ABSTRACT:

This presentation will look into the metatheatrical aspects of Anton Chekhov’s “The Seagull,” with a special focus on the play that Treplev, one of the characters, stages. We use Jacob L. Moreno’s sociodrama theory to understand how personal problems and social rules are connected in the play. A key part of this is the new kind of play Treplev creates, which is very different from the traditional theater that his mother, Arkadina, represents. We analyze how Treplev is trying to find his own artistic voice and identity, showing the big conflicts between different generations and ideas at that time.

In this presentation, we will use sociodrama to look at important themes like being true to art, problems within families, and the pressure to follow social norms. We also think about how the audience is involved in this metatheatrical setting. This shows how Chekhov mixes acting and real life, making people think about their own roles and identities in society.

To end, we will see “The Seagull” as a strong tool for sociodrama. It shows complicated relationships between people and social expectations, and it makes us think deeply about art, who we are, and how people interact with each other. This deep look at Chekhov’s play gives us a new way to see its lasting importance and artistic beauty.

Learning Objectives:
1. Attendees will learn to find and understand the metatheatrical parts in “The Seagull,” and see why they are important for showing social and personal issues.
2. Participants will learn more about how drama can be used to study society and psychology, and see how dramatic literature affects how the audience sees and interacts with the play.

ABOUT THE PRESENTER: