The Three Sisters: Act Two Summary & Analysis

It is about 21 months later, on an evening in late winter. Natasha is walking through the house with a candle. She finds Andrey reading and explains that she’s looking for any lights that have been left burning; the servants can’t be trusted. She says that Olga and Irina are still at work, Olga at a teachers’ meeting and Irina at the Telegraph Office. She also frets about their little boy, Bobik. Andrey assures her that Bobik is healthy.

Mummers are scheduled to come to the house tonight, but Natasha says perhaps they shouldn’t come, in case Bobik is sick. Andrey wavers, pointing out that it’s his sisters’ house. Natasha is sure they’ll agree. In fact, she suggests that they move Irina into Olga’s bedroom so that Bobik can have her room, which is drier and sunnier—Irina is seldom at home anyway. Andrey doesn’t say anything. Natasha exits, forgetting her candle. Ferapont comes in with some papers for Andrey to sign.

Andrey tells Ferapont, “how strangely life changes, how it deceives us!” He explains that, out of boredom, he began reading his old university lectures. He is now secretary of the District Council, where Protopopov is chairman, and his greatest ambition is to become a member of that council—but at night, he still dreams of becoming a professor in Moscow, “a famous scholar who is Russia’s pride.”

Ferapont says he can’t really hear, and Andrey replies that that’s why he is confiding in Ferapont. His wife, Natasha, doesn’t understand him, and he fears that his sisters will laugh at him. He wishes he were in Moscow, where “you don’t feel [like] a stranger.” In this provincial city, “everyone knows you, but you’re a stranger.” Andrey asks Ferapont if he’s ever been to Moscow. Ferapont explains that he hasn’t; “it hasn’t been God’s will.” Andrey dismisses him.

Masha and Vershinin enter. Masha is telling him about her marriage—how she was intimidated by Kulygin’s intelligence at first but no longer thinks him clever, and how she finds his colleagues unrefined and coarse. Vershinin, for his part, complains about his “worthless” and quarrelsome wife. He tells Masha that if it weren’t for her, he’d have no one. He begins telling Masha how much he loves and admires her. Someone is coming, so Masha tells him to change the subject.

Irina and Tuzenbakh enter. Tuzenbakh accompanies Irina home from the Telegraph Office each day. Irina complains of tiredness. She wants to find another job—the Telegraph Office is “work with no poetry.” She tells Masha that Andrey has recently been losing money playing cards. If he lost everything, perhaps they’d move to Moscow. She dreams of Moscow every night, “like a madwoman.” They’re supposed to move there in June—almost half a year away.

Chebutykin reads his newspaper while Irina sits at the table playing a card game. Vershinin suggests that they talk about philosophy—such as what life will be like two or three hundred years from now. Tuzenbakh says that humanity will be fundamentally the same, even if technology and science have advanced. Vershinin ponders and replies that he believes a “new, happy life will dawn.” Even though they won’t live to see it, they must work and suffer to create that life; this is the goal of life and happiness.

Tuzenbakh objects that Vershinin’s view keeps happiness out of reach. He argues that, even a million years from now, life will remain the same; that’s because life follows unchanging, inscrutable laws. For example, migratory birds fly without knowing why or where. Masha interjects that unless people have faith and search for meaning, life is empty and nonsensical.

The group, now including Fedotik and Rode, continues to converse around the table. They complain of the lingering winter, and Masha remarks that if she were in Moscow, she wouldn’t mind the weather. In response, Vershinin describes something he’s read recently—the diary of an imprisoned French minister who pined for the sight of birds. After he was released, he no longer noticed the birds. He says that it would be the same once the sisters moved to Moscow—they wouldn’t notice it. “We have no happiness and it doesn’t exist, we only desire it,” he claims. But then he gets a message from his daughter, telling him that his wife has attempted suicide again. Masha is in a bad mood after he leaves.

The group continues playing, drinking, and chatting while they wait for the mummers to arrive. Later, Natasha comes in and whispers to a couple of the guests, then leaves. Andrey, embarrassed, admits that the mummers won’t be coming—Bobik isn’t feeling well. Masha retorts that it’s Natasha who isn’t well—she’s a “common little woman.” People begin to say their goodbyes.

Andrey and Chebutykin continue talking. Chebutykin says that he never found time to marry, although he always loved their mother. Andrey replies that marriage is “boring” and should be avoided. Chebutykin says that loneliness is “frightful,” but that it “absolutely cannot matter.” They head out to play cards together, hurrying so that Natasha won’t try to stop them.

Solyony reenters and finds Irina alone. He tearfully confesses his love for her, but Irina rejects him. Solyony says that he can’t force her to love him, but he swears to kill any rival.

Natasha comes in and tells Irina that Irina must move in with Olga so that Bobik can have her room. Then a maid tells Natasha that Protopopov has arrived and invites Natasha to take a sleigh ride with him. She agrees and exits. Olga arrives home with a headache, exhausted from school and troubled by rumors of Andrey’s gambling losses. After she and the lingering guests leave the room, Irina finds herself alone and is “overcome by longing,” saying, “Moscow! Moscow! Moscow!”