A Month in the Country

A Month in the Country is Friel's adaptation of Turgenev's play of the same name. Belyayev is a young tutor who has been at Islayev's estate in the country for one month. He finds himself at the center of a love triangle about which he was completely ignorant. Natalya, Islayev's young wife, is taken with him, despite the affections of both her husband and her lover, Rakitin. Natalya suspects that her ward, Vera, is also interested in Belyayev. Natalya warns Belyayev of Vera's attraction; Vera warns Belyayev of Natalya's attraction; Bolshintsov proposes to Vera; the doctor proposes to Lizaveta; Islayev confronts Rakitin; the butler... well, you get the idea. Belyayev is overwhelmed; he only wants to teach. He and several other characters leave the household on the same day, leaving Islayev puzzling over what just happened.