Study Questions and Essay Topics
Study Questions
What major events happen offstage? What kind of play would The Seagull become were these events to occur on stage? Why do you think Chekhov chose to keep these events offstage? What effect does his choice create?
Is Arkadina a sympathetic character? Why or why not?
How does Nina change over the course of the play?
Suggested Essay Topics
How does the weather reflect the events of the play at three different, specific moments?
Is Treplev a tragic, comic, or tragi-comic figure? Provide evidence from the play to support your choice.
Why is Masha in the play? What does her character contribute to the story and our understanding of the major characters?
What types of relationships are repeated in the play? What effect do the parallel depictions create?
Does anything happen in The Seagull? Is this a play of ideas or of actions? How does everyday language change characters' lives in the play?
Compare and contrast The Cherry Orchard and The Seagull. How does Chekhov employ the symbol of the title in each of these plays? What themes and motifs resonate between the plays? Has Chekhov's point of view about life and existence changed between The Seagull and The Cherry Orchard?
Is Trigorin a villain? Why or why not?
