Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was a very famous Russian playwright and was deemed the father of the short story and play. Born in 1894, he became one of the most influential writers of his time. He was born to a lower middle class family therefore he knew the realities of peasant life. This is witnessed in his play Cherry Orchard as he discusses issues of profligacy and materialism, concepts he devalued.
Seen in the character Lopakhin, he comes from a family of serfs who were eventually emancipated, therefore knowing the value of peasanthood. This tragedy is very realistic and true to form as Chekhov delves into the minds of his characters to portray life as it was.
The Story
The Cherry Orchard tells of a land-owning family who must sell their cherry orchard. Madame Lyubov Ravensky went to Paris with her daughter Anya in order to get rid of the pain from simultaneously losing her husband and son. Upon returning to the estate after five years of residing abroad in Paris, they came back home to financial problems in which they would have to sell their cherry orchard in order to pay the debt.
Cherry Orchard
During Madame Ravensky’s vacation abroad, her adopted daughter Varya was in charge of the finances at the estate. The future marriage of Varya and Lopakhin was a grand wedding of the town. Lopakhin, a peasant turned wealthy, welcomed Lyubov and immediately informed her and her family of the auction of the cherry orchard. This would happen only if the proper steps had not been taken.
Lopakhin, who is also a friend, suggested that they might save their estate by dividing their land into summer cottages, but Lyubov and her brother Gaev are horrified at such a thought. As a result they lose the orchard, and ironically the new owner is Lopakhin, whose family were once slaves in Russia that had worked on the estate.
A Tale of Misfortunes
Although there are many humorous moments, the overall play had many misfortunes. One was that the Cherry Orchard was Anton Chekov's last play. He died from a heart attack in Germany in 1904. Another misfortune was the loss of Madame Ranevsky’s wealth (old money) to Lopakhin (new money). With no question, the land’s worth is precious, not to mention the social status that is given to landowners.
The last disaster is the loss of the two icons of the family's history, the cherry orchard and the house. They must be destroyed in order for economic progress to occur. The family must sell their assets – the cherry orchard and house – in order to rectify the debt that was incurred. Because Lyubov left for Paris to try and escape her past, she was less than frugal in her handling of money.
Madame Ravensky is careless with her money. To her, money is abundant and therefore has no value or restrictions. Lopakhin, on the other hand, respects his wealth and has no concept of a rich family history. Although he now has a taste of the good life, he knows the way to remain on top is to be innovative. Upon seeing Madame Ranevsky’s predicament, his solution necessitates clearing the entire estate and all of its memories. All memories will then be vanished, and the new ways will have little regard for the past.
Lessons Learned
Chekov shows that there is tragedy in relinquishing any wealth of any kind but there is more tragedy to hold on to the worldly goals that consume society. Madame Ravensky’s fortune was earned on the backs of slaves, and so to hold on to it is not only tragic but also sadistic. In addition, money seen as an exclusive manifestation of wealth is ignominious. It is ironic how a man can grow up after the "emancipation" to become a wealthy merchant, and eventually buy the estate in which his father was a slave.
In conclusion, the characters are a rich collection of people who are, to Chekhov's credit, loose in their humanity. It is quite amazing that a playwright, writing in Russia at the turn of the century, can teach us so much, not only about our ancestors, but about ourselves as well.
Sources:
- Chekhov, Anton. The Cherry Orchard. Trans. Peter Nelles. Adapted David Mamet. New York: Grove Press. 1986.
- Kirk, Irina (1981) Anton Chekhov. Boston: Wayne Publishers
- Rusk, James. The Cherry Orchard, by Anton Chekhov. 1904. Acts 1-4. (7-31-01).
Tasha Kelley - By day, I am employed as a school psychologist who works with and assesses children with special needs. I have been blessed with a ...
Join the Conversation