Dehierarchization of Duality in Chekhov's Uncle Vanya

Abstract

Anton Chekhov's Uncle Vanya has been generally interpreted as an absurd play with bleak view of life. Critics of different schools and times analyze Chekhov's vision in Uncle Vanya from different perspectives. Some analyz it as an optimistic play and other as a pessimistic play. In this way they created the hierarchy in Chekhov's Uncle Vanya. This thesis however, tries to explore the issue of dehierarchization of duality rather than simply the optimism/pessimism or tragic/comic dualisims. The theme of Uncle Vanya is not just frustration but also courage and hope. Life is not tragic or comic only. Uncle Vanya depicts the characters and events which face both optimistic and pessimistic situations. Chekhov in Uncle Vanya accepted the 'both/and' approach to life and depicted it with all of its inherent contradictions. Thus, the characters tragic- comic experience dehierarchizes any type of polarized readings.