Character Analysis
The baron is a first lieutenant and Irina's love interest. Well, actually, she's his love interest. Practical, cheerful, and loyal—though not the ripest berry in the bunch, looks-wise—the baron works on Irina from the first act of the play. Like Irina, he believes in the primacy of work. Or at least, he hits on her by saying he does. But he's got cred in the beliefs department, since he argues for his side and eventually acts on it.
In the argument zone, he debates with Vershinin: "You say life on earth will eventually be beautiful and wonderful. That's true. But in order for us to have a share in all that, even at this point, we have to get ready for it, we have to work…" (1.146). To this end, he resigns from the military (depressing all the local ladies by losing his uniform) and gets a job in a brick factory. Not the sexiest of jobs, but at least he's sticking to his guns—er, bricks.
By the final act, Baron Tuzenbach has finally convinced Irina to marry him. With a caveat: she respects him, but she doesn't love him. This worries him a little, but he's such a pleasant and accepting person that he lets it slide. In a really touching dialogue before his last exit, he says, "Oh, let's not talk about it. I feel happy. It's almost as if I were seeing these trees for the first time in my life; they all seem to be looking at me and waiting for something. What beautiful trees they are! And how beautiful the life around them ought to be" (4.124).
With this life-affirming sentiment, he goes off to get his death affirmed in a duel with the pig-headed Solyony. Fare thee well, Tuzenbach.