The Seagull

The Seagull Summary | Act 1 Summary

Seagull is Anton Chekhov's four-act play about the search for love and the personal tragedies that occur, when love remains unrequited.

As the play opens, it is just past sunset on the Russian estate of Peter Sorin, whose sister is the famous Russian actress, Madame Irina Arkadina. The evening is fair, and the setting includes an impromptu stage on which a new style of drama will be enacted for a few guests. The sound of workers is heard behind the stage's curtain.

Two of the guests, Masha, a daughter of a retired lieutenant and now the caretaker of the Sorin estate, and Simon Medvedenko, a teacher, stroll the grounds, awaiting the start of the play. Simon is frustrated, because Masha does not return his love for her. Masha is perpetually sad, even though she is not poor. This is a good indicator of happiness, according to Simon.

The pair discusses tonight's play, written by Constantine Treplev, the son of Madame Arkadina. A young woman, named Nina Zarechnaya, with whom Constantine is in love, will perform the play's main character.

Peter and Constantine enter the grounds and wait for the play to begin. Constantine is anxious to see his love, Nina, in the play. However, he worries, because he knows that his mother, Madame Arkadina will be jealous of the young woman's talent and beauty.

Constantine loves his mother but acknowledges her weaknesses, all part of an artistic temperament. The new style of theater sweeping over the country is also making Madame Arkadina especially temperamental, because she does not like the change. Constantine also tells Peter that he does not like his mother's new lover, the writer, Boris Trigorin.

Nina enters all flush with excitement at performing tonight, apologizing for her late arrival. Nina's father and stepmother do not approve of her theatrical vocation and her association with Constantine and Madame Arkadina. Nina shares with Constantine that she is very nervous about performing in front of Trigorin tonight, especially because Constantine's play has no living characters.

The play is about to begin, and the arriving guests include Nina's mother, Paulina Shamrayev and Yevgeny Dorn, a physician. Yevgeny does not hide his attraction to Nina, which concerns Paulina, because of the big age difference between Nina and Yevgeny.

Paulina and Yevgeny are soon joined by Madame Arkadina, Peter, Boris, Ilya Shamrayev, a retired lieutenant, who now manages Peter's estate, Masha, and Simon. As the group waits for the play to begin, they discuss the state of Russian theatre today and bemoan the lack of any great performers.

The sound of a horn interrupts the group, signaling the start of the play. The curtain draws back to reveal the lake, where Nina sits perched on a huge rock. With the moon overhead, Nina proceeds with her monologue about life a thousand centuries in the future, when today's life forms will be extinct. Nina continues that her soul embodies all these life forms and soon is approached by the "Devil," symbolized by two red flames and some burning sulphur.

Madame Arkadina cannot stifle her laughter at the performance, and Constantine, embarrassed and hurt, orders the curtain drawn on the play and stalks away. Peter chastises Madame Arkadina for her insensitivity. She claims that this play is not a new art form, but simply the ranting of a spoiled boy.

Boris tries to help Madame Arkadina understand that people write what they can to the best of their abilities, and that she should be more tolerant of Constantine. Madame Arkadina agrees, but chooses not to watch any more efforts like this one. Madame Arkadina changes the subject to the topic of the pleasant weather, and then soon admits regret for treating Constantine so poorly.

Soon, Nina appears among the group, and both Madame Arkadina and Boris complement her on her performance. Madame Arkadina even tells Nina that her talents should be put to use in the theatre in the city. Boris admits that he does not understand Constantine's play, but that he enjoyed watching Nina's performance.

Nina has to leave, because her father will soon wonder where she is, although she would love to stay among this group of artists, especially Boris. Madame Arkadina shares the fact that Nina is in the unfortunate position of living with a father and stepmother to whom the father has already promised his full estate.

Peter suggests that the guests return to the house, because the night is getting damp. Everyone departs, except Yevgeny. Soon, he is joined by Constantine. Yevgeny tells the young man that he enjoyed his play very much. Encouraged by Yevgeny's comments, Constantine resolves to continue writing, but at the moment is interested in talking to Nina.

Yevgeny tells Constantine that Nina has gone home, and Constantine rushes off to find her. Masha returns and asks Yevgeny to help her, because she is tortured by unrequited love for Constantine. Yevgeny attributes tonight's passionate behavior to the magic lake, which seems to have affected all the guests in some way.