Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov Essay

Even with this, he cannot help but criticizing individuals whom he considers to be inexperienced in life in general. "I've never met such frivolous people as you before, or anybody so unbusinesslike and peculiar" (Chekhov 37).

Lopakhin and Ranevskaya could on the surface be perceived as representatives of the ascending capitalist middle class and the degrading aristocracy, but the characters are far more complex than it appears, overcoming the social class paradigm in favor of roundness and contradiction. We sympathize with noble Ranevskaya when she feels that the things she holds close to her heart should matter more than money, yet we also understand the endeavors of capitalist Lopakhin as he delights in uprooting the old ways by all means.

Change is the trial that all the characters of the Cherry Orchard undergo. Lopakhin and Ranevskaya overshadow each other's inner conflicts between past and present, having grown up together in the same space but on opposite conditions. When he talks about Ranevsky, he does so with undiluted affection, yet at some point a note of tension appears along with the memory of how, in childhood, she had condescendingly referred to him as a lesser man. Under these terms, Lopakhin's past is, for him, a source of embarrassment and constant frustration, and an obstacle demanding to be overcome. (Rayfield, 1994) He gets so immersed in the conquest of his past that he ignores the person that he admits to have feelings for, therefore mere conjugal happiness is losing ground as unstoppable cause and effect phenomena of change unfurl.The aristocrats' lack of a constructive course of action regarding the imminent defeat is extremely relevant, as it outlines a frantic reluctance to deal with the painful past, to deal with change, a firm shutting out of the unknown. This evasive attitude and the attention spared only for petty comedies and frivolities, does not alter from beginning to end, with dire repercussions on the psyche when the orchard is sold. However, at the big turn of events as Lopakhin proves to be the next owner, both main characters have to deal with the shock, and the play ends on an optimistic note as everyone moves on and makes the leap from the past into the future.

In conclusion, it can be said that Chekhov's conflict-based, realistic characters strongly relate to the land they live on, more than they relate to each other, identifying and making a point of tying their destinies with it. The Cherry Orchard is a fascinating, complex piece of drama, both tragic and comical in essence, which testifies for Anton Cekhov's intimate acquaintance with the social climate and day-to-day reality of the Russian people from his time.

References

Rayfield, D. (1994). The cherry orchard: Catastrophe and comedy, Volume 131. New York: Twayne Publishers

Raw, L. The Cherry Orchard. (2000) Theatre Journal vol. 52, 409

Hahn, B. (1977).….....