What’s Tragic?
As each act progresses, he complains more and more of his health. He falls asleep during conversations and suffers from fainting spells. Several times he mentions how he wants to hold onto life, but his doctor offers no remedy, with the exception of sleeping pills.
Some characters encourage him to leave the country and go into town. However, he never manages to leave his residence, and it seems clear he will soon die, leaving behind an unexciting life.
What’s Funny?
In act four, Sorin decides that his life would make a worthy short story.
SORIN: Once upon a time in my youth I was bound and determined to become a writer – and I never became one. I was bound and determined to speak beautifully – and I spoke hideously {…} I was bound and determined to get married – and I never did. Bound and determined to live in town my whole life – and here I am, ending it all up in the country and that’s all there is to it.
Yet, Sorin takes no satisfaction in his actual accomplishments. He served as a state councilor, earning a high rank in the Justice Department, in a career that spanned twenty-eight years.
His esteemed government position afforded him a large, beautiful estate by a tranquil lake. However he takes no pleasure in his country sanctuary. His own employee, Shamrayev (Masha’s father) controls the farm, the horses, and the household. At times Sorin seems almost imprisoned by his own servants. Here, Chekhov provides an amusing satire: members of the upper-class are at the mercy of the tyrannical working class.
Dr. Dorn:A country doctor and friend of Sorin and Irina. Unlike the other characters, he appreciates Konstantin’s ground-breaking writing style.
What’s Tragic?
Actually, he’s one of the more cheerful of Chekhov's characters. However, he exhibits a disturbing apathy when his patient, Sorin, pleads for health and long life.
SORIN: Just understand that I want to live.Not much of a bedside manner!DORN: That’s asinine. Every life must come to an end.
What’s funny?
Dorn is perhaps the only character aware of the excessively high levels of unrequited love simmering within the characters around him. He blames it on the enchantment of the lake.
Shamrayev’s wife, Paulina, is very attracted to Dr. Dorn, yet he does not encourage her or halt her pursuit. In a very funny moment, the innocent Nina gives Dorn a bouquet of flowers. Paulina pretends to find them delightful. Then, as soon as Nina is out of earshot Paulina viciously tells Dorn, “Give me those flowers!” Then she jealously rips them to shreds.
