What Drives Society, Insanity... -- Vanya Act IV

I finished this play and the first thing that came to my mind was boredom. I remember mentioning this in my first blog about Uncle Vanya where boredom seemed as a key factor in the development of this play. In fact, Voinistky ends up reacting in a violent way after the energy that had been bottled up for the lack of work exploded outwards. Some people may argue that what made Voinistky react was the fact that he had dedicated his entire life to Aleksandr and he had received nothing in return; however, I oppose because if Voinistky had continued on working for the estate as he did in his previous days, he wouldn’t of had noticed that Aleksandr was really a bad literate. It is because Vanya had so much negative energy inside of him that he finally erupted. With this aspect of boredom in mind, I believe that the author wanted (really) to depict the image of what a utopia would be for some people. Well, many might argue that in a utopia you wouldn’t work, because everything that is there to do is already done. This idea of a utopia was demonstrated by Chekhov in its most sensationalist way, where boredom (taking over) ends up causing the exact opposite reaction (violence) to the alleged peace that the utopia would have. When I realized this (if it is true) I felt connected to the author because I basically depicted what I more or less though of a utopia (perfection leading to boredom).

I’d like to quote a small speech given by Uncle Vanya in the play which I thought alluded to the world in which we live with great exactitude:

"Strange. I attempt to commit a murder, and they don’t arrest me, don’t bring me to trial, which means that they consider me insane. [With a bitter laugh] I am insane, but those who conceal their lack of talent, their stupidity, their utter heartlessness under the guise of a professor, a learned sage—they are not insane. People are not insane who marry old men and then openly deceive them. I saw you, I saw you with your arms around her!" (216).

In this quote Voinistky mentions that even though he tried to commit a murder, nobody cares right now for the fact that they believe he is insane. But then he starts mentioning a list of characteristics in other people who he questions if they are insane. Insane in the way that they hide their real life, their real character, they hide their true identity. I myself thought of this as a true occurrence, where the people who secretly (and openly) despise life and the things they have in it should be considered insane to the upmost degree. I openly agree with Chekov’s point of view in this aspect.