are an independent,
consciously acting individual, which is more important than the part of their self that is externally
shaped by stereotypes, the society they live in, or roles they must play in their lives.
1. Which characters in The Seagull feel that they don’t have enough ownership of themselves
as individuals?
2. Some of the characters focus on needing another person to be happy, while others, even if they
are still pining for another person, put lots of stake in their own individuality. What do characters
like Masha and Sorin feel is missing from their lives? What do they need to be happy?
3. Is who you are based on how you see yourself, or on how others see you? Do you exhibit
different dimensions of your personality depending on who you’re with? What is necessary
for you to be happy in life?
Cumulus, 1973, by Herman Gvardjančič
16. 15
Imagery & Symbolism
Writers use a variety of literary devices to convey themes, meanings, and connections in their work.
The Seagull is particularly known for its extensive use of symbolism – employing an idea, object, or
person to represent a different, often larger or more abstract, idea or concept. When a symbol is
used in literature, it is often repeated, referenced, or alluded to repeatedly to help the reader – or in
the case of The Seagull, the viewer – to recognize subtle or hidden meanings in the story.
The image of a seagull is first introduced in Act I. Within Nina’s first few lines, as she is expressing
her frustration with her parents disapproving nature, she compares herself to the bird: “But it’s the
lake that attracts me, as if I were a seagull…My heart’s overflowing with you,” she says.
Its next use of the symbol is in Act II, when Konstantin walks onstage to deliver a dead seagull to
Nina. Konstantin’s attitude toward Nina is disdainful, and she accuses him of only being able to talk
in symbols. They confess that they cannot recognize each other anymore. Konstantin complains
that he has failed in his attempts to become a successful writer and presumptuously accuses Nina
of thinking he is mediocre, as if it is the reason she isn’t returning his affection.
At the end of Act II, Trigorin notices the dead seagull and comments that it is a beautiful bird. He
then begins writing; when Nina asks what he’s writing about, he says that it is “an idea for a short
story. The shore of a lake, and a young girl who’s spent her whole life beside it, a girl like you . . .
She loves the lake the way a seagull does, and she’s happy and free as a seagull. Then a man
comes along, sees her, and ruins her life because he has nothing better to do. Destroys her like this
seagull here.”
17. 16
In the final act, the seagull appears again. Konstantin tells Dorn that Nina has been signing all of her
letters, “The Seagull.” Nina then mentions the seagull again in reference to herself, as she did in the
first act. In a daze, back in her hometown after being disowned by her parents and disillusioned by
what the life of an actor is really like rather than as she imagined it, she says to Konstantin: “I just
want to rest! I’m the seagull…No, that’s not it. I’m an actress. That’s it.” As she tries to recall how
her life is as an actress, she makes the final connection between herself and the bird. Nina becomes
lost, repeating Trigorin’s story from ACT II. For Nina, the symbol of the seagull first symbolizes hope
– and then hope destroyed – by her discovered disillusionment with the world of theatre and hope
destroyed by the two men she trusted.
Konstantin’s and Trigorin’s handling of the literal seagull mirrors their treatment of Nina as an object
they would like to control. The seagull symbolizes hope not just for Nina, but the other characters
in the play. They feel a lack of control over their own lives and futures, and see Nina as a physical
manifestation of hope either realized or destroyed. To be able to affect or control Nina gives both
Trigorin and Konstantin a sense of control over their own lives.
QUESTIONS
1. From the first moment she appears in the play, Nina is fascinated with the idea of a seagull. What
in her own life might cause her to feel this way? When in the play does the symbol of a seagull
switch from meaning hope realized to hope that is destroyed?
2. At the time that The Seagull takes place, women in Russia were not allowed the same rights and
privileges as men. Their lives were much more limited. As a young woman, Nina feels restrained
by many facets of her life. Her parents disapprove of her passion which makes her feel lonely in
her pursuit of a life on stage, and they disown her after she follows her dreams. How does this
imbalance of rights affect the male and female characters in the play, and how they relate to each
other? Can you think of another time in history that you have studied in which the inequality
between people of different genders affected society?
3. Why is Nina the most hopeful character in the play?
4. Some Native American tribal cultures include belief in spirit animals, an animal closely connected
to a person through traits and skills. Do you feel connected to a particular animal? If so, what
personality traits, likes, and dislikes do you share? What personal experiences have you had with
this animal that made you feel that it symbolizes you?
18. 17
MASTERYASSESSMENT
ACT I
1. Why is Nina nervous about performing in Konstantin’s play?
2. What were Sorin’s dreams when he was young?
3. With whom is Konstantin in love?
4. What is Dorn’s profession?
5. From what play does Arkadina quote to Konstantin, which he quotes from as well?
6. What happens during the performance of Konstantin’s play?
7. What is Trigorin’s profession?
8. Which character tells Konstantin that he is talented and should keep on writing?
9. With whom is Masha in love?
10. What important environmental landmark in the town is often referred to?
11. What in the town does Dorn blame for everyone being in love?
ACT II
1. What advice does Arkadina give to Masha about feeling positive about herself?
2. Which activities does Sorin engage in after dinner to make himself feel happier?
3. What does Nina give to Dorn that makes Paulina jealous?
4. What does Konstantin bring to Nina?
5. What main topic do Nina and Trigorin discuss?
6. What does Arkadina decide to do at the end of Act II?
ACT III
1. Where does Act III take place?
2. Who is in love with Masha?
3. What action offstage does Konstantin take that becomes a topic of discussion
between Arkadina and Sorin?
4. What does Sorin tell Arkadina is the cause of Konstantin’s unhappiness?
5. Who does Konstantin blame for coming between him in his relationship
with his mother?
6. Where does Nina decide to go at the end of Act III?
ACT IV
1. How many years have passed between Acts III and IV?
2. What has changed in Masha and Medvedenko’s lives?
3. What has changed with Sorin’s health?
4. What is the title of the story Sorin wants Konstantin to write?
5. What has Nina’s life been like since leaving her hometown?
6. How does Nina sign her letters to Konstantin?
7. What game is being played at the table?
8. What is Konstantin doing instead of playing the game?
9. Who returns and talks with Konstantin?
10. What does Nina conclude is the most important thing in life?
11. What happens to Konstantin at the end of the play?
19. 18
• Irina Nikolayevna Arkadina
Konstantin’s mother, an actress, mostly referred to as Arkadina
• Konstantin Gavrilovich Treplev
Twenty-something year old writer, Arkadina’s son, mostly referred to as Konstantin or Kostya
• Pyotr Nikolayevich Sorin
Arkadina’s brother, Konstantin’s uncle, farm owner, mostly referred to as Sorin
• Nina Mikhailovna Zarechnaya
Nineteen year old aspiring actress, daughter of a wealthy neighbor, referred to as Nina
• Ilya Afanasyevich Shamrayev
Retired army lieutenant who manages Sorin’s farm, mostly referred to as Shamrayev
• Paulina Andreyevna
Shamrayev’s wife, referred to as Paulina
• Masha
Paulina and Shamrayev’s daughter, around Nina’s age
• Boris Alexeyevich Trigorin
A famous writer, Arkadina’s companion, mostly referred to as Trigorin
• Yevgeny Sergeyevich Dorn
The local doctor, referred to as Dorn
• Semyon Semyonovich Medvedenko
A schoolteacher, mostly referred to as Medvedenko
• Yakov
The hired man
• The Cook
• The Maid
Characters in The Seagull
FORFURTHEREXPLORATION
20. Arkadina and Konstantin, two of the central characters in The Seagull, are connected through both
familial and artistic bonds. Though their theatrical ambitions inspired them to take on different
creative roles (Arkadina is an actress while Konstantin is a playwright), their love and devotion to
theatre unites them.
Families comprised of theatre artists are a longstanding tradition. In the Huntington Theatre
Company’s production of The Seagull, the actors playing Arkadina and Konstantin are not only a
real mother and son pair, but are also part of a legacy of acclaimed theatre performers. Kate Burton,
who plays Arkadina, has been a prominent stage and film actress for over thirty years. She grew up
surrounded by artists – her father was actor Richard Burton, her mother was producer Sybil Burton,
and her stepmother was Elizabeth Taylor. Kate Burton didn’t initially attend school for drama, instead
pursuing it recreationally while an undergraduate at Brown University, but later chose to join the
family business when she enrolled in the Yale School of
Drama’s graduate acting program.
Kate Burton’s son, Morgan Ritchie, has spent his entire life
surrounded by performers. In addition to the lineage from his
mother, his father, Michael Ritchie, is a well-known director
and producer. In a 2007 interview with the Brown Daily
Herald student newspaper (Ritchie chose to follow in his
mother’s footsteps by attending her alma mater), Ritchie
reported that his mother “made a concerted effort . . . not to
dissuade me from doing theatre, but not to surround me with
theatre all the time.” When he first told his mother at the age
of 14 that he wanted to be an actor, she was not pleased. “We
stayed up literally almost all night arguing about it,” Ritchie
recalled. In an interview with the Boston Globe in 2009,
Burton agreed that initially she had discouraged her son from
entering the profession. The turning point, they each reported
in their respective interviews, was when Ritchie appeared in
a production of Bertolt Brecht’s The Caucasian Chalk Circle at
age 17. Burton remembers her reaction – “I said, ‘Well, that’s
it!’ And at the age of 20 he is more innately gifted than my
father, Richard Burton – certainly than I was – at that age.”’
19
Performing Families
Kate & Morgan performing in The Corn is Green
Kate Burton with son, Morgan Ritchie
21. 20
Acting Runs in the Family
Even before this turning point, however, Burton and Ritchie acted together in various films and plays.
The first time they played opposite one another was at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in 2007 in
The Corn is Green by Emlyn Williams. The production, which would be remounted at the Huntington
Theatre Company in 2009, marked the first time this mother and son pair had to develop a
relationship onstage. When asked in his Brown Daily Herald interview about how it felt to work so
closely with his mother and with director Nicholas Martin, a longstanding collaborator with Burton
and a close family friend, he said: “In some ways it makes me more nervous. I really want to do well
in front of my mom and Uncle Nicky . . . On the other hand, it’s so comfortable to walk into rehearsal
and see your mom and Uncle Nicky, I can’t wait.”
• Josephine Baker (1906 - 1975) and Son Jean-Claude Baker
(b. 1944): Josephine Baker was an American-born French
singer, dancer, and actress. She adopted Jean-Claude Baker,
a Paris bellhop, in 1958 when he was 14. He also pursued a
multi-faceted career in entertainment similar to his mother’s,
ranging from music to modeling to owning his own nightclub.
• Judy Garland (1922 - 1969) and Liza Minnelli (b. 1946):
Judy Garland was an actress and singer, best known for her
performance as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. Fred Astaire
once described her as “the greatest entertainer who ever
lived.” Her daughter, Liza Minnelli (with stage and film
director Vincent Minnelli), became a very famous performer
as well, making her name on stage and in film as an actor
and singer and winning four Tony Awards, an Oscar and a
“Legends” Grammy Award.
• The Barrymores: Several members of this family have made
names for themselves as actors in theatre and film, including
(pictured right, from top to bottom):
• Ethel Barrymore (1879-1959)
• John Barrymore (1882-1942)
• Drew Barrymore (b. 1975)
• Jane Brockman and Jonathan Shew: This mother-son pair
of actors is currently performing in the national tour of the
musical, Wicked. Brockman plays Midwife and understudies
Madame Morrible. Shew is in the ensemble and understudies
Fiyero. Brockman said in regards to playing opposite her son,
“It was exciting and fun, but mostly just a huge treat to
experience working with my son on this level and experiencing
him as a terrific performer.”
22. 21
1. In an interview with TotalTheater.com, Kate
Burton discussed her artistic relationship with her
father, the famous actor Richard Burton. She said
that she and her father never worked together in
theatre, only in film, and that her father’s
mentorship was concentrated on film work.
She recalled:
“I didn’t need help with theatre, I really didn’t. I
had a good strong feeling about theatre. I had
great training and had worked with extraordinary
actors. From day one . . . what dad really helped
me with was putting me in front of the camera.
He helped me with that. When we were doing the
miniseries [Ellis Island, 1984] in England, he
helped me to modulate. That’s the hardest thing
— to go from a theater education to learn to work
in film. It’s a big jump.”
Considering Kate Burton’s past artistic
relationship with her father, in which she only
wanted to work with him when she felt like she
needed his help, what do you think might have
changed in order for her to want to work with her
own son on stage, years later?
2. In The Seagull, Arkadina is dismissive of Konstantin’s artistic pursuits. She laughs at the premiere
of his play and condescendingly tells their friends and family it doesn’t make sense. By the end of
the play, she admits that she has never even bothered to read Konstantin’s work because “there’s
just never enough time.” Meanwhile, Konstantin undermines his mother’s work, dismissing it as
“easy” and shallow.
• What true feelings/fears about Konstantin’s work might Arkadina hold but be too afraid
to articulate? Does she really not respect his work? What do you believe is Arkadina’s
motivation for not supporting her son’s work?
• How is this mother-son relationship depicted in The Seagull different from Kate Burton and
Morgan Ritchie’s relationship as theatre artists?
• Starting with the families listed on the previous page, research the history of U.S. and
European performing families. Compare and contrast the relationships between real-life
performing family members to Arkadina and Konstantin’s.
• Is there a particular field or profession that runs in your family? If so, do you have any
interest in following in your family members’ footsteps? Why or why not?
QUESTIONS
Actor Richard Burton
23. 22
Chekhov, Stanislavsky & The Moscow Art Theatre
Konstantin Sergeyevich Alexeyev, who later would change his last name to Stanislavsky, was born in
Moscow in 1863 to one of the wealthiest families in Russia. Growing up, he was exposed to the arts
through attending the ballet and the circus. In 1877, his father was elected the head of Moscow’s
merchant class, which led to a theatre being constructed on the family’s estate. Thus began
Stanislavsky’s committed theatrical pursuits. He began by writing critiques and analysis in his
notebook, from which his own acting technique would later be born.
Although Stanislavsky grew up in a culture that valued the arts,
it was never something his family and the rest of his wealthy
community expected him to pursue as a career. In Russia in
the late 19th century, professional acting was reserved for the
lower classes. As a result, Stanislavsky eventually changed his
name from Alexeyev to hide his theatrical career from his
family. He also practiced disguising himself as other people,
such as gypsies, in order to improve his acting and
characterization skills while hiding his passion from his family.
Inspired by productions he saw at the Maly Theatre, the home
of psychological realism at the time, Stanislavsky made study
of that performance style his main focus. Alexander Pushkin, the famous Russian poet who helped
to develop this style in the theatre, stated in 1823 that what connected great classical authors such
as Shakespeare, Calderon, and Corneille was their shared pursuit for portraying the truth of a
character and their situation, so that their behavior could be comprehensively understood.
Stanislavsky committed himself to in-depth study of these concepts, and as he gained renown as
an actor, he applied the principles to leading roles in plays by Shakespeare, Moliere, and Pushkin,
among others.
In June of 1897, Stanislavsky engaged in an 18-hour meeting with playwright Vladimir
Nimirovich-Danchenko, who also played an essential role in Chekhov’s life. The result of this historic
meeting was the founding of the Moscow Art Theatre. This theatre would become an artistic home
to both Stanslavski’s approach to realistic acting and to the premieres of Chekhov’s greatest works.
Stanislavsky’s method of acting made significant contributions to the performance of Chekhov’s
plays. The subtlety in Chekhov’s language lent itself to Stanislavsky’s techniques, which required
actors to employ back story and emotional memory in their performances.
An Uneasy Partnership:
Chekhov & the Moscow Art Theatre
(Excerpted, by Wendy Weckworth)
The first season of the Moscow Art Theatre (MAT) opened in 1898 with a production of Tolstoy’s
historical drama, Tsar Fyodor that paid careful attention to historical detail in its portrayal of 16th
century Russia. Sophocles’ Antigone and Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice followed. The
fledgling company was teetering toward collapse when it produced a revival of Chekhov’s play The
Seagull, which was an unequivocal failure upon its premiere in St. Petersburg two years earlier. In
The Moscow Art Theatre, 1902
24. 23
the hands of Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko, however, it was a monumental success, and
marked the beginning of a fruitful relationship between Chekhov and the company that lasted until
the writer’s early death in 1904.
This collaboration – between a company so focused on developing a life-like “natural” style, and the
playwright whose plays demanded a new level of psychological subtlety – proved mutually
beneficial. The MAT adopted a seagull as its emblem, and became known as the “House of
Chekhov.” It went on to produce his final three full-length plays: Uncle Vanya (1897), Three Sisters
(1901), and The Cherry Orchard (1904).
The relationship had its problems, however. Chekhov objected to Stanislavsky’s misreading of his
plays – Stanislavsky found and emphasized tragedy where Chekhov believed he had created
comedy. He wrote: “You tell me that people cry at my plays . . . But that is not why I wrote them.
It is [Stanislavsky] who made my characters into cry-babies. All I wanted was to say truthfully to the
people: ‘Have a look at yourselves and see how bad and dreary your lives are!’ The most important
point is that people should realize that when they do, they will most certainly create another, a
better, life for themselves . . . What is there to cry about?”
Chekhov’s ironic sensibility . . . disrupts the traditional boundary between comedy and tragedy. That
disruption has been a central concern for many playwrights since Chekhov; it might even be argued
that the tragicomic absurdity presaged in Chekhov’s plays reaches its peak in the plays of Samuel
Beckett. “The tears of the world are a constant quantity. For each one who begins to weep
somewhere else another stops. The same is true of the laugh,” Beckett writes in Waiting for Godot.
This, among many other things, Chekhov understood.
Stanislavsky’s Method
Stanislavsky’s “Method,” as it would come to be known, was a series of techniques to teach actors
how to make their performances as believable as possible. In method acting, the actor is taught to
find the “believable truth” in every character, by developing the technique of “emotional memory.”
For example, if an actor is playing a character who is feeling guilty about something, it is the actor’s
job to remember a time in their own life when they felt guilty, and apply that emotional memory to
their character. The hope is that the character will seem more realistic because the actor based the
performance on something they had actually felt in their own past.
Additionally, Stanislavki’s method also requires actors to analyze their characters’ motivations
and objectives.
• Motivation: What drives a character to do what they do? Stanislavsky believed that the past
actions of a character are directly related to their physical actions in script. It is the actor’s job
to figure out what happened in the character’s past through clues written into the script and
by using their imaginations to fill in what the playwright did not provide.
• Objective: What does the character want in this moment? A character’s objective is specific
and can change from scene to scene.
• Super Objective: What does the character want in the entire play? A character’s super
objective is a larger goal to which the scene by scene objectives contribute.
25. 24
QUESTIONS
Although Chekhov and Stanislavsky contributed to each other’s success both in their lifetimes and
long after, their relationship was characterized by tension and strain. Stanislavsky’s techniques added
layers to Chekhov’s writing, which audiences appreciated but Chekhov did not. Chekhov felt that
Stanislavsky added too many realistic details, which added unnecessary weight to moments that he
intended to be simpler and lighter. Stanislavsky, meanwhile, criticized Chekhov’s writing and grew
frustrated with the playwright’s unwillingness to expand on his simple text.
1. How were Chekhov and Stanislavsky different in their upbringings and introductions to the arts?
How were they similar? What formative experiences contributed to their beliefs and opinions
about theatre?
2. Why do you think so many actors find Stanislavsky’s method of finding the “truth” about a
character so valuable? What can a person’s past life tell us about their present?
For Further Reading:
Major Works by Anton Chekhov
Plays:
Ivanov, 1887
Uncle Vanya, 1897
Three Sisters, 1901
The Cherry Orchard, 1904
Original company of the Moscow Art Theatre, 1899
Short Stories:
“A Living Chattel,” 1882
“The Grasshopper,” 1892
“About Love,” 1898
“The Lady with the Dog,” 1899
“In the Ravine,” 1900
“The Bishop,” 1902
“Betrothed [The Fiancée],” 1903
26. 25
Creative Writing 1
The Seagull is about a community comprised of people who have stayed there for their entire lives,
some who are desperate to leave it, and others who enter and exit it as they please. The story
chronicles this community over a period of time, reflecting how it grows and changes through the
experiences of its inhabitants.
• Part 1: Think of a community which you are part of, and consider the “characters” that
populate it. Write a story about or a dialogue between several distinctive characters in your
community. Pay close attention to their unique personality traits – the way they speak, the kinds
of stories they tell, and their physical appearances.
• For an optional Part 2, see Acting 1, below
Creative Writing 2
The characters in The Seagull all seem to be longing for something in their lives that they either don’t
have or that they have and are afraid they might lose.
Pick a character from the play and write a monologue from their perspective about their own
personal pursuit of happiness. What motivates them to want what they do? What obstacles are in
their way? How does this journey impact how they see the world and the people around them? Feel
free to imagine details from their past that are not included in the script but that are consistent with
what the playwright includes about the character in the script.
Acting 1
For those who have chosen to write a scene for Creative Writing 1, have students act out these
scenes with one another. Again, pay close attention to specific character choices.
Acting 2: Scene Study and Character Analysis
Have students choose scenes from the play with great dramatic tension to direct, act out or read.
Part I: Begin preparations to perform the scene by completing the following questions:
• What are the given circumstances (5 W’s) of this scene?
• What is the scene’s primary conflict?
• Objectives: What does my character want in this scene? What does my character want in the
play overall?
• Tactics: What is my character doing to get what he or she wants?
• Obstacles: What or who is standing in the way of my character’s efforts to achieve his or
her objective?
• Stakes: What is at risk for my character? What is the best thing that could happen if my
character achieves his or her objective? What is the worst thing that could happen if he or
she fails?
SUGGESTEDACTIVITIES
27. 26
• What adjectives describe my character’s personality? Are there any contradictions?
• What statements does my character make about him or herself? What do others say about
my character?
• Describe the status of each character in the scene. Does anyone have power over someone else?
Part II: Create a biographical sketch of your character by answering the following in first person from
the character’s perspective:
• Full name and date of birth.
• Where did you grow up? Where do you live now?
• Do you have any siblings?
• Describe your relationship with your parents.
• How did your childhood influence who you are today?
• When you were young, what were your dreams and aspirations? Have these dreams changed
over time? If so, how and why?
• Do you have any secrets? If so, what are they?
• What is your best quality? What is your worst quality?
• Describe your sense of humor.
• Do you have any hobbies? If so, what are they? Why do you enjoy them?
• List your favorites: Food, color, music, season.
Part III: Put the scene on its feet. How can you use stage pictures to communicate the story of the
scene? Consider:
• Composition of the onstage images.
• The rhythms of the actors’ movement around the stage.
• The pacing of the dialogue.
• How the actors’ body language and vocal expression reflects the information examined
in Parts I and II.
Suggested Scenes:
• Konstantin talks with Sorin about their longings (Act I)
• Nina talks with Trigorin (Act II)
• Arkadina and Sorin talk about Konstantin (Act III)
• Arkadina and Konstantin argue (Act III)
• Arkadina begs Trigorin not to leave her (Act III)
• Nina and Konstantin’s final conversation (Act IV)
Visual Art and Creative Writing: The Realist Movement
In the mid-to-late 19th century, the movement to create realistic art included forms beyond the stage.
Realist painters used ordinary people, from laborers to traveling passengers to butchers, to depict
what life was actually like for the average person. The subjects of Realist paintings were common,
ordinary situations, like a day in a butcher shop, or women sewing lace or laundering clothing. This
movement was a response to Romanticism and History Painting, both of which depicted a more
fantastical, unrealistic portrayal of life. Even if these paintings were based on real events, they were
not realistic in style.
28. 27
Research a Realist painter and select one of the artist’s works (examples of Realist painters include
Jean-Baptiste Greuze, William Bell Scott, Gustave Courbet, and Jules Breton). After examining the
painting carefully, write your own stories about what is depicted in the painting, either from the
perspective of a character in the painting or an outsider’s view of the scene the painting depicts.
Visual Art: Symbolism
The two central symbolic images in The Seagull are a lake (representing memory, nostalgia, and
longing) and a seagull (representing hope felt and destroyed). Choose a character and consider the
ways in which one of these symbols connects to the character’s journey in The Seagull. Select and
analyze a scene in which this connection is particularly strong. Informed by this analysis, create a
symbolic visual artwork, such as a painting, collage, or drawing, that depicts the character’s
relationship to the symbol you choose. Be sure to include at least one quote from The Seagull in your
piece of artwork that helps illustrate the relationship between the character and the symbol.
The Seagull, surrealist collage by Dan Pecci, 2013
29. 28
REFERENCES & RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER READING
Bio
• http://people.brandeis.edu/~teuber/chekhovbio.html#PersonalInformation
• http://www.gutenberg.org/files/6408/6408-h/6408-h.htm
• Spotlight: Spring 2013-2014, The Huntington Theatre Company
• Dear writer—dear actress—: the love letters of Olga Knipper and Anton Chekhov
Fame
• http://www.randomhistory.com/1-50/010celeb.html
Existentialism
• Concluding Unscientific Postscript to Philosophical Fragments
• http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=3520132 (pages 19-37)
• http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/4544850?uid=3739696&uid=2&uid=4&uid=3739256&s
id=21103257455957
• http://www.anselm.edu/homepage/dbanach/sartreol.htm
Performing Families
• http://www.totaltheater.com/?q=node/5422
• http://www.huffingtonpost.com/galtime/10-famous-motherchild-duo_b_2964713.html
• https://secure.pqarchiver.com/boston-sub/doc/405150629.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=&type=current&date=J
an%209,%202009&author=&pub=&edition=&startpage=&desc=
• http://www.browndailyherald.com/2007/09/24/ritchie-10-enters-family-trade-with-major-acting-debut/
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kate_Burton_%28actress%29
• http://articles.latimes.com/2013/mar/14/entertainment/la-et-cm-kate-burton-sybil-christopher-20130313
• http://www.tv.com/people/kate-burton/
• http://www.playbill.com/features/article/185727-Mother-and-Son-Actors-Share-the-Stage-With-
Leading-Roles-in-Wicked?tsrc=hpf
• http://www.huffingtonpost.com/galtime/10-famous-motherchild-duo_b_2964713.html
Stanislavsky
• Stanislavsky: An Introduction, Benedetti, Jean. 1999
• The Stanislavski System: The Professional Training of an Actor, Moore, Sonia. 1960
• http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/database/stanislavsky_c.html
• http://www.quotidiantheatre.org/chekhov.htm
