Summary:

The play is set in Russia, in the late 1800's. Act I opens at dawn, in the month of May, inside Madame Ranevsky's estate. The acts are not divided into scenes, although the entrances and exits of different characters delineate distinct moments of action.

Lopakhin, a wealthy neighbor, and Dunyasha, a maid, are waiting for Madame Ranevsky, her daughter Anya, and their companions to return to their cherry orchard estate from France, where they have spent five years. The room they are in is called the nursery. Dunyasha and Lopakhin begin by discussing the tardiness of the trains, and Lopakhin recounts his childhood memories of Madame Ranevsky, who once brought Lopakhin, then a serf's son, into the main house, after his father struck him, to care for him and to wash him. After Lopakhin's speech, Dunyasha expresses her anxiety at the return of the family.

Ephikhodof, a clumsy clerk infatuated with pretentious Dunyasha, enters the nursery with a nosegay, his boots squeaking the whole way. Lopakhin sends Dunyasha for a drink, and he and Ephikhodof have a brief and comic discussion on the weather and squeaky boots. Dunyasha re-enters, and Ephikhodof falls over her on his way out. Dunyasha confesses to Lopakhin that Ephikhodof has proposed to her. Lopakhin is not interested, but Dunyasha goes on to explain her feelings; she is fond of the clerk's personality, but not his clumsiness, and she does not know what to do.

Madame Ranevsky finally arrives, bringing her daughters Barbara and Anya, her brother Gayef, Anya's governess Charlotte, and Pishtchik, a neighbor, along with her. Madame Ranevsky cries, as she often does. After a brief moment of welcome-home chaos, the stage is empty except for Anya and Dunyasha, who grew up together. Dunyasha tries to discuss Ephikhodof, but only captures Anya's attention by mentioning that Trophimof, the tutor of Anya's deceased younger brother Grisha, is in the house. Barbara, the older daughter, enters with an enormous ring of keys at her waist. Dunyasha leaves to make coffee, and the sisters reunite. Barbara is also a crier, and she cries with happiness at seeing Anya, and then with distress as Anya describes the family's financial problems. Madame Ranevsky, used to living the luxurious life, is spending money she does not have, and now the family cannot pay the interest on the mortgage; the cherry orchard will be sold in August. Lopakhin enters during this tense moment, moos like a cow at Barbara, and exits. Barbara hopes to marry Lopakhin, and society expects it. She confesses to Anya that he has not proposed, and begins crying again. She announces that she wants to become a pilgrim.

Dunyasha returns with coffee; Yasha, Madame Ranevsky's social-climbing servant, enters with bags. He does not recognize Dunyasha; when she tells him her name, he embraces her, calls her a "little cucumber," and chases her around the room. Dunyasha squeals in delight and Yasha runs out before Barbara can reprimand him.

Anya ponders the significance of tutor Trophimof's return. She briefly describes the death of her father six years early, followed shortly by the death of her younger brother, who drowned at age seven. These events prompted Madame Ranevsky to go abroad and forget her misfortunes, and Anya reflects that Trophimof, who was her brother Grisha's tutor, might remind Madame Ravensky of the tragedy.

After Anya's reflections, Firs, a former serf and present servant, enters the scene. He is talking to himself, for he is half deaf and of questionable sanity. Although he is not quite communicating with anyone else on stage, one can tell he is delighted at his mistress's return, and his comments, as usual, are nostalgic and focus on events of years gone by. He proclaims that now that he has seen his mistress Madame Ranevsky come home, he is ready to die, a comment which clearly illustrates the old social order in Russia.

Madame Ravensky, her brother Gayef, and neighbors Pishtchik and Lopakhin enter. Gayef pretends he is playing billiards, his trademark behavior. Anya says good night and exits. Firs waits on Madame Ranevsky and Barbara suggests that the guests go home. Madame Ranevsky thanks Firs profusely and starts crying again, with joy. Firs responds to her thanks with completely unrelated comments, due to his hearing problems. Pishtchik and Lopakhin begin complimenting Madame Ranevsky. Lopakhin goes on to complain about Gayef, who thinks Lopakhin a snob, and insists he loves Madame Ranevsky dearly. Madame Ranevsky is excited and begins kissing the furniture; Gayef breaks the mood by telling her of members of the household that have died in her absence. Madame Ranevsky already knows, but her reaction is interesting. She becomes very quiet and still, with none of her usual drama. This change in her behavior emphasizes her flaws as a character; she is a creature of positive excess reacting with more emotion to the furniture of her home than to the death of her old friends.

Lopakhin is about to leave, and he changes the subject with his plan to save Madame Ranevsky's estate from auction: if she cuts down the cherry orchard and the old house, she can build villas, sell them to the nouveau rich, pay off the interest, and make a profit. Madame Ranevsky and Gayef do not understand the suggestion. Pishtchik changes the subject by asking Madame Ranevsky about Paris.

Barbara enters with Yasha and two telegrams for her mother from Paris; Madame Ranevsky tears them up dramatically; Gayef then announces that the cupboard in the room is one hundred years old. Pishtchik acts astonished, which encourages Gayef to embarrass himself, which he does frequently. He gets on his knees and recites a dramatic and ridiculous ode to the cupboard, while the rest of the company looks on, embarrassed for him and astonished. When he realizes how foolish he looks, he begins playing imaginary billiards again. Pishtchik saves the mood by swallowing an entire box of pills: although his act is equally foolish as Gayef's speech, everyone finds it wildly entertaining. Firs continues to mumble, and Charlotte, the governess enters. She is a strange personality; a social misfit. She teases Lopakhin, refuses to do a conjuring trick, and goes off to bed. Lopakhin says his good-byes. Pishtchik asks Madame Ranevsky for a loan to pay his mortgage, despite the fact that he knows perfectly well that she cannot pay her own; she refuses him. Firs fusses over Gayef's clothes, and Barbara discover Anya asleep. Gayef and Madame Ranevsky look out over the orchard and reminisce.

Trophimof enters in shabby student clothes to greet Madame Ranevsky. At first she appears to not know him, so he explains himself as her deceased son's tutor; then she suddenly throws her arms around and beings to cry. She is not crying in happiness, but rather mourning for her son. She is startled to see that he has grown old, and a brief discussion of age follows; the subject irks Madame Ranevsky, but it does not seem to bother Trophimof. Pishtchik and Gayef begin to say their goodnights, and Pishtchik once again asks Madame Ranevsky for a loan to pay his own mortgage. This time she agrees, and despite a brief protest on his part, Gayef also concedes the money to Pishtchik. As Madame Ranevsky, Trophimof, Pishtchik, and Firs leave, Barbara announces to Yasha that his mother wants to see him. Yasha complains bitterly about this visit; as he exits, and Gayef discusses the family's financial problems with his nieces, referring to a distant aunt as an obscure source of economic hope. Gayef continues to describe what a small hope it is; in his opinion, the aunt, although wealthy, would disapprove of Madame Ranevsky's "sinful" life. Through his rather harsh criticisms of his own sister, another example of indirect action, we learn that Madame Ranevsky married beneath her aristocratic station, and, upon the death of her husband, became another man's mistress. Anya, one of the play's two idealists, is hurt by Gayef's words against her mother; Gayef is instantly shamed, and tries (rather ungracefully) to wriggle out of the situation by changing the subject. He bemoans the way his own words constantly embarrass him, as they did with his speech to the cupboard. He swears on his honor that he will do all he can to save the property, and says goodnight. Barbara drags a sleepy Anya towards her room; Trophimof enters to watch them leave and, as Anya disappears from stage, whispers after her "My sunshine! My spring!"

Analysis

The Cherry Orchard focuses on the tensions of changing times. For example, the room in Act I is called a nursery, although it has held no baby for years, and this misnomer introduces a nostalgic atmosphere into Madame Ranevsky's house. This tension between what was and what is centers on different levels. One level, personal tragedy, is very specific, and the death of Madame Ranevsky's son Grisha five years before the start of the play is one example. On another level, the play centers on the complications with major changes in an entire society: the recent freedom of the serfs and the decaying power of the aristocracy are two more general aspects of Russian history which affect the play.

Lopakhin's first speech is important because it immediately introduces this theme of Russia's newfound class mobility. In 1861, the system of serfdom was ended in Russia, and although this event happened perhaps fifteen years before Act I, it drives the action of the play. Lopakhin himself points out the irony in the situation developing in Russia; Lopakhin, born a serf, is now a wealthy, well-dressed landowner, calling on his aristocratic neighbor, Madame Ranevsky, as an equal. Despite his financial success, he still refers to himself as "a peasant of the peasants," noting a difference between himself, a nouveau rich, and the aristocratic members of the upper class. This speech introduces an ambiguity in Lopakhin's character which can only be resolved in a performance of the play; it is unclear from the text alone whether Lopakhin feels love, respect, and gratitude towards Madame Ranevsky and her family, or whether he harbors some resentment towards this household that held his father and grandfather as slaves. All of the characters in the play possess a similar ambiguity, which can only be alleviated by a director's choice.

Not only are Lopakhin's intentions unclear from the text alone, but he interacts with the other characters in very complicated ways, due, in part, to his own change in class. Although Lopakhin revels in his own economic transformation, he chides Dunyasha for not remembering her place in society, acting too much like a lady when she is only a maid. The close chronology between these two moments at the very opening of the play creates a tension about class differences which pervades the entire play. Dunyasha and Lopakhin come from similar, lower class backgrounds; however, Lopakhin has been able to fulfill his aspirations and rise through the class system, while Dunyasha is still trying. Lopakhin can easily be portrayed as a hypocrite for moments like his criticism of Dunyasha.

Ephikhodof, the next character to enter, is something of a clown, and his entrances are sources of comedy. Although he is an extreme example, he is not unlike the rest of the characters in the play: they are all ridiculous in some way. Even Barbara, who seems so stern, can be portrayed as a parody. Her keys, for example, are often as enormous as they are loud, depending on the performance. These keys are attached to her throughout the play, and they are a symbol of her authority in the household; her practicality and her sense of duty are both her biggest strengths and her most ridiculous qualities. While the sight and sound of her keys are a symbol of her power, they are also an unwieldy and ridiculous object. Barbara and her keys stand in sharp contrast to the younger sister, Anya, one of the play's two idealists. Anya is a charismatic character because she is both capable of being appalled at her mother's extravagant spending, and capable of forgiving her every flaw. She may appear more comic in later acts, when she and Trophimof, the other idealist, voice their philosophies.

Anya's criticism of her mother's overspending in France is important because it is one of The Cherry Orchard's many examples of indirect action, a technique Chekhov is famous for. The action described in the speech has not taken place on the stage, and is therefore indirect; the play revolves around the character's on-stage reactions to such off-stage action, for although this sort of action is not seen, it actually drives the plot. Lopakhin's opening speech is another example of indirect action, which both informs the audience of the past and maneuvers the development of the action.

Firs is a highly symbolic character, for as the oldest character, he is a remnant of the past. He spent almost his entire life as a serf on the estate. Freedom has not changed his life as it has changed Lopakhin's; although neither is a serf now, Firs is old and has nowhere else to go, so he stays on in the household as he always has, while Lopakhin has become independent and wealthy. The two of them reflect two different sides of the Russian serfs' freedom; together on stage, they create rather a complete picture of the fate of the old serfs, while Madame Ranevsky and her brother Gayef illustrate the fate of the old aristocracy. Madame Ranevsky's often comically joyful tirades on her homeland and her family demonstrate that she is a woman of excess. This excessiveness is both her most charismatic trait and her greatest weakness; she too is a ridiculous character. The contrast in her reactions to seeing her furniture again and the reality of he acquaintances' deaths implies early on in the play that this woman is completely incapable of dealing with difficulty; she ignores problems and constantly exaggerates her abilities and her emotions to create a perfectly happy world for herself.

For Madame Ranevsky and Gayef, cutting the cherry orchard down is not an option: the estate is too important. Their inability to comprehend the sense of Lopakhin's lucrative suggestion implies that they are two characters of the old aristocracy who cannot change with the changing times. They do not understand that if they do not cut down the orchard, it will go to auction and whoever buys it will cut it down anyway. Pishtchik is another character who does not seem capable of adapting and saving himself. He feeds off of others; he knows Madame Ranevsky has her own financial problems, yet he insists on asking her for money, complimenting her and goading her until she agrees. Madame Ranevsky agrees because of her own fundamental flaw, her excessiveness; she continues to live the life of a wealthy woman even as her assets dwindle. Even Gayef, the bumbling social idiot, can criticize her for this behavior, although he is too weak to stop her. Yasha is similar to Pishtchik in the way he feeds off Madame Ranevsky. His behavior with regards to his mother demonstrates his own flaw as a character. He has not seen his mother for five years, and he is more concerned with himself and impressing the family he serves than he is with visiting his own mother. Although he and Pishtchik both have charismatic moments on stage, they are both fundamentally parasites who frequent the cherry orchard for the purpose of benefiting from Madame Ranevsky's weak control of her purse.

Charlotte and Trophimof are the two final characters who appear onstage in this act. Each appears only briefly. They are both outsiders, and it is therefore appropriate they neither is fully integrated into the action until a later act.

The Cherry Orchard: Act II

Summary:

Act II opens in the outdoors, in the summertime. The set consists of a bench; the town in visible in the background. Charlotte, Yasha, and Dunyasha are sitting on the bench; Ephikhodof is standing, playing a guitar. Charlotte is dressed for hunting, and is cleaning her gun. She meditates out loud on her past; she is an orphan who spent her childhood performing tricks in county fairs, and she describes her continuing feelings of isolation.

No one else appears to be listening. Ephikhodof mistakes his guitar for a mandolin, and a brief comic exchange follows, wherein Ephikhodof focuses his attention on Dunyasha, Dunyasha fawns over Yasha, and Yasha smokes a cigar and admires himself. Charlotte enthusiastically attempts to join in on the bungled conversation, but no one wants to talk to her, and she leaves in something of a huff. Ephikhodof tries to get Dunyasha alone, but she sends him away so she can be alone with Yasha. The two of them have a rather comic and pretentious conversation, which informs the audience that they have become romantically involved. With the noise of another party approaching, Dunyasha scurries off to protect their secret romance.

Madame Ranevsky, Gayef, and Lopakhin enter the scene; Lopakhin is trying to convince Madame Ranevsky to sell the cherry orchard. She changes the subject by complaining about Yasha's cigar. Three conversations ensue: Lopakhin demands an answer, but no one responds to him, Gayef considers the railroad to himself, and Madame Ranevsky ponders her dwindling funds and her excessiveness. She drops her purse and Yasha picks up the coins. Madame Ranevsky complains that she spent too much money at lunch; she then complains that Gayef had another tirade, which embarrassed her, and Lopakhin agrees. Yasha laughs out loud at Gayef's foolishness, and Madame Ranevsky sends him away.

Lopakhin insists on the subject of the cherry orchard; there is a millionaire interested in the property. Gayef and Madame Ranevsky discuss the prospect of their wealthy aunt sending them money, but Lopakhin is scandalized to hear the amount they expect; it is nowhere near enough to pay the interest on the mortgage. Lopakhin insists that they build villas and sell them to save themselves financially; Madame Ranevsky and Gayef do not focus on the practicality of this suggestion, but, rather, moan about how tedious they find villa residents.

Madame Ranevsky follows this discussion by criticizing herself for the bad luck she has brought on herself during her life. She married an alcoholic, and when he died, followed shortly by her son, she went off with another man. She cared for this man through his illnesses, and he repaid her by robbing her in Paris and finding another woman. Madame Ranevsky attempted suicide, but instead returned to Russia. Her outpour is prompted by the fact that she has just received another telegram from her lover, asking her to return to Paris. She rips up the telegram and discusses a band, heard in the distance, with Gayef.

Lopakhin talks about his peasant roots again, referencing his poor penmanship as a symbol of his original class, and Madame Ranevsky advises him to marry, suggesting Barbara as a wife. Lopakhin goes along with the conversation, but his words do not betray enthusiasm. Gayef announces he has been offered a position in a bank, and Madame Ranevsky scoffs.

Firs enters, bringing a coat for Gayef, and through a misunderstanding, begins to discuss his recollections of the Liberation. Trophimof, Anya, and Barbara enter, and everyone sits. Lopakhin teases Trophimof about being escorted by two girls and being such an old student, and Trophimof responds by citing Lopakhin's carnivorous economic tendencies. Everyone laughs at the joke, although it may be truer than they would like. Madame Ranevsky begs Trophimof to continue a philosophical discussion from the day before; as he embellishes his ideas on the nature of man, we discover him to be another idealist, and full of good sense.

Gayef interrupts the mood by making an embarrassing ode to nature. An owl is heard, and Firs announces that a great misfortune is coming, just as it did before; he is referring to the Liberation. A tramp enters, startling the party, and begs for money, Madame Ranevsky cannot find any small change, and so gives him a considerable sum. The tramp exits, and Barbara howls in despair at her mother's spending. Madame Ranevsky announces that she has arranged the marriage for Barbara and Lopakhin. Barbara is mortified, and Lopakhin wriggles out of the situation by misquoting Hamlet.

Everyone exits except for Anya and Trophimof. Trophimof ponders that Barbara never lets them alone, and Anya considers that Trophimof has made her cease to love the cherry orchard as she once did. They both have larger, philosophical issues on their mind. Trophimof explains how the orchard makes him feel; although it is two hundred years old and has seen so much history, it frightens him that it has seen so little positive change. They philosophize together about the future; they have a romantic relationship, although being the idealists that they are, their relationship is not sexual. Barbara calls Anya into the house, and they exit.

Analysis

Act I is thematically occupied with the development of different characters' strengths and weaknesses. These themes are demonstrated again during Act II, but the central issue in Act II is the development of the play's views on Russian history, social and economic change, and the concept of progress.

These ideas of social change are demonstrated in the personalities and actions of the characters. For example, the moment when Madam Ranevsky drops her purse is a symbolic one. She is talking to herself, complaining that she spends more than she should, when she drops her purse and spills her money. This action is an accident, yet it differs very slightly from the way she behaves in general. She complains that she does not have enough money to pay her own mortgage. Then, moments later, she gives Pishtchik money for his mortgage. She laments that there is barely enough for the servants of the household to eat, and then dines at restaurants and tips the waiters in gold. Her words suggest that she wants to save her money, but her actions always betray a tendency to the opposite. She is careless with her purse, whether she is dropping her money deliberately or not. After she drops it in the garden, Yasha scurries to her side to help her collect the coins; this picture continues the symbolism established at the beginning of this sequence. Although Yasha is only helping his employer to collect what she has dropped, his eagerness to help with this particular task parallels the way in which he shadows Madame Ranevsky so that he might benefit personally from her own excessive tendencies with her purse.

Another thematically loaded moment in Act II immediately follows the incident of the spilled coins; Lopakhin tries to persuade Madame Ranevsky and Gayef to sell their property as villas, and they will have none of it. The siblings hesitate for two reasons. In Act I, they explained that their estate and cherry orchard are too important to be torn down; at this moment, in Act II, they condemn the idea of dealing with villa residents as "vulgar." This exchange between the decaying aristocratic family and Lopakhin, the wealthy former serf, illustrates many of the important social issues at work in the play. Now that the serfs have been freed, the older upper class no longer has an economic position with such long-term security. However, Madame Ranevsky and Gayef appear incapable of taking any economic threat seriously. It is interesting that the prospect of having villa residents is so distasteful to them. Villa residents would not come from old money, as Madame Ranevsky and Gayef do, but would rather come from the nouveau rich created by the rearrangement of the Russian classes. Madame Ranevsky and Gayefs' resistance to Lopakhin's suggestions therefore illustrates their inability to adapt to their changing society; they continue to think themselves somehow above their problems and above having to depend on people from common families. The intrigue of the play revolves around whether or not they can overcome this current blindness to their necessity to adapt.

Firs addresses this same issue in his entrance; he recalls the happiness of the serfs immediately following the Liberation, but laments that they did not understand why they should be happy. At least before the Liberation, Russia was an ordered society. Although the Liberation created a more fair class system, it did not necessarily improve the lives of individuals or create a stronger country. Firs' choice to remain with Madame Ranevsky and Gayef, despite his freedom, demonstrates the same reservations about social change that they have, but from a different class perspective.

Trophimof has a much stronger presence in this act, and his philosophical remarks further meshes out the ideology of the play. Trophimof is the only character in the play who consistently speaks words of wisdom. The tensions he meshes out in his own views of Russian society may represent the thesis of the play as a whole, as many of the details he points out are directly dealt with in the action. Through his final discussion on the cherry orchard, Trophimof contrasts the idea of change with the idea of progress. While he is apparently in favor of the freedom of the serfs, he also does not consider the Liberation as a source of positive social change. He is optimistic, in that he hopes Russia and humanity will correct their shortcomings in the future, but he is also realistic, in that he views the Liberation as necessary change, but not sufficient.

The Cherry Orchard: Act III

Summary:

Act III is set inside the estate, during a party in August on the day of the auction of the cherry orchard. Music is heard. Pishtchik, Charlotte, Trophimof, Madame Ranevsky, Anya, Barbara, and Dunyasha enter in the background, with assorted guests, and dance the grand-rond. Firs serves drinks. Pishtchik and Trophimof come into a sitting area and Pishtchik complains about his money troubles dozes from time to time. Barbara comes into the sitting room and Trophimof teases her, calling her Madame Lopakhin. She is angry, both at the joke, and at the expense the party represents. She leaves, and Trophimof comments to Pishtchik that Pishtchik could have done great things in his life with all the energy he has devoted to scrounging for money to pay his loans. Pishtchik agrees, and falls into a momentary panic, thinking he has lost his purse, which he quickly recovers.

Madame Ranevsky and Charlotte enter. Madame Ranevsky wonders where Gayef is, and why she had the dance. Charlotte performs card tricks for the group; they all applaud, and Pishtchik announces that he loves her. Her final magic trick involves making Anya appear from behind a shawl; she kisses her mother and quickly scurries away. She then performs the same trick with Barbara, and exits herself, with Pishtchik following.

Madame Ranevsky cannot distract herself from the outcome of the auction. Barbara insists that their wealthy aunt will have bought the cherry orchard for Anya's sake, but Madame Ranevsky knows that the aunt does not trust her enough to spend so much money on her.

Trophimof breaks in to tease Barbara, calling her Madame Lopakhin again. Barbara is upset; it's not that she doesn't want to marry Lopakhin, but he has never proposed. Despite all the discussion of how they should get married, he always wiggles out of his opportunities. Barbara thinks his hesitance is because he is too occupied with money; she herself announces that she would join a nunnery in an instant, if only she had money to join. Trophimof mocks her, and she starts crying again.

Yasha enters, laughing, to announce that Ephikhodof has broken a billiard cue, and Barbara rushes off to reprimand him. Madame Ranevsky seizes the opportunity to criticize Trophimof for teasing Barbara. He explains that he does it because she always follows he and Anya around, trying to prevent a romance. He insists her efforts are useless, as he and Anya are "above love;" Madame Ranevsky comments grimly that she must therefore be beneath it.

She begins to panic about the outcome of the auction; Trophimof points out that now it is far too late to panic, as she in essence lost the cherry orchard long before through her inaction. She announces that the cherry orchard is a symbol of her family and of her self; when they sell it, they sell her as well. She holds a telegram from her abusive lover during her tirade, and she begins to cry. Madame Ranevsky confesses to Trophimof that her lover has asked her back, and that she will go. Trophimof is devastated by her choice; he too begins crying and pleads with her. Madame Ranevsky becomes defensive and then insulting, calling Trophimof a freak for not considering love, saying he is too cold to be able to understand her.

Trophimof runs out furious, and Madame Ranevsky instantly begs him to return. A crash is heard, and Anya enters, laughing that Trophimof has fallen down the stairs. The music starts again. Trophimof and Barbara enter, and Madame Ranevsky casually apologizes. They dance; Yasha and Firs enter, Firs complaining about his health. Yasha is irritated by the conversation, and Firs become offended.

Anya announces that she has heard that the cherry orchard has been sold, although no one knows to whom. Madame Ranevsky asks Firs where he will go if the property is sold, implying that she will not bring him with her; he announces he will go anywhere she tells him to. She notes that he looks ill, and Yasha interrupts to ask Madame Ranevsky to take Yasha back to Paris with her when she returns. Pishtchik enters, asks Madame Ranevsky to dance, and then begs her for another for another loan. She does not respond to either Pishtchik or Yasha, but her silence is as good as a yes.

Dunyasha enters, tittering about a compliment she received while dancing; both Yasha and Firs make irritated comments. Ephikhodof has followed Dunyasha out, and he maintains his good cheer despite her attempts to shoo him away. Barbara hurries in to scold Dunyasha and Ephikhodof for acting like guests. Ephikhodof sticks up for himself, but Barbara manages to remove him after a brief moment of comedy.

Lopakhin enters just as Ephikhodof leaves, coming face-to-face with a furious Barbara. Everyone rushes in to hear what happened at the sale. Before Lopakhin can answer, Gayef follows him in, wiping tears away. Lopakhin responds that the cherry orchard has, in fact, been sold. Madame Ranevsky begs for more information, but Gayef exits, taking Firs with him. Finally, Lopakhin answers the question; he has bought the cherry orchard. Madame Ranevsky falls into a chair, and Barbara throws her keys to the ground, and exits. Lopakhin begins his speech slowly, about how a millionaire immediately outbid Gayef's small sum, and then grows more and more excited as he describes his own triumph. By the end of his speech, he cannot hide his delight, and he commands the musicians to play. Anya leads her crying mother off the stage, promising her a new orchard, which symbolizes a new life.

Analysis

Act III is full of juxtapositions. In this act, not only do characters' class and social differences come out, but the way in which they interact in various moments emphasizes both the extreme differences between their personalities, and the similarities. Paradoxically, it is these exaggerated distinctions between these characters that create an awareness of some quality that unites them all.

The characters in this play are all remarkably distinct from one another on a individual level, but in a greater sense, they are similar because they all possess a tendency towards excess. For example, in the scene where Madame Ranevsky and Trophimof discuss their involvement with love, Trophimof asserts that he and Anya are "above love," to which Madame Ranevsky responds that she must be "beneath love." This moment is ironic because it emphasizes the differences between these two characters. On the one hand, Trophimof has found a lovely young woman with whom he shares certain chemistry. However, he and Anya are intellectual idealists, and they will part from each other at the end of the play forever, without having taken advantage of any opportunity they might have had together. On the other hand, Madame Ranevsky is fleeing to Russia from her cheating, abusive lover. She, however, is a woman controlled too much by her passions and not enough by her intellect, and at the end of the play she will return to the side of this monster who has so mistreated her. Trophimof and Madame Ranevsky have opposite problems when one considers the details of their situations, but in terms of the end of the play as a whole, they are in the same position: they each had a good opportunity, but by being so much themselves, they have managed to lose it.

Act III also contains the pivotal moment of the play's action: the sale of the cherry orchard, bought by none other than Lopakhin himself. This moment brings together many of the central ideas in the play. In the first place, it is the most beautiful example of indirect action, the technique which Chekhov is famous for, in the entire play. The sale of the cherry orchard takes place offstage, far away, yet its expected fruition completely drives the action of the plot. Moreover, this moment, which occurs offstage, provides the most dramatic of all moments on-stage, teaching us that visual action is superfluous, and indeed, unnecessary, next to the reactions of finely sculpted characters.

This scene is a moving account of the social change occurring in Russia; Lopakhin is now the owner of the estate where his father and grandfather were serfs, and Madame Ranevsky is homeless. This moment is full of the most powerful irony in the entire play, as the roles of the two main characters have been completely reversed from the beginning of their history to this moment. Theirs is the most extreme example of the changes in class which effect each character in the play.

In addition to being the most important moment in the play in this respect, this scene also has the potential to be the most important moment in terms of the development of Lopakhin and Madame Ranevsky as characters. Lopakhin is both triumphant and tactless; Madame Ranevsky is naïve and devastated. This dual aspect of the scene exits in the text, and it can be either emphasized or done away with, depending on the performance of the play. In any interpretation of the play, however, this interpretation of this scene must control the characters' identities from the beginning of a performance, and even still there are endless possibilities. Whether Lopakhin comes off as vindictive or as lovable throughout the play, this speech can be either the moment where the audience most identifies with him and feels his triumph, or most resents him for his lack of tact. By the same token, whether Madame Ranevsky is charmingly innocent or annoyingly naïve throughout the first two acts, at this moment, the audience sees her at her weakest; we may see her as a fool who acted too late or as a poor abused woman, beaten down by misfortune.

These moments of irony and symbolism are the fabric of the entire play, not only Act III. Part of the richness of the play depends on the variety of interpretations it supports. However, in choosing one's own interpretation, the reader should bear in mind that Chekhov was disappointed when his play was performed as a tragedy; the fact that the play may contain various moral lessons should in no way undermine the light-hearted, comic moments which pervade the entire play and are just as important to its substance.

The Cherry Orchard: Act IV

Summary:

The scene opens in October, in the same room as Act I, but now the furniture is piled in a corner. Gayef and Madame Ranevsky stand outside, saying good-bye to the peasants. Madame Ranevsky gives them her purse, and Gayef chides her. They go into another room, and Lopakhin attempts to call them back to have some champagne, held by Yasha. They will not have any, and Yasha drinks the champagne instead, criticizing its quality as he sips, while Lopakhin defends its worth.

Trophimof enters, looking for his galoshes so he can prepare to leave. He will see the family into town, and then return to the university in Moscow. Lopakhin makes a joke about how old Trophimof is to be a student; although Trophimof is irked at the joked, he and Lopakhin share a very tender farewell. Trophimof declines Lopakhin's offers of champagne and money, but he accepts an embrace, and advises Lopakhin not to draw too much attention to himself. Trophimof is still looking for his galoshes; Barbara throws a pair at him from offstage. Lopakhin again insists on giving Trophimof money, not out of pity, but as a sign of respect. Trophimof, however, then insists that as a free man, he cannot accept Lopakhin's money. The sound of axes is heard, and Anya enters to ask that they stop cutting down the orchard until the family has left. Lopakhin is embarrassed and exits after Trophimof to see to the request.

Anya asks Yasha if Firs has been sent to the hospital. Yasha says he thinks so, but Anya asks Ephikhodof to find out for sure. Yasha is insulted that she does not accept his answer, and Ephikhodof lightly comments that he wishes he were as close to death as Firs. Barbara enters the room and asks if Firs has gone to the doctor, and Anya responds yes, although she has yet to receive a definite answer. Barbara ponders why, if Firs has left for the hospital, the note for the doctor has been left behind. Anya exits to send the note after him. Barbara announces to Yasha that his mother wants to say good-bye; Yasha responds with irritation. Barbara disappears, and Dunyasha enters, crying over Yasha. Yasha is not moved; he is excited about going to Paris, and brushes Dunyasha off. His action is cold, but it is unclear whether or not Dunyasha is crying because she is upset or because it seems the glamorous thing to do.

Madame Ranevsky, Gayef, Anya, and Charlotte enter. Madame Ranevsky acts excited about her new life, and Gayef looks forward to his new job. Anya is not going with her mother; she is going to study, and she and her mother plan their anticipated reunion. Charlotte sings, holding a bundle as though it were a baby, and then throws the bundle away as she announces she is now without a position. Madame Ranevsky insists she will find Charlotte a new job.

Pishtchik enters, exhausted from his walk. He has somehow come into some money, and he pays Lopakhin and Madame Ranevsky a token portion of the debt he accrued with them. Only after explaining his luck does he realize Madame Ranevsky is leaving; he begins crying as he says his good-byes, and wishes her well before he exits.

Madame Ranevsky takes care of her final business. Anya again confirms that Firs has been to the hospital. Then Madame Ranevsky pushes Lopakhin one final time to marry Barbara. Lopakhin agrees that he will propose, and goes to offer the champagne again, but Yasha has drunk it all.

After Madame Ranevsky, Anya, Charlotte, Gayef, and Yasha have left, Barbara enters. Lopakhin inquires as to her plans now that the cherry orchard has been sold. Barbara says she has taken a position as a housekeeper, and Lopakhin replies that he has asked Ephikhodof to take on the cherry orchard for him. Lopakhin exits, without proposing, and Barbara sits on the floor and cries for a moment. The entire household re-enters, and everyone picks up luggage and says their final good-byes; the scene is chaotic. Gradually everyone leaves the room, save Madame Ranevsky and Gayef, who share one final moment of nostalgia while Anya calls them away from without. Finally, he responds to her calls, and the room is empty for a moment.

As the doors are locked from without, Firs enters. He has been forgotten, left behind. He complains that he does not feel well, and lies on an old bench. He is still for a moment, and the play ends.

Analysis

Act IV is an act when many of the play's loose ends come together. At the same time, the end of the play also remains ambiguous, and a performance may choose to either alleviate or preserve some of the loose ends that the text does not provide definite answers to.

Act IV is an act when many characters are most themselves. Lopakhin and Trophimof, for example, share a stunning good-bye. They are fond of each other, and they each make a gesture towards one another which acts as a sign of their respect for one another. Their gestures, however, differentiate in such a way that they are complete and true expressions of each man's own personality. Trophimof, for example, analyzes Lopakhin and gives him advice. This sort of mental exercise is what Trophimof, the philosophical idealist, does best, and although his words are somewhat critical, they are also well-meaning. Lopakhin, true to his recent success and consequent sense for the financial, offers Trophimof a small sum of money as a parting gift. He takes care to explain that he offers the money not out of pity, but out of respect, because he understands how inconsequential ideas of loss can be. They each offer the other the best thing they have that the other can find useful: Trophimof offers wisdom, and Lopakhin offers free money. We cannot quite know if Lopakhin follows Trophimof's advice, but we do know that Trophimof is too philosophical to accept Lopakhin's money. In this sense, their gestures are somewhat stunted, yet the scene remains extremely tender nonetheless, optimistically demonstrating that such different individuals have more in common than one would expect at the beginning of the play.

Although Lopakhin and Trophimof part so gracefully, not all of the characters' final appearances inspire optimism. While things are looking up for Pishtchik and Anya radiates hope, Charlotte forces the audience to remember that this final parting of ways is not joyous for everyone. The loss of the cherry orchard does not only affect Madame Ranevsky; as a result of the sale, Charlotte finds herself unemployed, with an uncertain future. Ephikhodof, Barbara, and Gayef have new jobs, and self-centered Yasha is allowed to travel with Madame Ranevsky, but loyal Firs is left behind altogether, and Barbara's hopes for romance with Lopakhin are dashed. In this way, the ending of the play is mixed, for while some see great opportunities ahead, other characters suffer great losses.

When Madame Ranevsky and her brother leave their family home for the final time, there is a sense that they have come to peace with the loss of the estate. The two of them look forward to the future, and their enthusiasm is contagious even if the audience doubts their abilities. It is another character, a much more minor character, who provides perhaps the most symbolic moment to Act IV: Firs. Act IV ends with Firs unmoving and unconscious, perhaps dead, forgotten, locked in the house where he was born a serf. In some ways it does not even matter whether or not he is dead: he might as well be. His position at the end of the play is symbolic ad can be read as a metaphor for the passing of the old order in Russia. This man was born a serf, and although he lived through the Liberation, he chose to maintain his position in the household because he had no other opportunities. Liberation was meaningless to him, and he stayed loyal to the family his whole life. The family, however, did not stay loyal to him; for all his service, no one could even be bothered to confirm whether this sick old man had been sent to the hospital, properly cared for. This negligence provides an extremely sharp criticism of the other characters' priorities: themselves. The fact that Firs has been forgotten demonstrates a lack of respect to Firs as a person, to his long service with the family, and to all the serfs that the Russia of Chekhov's day would not be held responsible for.

It is unclear whether or not Firs has died in the final scene, and while this neglect seems cold, it is not entirely pessimistic. Firs dies symbolically, and his immobility in the last scene indicates the passing of the old order. The class system, after so much upheaval, begins to settle down again with the passing of time, the deaths of the former serfs, and the integration of their children into society. Firs' presumable death is the last phase in a long process of change, beginning with former serfs like Lopakhin gaining power, the aristocracy losing power, and ending with the deaths of those who continued to live by the old system. In some ways, The Cherry Orchard describes nothing more than the growing pains of a society, and the fact that the play ends with a potential death should not be used to label the play a tragedy. The play describes the cycle of life, and it is important that we do not know for certain whether these characters will succeed or fail, live or die, because such an ending would rob the play of its greatest asset: its infinite possibilities. It is the play's ambiguity that provides so many interpretations and so many morals to so many different people.

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