Realism vs. Idealism: Uncle Vanya, Act III

Act III of the play Uncle Vanya acts as the climax, or “boiling point,” of the entire work. Serebryakov’s selfish desires spark forth a conflict between him and Uncle Vanya, who takes advantage of the opportunity to accuse the professor of having made him live a miserable life. “You have destroyed my life! I have not lived! Thanks to you, I have ruined and wasted the best years of my life. You are my bitterest enemy.” (Act III, pgs. 230-231). In a way, the reader feels pity towards Voynitsky, making him sympathize with this character. A despiteful attitude towards the professor is developed, especially when his daughter Sonya pleads him to have pity on Uncle Vanya and herself because they have spent their entire lives sacrificing themselves and working for the retired old man. These words almost make the reader support Voynitsky’s attempts to shoot Serebryakov. Even though the professor, his wife, Sonya, and Uncle Vanya are active participants in the play’s plot, I believe that all the attention is drawn towards Marina’s calm words at the end of the act. Although she only speaks to soothe Sonya and to condemn the arguments that are going on, she possesses all the qualities that will able a person to confront every adverse situation: calm, moderation, tranquility, and good will. Although she is merely a secondary character in the drama and is the only one that does not take an active role in the argument, Sonya’s words before the curtain closes emphasize the importance of a character like Marina. The exclamation “Nurse, darling! Nurse, darling!” (Act III, p. 233) shows that Marina is both a symbol of relief and the role model everyone must learn to imitate in times of crisis.

Apart from the conflict previously mentioned, there also exists a confrontation between civilization and nature sparked forth by man’s eminent need to modernize. Astrov prefers civilization over conservation; however, he advocates for the preservation of Mother Nature because its present destruction is not achieving any substantial gains. “We have here a degeneration that is the result of too severe a struggle for existence. This degeneration is due to inertia, ignorance, to the complete lack of understanding… And everything has been destroyed already, but nothing as yet has been created to take its place.” (Act III, p. 224). The increasing scientific and technological advancement of mankind a century and a half ago ignited the need to appropriate oneself of everything that lies on one’s way. The advent of an age where man competes against itself appears in the play when, desperate not to succumb under the theory of Social Darwinism, the less privileged and ignorant masses struggle to keep up with modernization and end up destroying nature. Apparently, “the survival of the fittest” will slowly lead to the complete extermination of Mother Nature. As Serebryakov exclaimed, “One can put up with illness, after all; but what I can’t endure is the whole manner of life in the country. I feel as though I had been cast off the earth into some other planet.” (Act III, p. 227). Modernization and technology has shattered our natural habitat and instead replaced it with civilization, or our futile struggles to construct one.

The last “battle” or point of contention in this act is that between truth and uncertainty.
“Yelena: Yes, of course. It seems to me that the truth, however dreadful it is, is not so dreadful as uncertainty. Rely on me, dear.
Sonya: Yes, yes… I shall tell him you want to see his charts… No, uncertainty is better… One has hope, at least.” (Act III, pgs. 221-222).
Subjectivity dominates each person’s point of view on this subject. A more empirical, practical person like myself would prefer the truth over uncertainty. Even though hope is the driving force that leads a person’s life when he/she is in doubt, the truth will always provide the individual with a factual base they can use to construct their lives hereafter. Someone who possesses a more idealistic view of life prefers uncertainty over truth. This way, they will be able to construct their own versions of a fictional reality and live life as though they were in a dream. A wide variety of different outcomes leaves room for imagination and a certain sense of romanticism. Truth generally influences a person to lead a life of rigid order and a strict reality, while many times uncertainty encapsulates an individual from reality and permits him/her to live inside a pleasant dream. It is up to the person to determine the standards that will dominate their existence.