The Cherry Orchard
Well this is the last play that we review before the semester is over…. It’s been a fun trip for learning that I can actually read and make some informed comments on them. I never thought that I would be reading one each week!
The Cherry Orchard was definitely not centered around a sex theme. Well, if you don’t count lover that the main character, Ranevskaya, has in Paris.
Looking back at it after reading is 0ne thing that caught my eye was that the play takes us through several various seasons. I think it starts in May then progresses through to August. I’m sure that the sets were produced to reflect this to the Russian people.
Other than that the focus of the playwright is like the changing of the seasons, Russia was changing also. He seemed to put in the people’s minds that off spring of a serf can indeed achieve and deserves the very thing that upper crust people of the era had. Really what happened is instead of elevating the serf class he destroyed the affluent to make them all equal in the in, sort of.
Chekov obviously has an ax to grind (or in this case a sickle) with people of power. He portrayed the orchard owners as unable to figure out how to pay the mortgage of their very own property. What?
I think Chekov would be happy with the direction the USA is headed and his plays would be writing themselves.
Oh one more thing, I think that there was a TON of symbolism in this play. Firs dieing at the end all alone and forgotten was more than obvious that the "old" way was now in the past.
Can’t wait to see the research papers!
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Great anaylsis. I like your take on the changes of the season and the changes in Russia. I agree the estate owners were potrayed as unable to make a sound decision regarding their finances or future. It has been a journey these past weeks but an appreciation for theatre has occured. Good Luck on the research paper.
ReplyDeleteThe lesson learned here is that no condition is permanent in life, people in power need to realize that. Just look at what is going on in the Us, houses are being foreclosed on, the highest bidder for that house may well be an ex -gardener or landscaper. To Kelli and Matthew, this has been an inspiring journey in theatre. I learned from your refreshing comments. Starting was not easy, but Matthew gave a great hint-read the synopsis first, that helps
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