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Accepted Paper
Rusalka, Witch, or Proud Woman: Yelena Andreyevna’s Power, Enchantments, and Sorrows in Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya
Rebekka Thrainsdottir
(University of Iceland)
Yelena Andreyevna, in Uncle Vanya by Chekhov, is likened to Rusalka (a water nymph) and a witch who enchants people and clouds their judgment. Yet, Yelena is a proud, benevolent woman who longs to be free from the everyday monotony and boredom. Is she truly a Rusalka, or simply a bored woman?
Paper long abstract
Uncle Vanya (1897) is among Anton Chekhov’s most renowned plays. One of its central figures, Yelena Andreyevna, is a young and charming woman married to an elderly, ailing professor. During their stay at the country estate of the professor’s first wife, Yelena’s presence captivates those around her, so much so that she is likened both to the folkloric Rusalka (a water spirit who lures men to their fate) and to a witch whose passivity and indolence seem to drain the vitality and judgment of those around her. Yet Yelena conceives of herself as a proud and benevolent woman, weary of the monotony and tedium that shape her daily existence, and at times longing for freedom from such constraints.
This paper explores the duality of Yelena’s character, considering how her role in the marriage and the near-hypnotic influence she exerts resonate with folkloric imagery of the Rusalka. Her role reflects both folkloric symbolism and the very human frustrations of a woman bound by others and by circumstances beyond her control.