Monologue

Astroff Monologue from Uncle Vanya

From Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekhov

male · philosophical · 1:34 min

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Yes, ten years have made me another man. And why? Because I am overworked. Nurse, I am on my feet from dawn till dusk. I know no rest; at night I tremble under my blankets for fear of being dragged out to visit some one who is sick; I have toiled without repose or a day's freedom since I have known you; could I help growing old? And then, existence is tedious, anyway; it is a senseless, dirty business, this life, and goes heavily. Every one about here is silly, and after living with them for two or three years one grows silly oneself. It is inevitable. See what a long moustache I have grown. A foolish, long moustache. Yes, I am as silly as the rest, nurse, but not as stupid; no, I have not grown stupid. Thank God, my brain is not addled yet, though my feelings have grown numb. I ask nothing, I need nothing, I love no one, unless it is yourself alone. I had a nurse just like you when I was a child.

About this piece

Astroff reflects on the toll of his exhausting work and the absurdity of life, expressing a deep sense of weariness and isolation while addressing the nurse.

30s · melancholy · existence · isolation · identity · love

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