Shift In Power Play

It is interesting to note, that the entire power play, shift in status etc is done through female characters in a domestic setting, devoid of any male characters or the socio-political puppets. The play happens to be much different than other of Chekhov’s plays for the environment here is of a Russian provincial city. The fact that the sisters dream of escaping the meaningless idea of existence and the humdrum of mundane life pretty much explains what the provincial life permeates. In the very opening of the play, we see the three sisters, Masha reading a book, Olga, correcting student’s exercise books, and Irina, who is lost in thoughts. The shift in the power is a major aspect of this novel, which happens between women, but is based on class shift. In the beginning of the novel, we see the three sisters Olga, Masha, and Irina ruling their now fading aristocratic home, but their class privilege doesn’t take them very far and soon, Natasha, who gets married to her brother takes over the control. …show more content…
….I‟ll work, work….” (p.222-223). Olga tries to bring a sense of optimism and faith inboth of them and says:

“ Oh, dear sisters, our life isn’t over yet . We shall live!”

The reactions mentioned above are the thoughts behind the idea of Russian Womanhood, where they stand beside each other, in full support while they themselves face a lot of storms mentally. They display an undying belief in the idea of future and try to put up with the “suffering, self-renunciation, and moral strength” (Gorchakov) . The above mentioned ideas bring out the proximity of the ideologies that put a stamp on the strength of women and totally deny the idea of seeing them as a subordinate or the second