His intentions for the play
Chekhov was a modernist writer who was concerned with class, in particular the death of the privileged class in Russia. Many of his plays seem to be influenced by the idea of work, especially amongst the working-classes. With this focus, he intended on creating an accurate snapshot of life - making him a naturalist writer.
It seems to me that the central idea of the play is that of the futility and lack of hope about life. This is shown through various themes, one of which being unrequited love. Vanya is the character to show this, he says to Yelena - "I know the chances of you returning my love are non-existent, virtually nil." - It seems to me that in order for Vanya to gain happiness, a significance to his life, he needs Yelena to return his love. the fact that he doubts that this will ever happen shows the characters lack of hope in his life.
Chekhov also uses the comparison of nature and the human world to highlight his key idea of futility about life. Nature in this play seems to contrast completely with the drab and boring human world shared by the characters. For example, the character Astrov seems alienated and distracted from his own life - "and this huge moustache I've grown...It's stupid" "in two, three hundred years' time, the people we're now clearing the way for-will they remember us, d'you think?" - but when he talks of the forest, he is instantly elevated and becomes more talkative. Astrov sees the forests as something tangible, that he can preserve and leave for future generations. Forests become the only way for Astrov to exert control over an increasingly futile and meaningless life - "I'm conscious of the fact that the climate is in my control". Here Chekhov highlights the constant human struggle to be remembered after death. To make some sort of memorable contribution or action. The need for humans to have their lives be remembered by others and not forgotten.
Modernism
These themes and ideas of the play make Chekhov a modernist writer. He wrote at a time of great change. This literary movement began at the start of the twentieth century, lasting up until the second world war. Modernist writers traditionally focused on individuals - the psychology of characters and how they thought. Chekhov explores, through his characters, the world through their eyes, exploring different viewpoints and thoughts.
