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- Characteristics and image of Varya in the story The Cherry Orchard
One of the main characters of the work is Varvara Mikhailovna, who became the adopted daughter of the main character of the play, Lyubov Andreevna Ranevskaya.
The writer presents Varya in the image of a twenty-four-year-old girl, modest and pious, holding the entire economy of a collapsing estate on her fragile shoulders.
This is a simple, down-to-earth woman who conscientiously fulfills part-time duties as the Ranevskys’ housekeeper, clearly understands the existing situation, expressed in the current ruin of the estate, but knows how to save even in difficult circumstances.
Varya’s appearance is nondescript, and her clothes are simple and modest, since Varya can’t afford to have a colorful wardrobe. In conversations, Varya is distinguished by her simplicity of speech and everyday expressions.
The girl is deeply religious, characterized by fear of God, considering the main dream of her life to go to a monastery or wander to holy places. Although she also has real female desires to start a family and have children, Varvara is well aware that she has little chance of fulfilling her dream, since she does not have a dowry, nor do she have rich relatives. Varvara’s nature is distinguished by practicality and rationality, since life situations have strengthened the character of a young woman and taught her various ways to survive, but at the same time Varvara is a very sensitive and naive girl, who passionately loves loved ones and, to the best of her ability, tries to make their lives easier.
The potential groom in the work for Varvara is the merchant Lopakhin, who sympathizes with Ranevskaya’s adopted daughter, but the girl, due to her upbringing and modesty, cannot ask him to enter into a relationship, and there is no initiative on Lopakhin’s part. Therefore, after the sale of the estate and Ranevskaya’s departure from the estate, Varvara is forced to enter another rich house as a governess in order to earn herself a certain amount for living expenses.
Revealing the image of Varvara in the work, the writer focuses on the strong and strong-willed character of the girl, who is able to withstand life’s circumstances and begin a new life stage in her destiny.
Option 2
The adopted daughter of Lyubov Andreevna Ranevskaya, Varya is a minor but important character in A.P. Chekhov’s comedy “The Cherry Orchard.” In her image, the playwright embodies his ideas about a person who was one of the few who managed to fit organically into his time.
Grateful to Ranevskaya for her decent upbringing and love, Varya is distinguished by her modesty and simplicity. The twenty-four-year-old girl places all the troubles and worries associated with running the estate on her shoulders. She continues to do this even when the family is experiencing deep emotional shock on the occasion of the upcoming auction.
Varya is a simple, thrifty and rational girl. Her outfit is not bright and tasteful, she does not conduct intelligent small talk, and at the same time attracts the attention of others with her charm, emotionality and virtue. Varya is a deeply religious person, her main dream is to go to a monastery or travel to holy places.
Despite this, Varya is not alien to ordinary earthly feelings. She sincerely loves her younger sister Anya, her adoptive mother, her uncle and the cherry orchard, a love for which almost every character in the comedy is imbued with. In addition, it is known that Varya has an ambiguous relationship with the merchant Ermolai Alekseevich Lopakhin. Despite the fact that everyone around is deeply convinced that the wedding will take place very soon, that this matter is decided, everything turns out to be much more complicated. Varya is a respectable and good girl, whose character is endowed with many merits, but still she is poor and does not have a rich dowry, which probably serves as one of the obstacles for Ermolai Alekseevich, who never proposes to Varya. At the end of the work, the girl is forced to leave to serve as a housekeeper on a neighboring estate, so that one day, having saved up money, she can also move to her adoptive mother, who has gone to Paris with the whole family.
So, we understand that a heroine like Varya is necessary in the comedy “The Cherry Orchard.” Against the background of her image, the differences between the so-called “past” and “present” centuries are visible. A rational, wise and collected girl knows how to manage resources, her time and energy, and therefore finds a suitable place in life for herself even after the sale of the cherry orchard, which meant as much to Varya as it did to the older generation. It is thanks to this heroine that the reader realizes the need for a practical, modern, but uncomplicated view of things, allowing one to cope with life's troubles.
Essay Image and Characteristics of Varya
Play by A.P. Chekhov's "The Cherry Orchard" was completed by the author in 1903. Already in the next 1904, after the play was staged, it began to gain fame and wide popularity. The work is lyrical in nature.
One of the characters in the play is the adopted daughter of the landowner L.A. Ranevskaya. A girl of twenty-four years old, left by her adoptive mother on the farm during her absence. While Ranevskaya was with her daughter Anna in France, Varya managed all the household affairs on the estate. The inability of her relatives to save and live within their means leads to the fact that Ranevskaya’s estate should be put up for sale for debts.
Varvara Mikhailovna is a modest, reserved, believing girl. Among her desires is the cherished desire to visit holy places. She also reflects on monastic life. All her efforts to put Ranevskaya’s financial affairs in order come to naught. Lyubov Andreevna, even on the verge of complete ruin, is not able to comprehend the scale of the loss. She is unable to lead a lifestyle that matches the size of her wallet.
Even money borrowed from the merchant Lopakhin flows out of Ranevskaya’s hands like water into sand. Varya sees all this and cannot influence her adoptive mother in any way. Lyubov Andreevna does not know how and does not want to limit herself. She literally wastes money left and right, not thinking at all that the estate is up for sale. The Cherry Orchard, which is supposedly so dear to Ranevskaya, may be cut down. But this fact does not stop a person who knows nothing else in life but to satisfy his desires.
Varya worries about the fate of the estate and the cherry orchard. But she simply cannot change anything around her. She was the only one of all her relatives who was worried and did her best to change the situation.
The merchant Lopakhin had views of this estate. After acquiring the estate, he wanted to cut down the garden and rent out the plots to summer residents. There was sympathy between Lopakhin and Varya. But Lopakhin never decided to propose to Varvara to marry him. But the heroine could not overcome her natural modesty and impose herself on a person dear to her heart.
After the sale of the estate, Varya is waiting for another house, where she will have to work for the owners. But that doesn't scare her. Unlike the cherry orchard, her life goes on.
Other works: ← The meaning of the title of Chekhov's story The Chameleon ↑ Chekhov A.P. Image and characterization of Anna Sergeevna in the play Lady with a Dog →
Characteristic
In accordance with the plot of Anton Chekhov’s famous play “The Cherry Orchard,” the central character Lyubov Andreevna Ranevskaya not only has an heiress, Anya, who is related to her by blood, but also a pupil, Varvara Mikhailovna, whom Ranevskaya also considers her daughter. It is the decent and modest Varya, who is already 24 years old, who takes care of all the economic affairs on the estate, trying to prevent final ruin.
Varvara correctly assesses the situation, being in fact the housekeeper in the family. Despite extremely unfavorable circumstances, the girl still strives in every way to save for the sake of people whom she perceives as her closest relatives.
Outwardly, Varya seems rather nondescript to others, and besides, she does not have the funds to purchase expensive and bright outfits. In conversations, Varvara Mikhailovna limits herself to the most ordinary speech patterns and expressions, not trying to make a favorable impression on anyone.
The adopted daughter of Lyubov Ranevskaya is distinguished by a high degree of religiosity; the God-fearing Varya dreams of becoming a nun or making a long pilgrimage to places considered holy. At the same time, Varvara sometimes thinks about her own family, about having children, but the girl clearly realizes that she is unlikely to be able to get married, since she does not have a dowry or wealthy relatives. Varya has already had to endure quite serious trials, which have strengthened the young woman and formed her practical and rational life position. However, at the same time, Varvara Mikhailovna remains a rather naive and simple-minded girl. She is ready to do anything to make the existence of her loved ones easier, whom Varya passionately and sincerely loves.
The merchant Lopakhin shows a certain interest and sympathy for Varvara. But the man does not do anything that could prove his desire to marry Ranevskaya’s adopted daughter, and Varya herself, due to the upbringing she received and her inherent shyness, clearly cannot show at least minimal initiative in this case. After the sale of the house and the departure of Lyubov Andreevna, Varvara Mikhailovna is forced to take a job with a wealthy family as a governess, since the girl has no means of subsistence left.
Varya is one of the most worthy characters in this work. Her image becomes an example of a truly strong character and considerable willpower, thanks to which Varvara decides to start all over again after the collapse of her former life.
The image of Ranevskaya in the play “The Cherry Orchard” (A.P. Chekhov)
Dear readers, we invite you to get acquainted with one of the most controversial women in literature and delve into the image of Ranevskaya in the play “The Cherry Orchard”.
A.P. Chekhov, undoubtedly, raised the theater to a new, higher level with his creativity. His play “The Cherry Orchard” became the subject of controversy and gossip, but definitely left its mark on the history of world theater. The main character of the dramatic work is Lyubov Andreevna Ranevskaya. This is a beautiful older woman with a difficult fate. It was always very difficult for the actresses who had the chance to play the role of Ranevskaya, because her image is ambiguous and contradictory. Although Chekhov himself stated that her role was simple, you just need to start the theatrical performance correctly and freeze for a long time in that state of mind. Why did this image attract all the attention of critics and viewers?
Chekhov was always famous for his skillfully described female characters, yet Ranevskaya turned out to be special for him. Lyubov Andreevna went through a difficult life path. We meet her at the beginning of the play, when she returns from Paris. Ranevskaya, at a young age, married a simple attorney who was not of noble origin. In addition to the fact that he squandered his property at the speed of light, he also had an addiction to alcohol, which led to his sudden death. Ranevskaya was left with his debts and children. She had two daughters, adopted (Varya) and native (Anya), and a small son. Despite all these events, she found herself another man who also did not mind living at her expense. The new idyll was ruined by an accident: Ranevskaya’s little son drowned. Unable to quench her pain in the house, where every corner reminded her of her son, the woman went to Paris, followed by her lover. But in Paris everything was different, he left Ranevskaya when she had already spent all the money. In addition, her house was put up for auction for debts. Ranevskaya returned from France to solve the problem of selling the house.
Definitely, the fate of this woman is not simple, but let's look at her image as a person. At first glance, she is a kind, generous, sweet woman. Everyone who is waiting for her return says only the most flattering words about her. Everyone notes her positive qualities. Ranevskaya is a real noblewoman, she is characterized by manners and highly spiritual thoughts. Despite the deplorable nature of her financial situation, she in no way pretends to be poor, but on the contrary. Her kind heart is responsive to the problems of other people, her memory preserves the times when she could not refuse to help anyone.
However, Ranevskaya's real character begins to emerge in the matter of selling the cherry orchard. For her, this garden is a secluded corner of a distant and happy childhood. This is the place where her world was born, in which she now lives. She doesn’t want to sell the cherry orchard at all. But at the same time, she doesn’t even try to do anything to save him and her estate. Lopakhin offers her a real way out of this situation: to sell the land for dachas and make a profit from it. Ranevskaya did not listen to him; she felt sorry for her house and garden. However, while verbally sparing her estate, she does nothing to save it. This is one of those negative qualities that hides behind her kindness.
Lyubov Andreevna remained a child of the nobility to whom everything was allowed. She is used to living in luxury, throwing money around left and right, without thinking that it tends to run out. And even when her family became completely impoverished, she continued to live as if everything was fine with them. A striking example is the scene where a passerby asks for money. Ranevskaya gives away the last gold piece. At first glance, she seems to be a deeply sensitive woman who is not alien to the grief of others. On the other hand, somewhere her adopted daughter Varya is sighing, not knowing what to feed her family. And in this sigh is the whole truth. Another example is an organized celebration with an orchestra. She wants the ease of life, the old wonderful times. The woman does not think about the fact that music needs to be paid. And this action takes place at the moment when the fate of their beautiful cherry orchard is being decided. This is not to say that she is not worried at all; her thoughts every now and then return to her brother, who went with Lopakhin to the auction to try his luck. Yes, that's all she hopes for luck. Her mood is constantly changing: she sings, then again asks about her brother, whether he has arrived. This heroine lives in her own serene world, understandable only to her, where there are no terrible realities of life, debts and sales. Sometimes she comes out, but, having been painfully burned, returns to the cocoon she created. Then everyone again sees in front of them that kind, gentle, smiling Ranevskaya to whom they are so accustomed. Lyubov Andreevna herself understands her vices and even talks about them. However, understanding it does not lead to changes in life. Everything remains at the level of words and returns to normal.
It is worth noting the main character as a mother. Ranevskaya raised two beautiful daughters, but here everything is not so simple. Varya is an adopted daughter, Lyubov Andreevna treats her like her own. But still does not have that highest maternal love, which is written about in books and sung in songs. Before leaving the estate, she wanted to marry her Varya with Lopakhin and even pushed him to propose to the girl. But Lopakhin hesitated and still could not even utter a word. Ranevskaya did not insist on her own way and did not shelter Varechka. In the end, the girl left to work as a housekeeper, although she could have remained a mistress on her native estate. The same goes for Anya. After the sale of the cherry orchard, Lyubov Andreevna took the money that her aunt had sent them and went to Paris to live with her lover, who left her a couple of months ago. At the end, Anya says that somehow mother will live on this money, and then she will help her get on her feet.
Ranevskaya’s duplicity also manifests itself in relation to the old servant, the lackey Firsa. When he gets sick, she always asks about his condition, whether he was taken to the hospital, and whether he needs any help. But soon she quickly forgets about the footman and simply leaves him, leaving for France.
The image of Ranevskaya in Chekhov's play is ambiguous. It symbolizes the era of those people who were highly intelligent, had a rich inner world, and lived according to the dictates of their hearts. Such people were not ideal either. The author shows all the heroine's shortcomings with interest. But new times have come, where you need to work on the land and achieve success through labor. This is especially clear from the way her daughter Anya perceives the sale of the cherry orchard. She does not agree that he should be preserved in the name of memories. She believes that with the sale of the estate, the old life ends and a new one begins. This is the eternal conflict between the old man and the new time, which always wins in the end.
Essay about Varya
Chekhov has a very interesting work “The Cherry Orchard”. Among them, one of the main characters is Varya. She was adopted by Lyubov Ranevskaya when she was very young. During all this time, the girl did not know that she was not her own daughter, because she raised her with love and kindness, cared for her and protected her from all the problems that came her way. And Varya helped her mother in everything and kept the entire household on herself. Not a day went by that she didn't clean the large estate.
In addition, the girl had abilities in the economic sphere, and knew how to properly reduce expenses and increase income.
Also, Varya did not like to dress too brightly and flashily, and most of all she loved simple and ordinary clothes. But men still find beautiful sides in her, and even flirtatiousness, and when they give her compliments, she does not refuse them and accepts them with pleasure. Many people liked to talk with the girl, but that’s all because she told everything in a simple and accessible language, and it was a pleasure to listen to her. The girl also likes to attend and be in church. And more than anything else, she wants to go to a monastery forever and connect her life with it. But she has one more dream. She wants to find her love and create a large and friendly family. But who would want to take her as a wife, because the girl does not have any rich dowry and never will. The girl has been in various situations and has already learned to survive in them and always stay afloat. She also wants to help her mother become happy and for this she is ready to do a lot.
And then one day a groom was found and Lopakhin became him. It’s just that he’s just dating her, and there were no further attempts on his part. And everything remained in one place. Although the girl would immediately agree to become his beloved wife and love him until the end of her days. But she herself cannot propose marriage to him, because she is brought up. When her mother left and sold the house, the girl went to live with another family in order to earn money and go to her mother.
Many argue that everything was ruined by Varya’s husband, who did not love her one bit and constantly humiliated and offended her, but the beloved must be protected and loved, but the girl did not see this. That is why she gradually became cynical and selfish.
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Representatives of the future of Russia will be considered here - these are educated young people who put themselves above any feelings, which was fashionable in the early 1900s. At that time, public duty and the desire to develop science were put in first place. But one should not assume that Anton Pavlovich portrayed revolutionary-minded youth - this is, rather, a depiction of the majority of the intelligentsia of that time, who were engaged only in discussing lofty topics, putting themselves above human needs, but were not adapted to anything.
All this was embodied in Trofimov - the “eternal student” and “shabby gentleman”, who was never able to graduate from anything and had no profession. Throughout the play he only talked about various matters and despised Lopakhin and Varya, who was able to admit the idea of his possible romance with Anya - he is “above love.”
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It was during that period that Lopakhin’s hero could appear - then this “rising” peasantry, proud of the realization that they were no longer slaves, showed a higher adaptability to life than the nobles, which is proven by the fact that it was Lopakhin who bought Ranevskaya’s estate.
Why was the characterization of the characters in “The Cherry Orchard” chosen specifically for these characters? Because it is on the characteristics of the characters that their internal conflicts will be built.
