Images of the main characters in the play The Cherry Orchard. List of characters and character system of Chekhov's drama
A.P. Chekhov. "The Cherry Orchard". General characteristics of the play. Analysis of the third act.
Chekhov brings everyday life to the stage - without effects, beautiful poses, or unusual situations. He believed that in the theater everything should be as simple and at the same time complex as it is in life. In everyday life he sees both beauty and significance. This explains the unique composition of his dramas, the simplicity of the plot, the calm development of the action, the lack of stage effects, and the “undercurrent.”
“The Cherry Orchard” is the only play by Chekhov in which one can see, although not quite clearly, a social conflict. The bourgeoisie is replacing the doomed nobility. Is it good or bad? An incorrect question, says Chekhov. It is a fact. “What I came out with was not a drama, but a comedy, sometimes even a farce,” wrote Chekhov. According to Belinsky, comedy reveals how much real life has deviated from the ideal. Wasn't this Chekhov's task in The Cherry Orchard? Life, beautiful in its possibilities, poetic, like a blooming cherry orchard - and the powerlessness of the “klutzes” who are unable to either preserve this poetry, or break through to it, to see it.
The peculiarity of the genre is lyrical comedy. The characters are drawn by the author with slight mockery, but without sarcasm, without hatred. Chekhov's heroes are already looking for their place, but have not yet found it; all the time they are on stage they are going somewhere. But they can never get it together. The tragedy of Chekhov's heroes comes from their lack of rootedness in the present, which they hate, which they fear. Authentic life, real, seems alien to them, wrong. They see a way out of the melancholy of everyday life (and the reason for it still lies in themselves, so there is no way out) in the future, in the life that should be, but which never comes. Yes, they don’t do anything to make it happen.
One of the main motives of the play is time. It starts with a late train, ends with a missed train. And the heroes don’t feel that time has changed. She entered the house, where (as it seems to Ranevskaya) nothing changes, and devastated and destroyed it. The heroes are behind the times.
The image of the garden in the play “The Cherry Orchard”
Composition of “The Cherry Orchard”: Act 1 - exposition, Ranevskaya’s arrival, the threat of loss of the estate, the exit offered by Lopakhin. Act 2 - senseless waiting for the owners of the garden, Act 3 - sale of the garden, Act 4 - departure of the previous owners, new owners taking possession, cutting down the garden. That is, Act 3 is the climax of the play.
The garden must be sold. He is destined to die, Chekhov insists on this, no matter how he feels about it. Why this will happen is shown quite clearly in Acts 1 and 2. The task of Act 3 is to show how.
The action takes place in the house, the stage directions introduce the viewer to the party that was discussed in Act 2. Ranevskaya calls it a ball and very accurately defines that “we started the ball at the wrong time” - from Petya’s words the viewer learns that it was at this time that auctions take place at which the fate of the estate is decided. Therefore, the mood of this scene is a contrast between external well-being (dancing, magic tricks, optional “ballroom” conversations) and the atmosphere of melancholy, bad feeling and about-to-ready hysteria.
How does Chekhov create this atmosphere? The idiotic speeches of Simeonov-Pishchik, to which no one reacts, as if this is how it should be, every now and then the conversations of the owners of the house about their sad things break through, as if they have no time for guests.
When the unnecessary ball fizzles out, Gaev and Lopakhin appear with a message about the sale of the estate. Lopakhin’s “performance” in the new role leaves a complex, rather difficult impression, but the act ends on an optimistic note - with Anya’s remark addressed to Ranevskaya: “Mom, you have life left...” There is a meaning in this optimism - the most unbearable thing for the characters of the play (choice , the need to decide and take responsibility) is behind us.
What new do we learn about the heroes in Act 3?
Ranevskaya.
It turns out that she is not only capable of infuriating with her impracticality, she is also not stupid. It seems that at this ball she woke up - sensible remarks about the Yaroslavl grandmother, about what the cherry orchard is for her. In a conversation with Petya, she is even wise, very accurately determines the essence of this person, and without pretense or playing with herself, she talks about herself and her life. Although, of course, she remains herself - she speaks truthful words to Petya in order to hurt someone else, because she herself is hurt. But in general this is the peak of her reflection of life; already at the very beginning of Act 4 she will continue to play like an actress for whom only her own role is important and the entire play is inaccessible. And now she accepts the news of the sale of the estate not courageously, but with dignity, without play; her grief is genuine and therefore ugly: “She shrank all over and cried bitterly.”
Gaev.
He is almost absent from this act, and we learn nothing new about him. All he can say is: “How much I have suffered!” - in general, again “I”. It is very simple to console him in grief - with the sound of billiard balls.
Lopakhin.
This is a surprise. Until now we knew him as a good friend of this family, which did not deserve such a friend. He was more worried about saving the cherry orchard than all these fools combined. And the thought did not arise that he himself wanted to buy the garden, that for him this was not just another transaction, but an act of triumph of justice. Therefore, now his honesty is worth more. We also didn’t know about him that he was capable of getting carried away, forgetting himself, rejoicing to the point of madness, he was so even and calm until now. And what a “genetic” hatred he has for his former masters - not personally for Gaev and Ranevskaya, but for the class: “...Grandfather and father were slaves,... they weren’t even allowed into the kitchen...” And he is also weak because he thinks about life: “If only our awkward, unhappy life would somehow change...”, and what to think about is not enough: “Let everything be as I wish!”
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Lyubov Andreevna is the main character of Chekhov’s play “The Cherry Orchard”. This woman is the main representative of the female half of the nobility of that time with all their vices and positive traits. It is in her house that the play takes place.
She skillfully combines both positive and negative traits of her character.
Ranevskaya is a naturally beautiful woman with good manners, a true noblewoman, kind, but very trusting in life. After the death of her husband and the tragic death of her son, she goes abroad, where she lives for five years with her lover, who eventually robs her. There Lyubov Andreevna leads a lavish lifestyle: balls, receptions, all this costs a lot of money. Meanwhile, her daughters live in poverty, but she has a cool attitude towards them.
She is far from reality, lives in her own world. Her sentimentality is manifested in longing for her homeland, for her lost youth. Having arrived home after a long absence, where she returns in the spring, Ranevskaya finds peace. Nature itself, with its beauty, helps her in this.
At the same time, she does not think about the future, she throws a ball, knowing that she has no money for her future life. Lyubov Andreevna simply cannot give up a beautiful life.
She is kind, helps others, especially old man Firs. But on the other hand, leaving the estate, she forgets about him, leaving him in an abandoned house.
Leading an idle lifestyle cannot be happy. It is her fault for the death of the garden. She did nothing good in her life, so she remained in the past, very unhappy. Having lost the cherry orchard and estate, she also loses her homeland, returning to Paris.
Leonid Gaev
In the play “The Cherry Orchard,” landowner Leonid Gaev is endowed with a unique character. In some ways he is similar to his sister Ranevskaya. He is also characterized by romanticism and sentimentality. He loves the garden and is very worried about selling it, but does absolutely nothing to save the estate.
His idealism is manifested in the fact that he makes unrealistic plans, thinking that his aunt will give money, or Anya will marry successfully, or someone will leave them an inheritance and the garden will be saved.
Leonid Andreevich is very talkative, loves to make speeches, but at the same time he can say stupid things. His nieces often ask him to be quiet.
Completely impractical, lazy, not adapted to change. He lives on everything ready-made, leading a riotous lifestyle in his old world, not understanding new trends. The servant even helps him undress, although over time he will not even remember his devoted Firs.
He does not have a family, because he believes that he needs to live for himself. He lives for himself, visiting gambling establishments, playing billiards and having fun. At the same time, he throws money away, having a lot of debt.
You can't rely on him. He swears that the garden will not be sold, but he does not keep his promise. Gaev is having a hard time with the loss of his garden and estate, he even gets a job as a bank employee, but few people believe that he will stay there because of his laziness.
Ermolai Lopakhin
The merchant Ermolai Alekseevich Lopakhin is a representative of a new class - the bourgeoisie, which replaced the nobility.
Coming from the common people, he never forgets this and treats the common people well, because his grandfather and father were serfs on the Ranevsky estate. Since childhood, he knew what ordinary people were and always considered himself a man.
Thanks to his intelligence, perseverance, and hard work, he rose out of poverty and became a very rich man, although he is always afraid of losing his acquired capital. Ermolai Alekseevich gets up early, works hard and achieves success.
Lopakhin is sometimes gentle, kind and affectionate, he notices beauty and, in his own way, he feels sorry for the cherry orchard. He offers Ranevskaya a plan to save the garden, not forgetting that at one time she did a lot for him. And when Ranevskaya refuses to rent out the garden for dachas, the vein of a predator, a conqueror, appears in his features. He buys the estate and garden where his ancestors were slaves, and is triumphant because his old dream has come true. Here his merchant acumen is clearly visible. “I can pay for everything,” he says. Destroying the garden, he does not worry, but rejoices at his gain.
Anya
Anya is one of the heroes who strive for the future.
From the age of twelve she was raised on her uncle's estate, abandoned by her mother, who went abroad. Of course, she could not receive a proper education, because the governess in the past was just a circus performer. But Anya persistently, using books, filled in the gaps in knowledge.
The beauty of the cherry orchard, which she loved very much, and the abundance of time on the estate gave impetus to the formation of her subtle nature.
Anya is sincere, spontaneous and childishly naive. She believes in people, and that is why Petya Trofimov, her younger brother’s former teacher, had such a strong influence on her.
After four years of the girl’s stay abroad, with her mother, seventeen-year-old Anya returns home and meets Petya there. Having fallen in love with him, she sincerely trusted the young high school student and his ideas. Trofimov changed her attitude to the cherry orchard and to the surrounding reality.
Anya wants to leave her parents' house and start a new life, passing her high school exams and living by working on her own. The girl is ready to follow Petya anywhere. She no longer feels sorry for the cherry orchard or her old life. She believes in a bright future and strives for it.
Believing in a happy future, she sincerely tells her mother goodbye: “We will plant a new garden, more luxurious than this one...”.
Anya is a representative of the youth who can change the future of Russia.
Petya Trofimov
The image of Petya Trofimov in the work is inextricably linked with the theme of the future of Russia.
Petya is the former teacher of Ranevskaya’s son. He is called an eternal student, because he will never finish his studies at the gymnasium. Moving from place to place, he wanders around the country, dreaming of a better life in which beauty and justice will triumph.
Trofimov realistically perceives the events taking place, realizing that the garden is beautiful, but its destruction is inevitable. He hates the nobility, is convinced that their time is up, condemns people who use the work of others and preaches the ideas of a bright future where everyone will be happy. But the point is that he only preaches and does nothing for this future himself. For Trofimov, it does not matter whether he himself reaches this future or shows the way to others. And he knows how to speak and convince perfectly.
Petya convinced Anya that it was impossible to live the old life, that changes were needed, that we needed to get rid of poverty, vulgarity and dirt and become free.
He considers himself a free man and refuses Lopakhin’s money, just as he refuses love, denying it. He tells Anya that their relationship is higher than love and calls on her to believe him and his ideas.
At the same time, Petya is petty. When he lost his old galoshes, he was very upset, but was happy when the galoshes were found.
This is how he is, Petya Trofimov - an ordinary intellectual with progressive views, who has many shortcomings.
Varya
Varya, unlike other characters in the work, lives in the present, and not in the past and future.
At 24 years old, she is simple and rational. When my mother went abroad, all the housekeeping fell on her shoulders, and she coped with it for the time being. Varya works from morning to evening, saving every penny, but the extravagance of her relatives was able to protect the estate from ruin.
She is very religious and dreams of joining a monastery, but she couldn’t raise the money to go to holy places. People around her don’t believe in her religiosity, but in reality she is.
Varya is direct and strict, she is not afraid to make comments, but she makes them correctly. At the same time, she has a feeling of love and tenderness. She loves her sister Anya very much, calls her darling, beauty, and is very worried that she is in love with Petya Trofimov, because he is not a match for her.
Varya likes Lopakhin, whom her mother hopes to marry her to, but she understands that he will not propose to her, because he is busy accumulating his own wealth.
But for some reason Trofimov considers Varya limited, not understanding what is happening. But this is not so, the girl understands that the estate has fallen into disrepair and is ruined, that it will be sold and the cherry orchard will not be saved. This is reality as she understands it, and we must continue to live in this reality.
In her new life, Varya will survive even without money, because she has a practical character and is adapted to life’s difficulties.
Charlotte Ivanovna
Charlotte Ivanovna is a minor character in the play. She is the governess of the Ranevsky family. She herself comes from a family of circus performers who made their living by performing.
From early childhood, Charlotte helped her parents perform circus acts, and when her parents died, she was raised by a German lady, who gave her an education. Growing up, Charlotte began working as a governess, earning her living.
Charlotte can perform tricks and magic tricks and speaks in different voices. All this was left to her from her parents, although she knows nothing more about them, not even her age. Some heroes consider her an attractive woman, but nothing is said about the heroine’s personal life.
Charlotte is very lonely, as she says: “...I have no one.” But she is a free person and does not depend on circumstances, she only observes what is happening from the outside and evaluates what is happening in her own way. So, she speaks with slight reproach about the wastefulness of her owners, but says it with such ease that it is noticeable that she doesn’t care.
The image of Charlotte is in the background, but some of her remarks are connected with the actions of the main characters of the play. And at the end of the work, Charlotte worries that she has nowhere to live and needs to leave the city. This highlights the fact that she is just as homeless as her owners.
Heroes of the work The Cherry Orchard
Main characters
Lyubov Andreevna Ranevskaya– a woman who does not have money, but wants to prove to herself and the public the fact that she has it. Irresponsible and emotional. As a rule, he does not think about what will happen “after”, he lives one day at a time. We can say that in a cocoon of pompous fun she hides from everyday difficulties, worries and responsibilities. Her bankruptcy occurred while living abroad - having hastily sold her estate, she returned to France.
Ermolai Alekseevich Lopakhin- a wealthy merchant from the common class. Quite cunning and enterprising. Rude, but incredibly resourceful. Calculating. It is he who buys the main character’s estate.
Minor characters
Leonid Andreevich Gaev- sentimental brother of Ranevskaya. In order to somewhat “sweeten” her sister’s grief after the sale of the estate, she begins to develop plans to overcome difficulties. Quite often they are absurd and ineffective.
Trofimov Petr Sergeevich- a rather incomprehensible person, with oddities. His main hobby is reasoning. Trofimov has no family, does not serve anywhere, and is a person of no fixed abode. Despite the fact that he is a person of extraordinary views, sometimes Pyotr Sergeevich contradicts himself.
Anya– a young, fragile, romantic girl. Despite the fact that the heroine supports her parent, some innovative traits and a thirst for change are already beginning to appear in her.
Varya- realistic. One might say, even a somewhat down-to-earth, peasant girl. She manages the estate and is the adopted daughter of Ranevskaya. He has feelings for Lopakhin, but is afraid to admit it.
Simeonov – Pischik- a bankrupt nobleman, “in debt like silk.” He tries in vain to cover all his debts. Always in search of a means of livelihood. In order to help him out financially, he grovels and humiliates himself, without experiencing any remorse. Sometimes Fortune really turns out to be on his side.
Charlotte Ivanovna- governess. Age unknown. Even among the crowd she feels lonely. She can perform magic tricks, which indicates that she may have spent her childhood in a circus family.
Epikhodov– if there are “darlings of fate,” then he is the complete opposite. Something always happens to the hero, he is clumsy, unlucky and “offended by Fortune.” Despite a decent education, he does not know how to express his thoughts properly.
Dunyasha– This girl is a simple servant, but she has ambitions and demands. As a rule, the details of her wardrobe are not much different from the outfits of a society lady. However, the essence of man remains the same. Therefore, even among the pompous gloss, one can discern the fact that Dunya is a peasant. Her attempts to look more respectable are pathetic.
Firs, servant- He treats his gentlemen well, but he takes care of them as if they were babies, he is overprotective. By the way, the hero even dies with the thought of his owners.
Yasha– he was once a footman. Now a soulless and empty dandy who has been to Paris. Treats native people with disrespect. He condemns the fact that Russia is chasing the West and considers this a manifestation of lack of education and ignorance.
Option 3
Chekhov wrote the play “The Cherry Orchard” in 1903. It shows the main problems of the dying nobility. The characters of the play are imbued with the vices of the society of that time. This work discusses the future fate of Russia.
Lyubov Andreevna is the mistress of the house in which all the events of the play take place. She is a beautiful woman, well-mannered, educated, kind and trusting in life. After heavy losses in her life, the death of her husband and son, she goes abroad, only to be robbed by her lover. Living abroad, she leads a luxurious lifestyle, while her daughters in their homeland are poor. She has a cold relationship with them.
And then one spring she decided to return home. And only at home she found peace, the beauty of her native nature helped her in this.
Even without money, he cannot refuse a beautiful life.
But being a bad housewife, she loses everything: house, garden and, ultimately, her homeland. She returns to Paris.
Leonid Gaev was a landowner and had a peculiar character. He was the brother of the main character, he, like her, was romantic and sentimental. He loved his house and garden, but does nothing to save it. He loves to talk, and he doesn’t think about what he says. And his nieces often ask him to be silent.
He doesn’t have his own family, he decided to live for himself, and he lives. He goes to gambling establishments, plays billiards, and has fun. He has a lot of debts. You can't rely on him. Nobody believes him.
In this hero the writer showed almost all the vices of the youth of that period.
Ermolai Lopakhin was a merchant, a representative of the new bourgeois class. He came from the people. He remembers the good and does not break away from the people. He knew that his ancestors were serfs. With his perseverance and hard work, he got out of poverty and earned a lot of money.
He proposed a plan to save the garden and estate, but Ranevskaya refused. Then he buys the entire estate at auction and becomes the owner where his ancestors were slaves.
His image shows the superiority of the bourgeoisie over the nobility.
He bought the garden, and when everyone left the estate, he cut it down.
Anya is the daughter of Lyubov Andreevna. She lived with her mother abroad, returned to her homeland at the age of 17 and immediately fell in love with her brother’s former teacher. Petra Trofimova. She trusts his ideas. He completely reconfigured the girl. She became a prominent representative of the new nobility.
Petya once taught Ranevskaya’s son. He received the nickname “eternal student” because he could not finish his studies at the gymnasium. He convinced Anya that life needed to be changed, we needed to get rid of poverty. He does not believe in Anna's love, he tells her that their relationship is higher than love. Calls on her to leave with him.
Varya is the adopted daughter of Ranevskaya, she began to take care of the farm at an early age and really understands what is happening. In love with Lopakhin.
She lives in the present, not the past and future. Varya will survive in her new life because she has a practical character.
Charlotte Ivanovna, Dunyasha, Yasha, Firs servants at the Ranevsky estate do not know where to go after the sale of the estate. Firs, due to his old age, did not know what to do, and when everyone left the estate, he dies in the house.
This work showed the decline of the noble class.
Several interesting essays
- Philosophical lyrics by Lermontov essay
Many poets devoted their works to discussions on eternal questions about the meaning of life and the universe, about the role of man and about his purpose and place in this life.
Hans Christian Andersen is a brilliant writer, whose fairy tales have been taught, are taught and will be learned by more than one generation of children. "The Steadfast Tin Soldier", "The Little Mermaid", "The Ugly Duckling", "Thumbelina"
The main character of the play, the landowner and mistress of the estate with a cherry orchard. Several years ago, her husband died, and then her son Grisha died tragically. After this, she hastily left for Paris, leaving her estate, servants and adopted daughter Varvara. There she bought a dacha in Monton, which she later sold. Daughter Anya found her in Paris with strangers and without a penny of money.
One of the main characters in the play, the brother of the landowner Ranevskaya. He is a man of the old school, like his sister - sentimental. He is very worried about the sale of the family estate and the loss of the cherry orchard. By nature, Gaev is an idealist and romantic. He is not particularly adapted to the “new” life. He considers himself to be a people of the 80s of the 19th century.
One of the main characters of the play, a merchant, a descendant of serfs who worked for Ranevskaya’s father and grandfather. Lopakhin's father was uneducated and rude, often beating him. Ranevskaya was kind to the boy and protected him. He says that he loves her more than his own, as she has done a lot for him. He says about himself that even though he broke away from the peasants, he never became educated.
One of the main characters in the play, the adopted daughter of the landowner Ranevskaya. She is 24 years old and she runs the entire Ranevsky household, acting as both an adopted daughter and a housekeeper. By nature, Varya is a very modest and pious girl who conscientiously treats her duties. She is often busy with petty household chores and, unlike the gentlemen, she knows how to save rationally.
One of the characters in the play, the former teacher of Ranevskaya’s seven-year-old son, is a commoner of about 26 or 27 years old. Many call him an “eternal student” and a “school student” because he studies all the time and never finishes the course. Petya wears glasses and likes to philosophize about how to live.
A girl of seventeen years old, the daughter of the landowner Ranevskaya, a symbol of sincerity and spontaneity in the play “The Cherry Orchard”. Anya, like many other members of her family, grew up in a cherry orchard and received a noble upbringing under the guidance of governesses such as Charlotte Ivanovna, a former circus acrobat without a passport or a certain age.
The oldest character in the play, a devoted footman on Ranevskaya's estate. He is 87 years old and has devoted most of his life to serving his masters. He remembers Ranevskaya’s father and grandfather well. Despite the abolition of serfdom, he remained to serve his masters. He cared and cares for them as if they were his own children.
Dunyasha belongs to a number of minor characters in the play. Characters like her mainly enhance the comedy or tragedy of the situation. She is a maid on Ranevskaya's estate, but her behavior does not correspond to her position. She says about herself that she has become all pampered and delicate, just like ladies.
“The Cherry Orchard” is the pinnacle of Russian drama of the early 20th century, a lyrical comedy, a play that marked the beginning of a new era in the development of Russian theater.
The main theme of the play is autobiographical - a bankrupt family of nobles sells their family estate at auction. The author, as a person who has gone through a similar life situation, with subtle psychologism describes the mental state of people who will soon be forced to leave their home. The innovation of the play is the absence of division of heroes into positive and negative, into main and secondary ones. They are all divided into three categories:
- people of the past - noble aristocrats (Ranevskaya, Gaev and their lackey Firs);
- people of the present - their bright representative, the merchant-entrepreneur Lopakhin;
- people of the future - the progressive youth of that time (Petr Trofimov and Anya).
History of creation
Chekhov began work on the play in 1901. Due to serious health problems, the writing process was quite difficult, but nevertheless, in 1903 the work was completed. The first theatrical production of the play took place a year later on the stage of the Moscow Art Theater, becoming the pinnacle of Chekhov's work as a playwright and a textbook classic of the theatrical repertoire.
Play Analysis
Description of the work
The action takes place on the family estate of landowner Lyubov Andreevna Ranevskaya, who returned from France with her young daughter Anya. They are met at the railway station by Gaev (Ranevskaya's brother) and Varya (her adopted daughter).
The financial situation of the Ranevsky family is nearing complete collapse. Entrepreneur Lopakhin offers his own version of a solution to the problem - to divide the land into shares and give them to summer residents for use for a certain fee. The lady is burdened by this proposal, because for this she will have to say goodbye to her beloved cherry orchard, with which many warm memories of her youth are associated. Adding to the tragedy is the fact that her beloved son Grisha died in this garden. Gaev, imbued with his sister’s feelings, reassures her with a promise that their family estate will not be put up for sale.
The action of the second part takes place on the street, in the courtyard of the estate. Lopakhin, with his characteristic pragmatism, continues to insist on his plan to save the estate, but no one pays attention to him. Everyone turns to the teacher Pyotr Trofimov who has appeared. He delivers an excited speech dedicated to the fate of Russia, its future and touches on the topic of happiness in a philosophical context. The materialist Lopakhin is skeptical about the young teacher, and it turns out that only Anya is capable of being imbued with his lofty ideas.
The third act begins with Ranevskaya using her last money to invite an orchestra and organize a dance evening. Gaev and Lopakhin are absent at the same time - they went to the city for an auction, where the Ranevsky estate should go under the hammer. After a tedious wait, Lyubov Andreevna learns that her estate was bought at auction by Lopakhin, who does not hide his joy at his acquisition. The Ranevsky family is in despair.
The finale is entirely dedicated to the departure of the Ranevsky family from their home. The parting scene is shown with all the deep psychologism inherent in Chekhov. The play ends with a surprisingly deep monologue by Firs, whom the owners in a hurry forgot on the estate. The final chord is the sound of an axe. The cherry orchard is being cut down.
Main characters
A sentimental person, the owner of the estate. Having lived abroad for several years, she got used to a luxurious life and, by inertia, continues to allow herself many things that, given the deplorable state of her finances, according to the logic of common sense, should be inaccessible to her. Being a frivolous person, very helpless in everyday matters, Ranevskaya does not want to change anything about herself, while she is fully aware of her weaknesses and shortcomings.
A successful merchant, he owes a lot to the Ranevsky family. His image is ambiguous - he combines hard work, prudence, enterprise and rudeness, a “peasant” beginning. At the end of the play, Lopakhin does not share Ranevskaya’s feelings; he is happy that, despite his peasant origins, he was able to afford to buy the estate of his late father’s owners.
Like his sister, he is very sensitive and sentimental. Being an idealist and romantic, to console Ranevskaya, he comes up with fantastic plans to save the family estate. He is emotional, verbose, but at the same time completely inactive.
Petya Trofimov
An eternal student, a nihilist, an eloquent representative of the Russian intelligentsia, advocating for the development of Russia only in words. In pursuit of the “highest truth,” he denies love, considering it a petty and illusory feeling, which immensely upsets Ranevskaya’s daughter Anya, who is in love with him.
A romantic 17-year-old young lady who fell under the influence of the populist Peter Trofimov. Recklessly believing in a better life after the sale of her parents' estate, Anya is ready for any difficulties for the sake of shared happiness next to her lover.
An 87-year-old man, a footman in the Ranevskys' house. The type of servant of old times, surrounds his masters with fatherly care. He remained to serve his masters even after the abolition of serfdom.
A young lackey who treats Russia with contempt and dreams of going abroad. A cynical and cruel man, he is rude to old Firs and even treats his own mother with disrespect.
Structure of the work
The structure of the play is quite simple - 4 acts without dividing into separate scenes. The duration of action is several months, from late spring to mid-autumn. In the first act there is exposition and plotting, in the second there is an increase in tension, in the third there is a climax (the sale of the estate), in the fourth there is a denouement. A characteristic feature of the play is the absence of genuine external conflict, dynamism, and unpredictable twists in the plot line. The author's remarks, monologues, pauses and some understatement give the play a unique atmosphere of exquisite lyricism. The artistic realism of the play is achieved through the alternation of dramatic and comic scenes.
(Scene from a modern production)
The development of the emotional and psychological plane dominates in the play; the main driver of the action is the internal experiences of the characters. The author expands the artistic space of the work by introducing a large number of characters who will never appear on stage. Also, the effect of expanding spatial boundaries is given by the symmetrically emerging theme of France, giving an arched form to the play.
Final conclusion
Chekhov's last play, one might say, is his “swan song.” The novelty of her dramatic language is a direct expression of Chekhov’s special concept of life, which is characterized by extraordinary attention to small, seemingly insignificant details, and a focus on the inner experiences of the characters.
In the play “The Cherry Orchard,” the author captured the state of critical disunity of Russian society of his time; this sad factor is often present in scenes where the characters hear only themselves, creating only the appearance of interaction.
Social statuses of the characters in the play - as one of the characteristics
In the final play by A.P. Chekhov's "The Cherry Orchard" there is no division into main and secondary characters. They are all major, even seemingly episodic roles, and are of great importance for revealing the main idea of the entire work. The characterization of the heroes of “The Cherry Orchard” begins with their social representation. After all, social status already leaves an imprint in people’s heads, and not only on stage. Thus, Lopakhin, a merchant, is already associated in advance with a loud and tactless merchant, incapable of any subtle feelings and experiences, but Chekhov warned that his merchant differs from a typical representative of this class. Ranevskaya and Simeonov-Pishchik, designated as landowners, look very strange. After all, after the abolition of serfdom, the social statuses of landowners remained a thing of the past, since they no longer corresponded to the new social order. Gaev is also a landowner, but in the minds of the characters he is “Ranevskaya’s brother,” which suggests some kind of lack of independence of this character. With Ranevskaya’s daughters, everything is more or less clear. Anya and Varya have their ages indicated, showing that they are the youngest characters in The Cherry Orchard.
The age of the oldest character, Firs, is also indicated. Trofimov Petr Sergeevich is a student, and there is some kind of contradiction in this, because if he is a student, then he is young and it seems too early to assign a middle name, but meanwhile it is indicated.
Throughout the entire action of the play “The Cherry Orchard,” the characters are fully revealed, and their characters are outlined in a form typical for this type of literature - in speech characteristics given by themselves or other participants.
Brief characteristics of the main characters
Although the main characters of the play are not highlighted by Chekhov as a separate line, they are easy to identify. These are Ranevskaya, Lopakhin and Trofimov. It is their vision of their time that becomes the fundamental motive of the entire work. And this time is shown through the relationship to the old cherry orchard.
Ranevskaya Lyubov Andreevna– the main character of “The Cherry Orchard” is a former rich aristocrat, accustomed to living according to the dictates of her heart. Her husband died quite early, leaving a lot of debts. While she was indulging in new feelings, her little son tragically died. Considering herself guilty of this tragedy, she runs away from home, from her lover abroad, who also followed her and literally robbed her there. But her hopes of finding peace were not realized. She loves her garden and her estate, but cannot save it. It is unthinkable for her to accept Lopakhin’s proposal, because then the centuries-old order in which the title of “landowner” is passed down from generation to generation will be violated, carrying with it the cultural and historical heritage, inviolability and confidence in the worldview.
Lyubov Andreevna and her brother Gaev are characterized by all the best traits of the nobility: responsiveness, generosity, education, a sense of beauty, the ability to sympathize. However, in modern times, all their positive qualities are not needed and are turned in the opposite direction. Generosity becomes irrepressible spending, responsiveness and the ability to sympathize turn into slobbering, education turns into idle talk.
According to Chekhov, these two heroes do not deserve sympathy and their experiences are not as deep as they might seem.
In the play “The Cherry Orchard” the main characters talk more than they do, and the only person is the action. Lopakhin Ermolai Alekseevich, the central character, according to the author. Chekhov was sure that if his image failed, then the whole play would fail. Lopakhin is designated a merchant, but the modern word “businessman” would be more suitable for him. The son and grandson of serfs became a millionaire thanks to his instincts, determination and intelligence, because if he were stupid and uneducated, how could he have achieved such success in his business? And it is no coincidence that Petya Trofimov talks about his subtle soul. After all, only Ermolai Alekseevich realizes the value of the old garden and its true beauty. But his commercial spirit goes too far, and he is forced to destroy the garden.
Trofimov Petya- an eternal student and a “shabby gentleman.” Apparently, he also belongs to a noble family, but has essentially become a homeless vagabond, dreaming of the common good and happiness. He talks a lot, but does nothing for the speedy onset of a bright future. He also lacks deep feelings for the people around him and attachment to a place. He lives only in dreams. However, he managed to captivate Anya with his ideas.
Anya, daughter of Ranevskaya. Her mother left her in the care of her brother at age 12. That is, in adolescence, which is so important for the formation of personality, Anya was left to her own devices. She inherited the best qualities that are characteristic of the aristocracy. She is youthfully naive, which is perhaps why she was so easily carried away by Petya’s ideas.
Brief characteristics of minor characters
The characters in the play “The Cherry Orchard” are divided into main and secondary only according to the time of their participation in the actions. So Varya, Simeonov-Pishchik Dunyasha, Charlotte Ivanovna and the lackeys practically do not talk about the estate, and their worldview is not revealed through the garden; they seem to be cut off from it.
Varya- adopted daughter of Ranevskaya. But essentially she is the housekeeper of the estate, whose responsibilities include taking care of the owners and servants. She thinks on an everyday level, and her desire to devote herself to serving God is not taken seriously by anyone. Instead, they are trying to marry her off to Lopakhin, who is indifferent to her.
Simeonov-Pishchik- the same landowner as Ranevskaya. Constantly in debt. But his positive attitude helps him overcome his difficult situation. So, he doesn’t hesitate a bit when he receives an offer to rent out his lands. Thus, solving your financial difficulties. He is able to adapt to a new life, unlike the owners of the cherry orchard.
Yasha- young footman. Having been abroad, he is no longer attracted by his homeland, and even his mother, who is trying to meet him, is no longer needed by him. Arrogance is his main feature. He does not respect his owners, he has no attachment to anyone.
Dunyasha– a young, flighty girl who lives one day at a time and dreams of love.
Epikhodov- a clerk, he is a chronic loser, which he knows very well. In essence, his life is empty and aimless.
Firs- the oldest character for whom the abolition of serfdom became the greatest tragedy. He is sincerely attached to his owners. And his death in an empty house to the sound of the garden being cut down is very symbolic.
Charlotte Ivanovna- governess and circus performer rolled into one. The main reflection of the declared genre of the play.
The images of the heroes of “The Cherry Orchard” are combined into a system. They complement each other, thereby helping to reveal the main theme of the work.
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