Broken home is more like it. The home in question is the country house of the family that's at the heart of the Uncle Vanya, and the true owner of the estate is dead. And she only had it because her brother worked to pay off the mortgage, foregoing his own inheritance so that she would have someone. This leaves a lot of misunderstandings, hurt feelings, and unpaid sacrifice rattling around the halls of the house.
The saddest part is that the house in question is the home of several of the characters. The fact that it's just a country home to the city folk shows the status they give the estate, which isn't much. So while it's everything to some people, the ones who have control don't give it its due.
Questions About The Home
- How would the play be different if it took place in the city? What is it about the country house that influences the events?
- When Yelena says that the house is "troubled," what is she referring to?
- What does the country estate represent to each character? How does the Professor feel about it in comparison to Vanya or Sonya?
Chew on This
The estate is a microcosm of society, showing the way the social classes duke it out.
The country house represents the past, with Vanya constantly remembering his younger days and Serebryakov living off of his late wife's inheritance.