This week we started working on the Director's Notebook. For this assignment, I chose The Seagull by Anton Chekhov, as I enjoyed its representation of art and artists. For beginning my research by looking into the background and context of when the play was written. And here is a summary of what I learned:
Chekhov was a well-acclaimed writer pre-revolutionary Russia. His writings were deemed humorous despite dealing with serious issues. He did, however, receive criticism at how his works didn’t advocate for a clear political side. Yet he continued writing moving on to write The Seagull. The Seagull, is a study of the clash between two generations, particularly artists, which leads many to say that the story was ignored by her friends.
Theatre during this time was initially slow as censorship limited self-expression. Until 1883, the Russian government had full control of the theatre, creating a monopoly of productions in St. Petersburg and Moscow. Despite being under heavy government control, this was a period in which theatre was able to thrive. The Seagull also presents tragedy, how grand plans are created to fall. This can be connected to politics, as this time period was shrouded with the disastrous era of Marxism and Leninism. As the theatre at this time was managed by the government, naturally they highlighted stories related to themes of change, extravagance, and romanticism. However, in the 1890s, there was a shift in people’s interest. Particularly, everyone started to become more fond of peasant stories, which highlighted expressiveness in emotion and fairness. A part of this new focus is the intelligentsia's will to teach the peasants of things outside their traditional routine. I think Chekhov’s spontaneous narrative focusing on people distanced from national affairs may be relevant. Furthermore, Chekhov’s focus on actions more than words can be references to various ideals of Russia at the time, often overwhelming reality.
Chekhov wrote The Seagull during a period of transition and change, a time of constant hope to be beyond oneself. Chekhov intended the play to be simple, showing the life of everyday people. But particularly he focuses on those who are in love with art. The political tensions in Russia can be derived from passion, determination for change and to create something beyond oneself. Art is similar to that, as one can get drunk in the act of creation, creating a blurred image of the world, that only makes sense in their own interpretations.