Introduction: Anton Chekhov's play, Uncle Vanya, depicts the complicated relationships between several characters with rather distinct personalities. Set in the 19th century, Chekhov's drama of daily life emphasizes the conflicts between its characters through language, settings, sound effects and costumes. Thesis Statement: Interestingly, many aspects mentioned above rely on powerful symbolism: this is a key factor that not only shapes Chekhov's characters, but also influences the pace of the play . To this end, this essay will analyze and interrogate a key use of symbolism in Uncle Vanya: the fourth act. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned"?Get the original essayBackground: The introductory instructions before the fourth act describe the intriguing furnishings of Voynitsky's (Uncle Vanya) room: " On the wall, a map of Africa, apparently, is of no use to anyone” (Chekhov, 595). But why is such a map of Africa on a Russian rural estate? Chekhov deliberately includes this surprising detail in the scene to demonstrate how tedious it is for Vanya to manage the estate. The card plays an important role as a symbol of Vanya's wasted life, "useless to no one" (Chekhov, 595), and of the general futility of all of the character's lives. Topic sentence: In the play, Uncle Vanya manages the estate as a professor for more than twenty-five years. Evidence and Citation: He gave up his share of the inheritance, sacrificed his opportunities to pursue personal wealth and develop a professional career, and devoted his youth to working in the estate to pay off the mortgage. In addition, Uncle Vanya admires the teacher. For example, the following sentence shows how he considers the professor a valuable figure who enjoys the greatest respect: “On the day we were talking about you and your work. We were proud of you. We pronounced your name with reverence” (Chekhov, 592). Commentary: Having failed to establish his own self-esteem, Vanya is obsessed with his contribution, dedication and sacrifices to support the professor's studies. Although he considers, at times, what he did to be true happiness, the cruel fact is that he wasted his life in vain. Topic Sentence: The futility of his dedications to the estate is revealed when the professor suggests selling the estate. domain. Evidence and quote: Unlike Uncle Vanya, the professor is vain, because he never considers what Vanya did for him. As the professor says: “How was I to know? I am not a practical man and I do not understand anything about these things” Chekhov, 592), Vanya's efforts and sacrifices are completely ignored. Spiraling into anger, indignation and regret, Vanya can't help herself; he shoots the professor twice. However, he misses both shots. Unfortunately, Vanya's love towards Elena also makes no sense. Despite Vanya's affection and longing for Yelena, Yelena does not love her. Vanya sacrificed her finest hours; now, to Yelena, he is just an old farm manager who has worked all his life, with nothing to show for it. Comment: He has neither social status nor money, and his physique is no longer full of the vigor of youth. Not surprisingly, his confession of love is rejected. The result of everything Vanya does is either meaningless or useless, just like this map of Africa in Russia, symbolizing futility. Topic sentence: It is noted that in Uncle Vanya's relationships with the professor and Yelena, he is continually,.