The Three Sisters

by Anton Chekhov

The Three Sisters: Circles, Triads, and Parity in The Three Sisters


In the following essay, the author illustrates the theory of how the number three is a key factor within Chekhov's play.

Even a casual reading ofThe Three Sisters reveals that the concept of three is somehow intertwined in the fabric of the play. And so it is. No matter what is seen or what is heard, the answer is usually three— or its multiple. Let's begin with, say, the number of characters. Fourteen characters are named in the dramatis personae; there is, however, a fifteenth character—Protopopov, the chairman of the District Council—who never sets foot onstage, but his presence offstage touches or ensnares all members of the Prozorov family, including the three sisters, their brother...

(The entire page is 6507 words.)

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