Hamlet and The Seagull: The Theatre for the Future Open Access

Abstract

Abstract
Hamlet and The Seagull: The Theatre for the Future
By Haley Jo Laurila

This thesis examines the role of Shakespeare's play Hamlet in Anton Chekhov's play The Seagull. Hamlet has played a pivotal role in Russian culture as a vessel for posing many of the most pertinent social, political, and intellectual questions, proving Jan Kott's assertion that Hamlet remains a relevant play to this day because of its propensity for absorbing all of the issues of the time of its performance. Echoing his protagonist in The Seagull in wanting artistic innovation, Chekhov was a harsh critic of traditional theatre and recognized in Hamlet the potential for revitalizing the stagnant Russian stage. While scholars acknowledge the relationship between Hamlet and The Seagull, they stop short of fully illuminating the importance of this relationship, not only for Chekhov's new drama, but also for the development of modern theatre. The plays' similarities extend to the protagonists, their relationship dynamics, and most importantly, the open contemplative space so important in both plays. Chekhov also reversed many aspects of Hamlet for The Seagull, and consequently, expanded the space for interpretation in his play. Chekhov's new dramatic technique maintains the multiplicity of interpretation so key to his artistic vision: disjointed action, a lack of explication of the characters' motivations or pasts; the characters' miscommunication; absence of climactic moments and a final resolution at. Chekhov's major innovation, foreshadowed in Hamlet, is the unfilled spaces built into the dramatic structure, action, and dialogue of the play, all of which prevents the play from being finalized. The unfilled spaces imbue both Hamlet and The Seagull with their artistic vitality. The Seagull's innovation points toward the emergence of the Theatre of the Absurd, but Chekhov's play, developed under the influence of Hamlet, anticipates even further developments in modern theatre.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Introduction: The Failures and Successes of The Seagull's First Performances 1

Chapter 1 - Juxtaposing the Plays' Protagonists: Revealing the Significance of the Hamlet- Seagull Relationship 14

Chapter 2 - The Rewriting of Hamlet and Constructions of Meaning: Reversals of Art and Gender 32

Chapter 3 - The Widening Resonance and Potential for Interpretation in the Hamlet- Seagull Relationship 48

Chapter 4 - The Potential for the Theatre of the Future and the Emergence of the Theatre of the Absurd 65

Concluding Remarks 86

Works Cited 90

About this Honors Thesis

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School	Emory College
Department	Russian
Degree	BA
Submission	Honors Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	History, Russian and Soviet Literature, Slavic and East European Theater
Keyword	Russia The Seagull William Shakespeare Anton Chekhov Theatre of the Absurd Hamlet theatre
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Glazov-Corrigan, Elena, Emory University
Committee Members	Payne, Matthew, Emory University Apkarian, Juliette Stapanian, Emory University

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