Uncle Vanya

by

Anton Chekhov

Forestry Symbol Analysis

Forestry Symbol Icon

While most of the characters’ present circumstances seem miserable, newly planted trees represent the possibility of a better future. This symbol doesn’t appear physically in the play; it’s only mentioned in conversations about Astrov’s forestry hobby. While Astrov’s work as a doctor leaves him feeling depressed and guilty as he watches some of his patients die, his forestry work inspires him with a sense of purpose. No character other than Astrov seems to be interested in his efforts to preserve the local environment, but it’s clear that this is a worthwhile endeavor for him, even when he receives no praise for his work. In Act One, Astrov explains the pride that he feels when he looks at the growing saplings he planted. The idea that his work might have a meaningful impact on future generations comforts Astrov, and the sight of the saplings gives him hope that his own narrow life isn’t the end of the broader human story. This closely links the symbol of forestry with the play’s focus on legacy and prestige. Unlike Voynitsky, Astrov isn’t overly worried about people remembering his name after his death. Instead, he finds meaning in the fact that the trees themselves are his legacy, ensuring a brighter, healthier future for those who live long after he’s gone. Astrov and the others may be miserable, but the trees will grow and, one hopes, live to see a brighter future.

Forestry Quotes in Uncle Vanya

The Uncle Vanya quotes below all refer to the symbol of Forestry. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Old Age and Regret Theme Icon
).
Act 1 Quotes

…And perhaps this really is just craziness, but when I go past the peasant’s woods, which I saved from destruction, or when I hear the hum of my young trees, which I planted with my own hands, I know the climate is a little in my control and that if in a thousand years man is happy, the responsibility for that will in a small way be mine. When I plant a birch and then watch it come into leaf and sway in the wind, my spirit fills with pride…

Related Characters: Astrov (speaker), Voynitsky (“Uncle Vanya”), Serebryakov, Telegin
Related Symbols: Forestry
Page Number: 154
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 3 Quotes

We have here a decline which is the consequence of an impossible struggle for existence; a degeneration arising from stagnation, ignorance, a total lack of self-awareness, when a frozen, hungry, sick man, in order to preserve the remnants of life, to protect his children, instinctively, unconsciously grasps at anything to relieve his hunger and get warm, and destroys everything around without a thought for tomorrow. Now almost everything is destroyed, but nothing has yet been created to take its place.

Related Characters: Astrov (speaker), Voynitsky (“Uncle Vanya”), Sonya/Sofia Serebryakova, Yelena/Helena Serebryakova
Related Symbols: Forestry, Maps
Page Number: 178
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 4 Quotes

Those who will live after us in a hundred or two hundred years’ time and who will despise us for living our lives so foolishly and with such a lack of taste — they may find a way of being happy, but we… You and I have only one hope. The hope that when we lie in our coffins we’ll be visited by visions, perhaps even agreeable ones.

Related Characters: Astrov (speaker), Voynitsky (“Uncle Vanya”), Serebryakov
Related Symbols: Forestry
Page Number: 192
Explanation and Analysis:
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Forestry Symbol Timeline in Uncle Vanya

The timeline below shows where the symbol Forestry appears in Uncle Vanya. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Act 1
Industry vs. Idleness Theme Icon
...On his way out, he invites Yelena and Sonya to visit the nearby garden and tree nursery that he manages. Yelena wonders if forestry would be boring for him, but he... (full context)
Legacy and Prestige Theme Icon
...mentioning log stoves and building wooden sheds. Astrov replies that it’s alright to utilize the forest’s resources, but there’s no reason to destroy it completely. As he describes the pollution and... (full context)
Impossible Desires Theme Icon
...right; everyone has a “devil of destruction” in them. Just as mankind is destroying Russia’s forests, Voynitsky is destroying the professor’s peace of mind for no good reason, as he has... (full context)
Act 2
Old Age and Regret Theme Icon
Legacy and Prestige Theme Icon
...tend to spread rumors about him and call him strange because of his interest in forestry. These reflections drive Astrov to reach for his drink again, but Sonya entreats him not... (full context)
Act 3
Industry vs. Idleness Theme Icon
Legacy and Prestige Theme Icon
...the map on the table and asks where she was born, he guesses that his forestry work probably wouldn’t interest her much. He explains how he lets himself sit in Voynitsky’s... (full context)
Act 4
Impossible Desires Theme Icon
Legacy and Prestige Theme Icon
...once again brings up the possibility of he and Yelena meeting somewhere, maybe at the forestry station. Yelena won’t allow it, but she wants Astrov to think of her with respect.... (full context)