The Seagull: Acts III & IV

Set design for The Seagull

Act III: We have moved into an interior setting, a dining room.

A quick note about interior and exterior sets:

Interior settings often symbolize personal issues (private affairs, family secrets, etc.) whereas exterior settings often symbolize the community or public issues (society, etc.) Read this way, the first two acts of The Seagull were the events focused in the community, the public face of these characters. In Acts III & IV, we go inside to air their sordid laundry in a more private manner.

Masha announces her decision to marry Medvedenko, the poor school master. Sorin, still in bad health, worries about Constantine, who has tried to kill himself. Sorin’s fainting spells have become common. He pleads with his mother to show generosity and loan Sorin money so that he could move into town. She refuses and changes her son's bandages. For the first time in the play, Constantine speaks kindly to his mother. When the subject of Trigorin enters the conversation, mother and son begin to fight again. At his mother’s urging, he agrees to call off the duel. He leaves as Trigorin enters. The writer is enraptured by Nina, and Irina is aware of this fascination. Trigorin wants Irina to set him free from their stale relationship so that he can pursue Nina. Irina is insulted but begs him not to leave. She is so desperately pathetic that he agrees to maintain their passionless relationship. However, as they prepare to leave the estate, Nina informs Trigorin that she is running away to Moscow to become an actress. Trigorin gives her the name of his hotel. Act Three ends as Trigorin and Nina share a passionate kiss.

We will read Act IV during class. After the play please respond to the questions in our discussion.

With time remaining, please continue to work on your one-act/full-length play projects. This project will be due after break, so please save or send yourself files to work on if you are not far in the project.

HOMEWORK: Please select one Chekhov play: either Uncle Vanya or The Three Sisters (we will be viewing The Cherry Orchard in class) and read it. Please respond to the play and its question on the forum by Nov. 30.