Character Page

Ivan Petrovich is the protagonist in the play Uncle Vanya, by Anton Chekhov. He is middle Aged. His relationship with his niece, Sonya, He has been living in the manor for most of his life. He does not enjoy his life. He work for the professor Serebryakov, who also resides in the manor. He blames The professor for how his life turned out. He complains about inactivity, that all he does is serve the professor, and because of that is life has no purpose, because the professor does nothing of value. He says that all he does is eat, sleep and drink.

He is secretly jealous of the professor, especially of Serebryakov’s way with women. The professor’s wife was actually Ivan’s sister. He claims that she was so beautiful that she captured the eyes of all the men around her. She could have gotten any husband she wished, and she ended up with Serebryakov, who was much older than her. Ivan accuses the professor for stealing his sister’s youth away.

Regarding Serebryakov’s current wife, Yelena, Ivan also believes that Serebryakov is not good enough for Yelena. Like with his sister, the professor married her when she was still young. He blames Serebryakov for taking the life out of her. Ivan does not understand why Yelena remains faithful to the professor. He thinks she should not keep her fidelity. He secretly fancies Yelena, and finally confesses it to her during the play. But to his dismayal, she is disgusted by his acts and asks him to stop.

All of Ivan’s hate and anger towards the professor is let out near the end of the play, when he he loses his temper and takes fires a revolver twice at law Serebryakov. To his disappointment, he missed. During the period after his attempted murder, he speaks of madly and sees no sort of brightness in the future.

Ivan’s relationship with his niece, Sofya, is what gives the play it’s title. Sofya hears a lot of Vanya’s complaining. Also when he gets drunk near the end of the play, she tells him how pathetic he is acting and how drinking with do him not good at all. She really cares about him and wants him to get out of his misery and become the best man he can be.