History of creation
“The Cherry Orchard” is the final work of Anton Pavlovich Chekhov. It was originally intended to be a light-hearted, frivolous comedy. The plot was supposed to be the sale of the family estate for debts.
But as the creation progressed, it became clear: neither fun nor carefree would work here. Chekhov saw too many such stories in person, touched too many tragedies. In the new century, new people appeared - tenacious, assertive, strong. The process of impoverishment of the nobles was simply total: not accustomed to caring about tomorrow, they simply lived out their fortunes without thinking about the future.
Chekhov worked towards this play all his life. He checked the images and all the lines down to the smallest detail, corrected and rewrote his “The Cherry Orchard”. Some believe that Chekhov created a drama, others see tragicomism in The Cherry Orchard. Be that as it may, “The Cherry Orchard” has long and firmly entered the repertoire of the most famous theaters.
Issues:
- social issues (change of social strata, idleness of the nobles, the possibility or impossibility of building a new life);
- psychological issues (characters’ experiences);
- historical issues (change of times, generations, values);
- the path of Russia (the cherry orchard as a metaphor for Russia).
The meaning of the name: the cherry orchard is an image that connects two eras: the dying noble class and new people - tough, practical, economical. For both, the cherry orchard is desirable, even if they see it differently (the former as an ideal and a piece of beauty, the latter as capital and a source of development).
Literary direction: realism.
Literary genre: comedy.
Genre features: it is quite difficult to understand why Chekhov insisted that “The Cherry Orchard” is a comedy, because outwardly it is a drama: people’s lives are ruined, no one hears anyone, everyone behaves stupidly and inappropriately. One could say that this is a philosophical comedy: a view from above on a dramatic human situation that allows us to see the paradoxes of our own behavior and the humor of what, from a close distance, seemed sad. The world of “The Cherry Orchard” seems to be filled with distorting mirrors: the heroes’ generosity turns into extravagance, education into empty chatter. Next to the main characters there are their doubles, allowing you to see these heroes in a different light (a striking example would be a truly negative character - the lackey Yasha, who is a distorted reflection of Ermolai Lopakhin).
The 2nd act of “The Cherry Orchard” (see the full text of the play on our website) takes place a few weeks after the 1st in a field, near an abandoned chapel, not far from the estate of Ranevskaya and Gaev.
The Cherry Orchard. Act 2. Summary. Listen to audiobook
At first, the clerk Epikhodov, the maid Dunyasha, the footman Yasha and the governess Charlotte are sitting on a bench and standing next to it. Epikhodov, who is in love with Dunyasha, sadly notices that she is more favorable not to him, but to Yasha, who has been abroad. Epikhodov complains about his constant misfortunes, even talking about suicide. Yasha, apparently, has already seduced Dunyasha, but treats her rather arrogantly.
The servants soon disperse. Instead of them, the merchant Lopakhin, Ranevskaya and Gaev appear on the stage. Lopakhin again, as in Act 1, reminds Lyubov Andreevna and Leonid Andreevich that their estate will soon be sold for debts. He again invites them to cut down the cherry orchard and give the land for dachas.
Gaev and Ranevskaya answer him inappropriately and absent-mindedly. Lyubov Andreevna says that “dacha residents are vulgar,” and Leonid Andreevich, as usual, starts talking about billiards. The angry Lopakhin, ready to sob or scream, calls them “frivolous, strange and unbusinesslike” people who themselves reject the only way of their own salvation. However, his persuasion remains fruitless. Gaev only remembers: he and his sister have a rich aunt in Yaroslavl, from whom you can ask for money - but hardly more than a tenth of what is needed to pay off debts. Ranevskaya takes a telegram from her pocket: the lover who robbed her in France asks for forgiveness and begs to return...
Lopakhin doesn’t know how else to convince them. Ranevskaya hints that it would be nice for him to marry her adopted daughter Varya. Lopakhin says that he is not averse to it, but his words do not show much enthusiasm. Varya, Anya and Petya Trofimov just enter.
Lopakhin makes fun of Petya: he is almost 50 years old, and he is still a student. Petya criticizes Lopakhin in response: he will soon be a millionaire, but, in essence, he is just a predatory beast, devouring everything in his path, although such people are also needed for general “metabolism.”
Petya launches into idealistic discussions about the steady movement of humanity forward, about the inactivity of the Russian intelligentsia, who need to learn not to chat, but to work, to change the life around them. The practical Lopakhin treats Trofimov’s loud phrases with strong irony, noting: “you just need to start doing something to understand how few honest, decent people there are.” In the middle of the conversation, out of nowhere, as if from the sky, the distant sound of a broken string is heard, fading and sad - as if something familiar and dear had suddenly gone away forever. Lopakhin suggests: somewhere in the mines a tub fell off...
Everyone except Trofimov and Anya leaves. It is noticeable that Petya is in love with Anya, and she really likes his incessant hot speeches about the ideal. Left alone with Anya, Petya bursts into new high-flown tirades about the need to rise in freedom and happiness above everything small, to atone for the dark past through tireless work, to rise above fate and feel the imminent approach of universal happiness. Anya listens to him with admiration, although Trofimov preaches that love itself is also a kind of empty and petty, and one must learn to be above it. Trofimov’s vague, pointless statements are no less empty and ridiculous than Ranevskaya’s frivolous loves or Gaev’s calls for “goodness and justice.” Hired communist literary critics tried in vain to present this character in “The Cherry Orchard” in a bright, positive way.
Hearing the voice of Varya returning, Anya and Petya leave.
See further Chekhov's "The Cherry Orchard", act 3 - summary
Author of the summary
On our website you can read a summary of the entire play “The Cherry Orchard” in one article, the full text of its 2nd act, as well as a short biography of Anton Pavlovich Chekhov
Characters
Lyubov Andreevna Ranevskaya is a ruined aristocrat, a romantic and unearthly personality. Having become a widow early and having lost her son, Lyubov Andreevna leaves to join her lover abroad. In fact, she no longer has money: Ranevskaya is not used to saving, and her lover tried to extract all the funds from her.
Leonid Andreevich Gaev is Ranevskaya’s brother, attentive, smart, but completely unable to find himself in his new life.
Ermolai Alekseevich Lopakhin is a young man from a peasant background. Thanks to his active mind and intelligence, he became a millionaire. Ermolai Alekseevich is a spiritual, subtle person, but his commercial streak is stronger than his artistry.
Petya Trofimov is a dreamer, a “shabby gentleman”, in the past he was the teacher of Ranevskaya’s deceased son Grisha. He comes from the nobility, but has nothing. At the same time, he dreams of universal happiness, prosperity and a sky in diamonds. The complete opposite of Lopakhin.
Anya is the daughter of Lyubov Ranevskaya. A naive, enthusiastic girl. She is in love with Petya Trofimov and also dreams of universal happiness.
Varya is the adopted daughter of Lyubov Andreevna, manages her estate. A practical, down-to-earth girl. Everyone wants to marry her to Lopakhin, but Lopakhin is not interested in Varya.
Simeonov-Pishchik is a bankrupt landowner. Unlike Ranevskaya, she happily accepts the offer to rent out her plot of land.
Yasha is a lackey. An arrogant scoundrel who has no respect for his mother or his masters. All his dreams boil down to going abroad.
Dunyasha is a maid, a young frivolous girl. In a sense, her image is a parody of Lyubov Ranevskaya.
Semyon Panteleevich Epikhodov - aka “Twenty-two misfortunes”. The clerk, an extremely unlucky guy, always drops and breaks everything. In a sense, he is Gaev’s double (Leonid Andreevich’s disorder is perceived as a noble sad fate, but Epikhodov, unhappy to the point of stupidity, helps to see a farce in these sufferings). In love with Dunyasha.
Firs is a footman on the Ranevskaya estate, very old, almost deaf. Sincerely loves the owners, the estate and the cherry orchard. Symbolizes long past times - “when everything was different.”
Charlotte Ivanovna is a governess and circus performer. She introduces an element of farce just by her presence (destinies are destroyed, and she juggles).
Summary
Action 1
A room on the estate that everyone calls the nursery.
Ermolai Lopakhin and Dunyasha are waiting for Ranevskaya and her family to return from abroad. Ermolai Alekseevich warmly remembers Ranevskaya and reflects on his own fate: his father was a simple man, but he is dressed nobly. However, I did not receive an education. Lopakhin reproaches Dunyasha for behaving like a young lady - it’s not appropriate.
Ranevskaya arrives with Anya and servants (Charlotte Ivanovna, Yasha). Lyubov Andreevna and Anya are very happy to return home. Anya perks up when she learns that Petya Trofimov is now on their estate. Later, Petya, in love with Anya, appears.
From the conversations it immediately becomes clear that Ranevskaya is ruined. She has already sold her overseas property. This estate will also be sold for debts in the near future. Anya and Varya are very worried, but Lyubov Andreevna only examines everything and warmly remembers the past. Ermolai Lopakhin comes up with a proposal that can save Ranevskaya: the garden should be cut down, and the land should be divided into plots and rented out as dachas. Ranevskaya and Gaev are categorically against it: for them, the cherry orchard is a source of pride and the heritage of their family. Lopakhin asks to think about the proposal and leaves. Gaev says that perhaps the rich aunt will send money - in general, somehow it will work out.
Act 2
The area near the old church, from where you can see the cherry orchard and the city.
Dunya, Yasha, Epikhodov and Charlotte Ivanovna are walking. Dunya is in love with Yasha, Yasha is indifferent to her and even shuns her, Epikhodov (who sincerely loves Dunyasha) is extremely upset and is even thinking about suicide.
Lyubov Ranevskaya, Leonid Gaev and Ermolai Lopakhin arrive. Lopakhin asks what Lyubov Andreevna decided regarding the rent. Ranevskaya, as if not hearing, talks about her own things - scolds herself for squandering and immediately gives a gold ruble to a random passerby. Gaev conducts abstract conversations about the benefits of the railway. The sound of a broken string is heard.
A money transfer is expected from a rich aunt, but these funds are not even enough to pay off debts. But they don’t even want to think about renting out the land: that’s vulgar. Lopakhin is already angry because of their impracticality. Ranevskaya reproaches him for his lack of education and down-to-earthness and recommends marrying Vara. Gaev says that he was offered a job at a bank, but Lyubov Andreevna discourages his brother: he has nothing to do there. Firs arrives. He remembers the past with nostalgia. Varya, Petya and Anya appear. Everyone is talking (in fact, each about his own). When everyone leaves and Petya and Anya are left alone, Anya admits that she doesn’t value the cherry orchard so much and wants to think about the future.
Act 3
Living room of the Ranevskaya estate. Evening. August 22.
Music plays, everyone dances. Only Gaev and Lopakhin are missing: the auction is taking place right now, Ranevskaya’s estate is being sold.
For some reason, everyone hopes that Gaev will have enough money sent by his aunt to buy the estate, although it is absolutely clear that 15 thousand is not enough. Charlotte Ivanovna shows tricks. Yasha tells Ranevskaya that they need to go to Paris - everyone here is too simple and uneducated.
Ranevskaya is really going to return to France to her beloved - he wrote to her. Lyubov Andreevna wants to quickly arrange the fate of her daughters: she plans to marry Varya to Lopakhin, and Anya to Petya Trofimov. Among those present there is a conversation about love. Ranevskaya insists that for the sake of love you can do any act, reproaches Petya that he is “above love.” Petya reminds Lyubov Andreevna that she is striving to meet with a man who has already deceived and robbed her.
Lopakhin and Gaev enter. Gaev is crying. Lopakhin can barely hide his joy: the estate has been sold, and he is its owner! Lopakhin wants to immediately start cutting down the garden in order to rent out the land as soon as possible.
Lyubov Andreevna is crying, Anya is trying to console her. Varya throws away the keys to the estate and leaves.
Act 4
A children's room, but this time empty: all things are packed and waiting in the wings.
From the street you can hear that the garden is already being cut down. Lopakhin brings champagne to see Ranevskaya off with her family. Nobody wants champagne: everyone is sad. Everyone leaves for Kharkov together, and from there Lyubov Andreevna and Yasha will move to Paris, Anya will go to study, Petya will go to Moscow. Leonid Andreevich finds a place for himself in the bank. Dunya will go to work as a housekeeper. Ermolai Lopakhin promises to take care of Charlotte Ivanovna and Epikhodov. Firs fell ill, and, according to Yasha, he was sent to the hospital.
Simeonov-Pishchik comes in. Oddly enough, he returns the debt: it turns out that Pischik leased out his lands. Ranevskaya once again tries to bring Lopakhin together with Varya, but Lopakhin talks politely and does not make an offer. Everyone says goodbye to the house, closes it and leaves.
Firs appears: they simply forgot about him. Firs understands this, but is not angry with the owners.
The sound of a broken string is heard. You can hear the cherry orchard being cut down.
A.P. Chekhov. "The Cherry Orchard". Retelling the content by actions. Action 2.
Action 2.
The action begins not far from Gaev's estate, in nature. Considerable time has passed since Ranevskaya's arrival, and the estate is soon to be sold.
Charlotte says she doesn't know who she is or how old she is; parents, apparently traveling artists, died early. (When I was a little girl, my father and mother went to fairs and gave performances, very good ones.) . She was raised in someone else's family and given an education. Now she is a governess. She is lonely, with no one to talk to heart to heart.
Dunyasha likes Yasha, she considers him an intelligent person, she is captivated by him, she does not understand that he does not love her at all. Yasha only remembers life abroad. He doesn't want their relationship to be known. Epikhodov is jealous of Dunyasha and is even ready to commit suicide for her sake.
Lyubov Andreevna worries that she doesn’t have enough money, although she herself goes to an expensive restaurant.
Lopakhin reports that a buyer has already appeared for the cherry orchard, to which Gaev replies that his aunt should send the money. The owners do nothing to preserve the estate, even Lopakhin does not understand them: “ Sorry, I have never met such frivolous people like you, gentlemen, such unbusinesslike, strange people. They tell you in Russian, your estate is for sale, but you definitely don’t understand.” Selling plots to summer residents would be a salvation.
Ranevskaya recalls her sins : “ I always wasted money without restraint.” She married the same man. After his death, she went abroad with her lover and looked after him while he was ill. And he robbed her. She had to return to her homeland, although she says that she misses her homeland and her daughter.
Ranevskaya invites Lopakhin to marry Varya, who is a good girl.
Gaev was offered a position at the bank.
Varya, Anya and Trofimov join the conversation. Trofimov talks about the future, that everything should change soon, you just need to work . “Very few people work here in Russia yet .” He criticizes the intelligentsia, which treats men like animals, doesn’t read anything serious, doesn’t do anything.
Lopakhin supports Trofimov, saying that he works hard and sees what kind of people they are: “You just need to start doing something to understand how few honest, decent people there are.”
Gaev speaks enthusiastically about the beauty of nature. Suddenly, in the silence, the sound of a broken string is heard. We started to think what it was (maybe an eagle owl was screaming, or maybe a bucket in the mines had fallen off). Firs said that the owl screamed in the same way before “misfortune” - that’s what he calls the will.
Ranevskaya gave a gold piece to a passerby who asked for money, continuing to waste money.
Everybody left. Trofimov and Anya remained.
Trofimov, speaking about his relationship with Anya, said that they are higher than love, that they need freedom, “to be free and happy—that is the goal and meaning of our life. Forward! We are moving uncontrollably towards the bright star that is burning there in the distance! Forward"! “All of Russia is our garden. The earth is great and beautiful, there are many wonderful places on it.”
Trofimov tells Anya that it is terrible to own people, to live at the expense of others, that Russia is 200 years behind, that it is necessary to atone for the past through continuous work. Petya has a presentiment of happiness. “Here it is happiness, here it comes, coming closer and closer, I can already hear its steps. And if we don’t see him, don’t recognize him, then what’s the harm? Others will see him!”
Anya is ready for a new life, she already feels sorry for the garden.
Retold by: Melnikova Vera Aleksandrovna.
