How we cite our quotes: (Act.Line)
Quote #1
Arkadina: My dear, I believe in you! You simply must go on the stage!
Nina: Oh, that's my dream. (Sighs) but it'll never happen. (1.128-29)
Arkadina must compliment Nina so freely because she thinks the unconnected girl will never have access to the stage. Either that or she's trying to hide her jealousy from Trigorin.
Quote #2
Arkadina: I have a fixed rule: I never think about the future. I don't think about old age, I don't think about dying. Whatever happens happens. (2.3)
It might be true that Arkadina doesn't plan for the future, but it's clear that she thinks about it. Otherwise she wouldn't have such a stranglehold on Trigorin; she'd let him go, certain that another was right behind him.
Quote #3
Sorin: I worked for twenty-eight years in a government office, and I haven't had a life, I haven't experienced it or anything. And I want to—you understand what I mean? (2.37)
Though Sorin is in late middle age and is ill, he still hopes that some life is ahead of him: a romance with a young woman, or even just a trip to town.
Quote #4
Nina: I'd be willing to live in a garret and starve; maybe I wouldn't even like myself… just as long as I was famous! Really, spectacularly famous! (2.107)
Perhaps Nina's lust for fame stems from the neglect of her father and stepmother.
Quote #5
Masha: So I'm getting married. No love involved, just lots of responsibilities… Make me forget the past. (3.7)
Masha thinks she's figured out how to move on with her life and get over Konstantin. We're not so sure.
Quote #6
Nina: All I had was one pebble in my hand. I was trying to guess if I'd be an actress or not. I wish someone would advise me.
Trigorin: Nobody can advise you about that. (3.16-17)
Nina seems to be inviting Trigorin to "take her life" by giving her advice. He can't; he's still under the control of Arkadina and ultimately prefers it that way.
Quote #7
Sorin: He's an intelligent young man, and here he is stuck out here in the country, miles from nowhere, no money, no job, no prospects… He's ashamed, afraid of what will happen to him if he keeps on doing nothing, like this. (3.38)
Perhaps Sorin sympathizes so closely with Konstantin because of his own disappointments in life.
Quote #8
Trigorin: Love like this, young love, marvelous poetic love, a love that whirls you away to a land of dreams… it's the only thing on earth that can bring us happiness! I've never known a love like that! When I was young I never had the time—I was always trying to get myself published, make a living. And now it's happened! (3.96)
We know from the end of the play that Trigorin's commitment to this "marvelous, poetic love" doesn't last. Is Nina a distraction for him? Or does Arkadina really ruin what could have been a good thing between those two?
Quote #9
Arkadina: My beautiful love, my divine lover…you're the final page of my life story! (3.101)
Arkadina's trying to lock down Trigorin for her "old age"—she's in her forties, by the way —and sacrifices some of her self-respect in order to do so.