Woods as a Prime Motive for the Refinement of Manners in Chekhov's Uncle Vanya

Abstract

Scholars have always shown interest in Chekhov's Uncle Vanya but a majority of them studied it from traditional perspectives, concerning style, theme, structure and the conflict among characters. None has embarked on applying the ecocritical approach to this play, especially how the beauty of nature would not only moderate the climate but also refine one's character and manners for a better dealing with nature and others. Furthermore, man's dealing with nature would lead to the refinement of manners particularly in dealing with women and in setting an optimistic vision about life. This is what distinguished the character of Astroff, the wood demon of the play. Ian M. Matley in his essay Chekhov and Geography refers to this idea but he does not develop it. Accordingly, the purpose of this paper is to consider how the direct dealing with nature improves man's manners with others and how it makes him/her more optimistic than others who put themselves in isolation of nature and its beauty through adopting the analytical critical method. It is an eco-critical reading of Uncle Vanya from a moral perspective, so to speak