If you have a rifle, hanging on the wall in the first act, it should fire in the last act”.

— Pushkin's aphorism 1830. Stanislavski hoped that the 'system' could be applied to all forms of drama including melodrama vaudeville and opera. [.

Throughout his life he subjected his own acting to a process of rigorous artistic self-analysis and reflection. It draws on a wide range of influences and ideas including his study of the modernist and avant-garde developments of his time (naturalism symbolism and Meyerhold's constructivism) Russian formalism Yoga Pavlovian behavioural psychology James-Lange (via Ribot) psychophysiology and the aesthetics of Pushkin Gogol and Tolstoy. 5 January] 1863 – 7 August 1938) was a Russian actor and theatre director.