« The Cherry Orchard"is the last play by A.P. Chekhov. He wrote it a year before his death. Behind the story of a noble family that lost its garden, the writer hid the history of his Motherland, which, according to the author, faced the same miserable existence in the future as the nobility without an estate. We wrote more about his plan in, and now we can find out the plot and main events of the book by reading brief retelling according to actions from Literaguru.
Lived in France for five years. Her youngest daughter Anya spent several months with her. In May they both had to return to their homeland. The footman Firs, Ranevskaya's brother Gaev and the eldest daughter Varya (here are them) are sent to the station. And at home the merchant Lopakhin and the maid Dunyasha are waiting for them. They are sitting in a room that, out of old habit, is still called the “children’s room.” talks about how life might turn out, that he, the son of a serf, is now a free and wealthy merchant.
Crews arrive from the station. Ranevskaya and Anya rejoice at their return. The estate has not changed since their departure. It soon becomes obvious to the reader that Lyubov Andreevna is in a difficult financial situation. She had to sell all her foreign property and return to Russia. Lopakhin reminds her that the estate and garden will have to be sold under the hammer in August if she and her brother do not urgently come up with a solution. The merchant immediately offers them an option, which seems to him very successful. Cut down the garden, divide the land into plots and rent it out to summer residents. But Lyubov Andreevna and Gaev only brush it off, saying that the garden is the most valuable thing in the entire province. They hope for help from a rich aunt from Yaroslavl, although relations with her are strained.
Act 2
Several weeks have passed since Ranevskaya's arrival. But neither she nor Gaev are in a hurry to solve their problems. Moreover, they continue to waste money. Returning from the city, where they went to have breakfast in the company of Lopakhin, they stop at an old church. Shortly before their appearance, on this bench the clerk Epikhodov declared his love to Dunyasha. But the frivolous girl preferred the lackey Yasha to him.
Lopakhin reminds us again about the auction. He once again invites them to cut down the garden. But the brother and sister only brush aside his words, saying that the aunt will definitely send money. And there is still enough time. The merchant does not understand them and calls them strange and frivolous.
The daughters of Ranevskaya and Petya Trofimov (here are them) approach the bench. Ranevskaya starts a conversation about a proud man. But the conversation doesn’t work out, and soon everyone leaves the bench near the church one after another. Anya and Petya are left alone. The lover Trofimov tries to charm the girl with his speeches. He says that one must, rejecting everything material, strive for the ideal. Anya, who, like her mother, easily gives in beautiful words, is carried away by Petya, not noticing his worthlessness.
Act 3
August is coming. Ranevskaya does not seem to think at all about the fate of the estate. On the day of the auction, she throws a lavish party. Lyubov Andreevna even invites the orchestra. Everyone dances, communicates and rejoices. However, there is a feeling of feigned fun. The thoughts of everyone in the room are turned to Gaev and Lopakhin, who went to the auction.
During the conversation, Petya begins to criticize Ranevskaya and her affair with a swindler from France who robbed her. He laughs at her reluctance to admit the obvious truth. But she immediately accuses him of duplicity. After all, he is an “eternal student” who cannot even complete the course, preaches hard work and the pursuit of ideals to everyone. Petya runs out of the room in hysterics.
Gaev and Lopakhin return from the auction. The merchant is triumphant, although he tries to hide it in the first minutes. And next to him, Gaev didn’t even try to hide his tears and disappointment. They say that both the estate and the garden have been sold. Now the merchant is the owner of the very estate where his father was a serf. The orchestra quiets down, Ranevskaya, sitting heavily on a chair, sobs. Anya, whose brain is besotted with Petya’s words, reassures her mother by saying that now they are beginning to new life, not burdened with anything material.
Act 4
The last action takes place in October. Lopakhin, without waiting for the previous owners to leave, begins to cut down the garden. The aunt from Yaroslavl nevertheless gave money to Gaev and Ranevskaya. But Lyubov Andreevna took them from her brother and returned to France to her lover. Varya, her daughter, had to go to work as a housekeeper in a neighboring estate, because the new owner of the garden never proposed to her, still feeling inferior to the masters. Anya is preparing to take her high school exam and is looking for a part-time job. Petya leaves for Moscow to continue his studies. His only concern is a pair of lost galoshes. Gaev is offered a place in the bank. However, the whole family is sure that due to his laziness he will not stay there for long. Lopakhin, unable to confess his feelings to Varya, leaves for work in Kharkov. Everyone says goodbye, the estate is locked.
Firs appears on the stage, whom even the owners forgot about. He walks around the estate, muttering to himself about his lost life. Having reached the sofa, the old man sits down on it and finally falls silent. The silence is broken only by the sound of axes.
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Speaking about the work of A.P. Chekhov, his short humorous stories filled with deep meaning and often tragic, and for theatergoers he is, first of all, one of the most outstanding playwrights of the late 19th - early 20th centuries. Chekhov's play “The Cherry Orchard” was the last in his work. Written in 1903, it was staged on the stage of his beloved Moscow Art Theater in 1904 and became the result of thoughts about the fate of Russia. For those who do not have time to read the entire play by A.P. Chekhov's "The Cherry Orchard" summary steps will help you get acquainted with this work.
Critics called Anton Pavlovich Chekhov's play “The Cherry Orchard” a drama, but the writer himself believed that there was nothing dramatic in it, and it was, first of all, a comedy.
Main characters
Ranevskaya Lyubov Andreevna- a landowner who left her estate after the tragic death of her son. A lonely middle-aged woman, prone to rash and frivolous actions, living in an ideal world, unwilling to accept a reality that could hurt her.
Anya- seventeen-year-old daughter of Ranevskaya. A young, sensible girl who understands that reality has changed, and she must adapt to a new life, which cannot be started to build without breaking with the past.
Gaev Leonid Andreevich- brother of Ranevskaya. Loves to talk about everything in the world. Very often he speaks out of place, which is why he is perceived as a buffoon and asked to remain silent. Outlook on life is the same as that of my sister.
Lopakhin Ermolai Alekseevich- a merchant, a very wealthy man, a typical representative of bourgeois Russia. The son of a village shopkeeper with the business acumen and flair with which he made his fortune. At the same time, he cannot boast of education.
Varya- Ranevskaya’s adopted daughter, who dreams of making a pilgrimage to holy places. During her mother's absence, she acted as the mistress of the house.
Trofimov Petr Sergeevich- student, former teacher of Grisha (Ranevskaya’s son), who died in childhood. An eternal student who loves to think about the fate of Russia, about what is right and wrong. Very progressive thoughts, but does not take any action to implement them.
Other characters
Simeonov-Pishchik Boris Borisovich- a landowner, Ranevskaya’s neighbor, like her, completely in debt.
Charlotte Ivanovna– governess, spent her childhood in the circus where her parents worked. He knows a lot of tricks and tricks, loves to demonstrate them, does not understand why he lives and constantly complains about the lack of a soul mate.
Epikhodov Semyon Panteleevich- a clerk, very clumsy, “22 misfortunes”, as those around him call him, in love with Dunyasha.
Dunyasha- housemaid. A young girl, thirsty for love, tries to behave like a young lady, “a gentle creature accustomed to gallant treatment.”
Firs- a footman, an old man of 87 years old, who served the family of Ranevskaya and Gaev all his life, who refused to create his own hearth and acquire freedom.
Yasha- a young footman who imagines himself to be a very important person after a trip abroad. An arrogant, dissolute young man.
The play consists of 4 acts that take place on the L.A. estate. Ranevskaya.
Action 1
The first action of The Cherry Orchard takes place in “a room that is still called the nursery.”
Early May dawn. It’s still cold, but the cherry orchard has already blossomed, filling everything around with aroma. Lopakhin (who slept through the trip to the railway station) and Dunyasha are waiting for the arrival of Ranevskaya, who has spent the last 5 years abroad with her daughter Anya, the governess, and the footman Yasha. Lopakhin remembers Lyubov Andreevna as an easy-going and simple person. He immediately tells about his fate, saying that his father was a simple man, and he was “in a white vest and yellow shoes.” Without hesitation, he mentions that, despite his wealth, he did not receive an education. But at the same time he reproaches Dunyasha for dressing like a young lady and behaving inappropriately for a maid. Dunyasha is very excited about the arrival of her owners. Epikhodov suddenly comes in with a bouquet. Dunyasha tells Lopakhin that Epikhodov had previously proposed to her.
Finally the crews arrive. In addition to those who arrived, other characters from the play “The Cherry Orchard” appear on stage, who met them at the station - Gaev, Varya, Semeonov-Pishchik and Firs.
Anya and Lyubov Andreevna are glad to be back. We are glad that nothing has changed around, the situation is so unchanged that it feels like they never left. A lively bustle begins in the house. Dunyasha happily tries to tell Anya what happened in their absence, but Anya shows no interest in the maid's chatter. The only thing that interested her was the news that Petya Trofimov was visiting them.
From the conversations in the first act, it becomes clear that Ranevskaya is now in extreme distress. She has already been forced to sell her overseas property, and in August her estate with a cherry orchard will be sold for debts. Anya and Varya discuss this and understand how deplorable their situation is, while Lyubov Andreevna, not used to saving, just sighs and listens to Firs’ memories of how they used to sell cherries and what they cooked from them. Lopakhin proposes to cut down the cherry orchard, and divide the territory into plots and rent them out as dachas to city residents. Lopakhin promises “at least twenty-five thousand a year in income.” However, Lyubov Andreevna and her brother are categorically against such a decision; they value their garden: “If there is anything interesting, even wonderful, in the entire province, it is only our cherry orchard.” And yet Lopakhin invites them to think and leaves. Gaev hopes that it will be possible to borrow money to pay off debts, and during this time he will be able to establish relations with the rich aunt countess and, with her help, finally resolve financial problems.
In the same action, Petya Trofimov appears, passionately in love with Anya.
Act 2
The second action of “The Cherry Orchard” takes place in nature, near an old church, from where there is a view of the cherry orchard and the city visible on the horizon. A lot of time has passed since Ranevskaya’s arrival; only a few days remain before the auction for the sale of the garden. During this time, Dunyasha’s heart was conquered by Yasha, who is in no hurry to advertise the relationship and is even shy about it.
Epikhodov, Charlotte Ivanovna, Dunyasha and Yasha are walking. Charlotte talks about her loneliness, that there is no person with whom she could have a heart-to-heart talk. Epikhodov feels that Dunyasha gives preference to Yasha and is very upset by this. It hints that he is ready to commit suicide. Dunyasha is passionately in love with Yasha, but his behavior shows that for him this is just a passing hobby.
Ranevskaya, Gaev, Lopakhin appear near the church. Gaev discusses the advantages railway, which allowed them to easily get into town and have breakfast. Lopakhin asks Lyubov Andreevna to give an answer about renting the estate’s lands, but she doesn’t seem to hear him, talking about the lack of money and scolding herself for spending it unreasonably. At the same time, a little later, after these considerations, he gives a gold ruble to a random passerby.
Ranevskaya and Gaev are waiting for a money transfer from Aunt Countess, but the amount is not enough to pay off their debts, and renting out the land to summer residents is not acceptable for them, it’s even vulgar. Lopakhin is surprised at the frivolity and short-sightedness of their behavior, it even angers him, because the estate is for sale, and if you start leasing it, then this will be the best guarantee for any bank. But the landowners do not hear and do not understand what Lopakhin is trying to convey to them. Lyubov Andreevna reproaches the merchant for his lack of education and down-to-earth judgment. And then he tries to marry Varya to him. Gaev, as always at the wrong time, reports that he was offered a job at a bank, but his sister besieges him, saying that he has nothing to do there. Old Firs comes, remembers his youth and how good life was under serfdom, everything was clear and understandable: who is the master and who is the servant.
Then Varya, Anya and Petya join the walkers. And yesterday’s conversation continues about pride, about intellectuals who, despite their outward education, are essentially petty and uninteresting creatures. It becomes clear how different people gathered together.
When everyone went home, Anya and Petya were left alone, and then Anya admitted that the cherry orchard was not so important to her, and that she was ready for a new life.
Act 3
The third act of The Cherry Orchard takes place in the living room in the evening.
An orchestra is playing in the house, couples are dancing around. All the characters are here, except Lopakhin and Gaev. August 22 is the day on which the auction for the sale of the estate was scheduled.
Pishchik and Trofimov are talking, they are interrupted by Lyubov Andreevna, she is extremely excited, waiting for her brother to return from the auction, he is delayed. Ranevskaya wonders whether the auction took place and what its result was.
Was the money sent by the aunt enough to buy out the estate, although she understands that 15 thousand is not enough, which will not even be enough to pay off the interest on the debts. Charlotte Ivanovna entertains those present with her tricks. Yasha asks to go to Paris with his hostess, as he is burdened by the surrounding rudeness and lack of education. The atmosphere in the room is nervous. Ranevskaya, anticipating her imminent departure to France and meeting her lover, is trying to sort out the lives of her daughters. She also prophesies Lopakhin to Varya, and would not mind marrying Anya off to Petya, but she is afraid of his incomprehensible position as an “eternal student.”
At this moment, a dispute arises that you can lose your head for the sake of love. Lyubov Andreevna reproaches Petya for being “above love,” and Petya reminds her that she is striving for an unworthy person who has already robbed and abandoned her once. Although there is no exact news yet about the sale of the house and garden, it is felt that everyone present has decided what they will do if the garden is sold.
Epikhodov is trying to talk to Dunyasha, who has completely lost interest in him; Varya, who is just as excited as her adoptive mother, drives him away, reproaching him for being too free for a servant. Firs is fussing around, serving treats to the guests, everyone notices that he is not feeling well.
Lopakhin enters, barely hiding his joy. He arrived with Gaev, who was supposed to bring news from the auction. Leonid Andreevich is crying. The news of the sale is reported by Ermolai Alekseevich. He's the new owner! And after that he gives vent to his feelings. He is delighted that the most beautiful estate, in which his grandfather and father were slaves, now belongs to him, and he can allow himself to do whatever he wants in it, the owner of not only the estate, but also life: “I can pay for everything.” ! He can’t wait to start cutting down the garden in order to build dachas in its place, and this is the new life that he sees.
Varya throws away the keys and leaves, Lyubov Andreevna sobs, Anya tries to console her, saying that there is still a lot of good things ahead, and life goes on.
Act 4
Act four begins in the nursery, but it is empty, except for luggage and things prepared for removal in the corner. The sound of trees being cut down can be heard from the street. Lopakhin and Yasha are waiting for the former owners to appear, to whom their former peasants came to say goodbye. Lopakhin sees off the Ranevskaya family with champagne, but no one has the desire to drink it. All characters have different moods. Lyubov Andreevna and Gaev are sad, Anya and Petya are looking forward to the beginning of a new stage of life, Yasha is glad that he is leaving his homeland and mother, which is boring to him, Lopakhin can’t wait to close the house as soon as possible and start the project that he has in mind. The former owner holds back her tears, but when Anya says that after the sale of the estate it only became easier for everyone, since they were all able to understand where to move next, everyone agrees with her. Now everyone is going to Kharkov together, and there the heroes’ paths will diverge. Raevskaya and Yasha are leaving for Paris, Anya is going to study, Petya is going to Moscow, Gaev has agreed to serve in a bank, Varya has found a job as a housekeeper in a nearby town. Only Charlotte Ivanovna is not settled, but Lopakhin promises to help her get settled. He took Epikhodov to his place to help resolve issues with the estate. From former inhabitants The only thing not fussing about this house is the sick Firs, who was supposed to be taken to the hospital in the morning, but because of the commotion they can’t figure out whether he was taken there or not.
Pischik runs in for a minute, to the surprise of everyone, he repays his debt to Lopakhin and Ranevskaya, and says that he leased his land to the British for the extraction of rare white clay. And he admits that handing over the estate’s lands was like jumping off a roof for him, but after handing over, nothing terrible happened.
Lyubov Andreevna makes one last attempt to arrange the marriage of Lopakhin and Varya, but left alone, Lopakhin never proposes, and Varya is very upset. The crews arrived and the loading of things began. Everyone comes out, only the brother and sister are left to say goodbye to the house in which they spent their childhood and youth, they sob, hugging each other, saying goodbye to the past, dreams and memories, to each other, realizing that their lives have changed irrevocably.
The house is closed. And then Firs appears, who was simply forgotten in this turmoil. He sees that the house is closed and he has been forgotten, but he has no anger at the owners. He simply lies down on the sofa and soon dies.
The sound of a string breaking and an ax hitting wood. A curtain.
Conclusion
This is a retelling of the content of the play “The Cherry Orchard”. By reading “The Cherry Orchard” in abbreviation, you will, of course, save time, but for a better acquaintance with the characters, to understand the idea and problems of this work, it is advisable to read it in full.
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Retelling rating
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On our website) take place in an old noble estate, which belongs to Lyubov Andreevna Ranevskaya. The property is located not far from big city. Its main attraction is a huge cherry orchard, occupying almost a thousand acres. Once upon a time this garden was considered one of the most wonderful places in the province and brought great income to the owners. There is even a mention of it in the Encyclopedic Dictionary. But after the fall of serfdom, the economy on the estate fell into disarray. There is no longer a demand for cherries, which are born only once every two years. Ranevskaya and her brother, Leonid Andreevich Gaev, who lives here on the estate, are on the verge of ruin.
Act 1 of The Cherry Orchard takes place on a cold May morning. Ranevskaya and her daughter Anya return from France. On the estate, where the cherries have already bloomed, her eldest (adopted) daughter Varya (24 years old), who manages the farm in her mother’s absence, and the merchant Ermolai Lopakhin, the son of a serf, a tenacious man who has become very rich in recent years, are waiting for her.
Lyubov Andreevna and Anya arrive from the railway station, accompanied by Gaev and their neighbor-landowner Simeonov-Pishchik, who met them. The arrival is accompanied by a lively conversation, which well outlines the characters of all the characters in this Chekhov play.
"The Cherry Orchard". Performance based on the play by A. P. Chekhov, 1983
Ranevskaya and Gaev are typical inactive aristocrats, accustomed to living on a grand scale without difficulty. Lyubov Andreevna thinks only about her own people love passions. Six years ago her husband died, and a month later her boy-son Grisha drowned in the river. Having taken most of the estate's funds, Ranevskaya left to console herself in France with her lover, who shamelessly deceived and robbed her. She abandoned her daughters on the estate with almost no money. 17-year-old Anya came to visit her mother in Paris only a few months ago. The adopted Varya had to manage the income-free estate herself, saving on everything and incurring debts. Ranevskaya returned to Russia only because she was left abroad completely penniless. The lover squeezed everything he could out of her, forced her to sell even her dacha near Menton, and he himself remained in Paris.
In the dialogues of the first act, Ranevskaya appears as a woman, exaggeratedly sensitive and vulnerable. She loves to show kindness and give generous tips to footmen. However, in her random words and gestures, spiritual callousness and indifference to loved ones creep in every now and then.
Matching Ranevskaya and her brother, Gaev. The main interest of his life is billiards - he constantly sprinkles billiard terms. Leonid Andreevich loves to make pompous speeches about the “bright ideals of goodness and justice”, about “social self-awareness” and “fruitful work”, but, as you can understand, he himself does not serve anywhere and does not even help young Varya manage the estate. The need to save every penny makes Varya stingy, preoccupied beyond her age, and like a nun. She expresses a desire to give up everything and go wandering through the splendor of holy places, but with such piety she feeds her old servants with only peas. Varya’s younger sister, Anya, is very reminiscent of her mother in her penchant for enthusiastic dreams and isolation from life. A family friend, Simeonov-Pishchik, is a bankrupt landowner like Ranevskaya and Gaev. He is only looking for somewhere to borrow money.
The peasant, poorly educated, but businesslike merchant Lopakhin reminds Ranevskaya and Gaev that their estate will be sold in August for debts. He also offers a way out. The estate is located next to a big city and a railway, so its land can be rented out profitably to summer residents for 25 thousand in annual income. This will not only allow you to pay off your debt, but also make a greater profit. However, the famous cherry orchard will have to be cut down.
Gaev and Ranevskaya reject such a plan with horror, not wanting to lose the dear memories of their youth. But they are unable to come up with anything else. Without cutting down, the estate will inevitably pass to another owner - and the cherry orchard will still be destroyed. However, the indecisive Gaev and Ranevskaya avoid destroying him. with my own hands, hoping for some miracle that will help them out in unknown ways.
Several other characters also participate in the dialogues of the first act: the unlucky clerk Epikhodov, with whom minor misfortunes constantly occur; the maid Dunyasha, who from constant communication with bars herself has become sensitive, like a noblewoman; 87-year-old footman Gaeva Firs, devoted to his master like a dog and refusing to leave him after the abolition of serfdom; Ranevskaya's footman Yasha, a stupid and boorish young commoner, who, however, was imbued with contempt in France for the “ignorant and wild” Russia; superficial foreigner Charlotte Ivanovna, a former circus performer, and now Anya’s governess. The former teacher of Ranevskaya’s drowned son, the “eternal student” Petya Trofimov, also appears for the first time. The character of this remarkable character will be outlined in detail in the following acts of The Cherry Orchard.
IN classical literature There are many interesting works, the stories of which are relevant to this day.
Works written by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov fit exactly the this characteristic. In this article you can get acquainted with his play “The Cherry Orchard” in a brief summary.
The history of the creation of the play by A.P. Chekhov's "The Cherry Orchard"
The start date of the play was set in 1901, the first performance was shown 3 years later. The work reflects the unpleasant impressions of the author himself, which arose from observing the decline of many of his friends’ estates, as well as his own.
Main characters
Below is a list of the main characters:
- Ranevskaya Lyubov Andreevna - owner of the estate;
- Anya is her own daughter;
- Gaev Leonid Andreevich - brother;
- Trofimov Pyotr Sergeevich - “eternal student”;
- Lopakhin Ermolai Alekseevich – buyer.
Minor characters
List of minor characters:
- Varya is Anya’s half-sister;
- Simeonov-Pishchik – owner of the estate;
- Charlotte is a teacher;
- Dunyasha - maid;
- Epikhodov Semyon Panteleevich – clerk;
- Firs - servant, old man;
- Yasha is a servant, a young guy.
“The Cherry Orchard” - summary of actions
1 action
Events take place while waiting for Ranevskaya. Lopakhin and Dunya talk, during which an argument arises. Epikhodov comes into the room. He drops the bouquet, complaining to the others that he considers himself a failure, after which he leaves. The maid tells the merchant that Epikhodov wants to marry her.
Ranevskaya and her daughters, Gaev, Charlotte and the landowner arrive. Anya talks about her trip to France and expresses her dissatisfaction. She also wonders whether Lopakhin is going to marry Varya. To which her half-sister replies that nothing will work out, and that the estate will be put up for sale in the near future. At the same time, Dunya is flirting with a young footman.
Lopakhin announces that their estate is being sold for debt. He advocates the following solution to the problem: dividing the territory into parts and renting them out. But for this you need to cut down the cherry orchard. The landowner and her brother refuse, citing the mention of the garden in the encyclopedia. The adopted daughter brings telegrams from France to her mother, but she tears them up without reading them.
Petya Trofimov appears, the mentor of Ranevskaya’s deceased son. Gaev continues to look for options to make a profit that would help cover debts. It comes to the point of marrying Anya off to a rich man. At that time, Varya tells her sister about her problems, but the younger sister falls asleep, tired from the road.
Act 2
Events take place in a field near an old chapel. Charlotte gives a description of her life.
Epikhodov sings songs, plays the guitar, tries to show himself as a romantic in front of Dunya. She, in turn, wants to impress the young footman.
Landowners and a merchant appear. He also continues to assure the owner of the land for rent. But Ranevskaya and her brother are trying to reduce the topic to “no.” The landowner begins to talk with pity about unnecessary costs.
Yakov ridicules Gaev's chant. Ranevskaya remembers her men. The last of them ruined her and exchanged her for another. After which the landowner decided to return to her homeland to her daughter. Changing the subject of Lopakhin, she starts talking about Varya’s wedding.
An old footman enters with outerwear Gaeva. He talks about serfdom, presenting it as a misfortune. Trofimov appears, who goes into deep philosophy and speculation about the future of the country. The landowner tells her adopted daughter that she has wooed her to a merchant.
At that time, Anya secludes herself with Trofimov. He, in turn, romantically describes the situation around him. Anya turns the conversation to the topic of serfdom and says that people only talk and do nothing. After which the “eternal student” tells Anya to give up everything and become a free person.
Act 3
A ball is held in the landowner's house, which Ranevskaya considers unnecessary. Pischik is trying to find someone who will lend him money. Ranevskaya's brother went to buy the estate in his aunt's name. Ranevskaya, seeing that Lopakhin is getting richer, begins to criticize him because Varya has not yet married him. The daughter complains that he is only laughing it off.
The landowner shares with her son's former teacher that her lover is asking her to return to France. Now the owner no longer thinks about the fact that he ruined her. Trofimov tries to convince her, and she advises him to also have a woman on the side. The upset brother returns and begins a monologue about how the estate was bought by Lopakhin.
The merchant boastfully tells everyone that he bought an estate and is ready to cut down the cherry orchard so that his family will continue to live in the place where his serf father and grandfather worked. Her own daughter consoles her crying mother, convincing her that her whole life lies ahead.
Act 4
Former residents leave the house. Lopakhin, tired of idleness, is going to leave for Kharkov.
He offers Trofimov money, but he does not accept it, reasoning that soon people will reach an understanding of the truth. Gaev became a bank employee.
Ranevskaya worries about the old footman, fearing that he will not be sent for treatment.
Lopakhin and Varya are left alone. The heroine says that she became a housekeeper. The merchant still did not ask her to marry him. Anya says goodbye to her mother. Ranevskaya plans to return to France. Anya plans to go to school and help her mother in the future. Gaev feels abandoned.
Suddenly Pishchik arrives and gives everyone the borrowed money. He recently became rich: white clay was found on his land, which he now rents out. The landowners say goodbye to the garden. Then they lock the doors. An ill Firs appears. In the silence the sound of an ax is heard.
Analysis of the work and conclusion
First of all, the style of this genre is observed in the bright contrast of the images of two heroes: Lopakhin and Ranevskaya. He is enterprising, seeks profit, but she is frivolous and frivolous. There are also funny situations. For example, Charlotte’s performances, Gaev’s communication with the closet, etc.
Reading this book in the original, by chapters and actions, and not in abbreviation, the question immediately arises: what does the cherry orchard mean for the heroes of the play? For landowners, the garden is a whole story of the past, while for Lopakhin it is the place on which his future will be built.
The problem of contrasting relationships at the turn of two centuries is raised in the work. There is also the question of the legacy of serfdom and the attitude of different layers of society to the consequences. The question is raised about how the future of the country will be built using the example of the local situation. The question is raised that many are ready to reason and advise, but only a few are able to act.
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov noticed a lot of what was relevant at that time and remains important now, so everyone should read this lyrical play. This work was the last in the writer’s work.
Full version 1 hour (≈30 A4 pages), summary 4 minutes.
Heroes
Ranevskaya Lyubov Andreevna (landowner)
Anya (daughter, 17 years old)
Varya (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 (maid)
Firs (footman, old man 87 years old)
Yasha (young footman)
The action takes place on the estate of landowner Ranevskaya. It's spring and the cherry trees are blooming. However, the magnificent garden was soon to be sold for debts. Over the past five years, the landowner, together with Anna, her seventeen-year-old daughter, lived abroad. On the estate were Gaev, her brother and Varya, an adopted daughter of twenty-four years old. Things were going badly for the landowner; there was practically no money. Ranevskaya constantly spent money. Her husband died six years ago due to drunkenness. The landowner fell in love with another and began to live with him. Soon her son Gregory drowned. Ranevskaya could not bear such grief and went abroad. The lover followed her. He fell ill, and the landowner gave him a job own dacha. She looked after him for three years. And when she was forced to sell her dacha for debts and moved to Paris, her lover robbed her and disappeared.
Brother and daughter met Ranevskaya and Anna at the station. The maid Dunyasha and the merchant Lopakhin were waiting for them at home. The clerk Epikhodov came. Something happened to him all the time.
The carriages arrived. The house was filled with people. There was excitement in the air. Ranevskaya looked at the rooms and recalled the past with tears of joy. The maid hurried to tell Anna about the proposal made to her by the Epikhodovs. Anna gave advice to Varya to become Lopakhin's wife. Varya dreams of giving Anna as a wife to a wealthy man. The governess boasted about her own dog. The neighboring landowner asked for a loan of money. The servant Firs heard practically no one and constantly muttered.
Lopakhin told the landowner that the estate would soon be sold at auction. To avoid this, it was necessary to divide the land into parts and rent them out. Ranevskaya did not want to cut down the magnificent cherry orchard. Lopakhin wanted to stay with the landowner as long as possible. However, he needed to leave.
At first the landowner did not recognize Pyotr Trofimov. He turned ugly and became an eternal student. Ranevskaya began to cry, remembering her son Grisha. The boy's teacher was Trofimov.
The landowner's brother was left alone with Varya and tried to talk about business. There was a wealthy aunt in Yaroslavl. However, she did not experience kindred feelings for them: Ranevskaya did not become the wife of a nobleman and did not lead a virtuous lifestyle. The brother loved the landowner, but called her vicious. This displeased Anna. Gaev continued to plan for the future. The landowner must ask Lopakhin for funds, Anna will go to Yaroslavl. In general, they will do everything to prevent the estate from being sold. The landowner's brother even took an oath. Firs took him to bed. Anna is sure that her uncle will do everything.
Lopakhin did not stop persuading the landowner and her brother to use his plan. They were all at breakfast together in the city. On our return we stopped at the chapel. Right there on the bench, Epikhodov tried to explain himself to Dunya. However, she chose the lackey Yasha.
Ranevskaya and her brother seemed not to have heard Lopakhin and were talking about something else. Unable to convince them, Lopakhin decided to leave. The landowner asked him not to leave.
Anna, Varya and Trofimov appeared. The landowner began a conversation about a proud man. Trofimov believed that there was no point in pride. He condemned the intelligentsia. Lopakhin entered the conversation. Each time he became more and more convinced that there were few decent people. Ranevskaya interrupted him and did not let him finish. Nobody wanted to listen to the others. There was silence. There was the sound of a string breaking.
Soon everyone dispersed. Anna and Trofimov were left alone. The young man convinced the girl that the main thing is not love, but freedom. To live in the present one had to suffer and work to atone for the past. Happiness is not far away.
The twenty-second of August arrived. On this day the auction took place. In the evening a ball was held at the estate. The landowner was worried in anticipation of Gaev's return. An aunt from Yaroslavl gave fifteen thousand. However, they were not enough to buy out the estate.
Trofimov calmed the landowner. It wasn't about the garden, it was worth facing the truth. Ranevskaya asked not to judge and to show pity. Without a garden, her life will have no meaning. Every day the landowner received telegrams from Paris. At first she immediately destroyed them, then read them and tore them up. At present she does not tear up telegrams. She still loved her lover, who asked her to come. Peter condemned her for loving a scoundrel. Ranevskaya got angry and scolded him. Trofimov was about to leave this place, but as a result he stayed and danced with the landowner, who asked for his forgiveness.
Lopakhin and Gaev appeared. The landowner's brother immediately went home. The garden was sold. It was purchased by Lopakhin. The landowner picked up the keys that Varya had thrown on the floor.
Ranevskaya was sobbing. Anna consoled her. The garden was sold. However, there is still a whole life ahead. They will have a different garden, more magnificent than the current one.
The house turned out to be empty. Those present said goodbye to each other and left. Lopakhin was going to Kharkov in the winter, Trofimov was leaving for Moscow. Lopakhin and Trofimov exchanged barbs. Lopakhin offered Peter money for the trip. Trofimov refused.
The mood of the landowner and her brother improved somewhat after the garden was sold. Previously, they were troubled by worry and suffering. And now they have calmed down. The landowner was going to live in Paris, using the money that her aunt sent. Anna feels excited about her new life. Suddenly Simeonov-Pishchik appeared. But he did not ask for a loan, but distributed the debts. White clay was found on his land by the British.
Everyone settled in their own way. The landowner's brother became a bank employee. Lopakhin promised to find a place for Charlotte. Varya became the Ragulins' housekeeper. Epikhodov remained on the estate. Firs was about to be sent to the hospital.
There had to be an explanation between Lopakhin and Varya. The girl likes Lopakhin. However, she cannot offer herself to him. Lopakhin agreed to end this immediately. However, during the meeting arranged by the landowner, Lopakhin could not make up his mind and left.
Everyone left the house and locked the doors. Only Firs remained in the house, whom everyone had forgotten about. He complained that the master left not in a fur coat, but in an overcoat. Then he lay down and lay motionless. The sound of a broken string was heard. In the garden you could hear the sound of an ax hitting a tree.
