Protagonist

Character Role Analysis

Konstantin

Sorting out character roles in Chekhov always sends us running for the glossary of literary terms. Chekhov never gives us obvious heroes and villains, because he didn't see people like that. If the protagonist is the person whose story we're following, whose goals we want to see realized, who has an emotional arc, it's Konstantin Gavrilovich Treplev.

He starts the play full of excitement and hope for both his play and for his relationship with Nina. Already undermined by his mother, he nevertheless has dreams of success. He ends the play in despair, failure, and death.