Hey you, I read your post about Irina from "Three Sisters" and wanted to ask you for your thoughts on her in general. I have been trying to figure her out for a while now since she is such an interesting character, but her relationship with her siblings (and especially her sisters) is still something I don't fully grasp.
What a kind ask, thank you! Iāll admit, since it has been a second since Iāve perused Three Sisters, Iām working off that prior knowledge and the skim I did this morning, so hopefully I can give you something for now and get back to you with more thoughts later!
Like all good things, the sistersā relationship is complicated. Despite her moments of childishness, Irina stands out to me as being the one with her head most screwed on (amongst the siblings as a whole for that matter) which I think creates the most outward tension with Masha (they definitely seem to have the most āMasha stop being meanā āI do not fucking careā moments), and creates a distance between her and Olga - not that itās necessarily Olgaās fault, but itās another sword in the stone of solitude Irina finds herself in. I believe this attitude comes out of her love for her sisters though, as near the end of act one, Irina says āLook at us. Three sisters. Our life hasnāt been so beautiful; itās choking us up like a lawn full of weeds. There, now Iām starting to cry. I really donāt mean too . . .ā which I think demonstrates some consciousness about her sisters own dramatic struggles, but also perhaps speaks to her insistence of work. Work is how sheās going to find her own meaning in life, to support her sisters, to get to Moscow
As the youngest of her sisters though, I think Irina is wanting in one thing Masha and Olga have by virtue of being alive longer, which is the memory of Moscow (and their parents, but mostly I think just the idea of a ācomplete familyā). Olga and Masha talk openly about it, specific details, and theyāre able to understand each otherās feelings in a way Irina just isnāt privy to, which I think compounds those feelings of loneliness she manages not being able to talk to her sisters about these things, but also casts a light on her dream of returning of Moscow. We have to remember, when Irina talks about returning to Moscow, sheās already envisioned it quite clearly with her and her siblings - yes there is that element of finding a true love, but it is living together free from the hardships theyāre facing that seems to keep Moscow coming up. Masha and Olga have a literal idea of it, but to Irina, who was like 9(?) when they left, it seems like a metaphorical Eden more than anything, but I think also where she knows her sisters were happiest. Thatās why I think her decision to leave on her own at the end is so powerful - sheās going to Moscow for all of them. Yes sheās already shown herself to be independent, yes she has nothing left to lose, but I think it is her love for her sisters and the struggles theyāve gone through that propel her still. Even if no one will remember any of them, if all there actions are for naught, as Olga says, āWeāll go on living.ā and that is I think how Irina honors the love and care she has for her sisters
