The Seagull

Familial dynamics play an important role in the lives of both Konstantin and Nina. How are their experiences and dilemmas similar? How are they different? What is the significance of these dynamics?

Compare and contrast the characters of Nina, Arkadina, and Masha. In what ways do these women take agency over their lives? In what ways do they not? What do their character arcs reveal about the gender dynamics in the play?

How does the humor of The Seagull compare to that of modern comedies? Compare and contrast Anton Chekhov’s form with that of modern comedic playwrights.

Which character, in your opinion, exhibits the most growth over the course of the play? Who exhibits the least? What does this growth (or lack thereof) suggest about ideas of agency, disillusionment, and/or success?

How are country life and town life depicted in the play? Why do some characters idealize one over the other? Can the two be reconciled? Why or why not?

Chekhov’s plays are part of a category of theater called “theater of moods.” What “mood” or atmosphere does Chekhov create for audiences (or readers) in The Seagull? Is it a tragedy, a comedy, or something in between?

What kinds of societal ideas, customs, and/or class dynamics is Chekhov critiquing in the play? How does the play illuminate certain aspects of its historical context in Russia at the turn of the 20th century?

How is romantic and sexual love depicted in the play? How do these romantic and sexual dynamics relate to the play’s key ideas?