The theme of old age returns here, and the play explores it from two different angles. Voynitsky uses old age as yet another justification to criticize the professor he resents, while Telegin sees things differently. He knows that everyone gets old, even his once-beautiful ex-wife. So rather than focusing on people’s temporary, fleeting qualities, Telegin fosters a genuine sense of love and responsibility for the people he cares about, and honoring his commitment to his loved ones allows him to take pride in his actions, even if he’s no longer happy since his wife left him. His wife, on the other hand, placed too much value in her youth—and now that it’s gone, she has nothing to fall back on..