APLAYINFOURACTS
CHARACTERS
IRINAABKADINA，anactressCONSTANTINETREPLIEFF，hersonPETERSORIN，herbrotherNINAZARIETCHNAYA，ayounggirl，thedaughterofarichlandownerILIASHAMRAEFF，themanagerofSORIN’SestatePAULINA，hiswifeMASHA，theirdaughterBORISTRIGORIN，anauthorEUGENEDORN，adoctorSIMONMEDVIEDENKO，aschoolmasterJACOB，aworkmanACOOK
AMAIDSERVANT
ThesceneislaidonSORIN’Sestate。Twoyearselapsebetweenthethirdandfourthacts。
THESEA—GULL
ACTI
ThesceneislaidintheparkonSORIN’Sestate。Abroadavenueoftreesleadsawayfromtheaudiencetowardalakewhichlieslostinthedepthsofthepark。Theavenueisobstructedbyaroughstage，temporarilyerectedfortheperformanceofamateurtheatricals，andwhichscreensthelakefromview。Thereisadensegrowthofbushestotheleftandrightofthestage。Afewchairsandalittletableareplacedinfrontofthestage。Thesunhasjustset。JACOBandsomeotherworkmenareheardhammeringandcoughingonthestagebehindtheloweredcurtain。
MASHAandMEDVIEDENKOcomeinfromtheleft，returningfromawalk。
MEDVIEDENKO。Whydoyoualwayswearmourning？
MASHA。Idressinblacktomatchmylife。Iamunhappy。
MEDVIEDENKO。Whyshouldyoubeunhappy？[Thinkingitover]I
don’tunderstandit。Youarehealthy，andthoughyourfatherisnotrich，hehasagoodcompetency。Mylifeisfarharderthanyours。Ionlyhavetwenty—threeroublesamonthtoliveon，butI
don’twearmourning。[Theysitdown]。
MASHA。Happinessdoesnotdependonriches;poormenareoftenhappy。
MEDVIEDENKO。Intheory，yes，butnotinreality。Takemycase，forinstance;mymother，mytwosisters，mylittlebrotherandI
mustalllivesomehowonmysalaryoftwenty—threeroublesamonth。Wehavetoeatanddrink，Itakeit。Youwouldn’thaveusgowithoutteaandsugar，wouldyou？Ortobacco？Answermethat，ifyoucan。
MASHA。[Lookinginthedirectionofthestage]Theplaywillsoonbegin。
MEDVIEDENKO。Yes，NinaZarietchnayaisgoingtoactinTreplieff’splay。Theyloveoneanother，andtheirtwosoulswilluniteto—nightintheefforttointerpretthesameideabydifferentmeans。Thereisnogroundonwhichyoursoulandminecanmeet。Iloveyou。Toorestlessandsadtostayathome，I
tramphereeveryday，sixmilesandback，tobemetonlybyyourindifference。Iampoor，myfamilyislarge，youcanhavenoinducementtomarryamanwhocannotevenfindsufficientfoodforhisownmouth。
MASHA。Itisnotthat。[Shetakessnuff]Iamtouchedbyyouraffection，butIcannotreturnit，thatisall。[Sheoffershimthesnuff—box]Willyoutakesome？
MEDVIEDENKO。No，thankyou。[Apause。]
MASHA。Theairissultry;astormisbrewingforto—night。Youdonothingbutmoraliseorelsetalkaboutmoney。Toyou，povertyisthegreatestmisfortunethatcanbefallaman，butIthinkitisathousandtimeseasiertogobegginginragsthanto——Youwouldn’tunderstandthat，though。
SORINleaningonacane，andTREPLIEFFcomein。
SORIN。Forsomereason，myboy，countrylifedoesn’tsuitme，andIamsureIshallnevergetusedtoit。LastnightIwenttobedattenandwokeatninethismorning，feelingasif，fromoversleep，mybrainhadstucktomyskull。[Laughing]AndyetI
accidentallydroppedofftosleepagainafterdinner，andfeelutterlydoneupatthismoment。Itislikeanightmare。
TREPLIEFF。Thereisnodoubtthatyoushouldliveintown。[HecatchessightofMASHAandMEDVIEDENKO]Youshallbecalledwhentheplaybegins，myfriends，butyoumustnotstayherenow。Goaway，please。
SORIN。MissMasha，willyoukindlyaskyourfathertoleavethedogunchained？Ithowledsolastnightthatmysisterwasunabletosleep。
MASHA。Youmustspeaktomyfatheryourself。Pleaseexcuseme;I
can’tdoso。[ToMEDVIEDENKO]Come，letusgo。
MEDVIEDENKO。Youwillletusknowwhentheplaybegins？
MASHAandMEDVIEDENKOgoout。
SORIN。Iforeseethatthatdogisgoingtohowlallnightagain。
Itisalwaysthiswayinthecountry;IhaveneverbeenabletoliveasIlikehere。Icomedownforamonth’sholiday，torestandall，andamplaguedsobytheirnonsensethatIlongtoescapeafterthefirstday。[Laughing]Ihavealwaysbeengladtogetawayfromthisplace，butIhavebeenretirednow，andthiswastheonlyplaceIhadtocometo。Willy—nilly，onemustlivesomewhere。
JACOB。[ToTREPLIEFF]Wearegoingtotakeaswim，Mr。
Constantine。
TREPLIEFF。Verywell，butyoumustbebackintenminutes。
JACOB。Wewill，sir。
TREPLIEFF。[Lookingatthestage]Justlikearealtheatre！See，therewehavethecurtain，theforeground，thebackground，andall。Noartificialsceneryisneeded。Theeyetravelsdirecttothelake，andrestsonthehorizon。Thecurtainwillberaisedasthemoonrisesathalf—pasteight。
SORIN。Splendid！
TREPLIEFF。OfcoursethewholeeffectwillberuinedifNinaislate。Sheshouldbeherebynow，butherfatherandstepmotherwatchhersocloselythatitislikestealingherfromaprisontogetherawayfromhome。[HestraightensSORIN’Scollar]Yourhairandbeardareallonend。Oughtn’tyoutohavethemtrimmed？
SORIN。[Smoothinghisbeard]Theyarethetragedyofmyexistence。EvenwhenIwasyoungIalwayslookedasifIweredrunk，andall。Womenhaveneverlikedme。[Sittingdown]Whyismysisteroutoftemper？
TREPLIEFF。Why？Becausesheisjealousandbored。[SittingdownbesideSORIN]Sheisnotactingthisevening，butNinais，andsoshehassetherselfagainstme，andagainsttheperformanceoftheplay，andagainsttheplayitself，whichshehateswithouteverhavingreadit。
SORIN。[Laughing]Doesshe，really？
TREPLIEFF。Yes，sheisfuriousbecauseNinaisgoingtohaveasuccessonthislittlestage。[Lookingathiswatch]Mymotherisapsychologicalcuriosity。Withoutdoubtbrilliantandtalented，capableofsobbingoveranovel，ofrecitingallNekrasoff’spoetrybyheart，andofnursingthesicklikeanangelofheaven，youshouldseewhathappensifanyonebeginspraisingDusetoher！Shealonemustbepraisedandwrittenabout，ravedover，hermarvellousactingin\"LaDameauxCamelias\"extolledtotheskies。Asshecannotgetallthatrubbishinthecountry，shegrowspeevishandcross，andthinksweareallagainsther，andtoblameforitall。Sheissuperstitious，too。Shedreadsburningthreecandles，andfearsthethirteenthdayofthemonth。
Thensheisstingy。IknowforafactthatshehasseventythousandroublesinabankatOdessa，butsheisreadytoburstintotearsifyouaskhertolendyouapenny。
SORIN。Youhavetakenitintoyourheadthatyourmotherdislikesyourplay，andthethoughtofithasexcitedyou，andall。Keepcalm;yourmotheradoresyou。
TREPLIEFF。[Pullingaflowertopieces]Shelovesme，lovesmenot;loves——lovesmenot;loves——lovesmenot！[Laughing]Yousee，shedoesn’tloveme，andwhyshouldshe？Shelikeslifeandloveandgayclothes，andIamalreadytwenty—fiveyearsold;asufficientremindertoherthatsheisnolongeryoung。WhenIamawaysheisonlythirty—two，inmypresencesheisforty—three，andshehatesmeforit。Sheknows，too，thatIdespisethemodernstage。Sheadoresit，andimaginesthatsheisworkingonitforthebenefitofhumanityandhersacredart，buttomethetheatreismerelythevehicleofconventionandprejudice。Whenthecurtainrisesonthatlittlethree—walledroom，whenthosemightygeniuses，thosehigh—priestsofart，showuspeopleintheactofeating，drinking，loving，walking，andwearingtheircoats，andattempttoextractamoralfromtheirinsipidtalk;
whenplaywrightsgiveusunderathousanddifferentguisesthesame，same，sameoldstuff，thenImustneedsrunfromit，asMaupassantranfromtheEiffelTowerthatwasabouttocrushhimbyitsvulgarity。
SORIN。Butwecan’tdowithoutatheatre。
TREPLIEFF。No，butwemusthaveitunderanewform。Ifwecan’tdothat，letusrathernothaveitatall。[Lookingathiswatch]
Ilovemymother，Iloveherdevotedly，butIthinksheleadsastupidlife。Shealwayshasthismanoflettersofhersonhermind，andthenewspapersarealwaysfrighteninghertodeath，andIamtiredofit。Plain，humanegoismsometimesspeaksinmyheart，andIregretthatmymotherisafamousactress。IfshewereanordinarywomanIthinkIshouldbeahappierman。Whatcouldbemoreintolerableandfoolishthanmyposition，Uncle，whenIfindmyselftheonlynonentityamongacrowdofherguests，allcelebratedauthorsandartists？IfeelthattheyonlyenduremebecauseIamherson。PersonallyIamnothing，nobody。
Ipulledthroughmythirdyearatcollegebytheskinofmyteeth，astheysay。Ihaveneithermoneynorbrains，andonmypassportyoumayreadthatIamsimplyacitizenofKiev。Sowasmyfather，buthewasawell—knownactor。Whenthecelebritiesthatfrequentmymother’sdrawing—roomdeigntonoticemeatall，Iknowtheyonlylookatmetomeasuremyinsignificance;Ireadtheirthoughts，andsufferfromhumiliation。
SORIN。Tellme，bytheway，whatisTrigorinlike？Ican’tunderstandhim，heisalwayssosilent。
TREPLIEFF。Trigorinisclever，simple，well—mannered，andalittle，Imightsay，melancholicindisposition。Thoughstillunderforty，heissurfeitedwithpraise。Asforhisstories，theyare——howshallIputit？——pleasing，fulloftalent，butifyouhavereadTolstoiorZolayousomehowdon’tenjoyTrigorin。
SORIN。Doyouknow，myboy，Ilikeliterarymen。Ioncepassionatelydesiredtwothings:tomarry，andtobecomeanauthor。Ihavesucceededinneither。Itmustbepleasanttobeevenaninsignificantauthor。
TREPLIEFF。[Listening]Ihearfootsteps！[Heembraceshisuncle]
Icannotlivewithouther;eventhesoundofherfootstepsismusictome。Iammadlyhappy。[HegoesquicklytomeetNINA，whocomesinatthatmoment]Myenchantress！Mygirlofdreams！
NINA。[Excitedly]Itcan’tbethatIamlate？No，Iamnotlate。
TREPLIEFF。[Kissingherhands]No，no，no！
NINA。Ihavebeeninafeverallday，Iwassoafraidmyfatherwouldpreventmycoming，butheandmystepmotherhavejustgonedriving。Theskyisclear，themoonisrising。HowIhurriedtogethere！HowIurgedmyhorsetogofasterandfaster！
[Laughing]Iam_so_gladtoseeyou！[SheshakeshandswithSORIN。]
SORIN。Oho！Youreyeslookasifyouhadbeencrying。Youmustn’tdothat。
NINA。Itisnothing，nothing。Doletushurry。Imustgoinhalfanhour。No，no，forheaven’ssakedonoturgemetostay。Myfatherdoesn’tknowIamhere。
TREPLIEFF。Asamatteroffact，itistimetobeginnow。Imustcalltheaudience。
SORIN。Letmecallthem——andall——Iamgoingthisminute。[Hegoestowardtheright，beginstosing\"TheTwoGrenadiers，\"thenstops。]Iwassingingthatoncewhenafellow—lawyersaidtome:
\"Youhaveapowerfulvoice，sir。\"Thenhethoughtamomentandadded，\"Butitisadisagreeableone！\"[Hegoesoutlaughing。]
NINA。Myfatherandhiswifeneverwillletmecomehere;theycallthisplaceBohemiaandareafraidIshallbecomeanactress。
Butthislakeattractsmeasitdoesthegulls。Myheartisfullofyou。[Sheglancesabouther。]
TREPLIEFF。Wearealone。
NINA。Isn’tthatsomeoneoverthere？
TREPLIEFF。No。[Theykissoneanother。]
NINA。Whatisthattree？
TREPLIEFF。Anelm。
NINA。Whydoesitlooksodark？
TREPLIEFF。Itisevening;everythinglooksdarknow。Don’tgoawayearly，Iimploreyou。
NINA。Imust。
TREPLIEFF。WhatifIweretofollowyou，Nina？Ishallstandinyourgardenallnightwithmyeyesonyourwindow。
NINA。Thatwouldbeimpossible;thewatchmanwouldseeyou，andTreasureisnotusedtoyouyet，andwouldbark。
TREPLIEFF。Iloveyou。
NINA。Hush！
TREPLIEFF。[Listeningtoapproachingfootsteps]Whoisthat？Isityou，Jacob？
JACOB。[Onthestage]Yes，sir。
TREPLIEFF。Toyourplacesthen。Themoonisrising;theplaymustcommence。
NINA。Yes，sir。
TREPLIEFF。Isthealcoholready？Isthesulphurready？Theremustbefumesofsulphurintheairwhentheredeyesshineout。[ToNINA]Go，now，everythingisready。Areyounervous？
NINA。Yes，very。IamnotsomuchafraidofyourmotherasIamofTrigorin。Iamterrifiedandashamedtoactbeforehim;heissofamous。Isheyoung？
TREPLIEFF。Yes。
NINA。Whatbeautifulstorieshewrites！
TREPLIEFF。[Coldly]Ihaveneverreadanyofthem，soIcan’tsay。
NINA。Yourplayisveryhardtoact;therearenolivingcharactersinit。
TREPLIEFF。Livingcharacters！Lifemustberepresentednotasitis，butasitoughttobe;asitappearsindreams。
NINA。Thereissolittleaction;itseemsmorelikearecitation。
Ithinkloveshouldalwayscomeintoeveryplay。
NINAandTREPLIEFFgoupontothelittlestage;PAULINAandDORN
comein。
PAULINA。Itisgettingdamp。Gobackandputonyourgoloshes。
DORN。Iamquitewarm。
PAULINA。Youneverwilltakecareofyourself;youarequiteobstinateaboutit，andyetyouareadoctor，andknowquitewellthatdampairisbadforyou。Youliketoseemesuffer，that’swhatitis。Yousatoutontheterraceallyesterdayeveningonpurpose。
DORN。[Sings]
\"Oh，tellmenotthatyouthiswasted。\"
PAULINA。YouweresoenchantedbytheconversationofMadameArkadinathatyoudidnotevennoticethecold。Confessthatyouadmireher。
DORN。Iamfifty—fiveyearsold。
PAULINA。Atrifle。Thatisnotoldforaman。Youhavekeptyourlooksmagnificently，andwomenstilllikeyou。
DORN。Whatareyoutryingtotellme？
PAULINA。Youmenareallreadytogodownonyourkneestoanactress，allofyou。
DORN。[Sings]
\"OncemoreIstandbeforethee。\"
Itisonlyrightthatartistsshouldbemademuchofbysocietyandtreateddifferentlyfrom，letussay，merchants。Itisakindofidealism。
PAULINA。Whenwomenhavelovedyouandthrownthemselvesatyourhead，hasthatbeenidealism？
DORN。[Shrugginghisshoulders]Ican’tsay。Therehasbeenagreatdealthatwasadmirableinmyrelationswithwomen。Inmetheyliked，aboveall，thesuperiordoctor。Tenyearsago，youremember，Iwastheonlydecentdoctortheyhadinthispartofthecountry——andthen，Ihavealwaysactedlikeamanofhonour。
PAULINA。[Seizeshishand]Dearest！
DORN。Bequiet！Heretheycome。
ARKADINAcomesinonSORIN’Sarm;alsoTRIGORIN，SHAMRAEFF，MEDVIEDENKO，andMASHA。
SHAMRAEFF。SheactedmostbeautifullyatthePoltavaFairin1873;shewasreallymagnificent。Buttellme，too，whereTchadinthecomedianisnow？HewasinimitableasRasplueff，betterthanSadofski。Whereishenow？
ARKADINA。Don’taskmewhereallthoseantediluviansare！Iknownothingaboutthem。[Shesitsdown。]
SHAMRAEFF。[Sighing]PashkaTchadin！Therearenoneleftlikehim。Thestageisnotwhatitwasinhistime。Thereweresturdyoaksgrowingonitthen，wherenowbutstumpsremain。
DORN。Itistruethatwehavefewdazzlinggeniusesthesedays，but，ontheotherhand，theaverageofactingismuchhigher。
SHAMRAEFF。Icannotagreewithyou;however，thatisamatteroftaste，_degustibus。_
EnterTREPLIEFFfrombehindthestage。
ARKADINA。Whenwilltheplaybegin，mydearboy？
TREPLIEFF。Inamoment。Imustaskyoutohavepatience。
ARKADINA。[QuotingfromHamlet]Myson，\"Thouturn’stmineeyesintomyverysoul;
AndthereIseesuchblackgrainedspotsAswillnotleavetheirtinct。\"
[Ahornisblownbehindthestage。]
TREPLIEFF。Attention，ladiesandgentlemen！Theplayisabouttobegin。[Apause]Ishallcommence。[Hetapsthedoorwithastick，andspeaksinaloudvoice]O，yetime—honoured，ancientmiststhatdriveatnightacrossthesurfaceofthislake，blindyououreyeswithsleep，andshowusinourdreamsthatwhichwillbeintwicetenthousandyears！
SORIN。Therewon’tbeanythingintwicetenthousandyears。
TREPLIEFF。Thenletthemnowshowusthatnothingness。
ARKADINA。Yes，letthem——weareasleep。
Thecurtainrises。Avistaopensacrossthelake。Themoonhangslowabovethehorizonandisreflectedinthewater。NINA，dressedinwhite，isseenseatedonagreatrock。
NINA。Allmenandbeasts，lions，eagles，andquails，hornedstags，geese，spiders，silentfishthatinhabitthewaves，starfishfromthesea，andcreaturesinvisibletotheeye——inoneword，life——all，alllife，completingthedrearyroundimposeduponit，hasdiedoutatlast。Athousandyearshavepassedsincetheearthlastborealivingcreatureonherbreast，andtheunhappymoonnowlightsherlampinvain。Nolongerarethecriesofstorksheardinthemeadows，orthedroneofbeetlesinthegrovesoflimes。Alliscold，cold。Allisvoid，void，void。Allisterrible，terrible——[Apause]Thebodiesofalllivingcreatureshavedroppedtodust，andeternalmatterhastransformedthemintostonesandwaterandclouds;buttheirspiritshaveflowedtogetherintoone，andthatgreatworld—soulamI！InmeisthespiritofthegreatAlexander，thespiritofNapoleon，ofCaesar，ofShakespeare，andofthetiniestleechthatswims。Inmetheconsciousnessofmanhasjoinedhandswiththeinstinctoftheanimal;Iunderstandall，all，all，andeachlifelivesagaininme。
[Thewill—o—the—wispsflickeroutalongthelakeshore。]
ARKADINA。[Whispers]Whatdecadentrubbishisthis？
TREPLIEFF。[Imploringly]Mother！
NINA。Iamalone。Onceinahundredyearsmylipsareopened，myvoiceechoesmournfullyacrossthedesertearth，andnoonehears。Andyou，poorlightsofthemarsh，youdonothearme。Youareengenderedatsunsetintheputridmud，andflitwaveringaboutthelaketilldawn，unconscious，unreasoning，unwarmedbythebreathoflife。Satan，fatherofeternalmatter，tremblinglestthesparkoflifeshouldglowinyou，hasorderedanunceasingmovementoftheatomsthatcomposeyou，andsoyoushiftandchangeforever。I，thespiritoftheuniverse，Ialoneamimmutableandeternal。[Apause]Likeacaptiveinadungeondeepandvoid，IknownotwhereIam，norwhatawaitsme。Onethingonlyisnothiddenfromme:inmyfierceandobstinatebattlewithSatan，thesourceoftheforcesofmatter，Iamdestinedtobevictoriousintheend。Matterandspiritwillthenbeoneatlastingloriousharmony，andthereignoffreedomwillbeginonearth。Butthiscanonlycometopassbyslowdegrees，whenaftercountlesseonsthemoonandearthandshiningSiriushimselfshallfalltodust。Untilthathour，oh，horror！horror！
horror！[Apause。Twoglowingredpointsareseenshiningacrossthelake]Satan，mymightyfoe，advances;Iseehisdreadandlurideyes。