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Olga Prozorov
Masha, 23, is the middle Prozorov sister, between Olga and Irina. Less emotionally demonstrative than her sisters, Masha is bookish and musically talented. At 18, she married Kulygin, thinking him intimidatingly clever; within a few years, however, she realizes he isn’t as smart as she thought, and she grows increasingly discontent in her marriage. Masha quickly becomes attracted to Vershinin because of his intellectual conversation, and they begin an affair that spans several years. The affair is somewhat of an open secret—even though she eventually confides in her sisters about her love for Vershinin, their lack of surprise suggests that they’ve known about the arrangement for a long time. After Vershinin leaves, Kulygin forgives her and recommits to their marriage, though Masha remains unsatisfied and bereft.
Masha Prozorov Quotes in The Three Sisters
The The Three Sisters quotes below are all either spoken by Masha Prozorov or refer to Masha Prozorov. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Act Four
Quotes
VERSHININ: What else can I say to you as a goodbye? What bit of philosophy?… [Laughs.] Life is a heavy load. Many of us find it blank, hopeless, but still one has to admit it is becoming brighter and easier every day, and one can see the time is not far off when it will be filled with light. [Looking at his watch.] I must go, I must! Once humanity was occupied with wars, filling the whole of its existence with campaigns, invasions, victories, all that has now had its day, and left behind a huge empty space, which for the time being there is nothing to fill; humanity is passionately seeking that and of course will find it. Oh, if only it could be quick about it!
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OLGA [embracing both her sisters]: The band is playing so gaily and cheerfully, it makes one want to live! My God! Time will pass and we will be gone for ever, they’ll forget us, forget our faces, our voices and how many there were of us, but for those who live after us our sufferings will become joy —happiness and peace will come down on earth, and there’ll be a kind word and a blessing for those who are living now. Dear sisters, our life is not yet over. We shall live! The band is playing so gaily, so joyfully, and I think in a little while we too will know why we live, why we suffer… If we only knew, if we only knew!
CHEBUTYKIN: […] What can it matter! What can it matter!
OLGA: If we only knew, if we only knew!
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Masha Prozorov Quotes in The Three Sisters
The The Three Sisters quotes below are all either spoken by Masha Prozorov or refer to Masha Prozorov. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Act Four
Quotes
VERSHININ: What else can I say to you as a goodbye? What bit of philosophy?… [Laughs.] Life is a heavy load. Many of us find it blank, hopeless, but still one has to admit it is becoming brighter and easier every day, and one can see the time is not far off when it will be filled with light. [Looking at his watch.] I must go, I must! Once humanity was occupied with wars, filling the whole of its existence with campaigns, invasions, victories, all that has now had its day, and left behind a huge empty space, which for the time being there is nothing to fill; humanity is passionately seeking that and of course will find it. Oh, if only it could be quick about it!
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Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
OLGA [embracing both her sisters]: The band is playing so gaily and cheerfully, it makes one want to live! My God! Time will pass and we will be gone for ever, they’ll forget us, forget our faces, our voices and how many there were of us, but for those who live after us our sufferings will become joy —happiness and peace will come down on earth, and there’ll be a kind word and a blessing for those who are living now. Dear sisters, our life is not yet over. We shall live! The band is playing so gaily, so joyfully, and I think in a little while we too will know why we live, why we suffer… If we only knew, if we only knew!
CHEBUTYKIN: […] What can it matter! What can it matter!
OLGA: If we only knew, if we only knew!
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