How we cite our quotes: (Act.Line)
Quote #7
Konstantin: You've changed. You look at me with that cold look; you're always on edge when I'm around. (2.85)
Nina's falling in love with Trigorin and the prospect of being near his success. Konstantin is in agony.
Quote #8
Trigorin: Idea for a short story. The shore of a lake, and a young girl who's spent her whole life beside it… she's happy and free as a seagull. Then a man comes along, sees her, and ruins her life because he has nothing better to do. Destroys her like this seagull here. (2.117)
The doctor and the writer are exempt from real, heart-wrenching love in this play. Chekhov was both; is he making some comment about himself? Is it the observational aspect of these professions that keeps these men from digging in to life as well?