Themes
Last Updated September 2, 2024.
The Cherry Orchard tells the story of an aristocratic family that cannot stop their cherished estate from being sold at auction. On a deeper level, it represents the rise of the middle class in Russia and the decline of the aristocracy. The estate, along with its treasured orchard, is bought by a man who once served as a serf there. Although Chekhov intended the play to be a comedy, most performances highlight the tragic elements. Mrs. Ranevsky and her family struggle to adapt to Russia's new social order, while Lopakhin seizes the business opportunity and finds personal satisfaction in displacing those who once ruled over him.
Apathy and Passivity
For Mrs. Ranevsky, her daughters, and her brother Leonid Gayev, apathy and
passivity have become habitual. Mrs. Ranevsky's line, "if only this heavy load
could be lifted from my heart; if only I could forget my past!" underscores
this sentiment. She has stopped trying to change her situation and has resigned
herself to taking life as it comes. She indulges in expensive lunches, buys a
gift for Anya, lends money to her neighbor Pishchik, and gives a gold coin to a
homeless hiker in Act Two. Mrs. Ranevsky refuses to believe that altering her
behavior could change her circumstances. Her passivity allows the auction to
proceed. Gayev, Anya, and Varya also remain passive, clinging to the hope that
everything will work out. This apathy, coupled with a fear of living below
their accustomed standards, prevents the family from saving their orchard.
The family dismisses Lopakhin's idea of dividing the orchard into smaller plots for country cottages. Mrs. Ranevsky finds the suggestion vulgar, insisting that the orchard is renowned as the largest and most beautiful in Russia. She and her brother do almost nothing to prevent the auction, remaining passive and waiting for a miracle or a savior, such as their relative the Countess, which ultimately seals their fate.
A prime example of this passivity is Gayev's statement: "I've been thinking, racking my brains; I've got all sorts of remedies, lots of them, which, of course, means I haven't got one." This inability to adapt to the changing social conditions in Russia at the turn of the century was widespread, as many wealthy landowners lost their estates due to debt. Gayev would rather pretend to play billiards than find a real solution to his family's financial crisis.
Varya remains passive, even as she attempts to economize by feeding the servants only dried peas. It distresses her to watch her mother and uncle do nothing, but she feels helpless without their support. Varya dreams of joining a convent but never acts on this desire, unable to advocate for herself. Her inaction extends to her feelings for Yermolay Lopakhin; both are too passive to pursue marriage. Though they express no objections to marrying, neither takes the initiative—Varya is bound by social norms, and Lopakhin is preoccupied with his business. Mrs. Ranevsky urges Lopakhin to propose, but he hesitates, telling her, "I'm ready even now...Let's settle it at once and get it over. I don't feel I'll ever propose to her without you here." When together, Varya and Lopakhin merely engage in small talk. Lopakhin is called away, and the opportunity slips away, dashing their hopes of marriage.
Appearances and Reality
Mrs. Ranevsky and her family give the impression of being a wealthy estate-owning family. They continue their traditional lifestyle—keeping servants, hosting parties, and lending money to neighbors—despite being nearly bankrupt. Their need to maintain appearances jeopardizes their survival. Gayev only considers working at a bank when their financial situation becomes critical, something unimaginable in...
(This entire section contains 1118 words.)
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the past. He criticizes his sister for being an "immoral woman" in Paris, claiming her behavior led their aunt, the Countess, to withhold assistance. While appearances are crucial to the aristocracy, the changing social climate renders them increasingly irrelevant. Gayev pretends to have control over the orchard's auction, but in truth, he has little influence over the outcome.
Choices and Consequences
In Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard, every character's choices carry
consequences. The Ranevsky family's decision to remain passive leads to the
auction with minimal resistance. Lopakhin, on the other hand, chooses to buy
the orchard when his advice is ignored, ultimately profiting from the sale.
Similarly, Pishchik allows mining on his estate and benefits by earning enough
to settle his debts. Chekhov attributes much of the blame for losing the
orchard to characters who fail to make decisive choices and act in their own
interest.
Class Conflict
The class conflicts in this play are most vividly portrayed through the lives
of the servants. Yasha, who is Firs's grandson, has aspirations and desires
that starkly contrast with those of Firs. Yasha dreams of advancing his status,
which he believes can be achieved by accompanying Mrs. Ranevsky back to Paris.
In contrast, Firs longs for the days before the emancipation of the serfs. This
contrast is further highlighted by their generational gap. Firs feels at ease
with the old social hierarchy, whereas Yasha is eager for a new social
order.
Dunyasha, the maid of Mrs. Ranevsky, harbors dreams of becoming a lady and marrying a wealthy man. Unlike her predecessors, who were bound by servitude, she is free to aspire. There is a burgeoning hope among the servant class that they can achieve financial success like Lopakhin or save enough to purchase a modest home. Peter Trofimov remarks on the sociological changes in Russia when he tells Anya, "all your ancestors owned serfs. They owned living beings. Can't you see human beings looking at you from every cherry tree in your orchard, from every leaf and every tree trunk? To own living souls—that's what has changed you all so much—That's why your mother, you yourself, and your uncle no longer realize that you are living on borrowed capital, at other people's expense, at the expense of those whom you don't admit farther than your entrance hall.'' This passage highlights and elucidates many of the class conflicts depicted in the play. The aristocracy refuses to acknowledge men like Lopakhin or Trofimov as social equals, despite their own decline in power.
Lopakhin and Varya are positioned at the heart of this class struggle. Lopakhin, born to serfs on the Ranevsky estate, has amassed wealth and is in a better financial position than the Ranevskys. However, they will never accept him as their social equal, viewing him as a coarse man who lacks an appreciation for tradition or beauty (he suggested constructing "vulgar" cottages on the pristine orchard). Varya, who was adopted by Mrs. Ranevsky, finds herself in a similar predicament, straddling the divide between the aristocracy and the servant class without fully belonging to either.