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(463 words) The play "The Cherry Orchard" was completed by Chekhov a year before his death. The first publication took place in 1904. The plot tells about the main character - Lyubov Ranevskaya and her youngest daughter Anna, who are returning from France to their dear estate to their relatives: their adopted daughter Varya and brother Leonid Andreyevich Gaev. The merchant Lopakhin, student Pyotr Trofimov and others are also waiting for their return.

The property has been put up for auction and should be sold soon. Gaev and Ranevskaya feel sorry for the cherry orchard - a symbol of their former happy life. They perceive the Cherry Orchard as a source of natural beauty, which cannot serve anything other than to satisfy an aesthetic need. They are intelligent and poorly adapted to the coming new life people.

Merchant Yermolai Lopakhin offers them a reasonable and rational way out - to cut down part of the garden and rent the land to summer residents. This will help keep the estate. But such an exit fundamentally contradicts the views of the owners on the garden. They do not want to sacrifice the little to save the whole, because the garden for them means almost more than the rest of the estate.

The cherry orchard in the play is not only a symbol of beauty, which should exist just like that, and not necessarily bring some kind of material benefit, but also a symbol of a fading and collapsing way of life. The nobility ceases to occupy a dominant position and, with its pluses and minuses, is becoming a thing of the past. The place of people from the nobility is occupied by rational business people, such as Lopakhin. Ermolai Alekseevich is not at all an evil person who wants to destroy the happiness of Ranevskaya and her family, on the contrary, he tries to help them. However, his attitude to the garden is completely different. It is extremely difficult for a person like Lopakhin to understand that a garden does not have to bring material benefits. That it can be valuable because it is dear to memories and simply beautiful. Lopakhin sees only an opportunity to successfully get out of the current situation and save the estate. He looks to the garden as a source of income. Gaev and Ranevskaya are not close to such an approach.

Representatives of the younger generation in the play, Anna, Peter, Barbara, in their own way relate to the sale of the garden and the estate. So, Peter says: "The whole of Russia is our garden." He is passionate about lofty ideas, strives to build life in a new way: at the heart of everything is work for the sake of a lofty and bright goal. Although he is not close to Lopakhin, he is also not able to truly understand Ranevskaya's feelings. For him, the garden is a witness to the disrespectful treatment of serfs. And destroying it is the right decision. It is necessary to improve, develop and constantly work - this will help get rid of the sins of the past, according to Peter. It is possible to understand Trofimov's indignation at the past, in which some people oppressed others. However, he himself is not able to understand the feelings of no longer young people, for whom this garden is a sacred and very dear place, closely connected with the history of the family.

Thus, in the play, the cherry orchard is treated differently: Gaev and Ranevskaya want to preserve it for the sake of the memory of loved ones and its beauty; Lopakhin wants to cut down the garden and profitably use the land to save the estate; Peter calls to leave the garden as a symbol of wrong life, to create a new bright future.

Gaev's place in the system of images of the work

To understand Chekhov's perception of the nobility, it is necessary to consider the characterization of Gaev in the play The Cherry Orchard, the brother of the main character, practically a double of Ranevskaya, but less significant. Therefore, in the list of characters, he is designated "brother Ranevskaya", although he is older than her and has the same rights to the estate as her sister.

Gaev Leonid Andreevich is a landowner who "has eaten a fortune on candy", leading an idle lifestyle, but it is strange to him that the garden is being sold for debts. He is already 51 years old, but he has neither a wife nor children. He lives in an old estate, which is being destroyed before his eyes, under the care of the old footman Firs. However, it is Gaev who is always trying to borrow money from someone in order to cover at least the interest on his and his sister's debts. And his options for repaying all loans are more like pipe dreams: “It would be nice to receive an inheritance from someone, it would be nice to pass off our Anya as a very rich person, it would be nice to go to Yaroslavl and try your luck with the aunt-countess ...”

The image of Gaev in the play "The Cherry Orchard" became a caricature of the nobility in general. All the negative aspects of Ranevskaya found a more ugly attitude in her brother, thereby further emphasizing the comedy of what is happening. Unlike Ranevskaya, Gaev's description is mainly in stage directions, which reveal his character through actions, while the characters say very little about him.

Gaev's character traits

Very little is told about Gaev's past. But it is clear that he is an educated person, able to expose his thoughts in beautiful, but empty speeches. All his life he lived on his estate, a frequenter of men's clubs, in which he indulged in his favorite pastime - playing billiards. It was from there that he brought all the news and there he received an offer to become a bank employee, with an annual salary of six thousand. However, for those around it was very surprising, the sister says: “Where are you! Sit down already ... ”, Lopakhin also expresses doubt:“ But he won’t sit, he’s very lazy ... ”. The only person who believes him is his niece Anya "I believe you uncle!". What caused such distrust and in some ways even a dismissive attitude on the part of others? After all, even the footman Yasha shows his disrespect for him.

As already mentioned, Gaev is an empty talker, at the most inopportune moments he can indulge in ranting, so that everyone around is simply lost and asks him to be silent. Leonid Andreevich himself understands this, but this is part of his nature. He is also very infantile, unable to defend his point of view, and he cannot even formulate it properly. He so often has nothing to say on the merits that his favorite word "Kogo" constantly sounds and completely inappropriate billiard terms appear. Firs still follows his master like a small child, now shaking off the dust from his trousers, now bringing him a warm coat, and for a fifty-year-old man there is nothing shameful in such guardianship, he even goes to bed under the sensitive gaze of his footman. Firs is sincerely attached to the owner, but even Gaev in the finale of the play "The Cherry Orchard" forgets about his devoted servant. He loves his nieces and his sister. It’s just that he couldn’t become the head of the family, in which he remained the only man, and he can’t help anyone, since it doesn’t even occur to him. All this shows how shallow the feelings of this hero are.

For Gaev, the cherry orchard means as much as for Ranevskaya, but, like her, she is not ready to accept Lopakhin's offer. After all, dividing the estate into plots and renting it out is "wonderful", largely because it will bring them closer to such businessmen as Lopakhin, and for Leonid Andreevich this is unacceptable, since he considers himself a true aristocrat, looking down on such merchants. Having returned in a depressed state from the auction where the estate was sold, Gaev has only tears in his eyes, and as soon as they hear the cue hitting the balls, they dry up, once again proving that deep feelings are simply not characteristic of him.

Gaev as the final step in the evolution of the nobility in the work of A.P. Chekhov

Gaev closed the chain, consisting of the images of the nobles, created by Chekhov throughout his creative life. He created "heroes of his time", aristocrats with excellent education, unable to defend their ideals, and it was this weakness that allowed such as Lopakhin to occupy a dominant position. In order to show how small the nobles were, Anton Pavlovich underestimated the image of Gaev as much as possible, bringing him to a caricature. Many representatives of the aristocracy were very critical of this depiction of their class, accusing the author of ignorance of their circle. But after all, Chekhov did not even want to create a comedy, but a farce, which he succeeded in doing.

Reasoning about the image of Gaev and a description of the features of his characters can be used by students in grade 10 while writing an essay on the topic “Characteristics of Gaev in the play “The Cherry Orchard””.

Artwork test

In classical drama, characters do things, monologue, win or die. In accordance with their role in the development of action, they are divided into positive and negative, main and secondary. In Chekhov's play there are no main and secondary characters. Epikhodov is just as important to the author as Gaev, and Charlotte is no less interesting to Ranevskaya. Even the "accidental" Passer-by, who appears in the finale of the second act, is an episodic person, from the point of view of traditional drama, plays a certain semantic role in Chekhov's play.

Exercise

Who represents the local nobility in the play by A.P. Chekhov "The Cherry Orchard" Give a brief description of these characters.

Answer

The local nobility is represented in the play by the old owners of the cherry orchard - brother and sister Gaev and Ranevskaya, as well as Simeonov-Pishchik.

Ranevskaya and Gaev are nice, nice, kind people in their own way. Ranevskaya is sentimental, accustomed to an idle life, sheds money, her feelings are superficial, shallow.

Exercise

Tell me about Gave. How is he similar to Ranevskaya? What are you interested in? Compare their monologues in front of the closet. How do they characterize the characters?

Answer

Gaev is in many ways similar to his sister, completely helpless in practical matters, a phrase-monger. He is over fifty, and he is still like a child. Gaev is still undressed by Firs at night.

When Ranevskaya returns to her home, she is worried about the resurrected past, she is surprised that everything is the same here; as it was, as if time does not move. This immutability of things delights Gaev. Only his enthusiasm is frankly ridiculous. High-soundingly and solemnly, he addresses the closet. His love for the estate is limited by his own eloquence. He offers many plans to save the estate, but it is clear that they are all untenable.

Question

What is close to the owners of the cherry orchard Simeonov-Pishchik?

Answer

Those qualities that in Ranevskaya are surrounded by a haze of poetry are reduced to comicality in Gaev, and in Simeon Pishchik they are reduced to farce.

Question

How does Ranevskaya characterize the attitude in Vara, to Anya, to the servants, to Lopakhin, to Trofimov? How can one evaluate the kindness of Ranevskaya?

Answer

The kindness of Ranevskaya coexists with indifference. She kisses things and perceives the news of the death of her nanny with complete indifference: “My dear old man,” she calls Firs. And then he is left in the house where life ended forever.

Ranevskaya leaves Varya, whom she loves, "as if she were her own." With the money, Ani goes to Paris. He loves Anya, cries about her dead son, but leaves 12-year-old Anya for 5 years with her unlucky brother; hugs Firs, kisses Dunyasha, but does not think that there is nothing to eat in the house, etc.

Question

How does the rejection of Lopakhin's proposal characterize her? Why did everyone calm down after the sale of the cherry orchard?

Answer

Ranevskaya's garden is dear, but her love is inactive. She hoped it would work out that way. And in the fourth act, Ranevskaya and Gaev completely calmed down. What worried them has passed, they no longer feel responsible for the cherry orchard.

Questions

1. How to understand Chekhov’s words: “It’s not difficult to play Ranevskaya, you just need to take the right tone from the very beginning; you have to come up with a smile and a manner of laughing, you have to be able to dress”?

2. What does Ranevskaya consider her sins and are they sins? What are her real sins?

3. Who is to blame for the fate of Ranevskaya? Was there a choice?

Exercise

Find the positive and negative in the images of the local nobility.

conclusions

The images of Ranevskaya and Gaev are the embodiment of the world of a noble nest, for which time has stopped. The drama is in their insecurity, innocence. Comedy is in the contrast of speech and actions. A life in vain, a future without hope, a life in debt, "at someone else's expense." “Selfish, like children, and flabby, like old people,” Gorky will say about them.

Literature

1. D.N. Murin. Russian literature of the second half of the 19th century. Guidelines in the form of lesson planning. Grade 10. Moscow: SMIO Press, 2002.

2. E.S. Rogover. Russian literature of the 19th century. M.: Saga; Forum, 2004.

3. Encyclopedia for children. T. 9. Russian literature. Part I. From epics and chronicles to the classics of the 19th century. Moscow: Avanta+, 1999.

All characters in the play "The Cherry Orchard" are of great importance in the ideological and thematic context of the work. Even casually mentioned names carry a semantic load. For example, there are off-stage heroes (the Parisian lover, the Yaroslavl aunt), the very fact of whose existence already sheds light on the character and lifestyle of the hero, symbolizing an entire era. Therefore, in order to understand the author's idea, it is necessary to analyze in detail those images that implement it.

Characters and their role in the work

1. Ranevskaya Lyubov Andreevna — a sensitive, emotional woman, but completely unadapted to life and unable to find her core in it. Everyone takes advantage of her kindness, even the footman Yasha and Charlotte. Lyubov Andreevna childishly expresses emotions of joy and tenderness. She is characterized by affectionate appeals to the people around her. So, Anya - "my child", Firs - "my old man." But such an appeal to furniture is striking: “my locker”, “my table”. Without noticing it herself, she gives the same assessment to a person and things! This is where her concern for the old and faithful servant ends. At the end of the play, the landowner calmly forgets about Firs, leaving him alone to die in the house. She does not react to the news of the death of the nanny who raised her. Just keeps drinking coffee. Lyubov Andreevna is a nominal mistress of the house, since in essence she is not. All the characters in the play are drawn to her, highlighting the image of the landowner from different angles, so it seems ambiguous. On the one hand, she has her own state of mind in the foreground. She went to Paris, leaving the children behind. On the other hand, Ranevskaya gives the impression of a kind, generous and trusting woman. She is ready to selflessly help a passerby and even forgive the betrayal of a loved one.
2. Anya - kind, gentle, compassionate. She has a big loving heart. Arriving in Paris and seeing the situation in which his mother lives, he does not condemn her, but regrets. Why? Because she is lonely, there is no close person next to her who would surround her with care, protect her from everyday hardships, understand her tender soul. The disorder of life does not upset Anya. She can quickly switch to pleasant memories. Subtly feels nature, enjoys the singing of birds.
3. Varya- adopted daughter of Ranevskaya. Good hostess, constantly at work. The whole house rests on it. Girl of strict views. Having taken on the heavy burden of caring for the household, she became a little hardened. She lacks subtle mental organization. Apparently, for this reason, Lopakhin never made her a marriage proposal. Varvara dreams of visiting holy places. He does nothing to somehow change his fate. Relying only on God's will. At twenty-four, he becomes a "bore," so many people don't like it.
4. Gaev Leonid Andreevich. On Lopakhin's proposal regarding the further "fate" of the cherry orchard, he reacts categorically negatively: "What nonsense." He is worried about old things, a closet, he addresses them with his monologues, but he is completely indifferent to the fate of people, so the servant left him. Gaev's speech testifies to the limitations of this person, who lives only for personal interests. If we talk about the situation in the house, then Leonid Andreevich sees a way out in receiving an inheritance or Ani's profitable marriage. Loving her sister, she accuses her of being vicious, she did not marry a nobleman. He talks a lot, not embarrassed by the fact that no one listens to him. Lopakhin calls him a "woman", who grinds only with her tongue, while doing nothing.
5. Lopakhin Ermolai Alekseevich. An aphorism can be “applied” to him: from rags to riches. Soberly evaluates himself. He understands that money in life does not change the social status of a person. “Ham, kulak,” Gaev says about Lopakhin, but he doesn’t care what they think of him. He is not trained in good manners, cannot communicate normally with a girl, as evidenced by his attitude towards Vara. He constantly glances at his watch, communicating with Ranevskaya, he has no time to talk like a human being. The main thing is the upcoming deal. Knows how to "comfort" Ranevskaya: "The garden is sold, but you sleep peacefully."
6. Trofimov Petr Sergeevich. Dressed in a shabby student uniform, wearing glasses, his hair is not thick, in five years the “nice boy” has changed a lot, turned ugly. In his understanding, the goal of life is to be free and happy, and for this you need to work. He believes that those who seek the truth need help. There are many problems in Russia that need to be solved, not philosophized. Trofimov himself does nothing, he cannot graduate from the university. He utters beautiful and clever words that are not supported by actions. Petya sympathizes with Anya, speaks of her "my spring." He sees in her a grateful and enthusiastic listener of his speeches.
7. Simeonov - Pishchik Boris Borisovich. Landowner. Falls asleep on the go. All his thoughts are directed only to how to get money. Even Petya, who compared him to a horse, he replies that this is not bad, since a horse can always be sold.
8. Charlotte Ivanovna - governess. Knows nothing about himself. She has no relatives or friends. She grew up like a lonely stunted bush in the middle of a wasteland. She did not experience feelings of love in childhood, did not see care from adults. Charlotte has become a person who cannot find people who understand her. But she can't even understand herself. "Who am I? Why am I?" - this poor woman did not have a bright beacon in her life, a mentor, a loving person who would help find the right path and not turn off it.
9. Epikhodov Semyon Panteleevich works in an office. He considers himself a developed person, but openly declares that he cannot decide in any way whether he should “live” or “shoot himself”. Jonah. Epikhodov is pursued by spiders and cockroaches, as if they are trying to make him turn around and look at the miserable existence that he has been leading for many years. Unrequitedly in love with Dunyasha.
10. Dunyasha - maid in Ranevskaya's house. Living with the masters, weaned from a simple life. Does not know peasant labor. Afraid of everything. He falls in love with Yasha, not noticing that he is simply not capable of sharing love with someone.
11. Firs. His whole life fits into the "one line" - to serve the masters. The abolition of serfdom for him is an evil. He is used to being a serf and can't imagine any other life.
12. Yasha. An uneducated young lackey dreaming of Paris. Dreaming of a rich life. Callousness is the main feature of his character; even tries not to meet his mother, ashamed of her peasant origin.

Characteristics of heroes

1. Ranevskaya is a frivolous, spoiled and pampered woman, but people are drawn to her. The house seemed to open the time-bound doors again when she returned here after a five-year absence. She was able to warm him with her nostalgia. Coziness and warmth again "sounded" in every room, as solemn music sounds on holidays. This did not last long, as the days at home were numbered. In the nervous and tragic image of Ranevskaya, all the shortcomings of the nobility were expressed: its inability to be self-sufficient, lack of independence, spoiledness and a tendency to evaluate everyone according to class prejudices, but at the same time, subtlety of feelings and education, spiritual wealth and generosity.
2. Anya. A heart beats in the chest of a young girl, which is waiting for sublime love and looking for certain life guidelines. She wants to trust someone, to test herself. Petya Trofimov becomes the embodiment of her ideals. She still cannot look at things critically and blindly believes Trofimov's "chatter", presenting reality in a rainbow light. Only she is alone. Anya is not yet aware of the versatility of this world, although she is trying. She also does not hear others, does not see the real problems that have befallen the family. Chekhov had a premonition that this girl was the future of Russia. But the question remained open: will she be able to change something or will she remain in her childhood dreams. After all, in order to change something, you need to act.
3. Gaev Leonid Andreevich. Spiritual blindness is characteristic of this mature person. He lingered in childhood for the rest of his life. In a conversation, he constantly uses billiard terms out of place. His field of vision is narrow. The fate of the family nest, as it turned out, does not bother him at all, although at the beginning of the drama he beat his chest with his fist and publicly promised that the cherry orchard would live. But he is categorically incapable of doing things, like many nobles who are used to living while others work for them.
4. Lopakhin buys Ranevskaya's family estate, which is not a "bone of contention" between them. They do not consider each other enemies; humanistic relations prevail between them. Lyubov Andreevna and Ermolai Alekseevich seem to want to get out of this situation as soon as possible. The merchant even offers his help, but is refused. When everything ends happily, Lopakhin rejoices that he can finally do the real thing. We must pay tribute to the hero, because it was he, the only one, who was worried about the "fate" of the cherry orchard and found a way out that suited everyone.
5. Trofimov Petr Sergeevich. He is considered a young student, although he is already 27 years old. One gets the impression that the student life has become his profession, although outwardly he has turned into an old man. He is respected, but no one believes in noble and life-affirming appeals, except for Anya. It is a mistake to believe that the image of Petya Trofimov can be compared with the image of a revolutionary. Chekhov was never interested in politics, the revolutionary movement was not part of his circle of interests. Trofimov is too soft. The warehouse of his soul and intelligence will never allow him to cross the limits of what is permitted and jump into an unknown abyss. In addition, he is responsible for Anya, a young girl who does not know real life. She still has a pretty subtle psyche. Any emotional shock can push her in the wrong direction, from where you can’t return her. Therefore, Petya must think not only about himself and about the implementation of his ideas, but also about the fragile being that Ranevskaya entrusted to him.

How does Chekhov feel about his heroes?

A.P. Chekhov loved his heroes, but he could not trust the future of Russia to any of them, even Petya Trofimov and Anya, the progressive youth of that time.

The heroes of the play, sympathetic to the author, do not know how to defend their life rights, they suffer or are silent. Ranevskaya and Gaev suffer because they understand that they cannot change anything in themselves. Their social status goes into oblivion, and they are forced to eke out a miserable existence on the last proceeds. Lopakhin suffers, as he realizes that he cannot help them in any way. He himself is not happy about buying a cherry orchard. No matter how hard he tries, he still will not become his rightful owner. That is why he decides to cut down the garden and sell the land, in order to later forget about it as a nightmare. But what about Petya and Anya? Doesn't the author place his hopes on them? Perhaps, but these hopes are very vague. Trofimov, by virtue of his nature, is not capable of taking any radical action. And without this, the situation cannot be changed. He is limited only to talk about a wonderful future and that's it. And Anya? This girl has a slightly stronger core than Petra. But due to her young age and uncertainty in life, changes should not be expected from her. Perhaps, in the distant future, when she sets all life priorities for herself, one can expect some action from her. In the meantime, she is limited to faith in the best and a sincere desire to plant a new garden.

Which side is Chekhov on? He supports each side, but in his own way. In Ranevskaya, he appreciates genuine female kindness and naivety, albeit seasoned with spiritual emptiness. In Lopakhin, he appreciates the desire for compromise and poetic beauty, although he is not able to appreciate the real charm of the cherry orchard. The Cherry Orchard is a member of the family, but everyone forgets about it together, while Lopakhin is not able to understand this at all.

The heroes of the play are separated by a huge abyss. They are not able to understand each other, as they are closed in the world of their own feelings, thoughts and experiences. However, everyone is lonely, they have no friends, like-minded people, there is no true love. Most go with the flow without setting any serious goals. Besides, they are all unhappy. Ranevskaya is experiencing disappointment in love, life and her social supremacy, which seemed unshakable just yesterday. Gaev once again discovers that the aristocracy of manners is not a guarantee of power and financial well-being. In front of his eyes, yesterday's serf takes away his estate, becomes the owner there even without the nobility. Anna is left without a penny for her soul, she does not have a dowry for a profitable marriage. Her chosen one, although he does not require it, has not yet earned anything himself. Trofimov understands what needs to be changed, but does not know how, because he has neither connections, nor money, nor position to influence something. They are left with only the hopes of youth, which are short-lived. Lopakhin is unhappy because he is aware of his inferiority, belittles his dignity, seeing that he is no match for any masters, although he has more money.

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The play "The Cherry Orchard" is called Chekhov's swan song. This is his last play, written a year before his early death.

Written in 1903. First staged on January 17, 1904 at the Moscow Art Theatre. The playwright passed away on July 15, 1904. He was 44 years old.

The play was written on the threshold of the first Russian revolution of 1905-07, it contains a moment of Chekhov's foresight of subsequent historical events that he was no longer able to see.

The central image in the work is the image of a cherry orchard, all the characters are located around it, each of them has his own perception of the garden. And this image is symbolic. Behind the image of the cherry orchard stands the image of Russia, and the main theme of the play is the fate of Russia.

The play is imbued with the author's reflections on the past, present and future of Russia, the symbol of which is the cherry orchard.

Ranevskaya and Gaev personify the past of the cherry orchard and at the same time the past of Russia. In the play, the garden is cut down, but in life the nests of the nobility disintegrate, the old Russia, the Russia of the Ranevskys and Gaevs, is becoming obsolete.

Ranevskaya and Gaev are images of ruined noble landowners. They are the descendants of wealthy owners of a magnificent estate with a beautiful cherry orchard. In the old days, their estate brought income, on which its idle owners lived.

The habit of living by the labors of others, not caring about anything, made Ranevskaya and Gaev people unsuitable for any serious activity, weak-willed and helpless.

Ranevskaya, outwardly charming, kind, simple, is basically the personification of frivolity. She is sincerely concerned about the disorder of her adopted daughter Varya, pities her faithful servant Firs, and easily kisses the maid Dunyasha after a long separation. But her kindness is the result of abundance, not created by her own hands, a consequence of the habit of spending money without counting.

The double of Ranevskaya, but a less significant personality, is Gaev in the play. And he is sometimes able to say smart things, sometimes be sincere, self-critical. But the sister's shortcomings - frivolity, impracticality, lack of will - become caricatured by Gaev. Lyubov Andreevna only kisses the closet in a fit of tenderness, but Gaev makes a speech in front of him in "high style".

Gaev is frankly ridiculous in his attempts to live as if nothing has changed, as if he had not eaten a fortune on candies. He almost always speaks out of place, utters meaningless billiard terms, reminiscent of the times of his cheerful youth. Gaev is pitiful with his empty high-flown speeches, with the help of which he tries to revive the familiar atmosphere of former well-being.

Brother and sister are all in the past. But Gaev and Ranevskaya still somehow like us. They are able to feel the beauty, and the cherry orchard itself is perceived mainly aesthetically, and not utilitarianly - as a source of berries that can be used for food or sold, or as a large piece of land, which again has commercial value.

There is an elegiac mood in the play, the sadness of parting with an obsolete past, in which there was a lot of bad, but there was also good. At the same time, this is a kind of Chekhov's lyrical comedy, which, with some sly good nature, but still quite severely, with Chekhov's sobriety and clarity, chuckles at the nobility leaving the historical stage.

The criticism that responded to the production of the play at the Art Theater regarded it as the final verdict on the noble class. One of the reviewers of the play claimed that in The Cherry Orchard a “monument was erected over the grave of pretty white hands, orchids that have faded behind someone else’s coffin”, and “their sluggish humility and meekness fills the heart with horror and pity”.

People like Gaev and Ranevskaya are being replaced by a completely different type of people: strong, enterprising, dexterous. One of these people is another character in the play, Lopakhin.