The Cherry Orchard

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   blazedale

   One thing which is and was modern about the Cherry Orchard is the emphasis on realism. As mentioned in an essay by the critic Joseph Krutch (linked below) he said of Chekov:

   The very soul of his method had always been the avoidance of anything artificially "dramatic," and he was wise enough not to alter it when he came to write drama. In The Cherry Orchard as in his stories the plot is insignificant; instead of clothing a narrative skeleton with thought and feeling he generates his moods and delivers his reflections in a manner which appears to be in the last degree casual. Strokes of characterization, flashes of humor, and unexpected touches of nature seem introduced almost at random; and yet somehow an unforgettable picture is evoked.

   Many modern elements are contained in that paragraph, most importantly that Chekov uses a modern palate, but does not overly dramatize the play. He uses many techniques, but relies on realism and disdains artificial 'drama'.

   Sources:

   http://www.enotes.com/twentieth-century-criticism/cherry-...

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   Posted by blazedale on Friday April 6, 2007 at 1:28 PM
   
   

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