The Seagull characters

Also known as Kostya

First appears in chapter 2

A young aspiring writer living on his uncle Sorin's estate. He wants to create new theatrical forms and stages an experimental play, but he is painfully dependent on the approval of his celebrated mother, Arkadina. He loves Nina, the young woman performing his work, and is jealous of the fame and confidence represented by Trigorin.

First appears in chapter 2

A young woman who lives on a neighboring estate under the strict control of her father and stepmother. She slips away to perform in Konstantin's play and dreams of becoming an actress. She is fascinated by the celebrated artists visiting Sorin's estate.

Also known as Madame Trepleva

First appears in chapter 2

A famous actress, Konstantin's mother, and Trigorin's lover. Charismatic, competitive, and anxious about age and money, she expects attention from those around her. She dismisses her son's experimental play when she feels it challenges the theatre in which she has succeeded.

First appears in chapter 2

A successful fiction writer and Arkadina's companion. Quiet and courteous in company, he is compulsively attentive to details he may use in his work. His fame makes him an object of fascination to Nina and of resentment to Konstantin.

First appears in chapter 2

Arkadina's older brother and owner of the country estate where the play is set. A retired civil servant, he regrets that work and convention prevented him from becoming a writer, marrying, or fully enjoying life. His declining health makes those regrets increasingly urgent.

First appears in chapter 2

The estate manager's daughter, recognizable by the black clothes she wears for her unhappy life. She drinks snuff and speaks bluntly about her despair. Medvedenko loves her, but she is intensely and hopelessly in love with Konstantin.

First appears in chapter 2

A poorly paid schoolteacher who loves Masha and cannot understand why she rejects him. Earnest and preoccupied with practical expenses, he offers a grounded contrast to the artists and their ambitions.

Also known as Dr. Dorn

First appears in chapter 2

A physician and longtime friend of the household. Calm, observant, and more receptive to artistic experiment than the others, he encourages Konstantin after the failed performance and views the passions around him with a degree of distance.

First appears in chapter 2

The blunt retired army officer who manages Sorin's estate. He resents demands that interfere with the farm's work and controls the household's horses and labor. He is Masha's father and Polina's husband.

First appears in chapter 3

Shamrayev's wife and Masha's mother. She has long loved Dr. Dorn and appeals to him for affection, though he avoids committing himself to her.