Characters
Madame Lubov Andreyevna Ranevskaya
Madame Lubov Andreyevna Ranevskaya (lew-BOHF ahn-DREH-ehv-nuh rah-NEHF-skah-yah), a middle-aged woman, is the owner of a large estate that has become unmanageable due to mounting debts. She represents the remnants of the old Russian feudal aristocracy, now being overshadowed by social change. To her, the estate, mansion, and especially the cherry orchard symbolize her past, her youthful innocence, and her once carefree life. She is unable to part with these symbols, unable to adapt to the evolving times, and incapable of handling the financial and emotional responsibilities they demand. Despite her financial ruin, her generosity is highlighted when she gives a gold piece to a homeless man, emphasizing her disregard for her own plight. The societal forces that shaped her life are rapidly vanishing from Russian society.
Anya
Anya (AHN-yah), Madame Ranevskaya’s seventeen-year-old daughter, signifies hope and adaptability in the face of change. While she cherishes the estate and the cherry orchard, her youth affords her the flexibility to adapt to the social tides. Her love for Peter Trofimov, a student embodying the liberal intellectualism of the new order, steers her towards optimism for the future. Anya, dressed in all white to signify her purity, perceives the orchard as representative of all Russia, embracing the future as an adventure. She tries to secure financial help from her aunt, the Countess, to save the orchard but remains ready to move forward without wealth.
Varya
Varya (VAH-ryah), Madame Ranevskaya's adopted daughter, has diligently managed the estate for years. At twenty-four, she finds herself caught between the aristocracy and servant class, belonging fully to neither. Varya, who only wears black, is exhausted by her responsibilities and worried about debts, the servants, and the future. Her unreciprocated love for Lopakhin, a wealthy merchant preoccupied with business, leaves her heartbroken. Though she criticizes her mother's financial irresponsibility, Varya has no solution to their problems. Her unfulfilled dreams of happiness and peace tempt her to consider a convent, yet by the play's end, she accepts a housekeeper position at a nearby estate. She is a severe woman who finds solace in work but is unable to assert her desires or fight for Lopakhin.
Leonid Andreyevitch Gaev
Leonid Andreyevitch Gaev (leh-oh-NIHD ahn-DREH-yeh-vihch gah-EHF), brother to Madame Ranevskaya, is a talkative and impractical dreamer bound by traditional values. Irresponsible and unkempt, he prefers playing or pretending to play billiards over finding real solutions to save the estate. His addiction to fruit candies and incessant chatter are faults noted by his family. Gaev devises numerous schemes to save the orchard, yet pursues none, trusting instead in a miraculous rescue. For him, as for his sister, the cherry orchard remains a cherished memory of their idyllic childhood, one he is unable to relinquish.
Ermolai Alexeyevitch Lopakhin
Ermolai Alexeyevitch Lopakhin (ehr-moh-LIH ah-lehk-SEH-yeh-vihch loh-PAH-khihn) is a wealthy merchant, the son of a former serf. Unsentimental about the past, he thrives in the present through commercial ventures. In a literal reversal of roles, he purchases the Ranevskys’ estate where his ancestors were serfs, marking his ascent through the social order. His emotions are calculated in terms of profit and loss, and his love for Varya cannot compete with his commercial pursuits, leaving Varya's affections unrequited.
Peter Sergeyevitch Trofimov
Peter Sergeyevitch Trofimov (PYOH-tr sehr-GEH-yeh-vihch troh-FIH-mof), an idealistic young student, is committed to the future betterment of society. He embodies the intellectual and liberal spirit of the new era, claiming his mission is to achieve freedom and happiness while escaping life's trivialities and deceptions. His relationship with Anya intertwines with his social ideals, yet his grasp of people remains superficial.
Boris Borisovitch...
(This entire section contains 988 words.)
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Simeonov-Pishchik
Boris Borisovitch Simeonov-Pishchik (boh-RIHS boh-RIHS-eh-vihch sih-MEH-ehn-of-PIH-shchihk), a landowner perpetually in debt, frequently seeks loans. Unlike the Ranevskys, he feels no attachment to the land and leases it for clay mining to settle his debts. Though he eventually repays Madame Ranevskaya, it is too late to prevent the orchard’s sale. His lack of consideration for her financial troubles contrasts with her excessive generosity.
Charlotta Ivanova
Charlotta Ivanova (shahr-LOHT-teh ih-VAH-neh-vah), the Ranevskys' governess, is a young lady uncertain of her parentage and unanchored by class. Her magic tricks and enigmatic background infuse the play with comedic elements, reflecting her adaptability to any social current.
Simeon Panteleyevitch Epikhodov
Simeon Panteleyevitch Epikhodov (seh-MYOHN pahn-teh-LEH-yeh-vihch eh-pih-KHOHD-of), a clerk in the Ranevsky household, is romantically interested in Dunyasha, a maid who does not return his affection. Known as "Twenty-two Calamities," he is plagued by misfortune, including squeaky boots, which provide comical moments in the play. His ineffective management contributes to the estate’s auction.
Dunyasha
Dunyasha (doo-NYAH-shah), a maid in the Ranevsky household, aspires to be a lady, imitating and comparing herself to the women around her. Though she dreams of marrying Yasha, she ultimately agrees to marry Epikhodov instead. Her unrequited affection for Yasha leads to comedic tension, as he is more interested in accompanying Mrs. Ranevsky to Paris.
Fiers
Fiers (fihrs), the Ranevsky family’s long-serving footman, stayed with the family even after the serfs were freed. He is frail and somewhat senile, embodying the vanishing old order. In the play’s most poignant moment, he is inadvertently locked inside the estate and forgotten, lamenting his unfulfilled life with the words, "Life has slipped away as if I haven't lived."
Yasha
Yasha (YAH-shah), the insolent and opportunistic young footman, is Fiers’s grandson but lacks familial loyalty. He plans to return to Paris with Mrs. Ranevsky, manipulating Dunyasha’s affections despite her love for him. Yasha’s self-absorbed nature is evident in his indifference to his mother and disregard for his grandfather, whom he leaves to die alone.
Simon Yepikhodov
Simon Yepikhodov (yepiKHOdov), a financial clerk in the household, contributes to the estate's downfall. Nicknamed "Twenty-two Calamities," he is perpetually beset by crises and comedic mishaps, such as squeaky boots. His unrequited love for Dunyasha, who is infatuated with Yasha, adds to the comedic interplay in The Cherry Orchard.
