An Analysis by Angga Brian Fernandi
Character is one of the most important elements in literary works such as novel, short story, and play. It is the one who do the action based on the sequence of event built by the author. Hence, in doing so there is relation among the characters as portrayed in the events. In play
Ivanov by Chekhov, there are so many characters given as same as the conflicts. Nevertheless, not all of them support the story line from the beginning up to the ending. Only some characters are involved in the events depicted by Chekhov. This is what the writer wants to know why those characters are exposed and what is their relationship in the story. To answer such problems, Greima’s actantial model is used to show functions and roles of the characters performing in a narrative. Greimas proposed to sort out the characters based on what they do, not what they are. In the actantial model, an action may be broken down into six actants namely subject, object, helper, opponent, sender, and receiver. Each actant has different type of relation. However, actant is not always a person, it can also be a concept or abstract thing.
Ivanov is a Russian contemporary play telling about Nikolai Ivanov who was depressed due to the problems in his life. He used to be a highly member of the County Council who was passionate and lovely. Unfortunately, his internal conflicts lead him to misery and depression; debt, unable to manage the estate, and his wife’s illness. He always complained as if he lost all joy for his life. Ivanov thought that his life was messed up as many people confronted him including his wife, Anna. The story ended with melodramatic situation which Ivanov was about to marry Sasha, another woman character in the story, but he decided to do suicide to end his depressed life.
In my opinion, this play belongs to tragedy as it begins with the main character struggling to face the problems coming simultaneously and ends with such a misery. Also, the plot is well built and based on the sequence of events in a literary work. However, I think Chekhov tries to present the conflict in the very first place of the play along with the exposition. As a result, the reader know the conflicts and just follow how it will be elevated to a climax. The climax shows Ivanov gets confrontation from other characters. To analyse the play, certain actions are taken to be observed as follow,
The first action dealing with the financial problem of Ivanov so that he owes money to Zinaida (Sender), Lebedev’s wife. As time goes by, Lebedev comes to Ivanov to pay the debt right away as he is ordered by his wife. Lebedev urges Ivanov to do so and free himself from her clutches. However, he has no money at the time (Opponent). He has no idea to get it and there is nothing he can do but to wait until he sells his wheat in the autumn. In this event, Lebedev is the helper who tries to achieve his’ wife purpose by persuading Ivanov (Object) to pay the debt. Zinaida (Subject) plays many roles in such event as she makes Lebedev brave to do such thing to his friend and she is the one who will benefit from the action as she gets her money back (Receiver).
The second action is dealing with love problem of Ivanov in relation to Anna, Sasha and Dr. Lvov. Ivanov is seen as the object as well in this part. Sasha (Subject) loves and is devoted to him (Sender). However, Anna (Opponent) is angry to know such affairs so that she confronts her husband. This is the reason why Sasha is refused to visit Ivanov and not able to meet him. After Anna died, Sasha plans to marry Ivanov so that he will free from the debt he owes to Sasha’s Mom, Zinaida. Morever, Lebedev (Helper) supports their relationship for the sake of Sasha’s pleasure. Lebedev gives assistant during the marriage though Zinaida (Opponent) is not happy to see this. Unfortunately, Dr. Lvov (Opponent) ruins the wedding and prevents them to get married as he has grudge on Ivanov.
The third action portrays how Ivanov (Object) is confronted by Lvov (Subject) for Ivanov does not care and pay attention more to his dying wife. Lvov, Anna’s doctor, cares and puts empathy (Helper) to the condition of her health (Object). Dr. Lvov tries to help Anna (Receiver) to recover from her illness (Sender) to go to Crimea, but Ivanov is not willing to struggle for it. Ivanov has financial problem (Opponent) and he still looks for the way to pay the debt he owes. Hence, Lvov wants Ivanov to realize that his wife needs his care and attention as well as good treatment so that she will be happy as she used to be. Nonetheless, Ivanov turns to find new thing pleases him instead of focus on his wife’s condition.
The last one portrays the relation among the characters for the whole story. In my opinion, Ivanov (Subject) actually looks for hope and freedom (Object) from the problems he comes across in his life. Ivanov is in a depressed position since problems come at the same time (Sender). He does not know how to cope with it. However, some of the characters such as Borkin and Lebedev (Helper) give him suggestion and solution but he ignores it. Sasha (Helper) is also one of the ways to achieve his freedom, but he instead does suicide. On the other hand, some characters are also obstacles such as Anna, Zinaida, and Lvov (Opponent). Anna is the reason he needs to get extra money though he is broke; he will not be able to marry Sasha as well, Zinaida always sues him to pay the debt as soon as possible, and Lvov ruins his mind by haunting him due to his treatment to Anna. That is why it seems he is not able to get freedom.
To sum up, by using actantial model analysis, Ivanov is always seen as subject or object. This is because Ivanov is the main character in the play so that he is more exposed and more involved with other characters. Ivanov is the one who either give or get the action as the play narrates. Moreover, other side characters such as Anna, Sasha, Lvov, Zinaida, and Lebedev are the elements in making the problem and solution or the cause and effect in the story. That is why they are also exposed in certain events. Additonally, the findings reveal that all the subjects in the actantial model fails to achieve the object or the purpose.
There are three issues experienced by Ivanov aforesaid and all of them related to love, social, and political aspect. These cause Ivanov wants to flee and get the freedom in his life. However, he is not able to achieve it which triggers him to do suicide. Based on www.wilsoncenter.org, Chekhov felt that inner freedom was more important than poltical or social freedom. Hence, such ideology is reflected in this play that suicide is Ivanov choice in order to be completely free from all burdens in his life.
Clevaster 