In the Cherry Orchard , Anton Chekhov centers this play around the life of a troubled middle aged Russian Lady who let her feelings of love cloud her financial judgement. She is disconnected from the reality of her failing wealth and she is unable to control her spending habit. Ranevsky estate is in financial trouble and she faces loosing her estate forever.
The outside conflict in this play is selling of the family estate for the owed debts. Ranevsky is faced with an impending historical changes which is the end of the Cherry Garden periods with beautiful memories of their previous life. Then the potential new owner of the historical estate, the Lopakhin a Serf who lived with his family on the estate all their lives, Although born of Serf , Lopakhin managed to use the Liberation of the Serf to his full advantage and he is now a wealthy landowner and a businessman.
At the end Madame Ranevsky leaves the estate for the last time as the new owner, Lopakhin takes control of the estate he once lived as a peasant.
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Helen,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your take about the madame finacial judgements. She is disconnected with the reality of the situation and in denial which affects her judgement. It is a role reversal were the serf is now the owner of the estate and makes the most sound judgement of all.
There seems to always be some "other" message in our plays... I guess that is what makes them interesting.
ReplyDeleteEven though the serf did take control of the orchard, and felt a little bit bad about it, he still let his capitalist side win out.