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The Cherry Orchard is the pinnacle of Russian drama at the beginning of the 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 is auctioning off their family estate. The author, as a person who has gone through a similar life situation, with a subtle psychologism describes the state of mind of people who are soon forced to leave their home. The novelty of the play is the lack of division of heroes into positive and negative, major and minor. They all fall into three categories:

• people of the past - noble aristocrats (Ranevskaya, Gaev and their lackey Firs);
• people of the present - their bright representative merchant-entrepreneur Lopakhin;
• people of the future - progressive youth of that time (Peter Trofimov and Anya).

History of creation

Chekhov began work on the play in 1901. Due to serious health problems, the writing process was rather 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.

Analysis of the piece

Description of the work

The action takes place in the family estate of the landowner Lyubov Andreevna Ranevskaya, who returned from France with her young daughter Anya. At the railway station they are met by Gaev (Ranevskaya's brother) and Varya (her adopted daughter).

The financial situation of the Ranevsky family is approaching complete collapse. The entrepreneur Lopakhin offers his own version of the solution to the problem - to divide the land plot into shares and give them to summer residents for a certain fee. The lady is burdened by this offer, because for this she will have to say goodbye to her beloved cherry orchard, which is associated with many warm memories of her youth. Adding to the tragedy is the fact that her beloved son Grisha died in this garden. Gayev, imbued with the feelings of his sister, 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 switches to the appeared teacher Pyotr Trofimov. He delivers an excited speech on 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 imbuing with his lofty ideas.

The third act begins with Ranevskaya's last money inviting the orchestra and arranging a dance evening. At the same time, Gaev and Lopakhin are absent - they left for the city for the auction, where the Ranevskys' estate should go under the hammer. After anxious waiting, Lyubov Andreevna learns that her estate was bought at auction by Lopakhin, who does not hide the joy of his acquisition. The Ranevsky family is in despair.

The final is entirely devoted to the departure of the Ranevsky family from their home. The parting scene is shown with all the deep psychologicalism inherent in Chekhov. The play ends with a remarkably deep monologue by Firs, which the owners in a hurry forgot in the estate. The final chord is the clatter of an ax. The cherry orchard is being cut.

main characters

Sentimental person, owner of the estate. Having lived for several years abroad, she is accustomed to a luxurious life and, by inertia, continues to allow herself a lot 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 in 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 - it combines diligence, prudence, enterprise and rudeness, a "peasant" beginning. In the finale of the play, Lopakhin does not share Ranevskaya's feelings, he is happy that, despite his peasant origin, 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 a romantic, to comfort 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, who stands up for the development of Russia only in words. In pursuit of the "higher truth", he denies love, considering it a shallow and ghostly feeling, which immensely grieves 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 Pyotr Trofimov. Recklessly believing in a better life after the sale of her parental estate, Anya is ready for any difficulties for the sake of joint happiness next to her lover.

An 87-year-old man, a footman in the Ranevskys' house. A type of servant of the old times, he surrounds his masters with paternal care. He remained to serve his masters even after the abolition of serfdom.

A young lackey, with contempt for Russia, dreaming of going abroad. A cynical and cruel man, rude to old Firs, even disrespectful to his own mother.

The structure of the work

The structure of the piece is quite simple - 4 acts without dividing into separate scenes. The duration is several months, from late spring to mid-autumn. In the first act there is an exposition and set-up, in the second - an increase in tension, in the third - the culmination (sale of the estate), in the fourth - the denouement. A characteristic feature of the play is the absence of genuine external conflict, dynamism, and unpredictable twists in the storyline. 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 play is dominated by the development of the emotional and psychological plan, the main driver of the action is the inner 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 the stage. The effect of expanding the spatial boundaries is also given by the symmetrically arising theme of France, which gives the 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 the special Chekhovian concept of life, which is characterized by an extraordinary attention to small, seemingly insignificant details, focusing on the inner experiences of the characters.

In the play "The Cherry Orchard" the author captured the state of critical disunity in 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 heroes of 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. All of them are the main, even seemingly episodic roles, are of great importance for revealing the main idea of ​​the whole work. The characterization of the heroes of The Cherry Orchard begins with their social presentation. After all, social position is already leaving an imprint on people's heads, and not only on the stage. So, Lopakhin, a merchant, is already in advance associated with a noisy and tactless huckster, incapable of any subtle feelings and experiences, but Chekhov warned that his merchant was different from a typical representative of this class. Ranevskaya and Simeonov-Pischik, designated as landowners, look very strange. Indeed, after the abolition of serfdom, the social statuses of the landowners remained in the past, since they no longer corresponded to the new social structure. Gaev is also a landowner, but in the imagination of the heroes he is "Ranevskaya's brother", which suggests that this character is somehow dependent. With the daughters of Ranevskaya, everything is more or less clear. Anya and Varya have an age, showing that they are the youngest characters in The Cherry Orchard.

The age is also indicated for the oldest character, Firs. Trofimov Pyotr Sergeevich is a student, and this is some kind of contradiction, because if a student, then it’s young and it’s too early to assign a patronymic, but meanwhile it is indicated.

Throughout the entire action of the play "The Cherry Orchard", the heroes are fully revealed, and their characters are outlined in a form typical for this type of literature - in the speech characteristics given by themselves or by other participants.

Brief characteristics of the main characters

Although the main characters of the play are not singled out 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 relation to the old cherry orchard.

Ranevskaya Lyubov Andreevna- the main character of "The Cherry Orchard" is a rich aristocrat in the past, accustomed to living at the behest of her heart. Her husband died quite early, leaving a bunch of debts. While she indulged in new feelings, her little son tragically died. Considering herself guilty of this tragedy, she flees from home, from her lover abroad, who, among other things, followed her and literally plundered her there. But her hopes of finding peace did not come true. She loves her garden and her estate, but cannot save it. It is impossible for her to accept Lopakhin's proposal, because then the centuries-old order in which the title of "landowner" is passed on from generation to generation carrying a cultural and historical heritage, inviolability and confidence in the world will be violated.

Lyubov Andreevna and her brother Gaev are characterized by all the best features 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 squandering, responsiveness and the ability to sympathize turns into slobbering, education turns into idle talk.

According to Chekhov, these two heroes do not deserve sympathy and their feelings are not as deep as it might seem.

In the play "The Cherry Orchard" the main characters talk more than they do, and the only person - the action is 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 instinct, determination and intelligence, because if he were stupid and not educated, could he have achieved such success in his business? And it is no coincidence that Petya Trofimov speaks of his subtle soul. After all, only Ermolai Alekseevich realizes the value of the old garden and its true beauty. But his commercial streak is overwhelming, and he is forced to destroy the garden.

Trofimov Petya- an eternal student and "shabby gentleman". Apparently, he also belongs to a noble family, but has become, in fact, a homeless vagabond, dreaming of the common good and happiness. He talks a lot, but does nothing for the early onset of a bright future. He is also uncharacteristic of deep feelings for the people around him and attachment to the 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 the age of 12. That is, in adolescence, so important for the formation of a personality, Anya was left to herself. She inherited the best qualities that are characteristic of the aristocracy. She is naive as a youth, perhaps that is 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 major and minor only according to the time of their participation in the actions. So Varya, Simeonov-Pischik Dunyasha, Charlotte Ivanovna and the footmen practically do not talk about the estate, and their perception of the world through the garden is not revealed, they are, as it were, torn off from it.

Varya- Ranevskaya's adopted daughter. But in essence she is the housekeeper on the estate, whose duties include caring for the owners and servants. She thinks at the everyday level, and her desire to devote herself to serving God is not taken seriously by anyone. Instead, they are trying to marry her to Lopakhin, who does not care about her.

Simeonov-Pischik- the same landowner as Ranevskaya. Constantly in debt. But his positive attitude helps to cope with his difficult situation. So, he does not hesitate a bit when he receives an offer to lease his land. Thus, having solved their financial difficulties. He is able to adapt to a new life, unlike the owners of the cherry orchard.

Yasha- a young footman. Having been abroad, he is no longer attracted by his Motherland, and even his mother, who is trying to meet with him, no longer needs him. Arrogance is his main feature. He does not respect the owners, he has no attachment to anyone.

Dunyasha- a young windy girl who lives one day and dreams of love.

Epikhodov- a clerk, he is a chronic loser, which he knows very well. In fact, his life is empty and aimless.

Firs- the oldest character for whom the abolition of serfdom was the greatest tragedy. He is sincerely attached to his masters. And his death in an empty house accompanied by the sound of a garden being cut down is very symbolic.

Charlotte Ivanovna- a governess and a 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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There are many interesting works in classical literature, the stories of which are relevant to this day.

The works written by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov fit this characteristic. In this article, you can familiarize yourself with his play "The Cherry Orchard" in a summary.

The history of the creation of the play by A.P. Chekhov's "The Cherry Orchard"

The start date of the play was set in 1901, the first performance was shown 3 years later. The work reflects the unpleasant impressions of the author himself, which arose under the influence of observing the decline of many estates of his friends, as well as his own.

Main characters

Below is a list of the main characters:

• Ranevskaya Lyubov Andreevna - owner of the estate;
• Anya is my own daughter;
• Gaev Leonid Andreevich - brother;
• Trofimov Pyotr Sergeevich - "eternal student";
• Lopakhin Ermolai Alekseevich - the buyer.

Minor characters

List of minor heroes:

• Varya is Ani's half-sister;
• Simeonov-Pischik - the owner of the estate;
• Charlotte is a teacher;
• Dunyasha is a servant;
• Epikhodov Semyon Panteleevich - clerk;
• Firs is a servant, an old man;
• Yasha is a servant, a young guy.

"Cherry Orchard" - action summary

1 action

Events are taking place in anticipation of Ranevskaya. Lopakhin and Dunya talk, during which a dispute arises. Epikhodov enters the room. He drops the bouquet, complaining to the others that he considers himself a failure, after which he leaves. The maid tells the merchant that Epikhodov wants to marry her.

Ranevskaya arrives with her daughters, Gaev, Charlotte and the landowner. Anya talks about her trip to France and expresses her displeasure. She also wonders if Lopakhin is going to marry Vara. To which her half-sister replies that nothing will work out, and in the near future the estate will be put up for sale. In parallel, Dunya flirts with a young footman.

Lopakhin announces that their estate is being sold for debt. He advocates the following solution to the problem: to divide the territory into parts and rent them out for rent. But for this you need to cut down the cherry orchard. The landowner and her brother refuse, referring to the mention of the garden in the encyclopedia. The adopted daughter brings telegrams from France to her mother, but she, without reading them, tears them apart.

Petya Trofimov appears - the mentor of the deceased son of Ranevskaya. Gaev continues to look for options for making a profit that would help cover debts. It comes to passing Anya off as a rich man. At that time, Varya tells her sister about her problems, but her younger sister falls asleep, tired of the journey.

2 action

The events take place in a field near the old chapel. Charlotte gives a description of her life.

Epikhodov sings songs, playing the guitar, trying to show himself as a romantic in front of Dunya. She, in turn, wants to impress the young lackey.

Landowners and a merchant appear. He also continues to reassure the landlord to lease the land. But Ranevskaya and her brother are trying to reduce the topic to "no". The landowner begins to talk about unnecessary expenses with pity.

Jacob makes fun of Gaev's chant. Ranevskaya remembers her men. The last of them ruined her and exchanged for another. After which the landowner decided to return home to her daughter. Changing the subject of Lopakhin, she talks about Varya's wedding.

An old footman with Gayev's outerwear enters. He talks about serfdom, presenting it as a misfortune. Trofimov appears and delves into deep philosophy and discussions about the future of the country. The landowner informs her adopted daughter that she has married her to a merchant.

At that time, Anya retires with Trofimov. He, in turn, romantically describes the situation around. Anya turns the conversation to the topic of serfdom and says that people only talk and do nothing. Then the "eternal student" tells Ana to drop everything and become a free person.

3 action

A ball was arranged in the landowner's house, which Ranevskaya considers unnecessary. Pischik is trying to find someone who will lend him money. Ranevskaya's brother went to buy the estate in the name of his aunt. Ranevskaya, seeing that Lopakhin is getting richer and richer, begins criticism because Varya has not yet married him. The daughter complains that he is only joking.

The landowner shares with her son's former teacher that her lover asks her to return to France. Now the hostess no longer thinks about the fact that he ruined her. Trofimov tries to convince her, and she advises him to also have a woman on the side. The upset brother returns and begins a monologue that the estate was bought by Lopakhin.

The merchant boastfully tells everyone that he bought the estate and is ready to cut down the cherry orchard so that his family can continue to live in the place where his serfs father and grandfather worked. His own daughter consoles the crying mother, convincing her that her whole life is ahead.

4 action

Former residents are leaving the house. Lopakhin, tired of idleness, is going to leave for Kharkov.

He offers Trofimov money, but he does not accept it, arguing that soon people will reach an understanding of the truth. Gaev became a bank clerk.

Ranevskaya worries about the old lackey, fearing that he will not be sent for treatment.

Lopakhin and Varya are left alone. The heroine says that she has become a housekeeper. The merchant still did not offer her to marry him. Anya says goodbye to her mother. Ranevskaya plans to return to France. Anya is going to go to the gymnasium, and in the future to help her mother. Gaev feels abandoned.

Suddenly Pischik arrives and gives everyone the borrowed money. He recently became rich: white clay was found on his land, which he now rents. The landlords say goodbye to the garden. Then they lock the doors. Ailing Firs appears. The sound of an ax is heard in the silence.

Analysis of the work and conclusion

First of all, the style of this genre is observed in the bright contrast of the images of two heroes: Lopakhin and Ranevskaya. He is adventurous, looking for profit, but she is frivolous and windy. There are also funny situations. For example, Charlotte's performances, Gaev's communication with the closet, etc.

Reading this book in the original, in chapters and acts, and not in abbreviations, the question immediately arises: what does the cherry orchard mean for the characters of the play? For the landowners, the garden is a whole history of the past, while for Lopakhin it is the place on which his future will be built.

The problem of contrasts of relations at the turn of two centuries is raised in the work. There is also the issue of the legacy of serfdom and attitudes towards the consequences of different sectors of society. The question of how the future of the country will be built on the example of a local situation is touched upon. The question was raised that many are ready to reason and advise, but only a few are able to act.

Anton Pavlovich Chekhov noticed a lot of what was relevant at that time and remains important now, so everyone should read this lyric play. This work was the last in the work of the writer.