The Cherry Orchard in a nutshell. Cherry Orchard or Vishnevy? Stress options and meanings - according to Chekhov and modern in colors

Comedy in 4 acts

CHARACTERS

Ranevskaya Lyubov Andreevna, landowner.

Anya, her daughter, 17 years old.

Varya, her adopted daughter, 24 years old.

Gaev Leonid Andreevich, brother of Ranevskaya.

Lopakhin Ermolai Alekseevich, merchant.

Trofimov Petr Sergeevich, student.

Simeonov-Pishchik Boris Borisovich, landowner.

Charlotte Ivanovna, governess.

Epikhodov Semyon Panteleevich, clerk.

Dunyasha, housemaid.

Firs, footman, old man 87 years old.

Yasha, young footman.

Passerby.

Station manager.

Postal official.

Guests, servants.

The action takes place on the estate of L.A. Ranevskaya.

ACT ONE

A room that is still called a nursery. One of the doors leads to Anya's room. Dawn, the sun will rise soon. It’s already May, the cherry trees are blooming, but it’s cold in the garden, it’s morning. The windows in the room are closed.

Dunyasha enters with a candle and Lopakhin with a book in his hand.

Lopakhin. The train arrived, thank God. What time is it now?

Dunyasha. Soon it's two. (Puts out the candle.) It's already light.

Lopakhin. How late was the train? For at least two hours. (Yawns and stretches.) I'm good, what a fool I've been! I came here on purpose to meet him at the station, and suddenly overslept... I fell asleep while sitting. Annoyance... If only you could wake me up.

Dunyasha. I thought you left. (Listens.) Looks like they're already on their way.

Lopakhin(listens). No... Get your luggage, this and that...

Pause.

Lyubov Andreevna lived abroad for five years, I don’t know what she’s like now... She’s a good person. An easy, simple person. I remember when I was a boy of about fifteen, my deceased father - he was selling in a shop here in the village back then - hit me in the face with his fist, blood came out of my nose... Then we came together to the yard for some reason, and he was drunk. Lyubov Andreevna, as I remember now, still young, so thin, led me to the washstand, in this very room, in the nursery. “Don’t cry, he says, little man, he’ll heal before the wedding...”

Pause.

A peasant... My father, it’s true, was a peasant, but here I am in a white vest and yellow shoes. With a pig's snout in a Kalash row... Just now he's rich, a lot of money, but if you think about it and figure it out, then the man is a man... (Flips through the book.) I read the book and didn’t understand anything. I read and fell asleep.

Pause.

Dunyasha. And the dogs didn’t sleep all night, they sense that their owners are coming.

Lopakhin. What are you, Dunyasha, like...

Dunyasha. Hands are shaking. I'll faint.

Lopakhin. You are very gentle, Dunyasha. And you dress like a young lady, and so does your hairstyle. You can not do it this way. We must remember ourselves.

Epikhodov enters with a bouquet; he is wearing a jacket and brightly polished boots that squeak loudly; upon entering, he drops the bouquet.

Epikhodov(raises the bouquet). The gardener sent it, he says, to put it in the dining room. (Gives Dunyasha a bouquet.)

Lopakhin. And bring me some kvass.

Dunyasha. I'm listening. (Leaves.)

Epikhodov. It's morning, the frost is three degrees, and the cherry trees are all in bloom. I cannot approve of our climate. (Sighs.) I can not. Our climate may not be conducive just right. Here, Ermolai Alekseich, let me add to you, I bought myself boots the day before, and they, I dare to assure you, squeak so much that there is no way. What should I lubricate it with?

Lopakhin. Leave me alone. Tired of it.

Epikhodov. Every day some misfortune happens to me. And I don’t complain, I’m used to it and even smile.

Dunyasha comes in and gives Lopakhin kvass.

I will go. (Bumps into a chair, which falls.) Here… (As if triumphant.) You see, excuse the expression, what a circumstance, by the way... This is simply wonderful! (Leaves.)

Dunyasha. And to me, Ermolai Alekseich, I must admit, Epikhodov made an offer.

Lopakhin. A!

Dunyasha. I don’t know how... He’s a quiet man, but sometimes when he starts talking, you won’t understand anything. It’s both good and sensitive, just incomprehensible. I kind of like him. He loves me madly. He is an unhappy person, something happens every day. They tease him like that: twenty-two misfortunes...

Lopakhin(listens). Looks like they're coming...

Dunyasha. They're coming! What's wrong with me... I'm completely cold.

Lopakhin. They really are going. Let's go meet. Will she recognize me? We haven't seen each other for five years.

Dunyasha(excited). I'm going to fall... Oh, I'm going to fall!

You can hear two carriages approaching the house. Lopakhin and Dunyasha quickly leave. The stage is empty. There is noise in the neighboring rooms. Firs, who had gone to meet Lyubov Andreevna, hurriedly passes across the stage, leaning on a stick; he is in an old livery and a tall hat; He says something to himself, but not a single word can be heard. The noise behind the stage is getting louder and louder. Voice: “Here, let’s walk here...” Lyubov Andreevna, Anya and Charlotte Ivanovna with a dog on a chain, dressed for travel, Varya in a coat and scarf, Gaev, Simeonov-Pishchik, Lopakhin, Dunyasha with a bundle and an umbrella, a servant with things - everyone walks across the room.

Anya. Let's go here. Do you, mom, remember which room this is?

Lyubov Andreevna(joyfully, through tears). Children's!

Varya. It's so cold, my hands are numb (To Lyubov Andreevna.) Your rooms, white and purple, remain the same, mommy.

Lyubov Andreevna. Children's room, my dear, beautiful room... I slept here when I was little... (Cries.) And now I'm like little... (Kisses his brother, Varya, then his brother again.) But Varya is still the same, she looks like a nun. And I recognized Dunyasha... (Kisses Dunyasha.)

Gaev. The train was two hours late. What's it like? What are the procedures?

Charlotte(To Pishchik). My dog ​​also eats nuts.

Pischik(surprised). Just think!

Everyone leaves except Anya and Dunyasha.

Dunyasha. We're tired of waiting... (Takes off Anya’s coat and hat.)

Anya. I didn’t sleep on the road for four nights... now I’m very cold.

Dunyasha. You left during Lent, then there was snow, there was frost, but now? My darling! (Laughs, kisses her.) We've been waiting for you, my joy, little light... I'll tell you now, I can't stand it for one minute...

Anya(sluggishly). Something again...

Dunyasha. The clerk Epikhodov proposed to me after the saint.

Anya. You are all about one thing... (Straightening his hair.) I lost all my pins... (She is very tired, even staggering.)

Dunyasha. I don't know what to think. He loves me, he loves me so much!

Anya(looks at his door, tenderly). My room, my windows, as if I never left. I'm home! Tomorrow morning I’ll get up and run to the garden... Oh, if only I could sleep! I didn’t sleep the whole way, I was tormented by anxiety.

Dunyasha. On the third day Pyotr Sergeich arrived.

Anya(joyfully). Peter!

“The Cherry Orchard” is a social play by A.P. Chekhov about the death and degeneration of the Russian nobility. It was written by Anton Pavlovich in the last years of his life. Many critics say that it is this drama that expresses the writer’s attitude towards the past, present and future of Russia.

Initially, the author planned to create a light-hearted and funny play, where the main driving force of the action would be the sale of the estate under the hammer. In 1901, in a letter to his wife, he shared his ideas. Previously, he had already raised a similar topic in the drama “Fatherlessness,” but he considered that experience unsuccessful. Chekhov wanted to experiment, and not resurrect stories buried in his desk. The process of impoverishment and degeneration of the nobles passed before his eyes, and he watched, creating and accumulating vital material to create artistic truth.

The history of the creation of “The Cherry Orchard” began in Taganrog, when the writer’s father was forced to sell his family nest for debts. Apparently, Anton Pavlovich experienced something similar to Ranevskaya’s feelings, which is why he so subtly delved into the experiences of seemingly fictional characters. In addition, Chekhov was personally familiar with Gaev’s prototype - A.S. Kiselev, who also sacrificed his estate in order to improve his shaky financial situation. His situation is one of hundreds. The entire Kharkov province, where the writer visited more than once, became shallow: the nests of the nobility disappeared. Such a large-scale and controversial process attracted the attention of the playwright: on the one hand, the peasants were liberated and received the long-awaited freedom, on the other, this reform did not increase anyone’s well-being. Such obvious tragedy could not be ignored; the light comedy conceived by Chekhov did not work out.

Meaning of the name

Since the cherry orchard symbolizes Russia, we can conclude that the author devoted the work to the question of its fate, just as Gogol wrote “Dead Souls” for the sake of the question “Where is the bird-troika flying?” In essence, we are not talking about selling the estate, but about what will happen to the country? Will they sell it off, will they cut it down for profit? Chekhov, analyzing the situation, understood that the degeneration of the nobility, the supporting class for the monarchy, promised troubles for Russia. If these people, called by their origin to be the core of the state, cannot take responsibility for their actions, then the country will sink. Such gloomy thoughts awaited the author on the other side of the topic he touched upon. It turned out that his heroes were not laughing, and neither was he.

The symbolic meaning of the title of the play “The Cherry Orchard” is to convey to the reader the idea of ​​the work - the search for answers to questions about the fate of Russia. Without this sign, we would perceive the comedy as a family drama, a drama from private life, or a parable about the problem of fathers and children. That is, an erroneous, narrow interpretation of what was written would not allow the reader even a hundred years later to understand the main thing: we are all responsible for our garden, regardless of generation, beliefs and social status.

Why did Chekhov call the play “The Cherry Orchard” a comedy?

Many researchers actually classify it as a comedy, since along with tragic events (the destruction of an entire class), comic scenes constantly occur in the play. That is, it cannot be unambiguously classified as a comedy; it would be more correct to classify “The Cherry Orchard” as a tragifarce or tragicomedy, since many researchers attribute Chekhov’s dramaturgy to a new phenomenon in the theater of the 20th century - antidrama. The author himself stood at the origins of this trend, so he did not call himself that. However, the innovation of his work spoke for itself. This writer has now been recognized and introduced into the school curriculum, but then many of his works remained misunderstood, as they were out of the general rut.

The genre of “The Cherry Orchard” is difficult to determine, because now, given the dramatic revolutionary events that Chekhov did not see, we can say that this play is a tragedy. An entire era dies in it, and hopes for revival are so weak and vague that it’s somehow impossible to even smile in the finale. An open ending, a closed curtain, and only a dull knock on wood is heard in my thoughts. This is the impression of the performance.

main idea

The ideological and thematic meaning of the play “The Cherry Orchard” is that Russia finds itself at a crossroads: it can choose the path to the past, present and future. Chekhov shows the mistakes and inconsistency of the past, the vices and predatory grip of the present, but he still hopes for a happy future, showing exalted and at the same time independent representatives of the new generation. The past, no matter how beautiful it may be, cannot be returned; the present is too imperfect and wretched to accept it, so we must invest every effort in ensuring that the future lives up to bright expectations. To achieve this, everyone must try now, without delay.

The author shows how important action is, but not the mechanical pursuit of profit, but spiritual, meaningful, moral action. It’s him that Pyotr Trofimov is talking about, it’s him that Anechka wants to see. However, we also see in the student the harmful legacy of past years - he talks a lot, but has done little for his 27 years. And yet the writer hopes that this age-old slumber will be overcome on a clear and cool morning - tomorrow, where the educated, but at the same time active descendants of the Lopakhins and Ranevskys will come.

Theme of the work

1. The author used an image that is familiar to each of us and understandable to everyone. Many people still have cherry orchards to this day, but back then they were an indispensable attribute of every estate. They bloom in May, beautifully and fragrantly defend the week allotted to them, and then quickly fall off. Just as beautifully and suddenly, the nobility, once the support of the Russian Empire, fell into disgrace, mired in debt and endless polemics. As a matter of fact, these people were unable to live up to the expectations placed on them. Many of them, with their irresponsible attitude to life, only undermined the foundations of Russian statehood. What should have been a centuries-old oak forest was just a cherry orchard: beautiful, but quickly disappearing. The cherry fruits, alas, were not worth the space they occupied. This is how the theme of the death of noble nests was revealed in the play “The Cherry Orchard.”
2. The themes of the past, present and future are realized in the work thanks to a multi-level system of images. Each generation symbolizes the time allotted to it. In the images of Ranevskaya and Gaev, the past dies away, in the image of Lopakhin the present rules, and the future awaits its day in the images of Anya and Peter. The natural course of events takes on a human face, the change of generations is shown in specific examples.
3. The theme of time also plays an important role. Its power turns out to be destructive. Water wears away a stone - so time erases human laws, destinies and beliefs into powder. Until recently, Ranevskaya could not even imagine that her former serf would settle in the estate and cut down the garden that had been passed on by the Gaevs from generation to generation. This unshakable order of social structure collapsed and sank into oblivion, in its place capital and its market laws were installed, in which power was ensured by money, and not by position and origin.

Issues

1. The problem of human happiness in the play “The Cherry Orchard” is manifested in all the fates of the heroes. Ranevskaya, for example, experienced many troubles in this garden, but is happy to return here again. She fills the house with her warmth, remembers her native lands, and feels nostalgic. She doesn’t care at all about debts, the sale of her estate, or her daughter’s inheritance, in the end. She is happy with forgotten and relived impressions. But the house is sold, the bills are paid off, and happiness is in no hurry with the arrival of a new life. Lopakhin tells her about calm, but only anxiety grows in her soul. Instead of liberation comes depression. Thus, what is happiness for one is misfortune for another, all people understand its essence differently, which is why it is so difficult for them to get along together and help each other.
2. The problem of preserving memory also worries Chekhov. The people of the present are mercilessly cutting down what was the pride of the province. Noble nests, historically important buildings, are dying from inattention, being erased into oblivion. Of course, active businessmen will always find arguments to destroy unprofitable junk, but this is how historical monuments, cultural and artistic monuments will perish ingloriously, which the Lopakhins’ children will regret. They will be deprived of connections with the past, continuity of generations, and will grow up as Ivans who do not remember their kinship.
3. The problem of ecology in the play does not go unnoticed. The author asserts not only the historical value of the cherry orchard, but also its natural beauty and its importance for the province. All the residents of the surrounding villages breathed in these trees, and their disappearance is a small environmental disaster. The area will be orphaned, the gaping lands will become impoverished, but people will fill every patch of inhospitable space. The attitude towards nature must be as careful as towards humans, otherwise we will all be left without the home that we love so much.
4. The problem of fathers and children is embodied in the relationship between Ranevskaya and Anechka. The alienation between relatives is visible. The girl feels sorry for her unlucky mother, but does not want to share her lifestyle. Lyubov Andreevna pampers the child with tender nicknames, but cannot understand that in front of her is no longer a child. The woman continues to pretend that she doesn’t understand anything yet, so she shamelessly builds her personal life to the detriment of her interests. They are very different, so they make no attempt to find a common language.
5. The problem of love for the homeland, or rather, its absence, can also be seen in the work. Gaev, for example, is indifferent to the garden, he only cares about his own comfort. His interests do not rise above consumer interests, so the fate of his father’s house does not bother him. Lopakhin, his opposite, also does not understand Ranevskaya’s scrupulousness. However, he also does not understand what to do with the garden. He is guided only by mercantile considerations; profits and calculations are important to him, but not the safety of his home. He clearly expresses only his love for money and the process of obtaining it. A generation of children dreams of a new kindergarten; they have no use for the old one. This is also where the problem of indifference comes into play. Nobody needs the Cherry Orchard except Ranevskaya, and even she needs memories and the old way of life, where she could do nothing and live happily. Her indifference to people and things is expressed in the scene where she calmly drinks coffee while listening to the news of her nanny's death.
6. The problem of loneliness plagues every hero. Ranevskaya was abandoned and deceived by her lover, Lopakhin cannot establish relations with Varya, Gaev is an egoist by nature, Peter and Anna are just beginning to get closer, and it is already obvious that they are lost in a world where there is no one to give them a helping hand.
7. The problem of mercy haunts Ranevskaya: no one can support her, all the men not only do not help, but do not spare her. Her husband drank himself to death, her lover abandoned her, Lopakhin took away her estate, her brother doesn’t care about her. Against this background, she herself becomes cruel: she forgets Firs in the house, they nail him inside. In the image of all these troubles lies an inexorable fate that is unmerciful to people.
8. The problem of finding the meaning of life. Lopakhin clearly does not satisfy his meaning in life, which is why he rates himself so low. For Anna and Peter, this search is just ahead, but they are already meandering, unable to find a place for themselves. Ranevskaya and Gaev, with the loss of material wealth and their privilege, are lost and cannot find their way again.
9. The problem of love and selfishness is clearly visible in the contrast between brother and sister: Gaev loves only himself and does not particularly suffer from losses, but Ranevskaya has been looking for love all her life, but did not find it, and along the way she lost it. Only crumbs fell to Anechka and the cherry orchard. Even a loving person can become selfish after so many years of disappointment.
10. The problem of moral choice and responsibility concerns, first of all, Lopakhin. He gets Russia, his activities can change it. However, he lacks the moral foundations to understand the importance of his actions for his descendants and to understand his responsibility to them. He lives by the principle: “After us, even a flood.” He doesn’t care what will happen, he sees what is.

Symbolism of the play

The main image in Chekhov's play is the garden. It not only symbolizes estate life, but also connects times and eras. The image of the Cherry Orchard is a noble Russia, with the help of which Anton Pavlovich predicted the future changes that awaited the country, although he himself could no longer see them. It also expresses the author’s attitude to what is happening.

The episodes depict ordinary everyday situations, “little things in life,” through which we learn about the main events of the play. Chekhov mixes the tragic and the comic, for example, in the third act Trofimov philosophizes and then absurdly falls down the stairs. In this one can see a certain symbolism of the author’s attitude: he is ironic at the characters, casting doubt on the veracity of their words.

The system of images is also symbolic, the meaning of which is described in a separate paragraph.

Composition

The first action is exposition. Everyone is waiting for the arrival of the owner of the estate, Ranevskaya, from Paris. In the house, everyone thinks and talks about their own things, without listening to others. The disunity located under the roof illustrates the discordant Russia, where people so different from each other live.

The beginning - Lyubov Andreeva and her daughter enter, gradually everyone learns that they are in danger of ruin. Neither Gaev nor Ranevskaya (brother and sister) can prevent it. Only Lopakhin knows a tolerable rescue plan: cut down the cherries and build dachas, but the proud owners do not agree with him.

Second action. During sunset, the fate of the garden is once again discussed. Ranevskaya arrogantly rejects Lopakhin's help and continues to remain inactive in the bliss of her own memories. Gaev and the merchant constantly quarrel.

Third act (climax): while the old owners of the garden are throwing a ball, as if nothing had happened, the auction is going on: the estate is acquired by the former serf Lopakhin.

Act four (denouement): Ranevskaya returns to Paris to squander the rest of her savings. After her departure, everyone goes their separate ways. Only the old servant Firs remains in the crowded house.

Innovation of Chekhov - playwright

It remains to be added that it is not without reason that the play cannot be understood by many schoolchildren. Many researchers attribute it to the theater of the absurd (what is this?). This is a very complex and controversial phenomenon in modernist literature, debates about the origin of which continue to this day. The fact is that Chekhov's plays, according to a number of characteristics, can be classified as the theater of the absurd. The characters' remarks very often do not have a logical connection with each other. They seem to be directed into nowhere, as if they are being uttered by one person and at the same time talking to himself. The destruction of dialogue, the failure of communication - this is what the so-called anti-drama is famous for. In addition, the alienation of the individual from the world, his global loneliness and life turned to the past, the problem of happiness - all these are features of the existential problems in the work, which are again inherent in the theater of the absurd. This is where the innovation of Chekhov the playwright manifested itself in the play “The Cherry Orchard”; these features attract many researchers in his work. Such a “provocative” phenomenon, misunderstood and condemned by public opinion, is difficult to fully perceive even for an adult, not to mention the fact that only a few people involved in the world of art managed to fall in love with the theater of the absurd.

Image system

Chekhov does not have telling names, like Ostrovsky, Fonvizin, Griboyedov, but there are off-stage characters (for example, a Parisian lover, a Yaroslavl aunt) who are important in the play, but Chekhov does not bring them into “external” action. In this drama there is no division into good and bad heroes, but there is a multifaceted system of characters. The characters in the play can be divided:

• on the heroes of the past (Ranevskaya, Gaev, Firs). They only know how to waste money and think, not wanting to change anything in their lives.
• on the heroes of the present (Lopakhin). Lopakhin is a simple “man” who, with the help of work, got rich, bought an estate and is not going to stop.
• on the heroes of the future (Trofimov, Anya) - this is the young generation dreaming of the highest truth and the highest happiness.

The heroes of The Cherry Orchard constantly jump from one topic to another. Despite the apparent dialogue, they do not hear each other. There are as many as 34 pauses in the play, which are formed between many “useless” statements of the characters. The phrase “You are still the same” is repeated repeatedly, which makes it clear that the characters do not change, they stand still.

The action of the play “The Cherry Orchard” begins in May, when the fruits of the cherry trees begin to bloom, and ends in October. The conflict does not have a pronounced character. All the main events that decide the future of the heroes take place behind the scenes (for example, estate auctions). That is, Chekhov completely abandons the norms of classicism.

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HISTORY OF CREATION

Time of creation of the work. The play was written at the very beginning of the twentieth century (1903), during a period of reassessment and rethinking of established values ​​and old traditions. Three “revolutions” of the 19th century prepared a sense of catastrophe, which was described in art and felt by contemporaries: biological (Darwinism), economic (Marxism) and philosophical (the teachings of Nietzsche).

“The Cherry Orchard” is the last play by A. Chekhov. This is the writer’s symbolic farewell to life. He created it as an epilogue to his own life and as an epilogue to Russian literature - the golden age of classical Russian literature was actually ending, and the silver age was beginning. The work contains elements of both tragedy (a metaphor for the end of life) and comedy (the characters are depicted in a parody). The main event in the life of theatrical Moscow. The play “The Cherry Orchard” was Chekhov’s first absolute success as a playwright. It was written in 1903, and already in January 1904 the first production took place at the Moscow Art Theater.

This work formed the basis of a new drama. It was Chekhov who was the first to realize that previous theatrical techniques were outdated. The nature of the conflict, the characters, Chekhov's dramaturgy - all this was unexpected and new. There are many conventions (symbols) in the play, and they should be interpreted based on the author’s definition of the genre - “a comedy in four acts.” This play has become a classic of Russian theater and still remains relevant. It revealed the artistic discoveries of the playwright, which laid the foundation for modernism in Russian literature and drama. At the end of the piece the ax is knocked and the string breaks. Chekhov says goodbye to the old Russian life, and to the landowner's estate, and to the Russian landowner. But, above all, it is imbued with the mood of the writer’s farewell to life.

At the end of the play, all its characters leave, having forgotten the old servant Firs in the closed house - they all have no time for him. Both kind Petya and romantic Anya forgot about Firs. Chekhov's innovation. There is no main character in the play. If in a classical drama the hero manifested himself in actions, then in Chekhov’s the characters manifest themselves and reveal themselves in experiences (the pathos of action was replaced by the pathos of reflection). The author actively uses stage directions that form the subtext: silence, silence, pause. A new form of conflict: “People are having lunch, drinking tea, and at this time their destinies are being broken” (A. Chekhov).

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WHY IS THE PLAY NAMED "THE CHERRY ORCHARD"

The central image of the play is indicated in the title of the work. The whole action takes place around the cherry orchard: sometimes the events themselves unfold there, the characters constantly talk about it, they try to save it, it unites all the heroes of the work.

Small Motherland is a secluded corner of nature, the family nest of Ranevskaya and Gaev, in which they spent their childhood and youth. Such places become part of the person himself. The symbol of beauty is the cherry orchard - something beautiful and admiring, beauty that always influences the souls of people and their emotional state. The symbol of the passing time is the departure of the nobility from the life of Russia.

Smart and educated people are unable to preserve the garden, that is, their way of life. In the play, a garden is cut down, but in life, noble nests fall apart. “All of Russia is our garden.” These are the words of one of the characters in the play - Petya Trofimov. The Cherry Orchard is a symbol of the future of Russia, reflections on the fate of the entire country. Will the younger generation be able to grow a new blooming garden? This question remains open in the play.

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GENRE OF THE PLAY

The plot is the sale of a cherry orchard, the owners of which are the bankrupt nobles Ranevskaya and Gaev, brother and sister. The new owner of the garden becomes the merchant Lopakhin, the grandson of a serf who previously worked on this estate.

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GENRE FEATURES

A. Chekhov himself called “The Cherry Orchard” a comedy not for genre definition. Thus, the author noted that the play should be performed as a comedy. If you play it as a drama or tragedy, you will not get the intended dissonance, and the deep meaning of the work will be lost. The play actually has a lot of comedic moments, situations, characters, and lines. “The Cherry Orchard” has the structure of a musical work - the play is built on leitmotifs, musical techniques and repetitions are used, the sound of a breaking string appears twice. There are a lot of tears in the play, but the author noted that these are not serious tears, you can laugh at them. In Chekhov, the funny is intertwined with the sad, the comic with the tragic - everything is like in real life. The heroes resemble sad clowns. “What I came out with was not a drama, but a comedy, sometimes even a farce” (A. Chekhov).

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LYUBOV ANDREEVNA RANEVSKAYA

Once upon a time, a wealthy noblewoman, Ranevskaya, traveled to Paris, had a dacha in the south of France, and at balls in her house “generals, barons, and admirals danced.” Now the past seems to her like a blooming cherry orchard. She cannot adapt to the new conditions - she continues to waste money, showing lordly carelessness in everything. “She is good, kind, nice...”, her brother Gaev says about her. “She's a good person. Light, simple...” Lopakhin speaks of Ranevskaya. He admits with delight: “My father was a serf to your grandfather and father, but you, in fact, you once did so much for me that I forgot everything and love you like my own... more than my own.” Ranevskaya is loved by Anya and Varya, and the landowner-neighbor Simeonov-Pishchik, and Petya Trofimov, and the servants. She is equally affectionate, generous and kind to everyone. But all positive qualities, combined with carelessness, spoiledness and frivolity, often turn into their opposite - cruelty and indifference. Ranevskaya generously gives gold to a random passer-by, but there is nothing to eat at home. Lyubov Andreevna invites the orchestra to the ball, unable to pay the musicians. Frivolity and inability to live independently appeared thanks to the serfs who did all the work on her estate. She says that she cannot live without the cherry orchard, but the orchard is sold, and she is throwing an inappropriate ball in the house. Ranevskaya is emotional and inconsistent in her actions. In the first act, she resolutely tears up, without even reading, telegrams from Paris. In the future, the heroine no longer does this, and at the end of the play, calmed down and cheerful, she willingly returns to Paris to her former lover who tormented her, leaving Varya and Anya without money, forgetting about Firs. Love is the most important thing in life for her (the name and surname were not given by chance - the heroine is impressionable, sensitive and vulnerable). At first she insisted that Paris was finished forever. But when the Yaroslavl aunt sent money, it turned out that it was not enough to save the estate, but enough to return to Europe. The nobility of Ranevskaya is that she does not blame anyone for the misfortunes that befell her. And no one blames Lyubov Andreevna for the fact that she actually led to the complete collapse of the family estate.

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LEONID ANDREEVICH GAEV

Gaev is the embodiment of the image of a pathetic aristocrat. He himself admits: “They say that I spent my entire fortune on candy.” Gaev can be called an overgrown baby: he is 51 years old, and the footman, who is already 87, undresses him before going to bed. Leonid Andreevich got used to an idle life. He has two passions - playing billiards and making impassioned speeches (it is no coincidence that the name Gaev is so consonant with the word gaer, which means a jester; one who clowns around makes faces for the amusement of others). He looks like a parody of an educated nobleman. he has a special speech, replete with billiard terms, a characteristic word - “who?” Worthlessness, laziness, idle talk and conceit - these are the main features of this personality. Anya says to Gaev: “Everyone loves and respects you... How good you are, uncle, how smart!” But Chekhov questions this opinion. Along with lordly grace and sensitivity, lordly swagger and arrogance are noticeable in Gaev. Leonid Andreevich is convinced of the exclusivity of the people in his circle (“white bones”) and every time he makes others feel his position as a master. He is gentle with his family, but contemptuously - disdainful with the servants (“Get away, my dear, you smell like chicken,” he says to Yasha. “I’m tired of you, brother,” - to Firs). He considers “grimy” Lopakhin a boor and a fist. But at the same time, Gaev is proud of his closeness to the people, asserting: “It’s not for nothing that a man loves me.” At the beginning of the play, he swears on his honor that the cherry orchard will not be sold. But Lopakhin buys the garden, and no one remembers his empty promises and words. Gaev and Ranevskaya rejected Lopakhin's offer, but they themselves could not save their estate. This is not only the frivolity and impracticality of the ruined nobles, it is the idea that the nobility is not capable, as before, of determining the path of development of the country. Their heightened sense of beauty does not allow them to turn a poetic cherry orchard into a commercial enterprise. The actions of the characters demonstrate to the viewer that it is impossible to trust the words of the landowners, spoken even sincerely and excitedly. Returning from the auction at which the cherry orchard was sold, Gaev does not hide his tears. However, his tears instantly disappear as soon as he hears the blows of the cue. This proves that deep experiences are alien to him.

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The former serf of Gaeva and Ranevskaya becomes the new owner of the cherry orchard. In the recent past, his ancestors were serfs who worked on the estate, “his grandfather and father were slaves,” “they were not even allowed into the kitchen.” Lopakhin exclaims: “If only my father and grandfather would get up from their graves and look at the whole incident, like their Ermolai, the beaten, illiterate Ermolai, who ran barefoot in the winter, how this same Ermolai bought an estate, the most beautiful of which there is nothing in the world.” Ermolai managed to get out of poverty and achieve material well-being without outside help. he has many positive traits: he remembers Ranevskaya’s kindness, is hardworking (“You know, I get up at five o’clock in the morning, I work from morning to evening...”), friendly, “a man of enormous intelligence,” as Pishchik speaks of him. An enterprising merchant has great energy and acumen. His hard work and perseverance were formed in difficult living conditions, and they tempered his purposeful nature. Lopakhin lives for today. His ideas are rational and practical. He correctly assesses the situation of Ranevskaya and Gaev and gives them very valuable advice. If they had accepted the offer to divide the cherry orchard into summer cottages and rent out the land, they could have saved their estate and gotten out of a difficult financial situation. The characters have different attitudes towards Lopakhin. Ranevskaya considers him a good, interesting person, Gaev - a boor and a fist, Simeonov-Pishchik is a man of great intelligence, and Petya Trofimov compares him to a predatory beast. This contradictory perception of Lopakhin also reflects Chekhov’s attitude towards him. A fashionably dressed and successful businessman lacks culture and education, and he himself often feels inferior. Business acumen erased the spirituality in him (Chekhov notes the predatory nature of capitalism). By contributing to the economic progress of the country, the Lopakhins are unlikely to be able to eliminate poverty, injustice, and lack of culture, because their personal interests, profit and profit come first. The sound of an ax cutting down a cherry orchard symbolizes the transition from past to present. And the future looks wonderful when the younger generation plants and grows their new garden.

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MINOR CHARACTERS

Supporting characters participate in the play along with the main characters. They often repeat the thoughts of the main characters. In addition, the author put into their mouths important thoughts for understanding the play. Governess Charlotte Ivanovna turns everything serious into funny. With her tricks and ventriloquism, she emphasizes the comedy of what is happening. It is she who owns the phrase that any character could say: “where I come from and who I am, I don’t know...” The servants Yash and Dunyash are ridiculous in their desire to be like their masters in everything. In essence, these are images of Ranevskaya and Gaev brought to the point of grotesquery. Dunyasha always powders herself, declares that she has “become tender, so delicate” and is very reminiscent of Ranevskaya. Cheeky Yasha, accusing everyone of ignorance, is a recognizable parody of Gaev. The old servant Firs personifies the “old life”, the “old order”. He appears rarely in the play, nevertheless he plays a significant role - he is entrusted with the final monologue. The image of Firs emphasizes those features that his owners lack: thoroughness, thriftiness.

Chekhov is disgusted with Gaev, who has nothing left in his head except the rules of billiards. Lopakhin, a representative of the newly born Russian capitalism, arouses his curiosity. But the author does not accept pragmatic people; it is obvious to him that nothing will work out for the self-satisfied Lopakhin. (Everything miraculously works out for non-pragmatic characters: for example, rare white clay was suddenly discovered on Simeonov-Pishchik’s estate, and he received money for its rent in advance). Ermolai Lopakhin waves his arms all the time, Petya gives him advice: “Get out of the habit of waving. And also to build dachas, to expect that individual owners will emerge from the dacha owners over time, to count like this also means to wave...” Lopakhin has Napoleonic plans, but, according to the author, they are not destined to come true. This is a temporary character, other times will come and the Lopakhins, having done their job, will move on. Chekhov's sympathies are with Petya and Anya. The eternal student Trofimov is funny (pathetic galoshes, falls down the stairs), but he gets Anya’s love.

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PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF RUSSIA

“The Cherry Orchard” is often called a work about the past, present and future of Russia. The past - Ranevskaya and Gaev. They live in memories, they are not satisfied with the present, and they don’t even want to think about the future. These are educated, sophisticated people, full of inactive love for others. When they are in danger, the heroes behave like children who close their eyes in fear. Therefore, they do not accept Lopakhin’s proposal to save the cherry orchard and hope for a miracle, without even trying to change anything. Ranevskaya and Gaev are not capable of being masters of their land. Such people cannot influence the development of their country. The present - Lopakhin. The smug Lopakhin is a prominent representative of the emerging bourgeoisie in Russia. Society places great hopes on people like him. The hero feels like the master of life. But Lopakhin remained a “man,” unable to understand that the cherry orchard is not only a symbol of beauty, but also a kind of thread connecting the past with the present. You can't cut down your roots. And Ermolai recklessly destroys the old, without building and without plans to build something new. He cannot become the future of Russia because he destroys beauty (the cherry orchard) for his own benefit. The future is Petya and Anya. It cannot be said that the future belongs to a 17-year-old girl, full of only the strength and desire to do good. Or the eternal student, the funny “shabby gentleman” (his whole appearance is quite pathetic), who is trying to reorganize his life on the basis of only vague ideas. Chekhov does not see a hero in Russian life who would become the real owner of the cherry orchard. The question in the play remains open. Chekhov sees that there is no connection between times (a broken string is a symbol of the gap between generations). But Anya and Petya have to look for the answer, because so far there is no one else but them.

Dawn. Outside the window is a blooming cherry orchard.

Lyubov Andreevna Ranevskaya returns to her estate from Paris with her daughter Anya. The day passes in conversations with family and guests. Everyone is excited by the meeting, talking without listening to each other.

In a confidential conversation with Varya, Ranevskaya’s adopted daughter, Anya learns that the merchant Lopakhin, who is considered Varya’s fiancé, has never proposed, and this event is not expected. Anya complains about the eternal lack of money in Paris and her mother’s lack of understanding of the current situation: she thoughtlessly throws away her last money, orders the most expensive things in restaurants, and gives footmen a ruble as a tip. In response, Varya reports that there is money here too.
no, moreover, the estate will be sold in August.

Petya Trofimov is still at the estate. This is a student, a former tutor of Ranevskaya’s late son, Grisha, who drowned in a river at the age of seven. Anya, having learned about Petya's presence, is afraid that the sight of the latter will evoke bitter memories in her mother.

The old footman Firs appears, puts on white gloves and begins to set the table.

Lyubov Andreevna, her brother Leonid Andreevich Gaev and Lopakhin enter. The merchant had to leave at five o'clock, but he really wanted to look at Lyubov Andreevna, talk to her, she is still just as magnificent.

His father was her father's serf, but she once did so much for him that he forgot everything and loves her more than his own. Ranevskaya rejoices at returning home. Gaev, telling her the news, from time to time takes a box of lollipops from his pocket and sucks. Lopakhin says that the estate is being sold for debts, and proposes to divide this land into summer cottages and rent them out.

Then they will have an income of twenty-five thousand a year. True, you will have to demolish the old buildings and cut down the garden. Lyubov Andreevna categorically objects: the garden is the most wonderful place in the entire province.

According to Lopakhin, they have no other choice, the only remarkable thing about the garden is that it is very large, and cherries are born once every two years, and no one buys those. But Firs remembers that in the past, dried cherries were transported by cartloads to Moscow and Kharkov, and they earned a lot of money. Varya gives her mother two telegrams from Paris, but the past is over, and Lyubov Andreevna tears them up. Gaev, changing the subject,
turns to a hundred-year-old wardrobe and begins to make a sentimental, pompous speech, bringing himself to tears. The sister sums it up. that he is still the same, Gaev is embarrassed. Lopakhin reminds that if they think about dachas, he will lend money, and leaves. Lyubov Andreevna and Leonid Andreevich admire the garden and remember their childhood.

Petya Trofimov enters in a worn student uniform. Lyubov Andreevna hugs him and cries. and, having looked closely, asks why he has grown so old and ugly, but he was once a nice student. Petya says that in the carriage one woman called him a shabby gentleman and, probably, he will be an eternal student.

Gaev and Varya remain in the room. Gaev notices that his sister has not yet lost the habit of wasting money. He has a lot of ideas on how to improve things: it would be good to receive an inheritance, it would be good to marry Anya to a very rich man, it would be good to go to Yaroslavl and ask the aunt countess for money. The aunt is very rich, but she doesn’t love them: firstly, Ranevskaya married a sworn attorney, not a nobleman, and secondly, she did not behave very virtuously.

Lyubov Andreevna is kind and nice, but she is vicious. Then they notice that Anya is standing at the door. The uncle kisses her, the girl reproaches him for his last words and asks him to remain silent, then he himself will be calmer. He agrees and excitedly changes his plans to save the estate: it will be possible to arrange a loan against bills to pay interest to the bank, Anya’s mother will talk to Lopakhin, he will not refuse her, and Anya will rest and go to her grandmother in Yaroslavl. This is how everything will work out. He swears that he will not allow the estate to be sold. Anya
She calmed down and, happy, hugs her uncle. Firs appears and reproaches G Aeva that he hadn’t gone to bed yet, and everyone was leaving.

Scientific adviser: Barnashova Elena Vyacheslavovna, Ph.D. Philol. Sciences, Department of Theory and History of Culture, National Research Tomsk State University, Russia, Tomsk

Annotation.

This article is devoted to the study of the attitude and inner world of a person at a turning point in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. To explore this topic, the author uses an analysis of the work of A.P. Chekhov's "The Cherry Orchard". This play was not chosen by chance; it is in it that the writer most fully reveals the mood of a person in a crisis era, and also gives an assessment of the general atmosphere of that time.

Key words: A.P. Chekhov, “The Cherry Orchard”, human perception of the world, the era of the late 19th – early 20th centuries, crisis worldview.

This topic is relevant for the 21st century, since the consonance of eras can now be traced. Modern man is in a similar state. The surrounding reality shows its instability, values ​​quickly become outdated, new ideas, opinions, preferences appear, the world around is rapidly changing every second. Confidence in a stable future disappears. As at the end of the 19th century, a person cannot find support, unshakable ideals on which he could rely. The 21st century is embraced by a special atmosphere of languor, expectation of change, and weariness of life. In this regard, the author of the article considers it appropriate to study the work of A.P. Chekhov’s “The Cherry Orchard” to identify the special mood of this crisis era and human worldview. And an understanding of the atmosphere of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. will provide an opportunity to understand the processes occurring in the inner world of modern man.

Anton Pavlovich writes the play “The Cherry Orchard” in 1903, a year before his death. He shares his idea for a new work in a letter with his wife O.L. Knipper March 7, 1901: “The next play I write will certainly be funny, very funny, at least in concept.” And already in the summer of 1902, the writer clearly defined the contours of the plot and came up with a title for his new play. However, the writing of the play was postponed due to Anton Pavlovich’s illness, but already in June 1903, while at a dacha in Naro-Fominsk near Moscow, the writer began writing a full-fledged plot of the play. And on September 26, 1903, the play was completed.

The play is being created at a difficult time for the country. The era of the late 19th and early 20th centuries was marked by rapid changes in all spheres of society. Society was torn apart by contradictions, revolutionary sentiments grew, especially among workers. The socio-political situation in the country worsened. Old values ​​are losing authority among the common people. Revolutionary movements, speaking out against the old, cannot yet offer anything concrete in return. A man finds himself at a crossroads.

And it is precisely in this “troubled” time that this play is created. This last work written by Chekhov reflects the whole essence of the cultural era of that time and how people felt in it.

This is one of his most interesting and most discussed plays. Until now, researchers have not come to a consensus on the interpretation of this work; with each reading it reveals new meanings and gives rise to new interpretations.

The plot of this play is quite everyday and ordinary. However, the value of Chekhov’s work is not at all in the plot, but in the subtle human psychologism with which the writer shows a person, his experiences and spiritual quests. A special atmosphere of the work is also created; it becomes more depressing compared to other plays. Here we will no longer see dreams of a happy life, or any feeling of dissatisfaction. There is now a sense of doom in the air. It is in this that Chekhov’s work especially accurately and subtly shows a turning point era and a person living in it, who is trying to find support, but cannot do it. The characters cannot understand exactly what is tormenting them and cannot express their feelings. They are in an endless search for answers to the questions that torment them.

There is a special relationship between the characters themselves. The misunderstanding between them is clearly shown. The characters seem to speak different languages, as a result of which so-called “parallel dialogues” appear, when, for example, Ranevskaya and Lopakhin are talking about the sale of an estate, the landowner does not seem to hear what her interlocutor is talking about (or does not want to hear), she speaks about her wonderful childhood, plunging into memories, she does not notice anything around her.

Chekhov, moving away from class, portrays people from the point of view of their perception of the surrounding reality. And we see Lopakhin, who was able to adapt and survive in this changed world, but on the other hand, the image of Ranevskaya, a person who does not want and cannot change, she is not ready for changes in her life, and therefore continues to live as before. In her image one can read a special fear of the future; she looks defenseless and desperate. It should be noted that this aspect cannot be tied to the social aspects of the characters, since then their status would be emphasized, however, in the play, attention is instead focused on emotional experiences.

The image of the Garden occupies a special place in the play; on the one hand, it appears as a kind of metaphor for life, an ideal where everyone strives to get to. It is symbolic that the heroes look at the garden only from afar. But on the other hand, the Garden is an image of the past, that happy, carefree past where everything was clear. Where certain authorities and unshakable values ​​remained, where life flowed smoothly and measuredly and everyone knew what awaited tomorrow. Therefore, Firs says: “In the old days, about forty to fifty years ago, cherries were dried... And the dried cherries then were soft, juicy... They knew the method then...”. This special method, the secret of life, which allowed the cherry orchard to bloom, has been lost and now must be cut down and destroyed. Time moves forward, the world around us changes, which means the Garden must become a thing of the past. It is very difficult to part with it, but this will be the main impetus for the development of the present, and with it the future.

At the same time, the problem of human self-determination in a new, constantly changing world can be traced. Some find their occupation (like Lopakhin), others (Ranevskaya) still live in the past and are afraid to face the future. At first she is really afraid to part with the orchard, but after selling it, Gaev says: “Before the sale of the cherry orchard, we were all worried, suffering, and then, when the issue was resolved finally, irrevocably, everyone calmed down, even became cheerful,” thereby proving the need for change.

Another important factor is “random” sounds. Like, for example, the sound of an arrow bursting at the end. In my opinion, these are assumptions about the future of the author himself. Throughout the play, tension grew, an internal conflict occurred between the person and himself with his old habits and prejudices, inevitable changes were felt that put pressure on the person, forcing him to make his “right” decision. The heroes rushed about in search of the truth and did not want to change anything, but changes slowly took over their lives. And at the end the garden is sold, everyone has left, and we see an empty stage, hear the sound of a broken string, nothing and no one is left except Firs. The tension is resolved, leaving a void that invites the reader to see something of themselves in it. Chekhov didn’t know exactly what this “future” would look like, he didn’t know what would happen there, but he definitely foresaw the inevitable changes that were already very close, so close that we can already hear the sound of an axe.

Thus, the writer sought to show the character’s inner life, his feelings and emotions; external everyday aspects were not so important. And therefore Chekhov is trying to get away from the usual social characteristics of the characters; he is trying to more fully describe their extra-class features. For example, personal characteristics, individualization of speech, special gestures. Another feature of “The Cherry Orchard” is that the reader does not see a pronounced social conflict, there are no contradictions or clashes. The speech of the characters also becomes new: they often say “random” phrases, and at the same time do not listen to each other, they conduct parallel conversations. The whole meaning of the work is manifested in the totality of these small touches, unsaid words.

The characters appear before the readers as realistically as in life; the writer shows that there is no single true truth that can be accepted by everyone. Everyone has their own truth, their own meaning and way of life in which they sincerely believe. Anton Pavlovich showed the tragedy of the situation at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, when a person stood at a crossroads. Old values ​​and guidelines were collapsing, but new ones had not yet been found and adopted. The life to which everyone was accustomed was changing, and the person felt the inevitable approach of these changes.

Bibliography:

1. Chekhov A.P. Complete works and letters: in 30 volumes / chapter. ed. N.F. Belchikov. – M.: Nauka, 1980. – T. 9: Letters 1900-March 1901. – 614 p.

2. Chekhov A.P. Stories and plays / A.P. Chekhov. – M.: Pravda, 1987. – 464 p.

The image of the garden in the play "The Cherry Orchard" is ambiguous and complex. This is not just part of the estate of Ranevskaya and Gaev, as it might seem at first glance. This is not what Chekhov wrote about. The Cherry Orchard is a symbolic image. It signifies the beauty of Russian nature and the life of the people who raised it and admired it. Together with the death of the garden, this life also perishes.

A center that unites characters

The image of the garden in the play “The Cherry Orchard” is the center around which all the characters unite. At first it may seem that these are just old acquaintances and relatives who, by chance, gathered at the estate to solve everyday problems. However, it is not. It is no coincidence that Anton Pavlovich united characters representing various social groups and age categories. Their task is to decide the fate of not only the garden, but also their own.

Gaev and Ranevskaya’s connection with the estate

Ranevskaya and Gaev are Russian landowners who own an estate and a cherry orchard. This is brother and sister, they are sensitive, smart, educated people. They are able to appreciate beauty and feel it very subtly. That’s why the image of the cherry orchard is so dear to them. In the perception of the heroes of the play “The Cherry Orchard”, he personifies beauty. However, these characters are inert, which is why they cannot do anything to save what is dear to them. Ranevskaya and Gaev, for all their spiritual wealth and development, are devoid of responsibility, practicality and a sense of reality. Therefore, they cannot take care not only of loved ones, but also of themselves. These heroes do not want to listen to Lopakhin’s advice and rent out the land they own, although this would bring them a decent income. They think that dachas and summer residents are vulgar.

Why is the estate so dear to Gaev and Ranevskaya?

Gaev and Ranevskaya cannot rent out the land because of the feelings connecting them with the estate. They have a special relationship with the garden, which is like a living person to them. Much connects these heroes with their estate. The Cherry Orchard seems to them to be the personification of bygone youth, a past life. Ranevskaya compared her life to a “cold winter” and a “dark stormy autumn.” When the landowner returned to the estate, she again felt happy and young.

Lopakhin's attitude to the cherry orchard

The image of the garden in the play “The Cherry Orchard” is also revealed in Lopakhin’s attitude towards it. This hero does not share the feelings of Ranevskaya and Gaev. He finds their behavior illogical and strange. This person is surprised why they do not want to listen to seemingly obvious arguments that will help find a way out of a difficult situation. It should be noted that Lopakhin is also capable of appreciating beauty. The cherry orchard delights this hero. He believes that there is nothing more beautiful in the world than him.

However, Lopakhin is a practical and active person. Unlike Ranevskaya and Gaev, he cannot just admire the cherry orchard and regret it. This hero strives to do something to save him. Lopakhin sincerely wants to help Ranevskaya and Gaev. He never ceases to convince them that they should rent out both the land and the cherry orchard. This must be done as soon as possible, since the auction will be soon. However, the landowners do not want to listen to him. Leonid Andreevich can only swear that the estate will never be sold. He says he won't allow the auction.

New owner of the garden

Nevertheless, the auction still took place. The owner of the estate is Lopakhin, who cannot believe his own happiness. After all, his father and grandfather worked here, “were slaves”, they weren’t even allowed into the kitchen. The purchase of an estate for Lopakhin becomes a kind of symbol of his success. This is a well-deserved reward for many years of work. The hero would like his grandfather and father to rise from the grave and be able to rejoice with him, to see how much their descendant has succeeded in life.

Negative qualities of Lopakhin

The cherry orchard for Lopakhin is just land. It can be bought, mortgaged or sold. This hero, in his joy, did not consider himself obliged to show a sense of tact towards the former owners of the purchased estate. Lopakhin immediately begins to cut down the garden. He did not want to wait for the former owners of the estate to leave. The soulless lackey Yasha is somewhat similar to him. He completely lacks such qualities as attachment to the place in which he was born and raised, love for his mother, and kindness. In this respect, Yasha is the complete opposite of Firs, a servant who has unusually developed these feelings.

Relation to the garden of the servant Firs

In revealing it, it is necessary to say a few words about how Firs, the oldest of everyone in the house, treated him. For many years he faithfully served his masters. This man sincerely loves Gaev and Ranevskaya. He is ready to protect these heroes from all troubles. We can say that Firs is the only one of all the characters in The Cherry Orchard endowed with such a quality as devotion. This is a very integral nature, which is fully manifested in the servant’s attitude towards the garden. For Firs, the estate of Ranevskaya and Gaev is a family nest. He strives to protect it, as well as its inhabitants.

Representatives of the new generation

The image of the cherry orchard in the play “The Cherry Orchard” is dear only to those characters who have important memories associated with it. The representative of the new generation is Petya Trofimov. The fate of the garden does not interest him at all. Petya declares: “We are above love.” Thus, he admits that he is not capable of experiencing serious feelings. Trofimov looks at everything too superficially. He does not know real life, which he is trying to remake based on far-fetched ideas. Anya and Petya are outwardly happy. They thirst for a new life, for which they strive to break with the past. For these heroes, the garden is “all of Russia,” and not a specific cherry orchard. But is it possible to love the whole world without loving your home? Petya and Anya are losing their roots in their quest for new horizons. Mutual understanding between Trofimov and Ranevskaya is impossible. For Petya there are no memories, no past, and Ranevskaya deeply experiences the loss of the estate, since she was born here, her ancestors also lived here, and she sincerely loves the estate.

Who will save the garden?

As we have already noted, it is a symbol of beauty. Only people who can not only appreciate it, but also fight for it can save it. Active and energetic people who replace the nobility treat beauty only as a source of profit. What will happen to her, who will save her?

The image of the cherry orchard in Chekhov's play "The Cherry Orchard" is a symbol of the home and the past, dear to the heart. Is it possible to boldly move forward if the sound of an ax is heard behind you, destroying everything that was previously sacred? It should be noted that the cherry orchard is and it is no coincidence that such expressions as “hitting a tree with an ax”, “trampling a flower” and “cutting off the roots” sound inhumane and blasphemous.

So, we briefly examined the image of the cherry orchard as understood by the characters in the play “The Cherry Orchard.” Reflecting on the actions and characters of the characters in Chekhov’s work, we also think about the fate of Russia. After all, it is a “cherry orchard” for all of us.