Love romanticism is rotten and nonsense. Bazarov's test of love (essay). The originality of civil lyrics by N. A. Nekrasov

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 Ranevskaya’s double, but less significant. Therefore, in the list of characters he is designated “Ranevskaya’s brother,” although he is older than her and has the same rights to the estate as his sister.

Gaev Leonid Andreevich is a landowner, “who spent his 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 tutelage of the old lackey 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 the loans are more like pipe dreams: “It would be nice to receive an inheritance from someone, it would be nice to marry our Anya to a very rich man, 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 as a whole. All the negative aspects of Ranevskaya found an uglier attitude in her brother, thereby further emphasizing the comedy of what was 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.

Characteristics of Gaev

Very little is said about Gaev's past. But it is clear that he is an educated man who knows how to express his thoughts in beautiful but empty speeches. He lived all his life on his estate, a regular at men's clubs, where he indulged in his favorite pastime, playing billiards. He brought all the news from there and there he received an offer to become a bank employee, with an annual salary of six thousand. However, for those around him it was very surprising, the sister says: “Where are you!” Sit already...” Lopakhin also expresses doubts: “But he won’t sit still, 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 disdainful attitude on the part of others? After all, even the lackey Yasha shows his disrespect for him.

As has already been said, Gaev is an empty talker; at the most inopportune moments he can launch into a rant, so that everyone around him is simply lost and asks him to remain silent. Leonid Andreevich himself understands this, but it is part of his nature. He is also very infantile, unable to defend his point of view, and cannot really formulate it. He so often has nothing substantive to say that his favorite word “Whom” is constantly heard and completely inappropriate billiard terms appear. Firs still follows his master like a little child, either shaking off the dust from his trousers, or bringing him a warm coat, and for a fifty-year-old man there is nothing shameful in such care, he even goes to bed under the sensitive gaze of his lackey. 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. But he was never able to become the head of a family in which he was the only man left, and he cannot 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 it does for Ranevskaya, but, like her, she is not ready to accept Lopakhin’s offer. After all, dividing the estate into plots and renting them out is “off”, largely because it will bring them closer to such businessmen as Lopakhin, but 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 at which the estate was sold, Gaev has only tears in his eyes, and as soon as he hears the blows of the cue on the balls, they dry up, once again proving that deep emotions are simply not characteristic of him.

Gaev as the final stage in the evolution of the nobility in the works of A.P. Chekhov

Gaev closed the chain consisting of images of nobles created by Chekhov throughout his creative life. He created “heroes of his time,” aristocrats with an excellent education, unable to defend their ideals, and it was this weakness that allowed people like Lopakhin to occupy a dominant position. In order to show how small the nobles had become, Anton Pavlovich understated the image of Gaev as much as possible, bringing him to the point of caricature. Many representatives of the aristocracy were very critical of this depiction of their class, accusing the author of ignorance of their circle. But Chekhov didn’t even want to create a comedy, but a farce, and he succeeded.

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

Work test

Chekhov's famous play “The Cherry Orchard” still does not leave the theater stage, although it was written in 1903. It has become a classic of the genre, which has always attracted full houses. Some people see it as a comedy, others as a drama, but it is really very interesting and unique in its own way, since it describes in all its glory the life of Russian aristocrats who are going through their hard times.

There are many characters in the play from which one can understand the moral and ethical foundations of the then upper class, what they were thinking about and what they were striving for in anticipation of the changes moving towards them. Getting to the topic “Leonid Andreevich Gaev: characterization (“The Cherry Orchard”)”, it should be noted that this representative of the nobility has become his modern caricature. All the negative aspects of his sister Ranevskaya are even uglier in him. These determine the entire comedy of the events taking place.

Gaev: “The Cherry Orchard”, description (briefly)

To understand the attitude of the writer Chekhov himself towards the upper class, let us turn to the characteristics of one of the main characters - Gaev. In the play “The Cherry Orchard,” he is the brother of the main character Ranevskaya, a person less significant than her, but equally entitled to the inheritance, which is contained in their impoverished estate with a cherry orchard, mortgaged for debts. Who is he and how does he live?

The play “The Cherry Orchard” is unique and interesting in its own way. Gaev, whose characterization suggests that he is an impoverished landowner and a weak-willed person, leads an idle and carefree lifestyle with his sister. He just can’t get used to the idea that their cherry orchard is being auctioned off for debts. Gaev is already in his sixties, but he has neither a wife nor children. He lives in his old estate, which is decrepit and destroyed right before his eyes. But the devoted footman Firs still looks after his master with affection and care.

Debts

It is a little surprising that Chekhov presented “The Cherry Orchard” as a comedy, and not a drama. Gaev’s characterization here is worth something, because he constantly borrows funds in order to somehow pay off the interest on both his sister’s and his own debts. In his head, he constantly scrolls through options for repaying these numerous and constantly growing debts, and dreams of receiving some kind of inheritance or having his niece Anya taken as his wife by some rich landowner. He is also thinking of going to his aunt-countess in Yaroslavl and trying his luck and asking her for money.

Description and features of Gaev

Unlike his sister Ranevskaya, one can read about Gaev only in small remarks, where his character is revealed through his behavior; in the play, the acting characters say little about him. Almost nothing is said about his past. Nevertheless, it is clear that Gaev is an educated person and can use words beautifully, but mostly they are empty and meaningless. This is the main characteristic of the hero. Gaev loves the cherry orchard very much, like his sister Ranevskaya, he has become attached to it with all his soul, because it is the garden that fills the soul with warm memories of good times past.

Life without worries

Gaev lived his entire life on this estate as carefree as a moth and was a regular visitor to men's clubs, where he loved to play billiards. He brought all the secular news and gossip into the house from there. And once I even received an offer to be an employee in a bank with a salary of six thousand per annum. And here the disapproving reaction of his loved ones is surprising: his sister doubts him, and Lopakhin believes that he is too restless and lazy. In this matter, he was supported only by his niece, the good-natured Anya, who said that she believed in her uncle. Why do those around him not trust him so much, and yet even the lackey Yasha shows him his disrespect?

The Cherry Orchard

It is surprising that when the cherry orchard was laid out, Gaev, whose characterization is already not presented in the best way, behaves completely recklessly. When the modern capitalist merchant Lopakhin offers him and his sister Ranevskaya a way out of the situation: to break up plots and rent them out as dachas, Gaev absolutely does not want to listen to his rational advice, but continues to live with his prejudices. Gaev considers himself an aristocrat and the habit of looking down on such businessmen from ordinary people is in his blood, and nothing can be done about it.

When Gaev returned from the auction at which the estate was sold, he was literally depressed by this event, and tears froze in his eyes. But as soon as he heard the sounds of the cue hitting the balls, all his sadness disappeared. And all because this hero is not capable of deep experiences.

Conclusion

And now we come to the final and rather sad moment in the play “The Cherry Orchard”. Gaev (the characterization of the character according to Chekhov) presented the final stage of the evolution of the nobility. With it he closed the chain of images of nobles he created throughout his literary life. These images of aristocrats with excellent education turned out to be unable to defend their interests and ideals; they were heroes of their time who had the weakness of allowing the likes of Lopakhin to take a dominant place.

In the analysis of the theme “The Cherry Orchard”. Gaev: characterization" it should be noted that by bringing the image of Gaev to caricature, Chekhov showed how much the nobles had become smaller. On this occasion, the writer had to listen to a lot of criticism from the aristocracy, who accused him of ignorance of their circle. But this won’t get through Chekhov; after all, he wanted to create not a comedy, but a farce, which, in principle, he did very well.

Well, in order to fully understand the meaning of this work, we note that in the play “The Cherry Orchard” a distinctive feature is Chekhov’s symbolism, where the main and central character is not a human character, but the image of a cherry orchard, as a symbol of noble life. At the end of the play, the cherry orchard is cut down, so the noble nests disintegrated, old Russia, where the Ranevskys and Gaevs lived, became obsolete.

Chekhov seemed to have foreseen everything in advance, all the subsequent events and shocks that his country would soon have to endure, but which, alas, he did not have time to see. “The Cherry Orchard” became one of the last works of the great classic Anton Pavlovich Chekhov.

A.P. Chekhov wrote his famous play “The Cherry Orchard” in 1903. In this play, the central place is occupied not so much by the personal experiences of the characters, but by an allegorical vision of the fate of Russia. Some characters personify the past (Ranevskaya, Gaev, Firs, Varya), others - the future (Lopakhin, Trofimov, Anya). The characters in Chekhov's play "The Cherry Orchard" reflect the society of that time.

Main characters

The heroes of Chekhov's "The Cherry Orchard" are lyrical characters with special features. For example, Epikhodov, who was constantly unlucky, or Trofimov, an “eternal student.” Below will be presented all the characters of the play "The Cherry Orchard":

• Ranevskaya Lyubov Andreevna, mistress of the estate.
• Anya, her daughter, 17 years old. I am not indifferent to Trofimov.
• Varya, her adopted daughter, 24 years old. In love with Lopakhin.
• Gaev Leonid Andreevich, brother of Ranevskaya.
• Lopakhin Ermolai Alekseevich, a native of peasants, now a merchant. He likes Varya.
• Trofimov Pyotr Sergeevich, eternal student. He likes Anya, but he is above love.
• Simeonov-Pishchik Boris Borisovich, a landowner who constantly has no money, but he believes in the possibility of unexpected enrichment.
• Charlotte Ivanovna, the maid, loves to show tricks.
• Epikhodov Semyon Panteleevich, clerk, unlucky man. He wants to marry Dunyasha.
• Dunyasha, the maid, considers herself like a lady. In love with Yasha.
• Firs, an old footman, constantly takes care of Gaev.
• Yasha, Ranevskaya's spoiled lackey.

Images of the characters in the play

A.P. Chekhov always very accurately and subtly noticed his features in each character, be it appearance or character. This Chekhovian feature is also supported by the play “The Cherry Orchard” - the images of the heroes here are lyrical and even a little touching. Each has its own unique features. For convenience, the characteristics of the heroes of The Cherry Orchard can be divided into groups.

Old generation

Ranevskaya Lyubov Andreevna appears as a very frivolous but kind woman who cannot fully understand that all her money has run out. She is in love with some scoundrel who left her without funds. And then Ranevskaya returns with Anya to Russia. They can be compared to people who left Russia: no matter how good it is abroad, they still continue to yearn for their homeland. The image chosen by Chekhov for his homeland will be written below.

Ranevskaya and Gaev are the personification of the nobility, the wealth of past years, which during the author’s time began to decline. Both brother and sister cannot fully understand this, but nevertheless they feel that something is happening. And by the way they begin to act, you can see the reaction of Chekhov’s contemporaries - it was either a move abroad, or an attempt to adapt to new conditions.

Firs is an image of a servant who was always faithful to her masters and did not want any change in order, because they did not need it. If with the first main characters of “The Cherry Orchard” it is clear why they are considered in this group, then why can Varya be included here?

Because Varya occupies a passive position: she humbly accepts the developing position, but her dream is the opportunity to walk to holy places, and strong faith was characteristic of people of the older generation. And Varya, despite her seemingly vigorous activity, does not take an active part in conversations about the fate of the cherry orchard and does not offer any solutions, which shows the passivity of the wealthy class of that time.

Younger generation

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 only engaged 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.”

Anya is a kind, sweet, still completely inexperienced girl who admires Trofimov and listens carefully to everything he says. She personifies youth, who have always been interested in the ideas of the intelligentsia.

But one of the most striking and characteristic images of that era was Lopakhin, a native of peasants who managed to make a fortune for himself. But, despite his wealth, he remained essentially a simple man. This is an active person, a representative of the so-called “kulaks” class - wealthy peasants. Ermolai Alekseevich respected work, and work always came first for him, so he kept postponing an explanation with Varya.

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.

Internal conflicts in the play

The play shows not only the personal experiences of the characters, but also the confrontation between them, which makes the images of the heroes of “The Cherry Orchard” brighter and deeper. Let's take a closer look at them.

Ranevskaya - Lopakhin

The most important conflict is in the pair Ranevskaya - Lopakhin. And it is due to several reasons:

• belonging to different generations;
• contrast of characters.

Lopakhin is trying to help Ranevskaya preserve the estate by cutting down the cherry orchard and building dachas in its place. But for Raevskaya this is impossible - after all, she grew up in this house, and “dachas are so vulgar.” And in the fact that it was Ermolai Alekseevich who bought the estate, she sees this as a betrayal on his part. For him, buying a cherry orchard is the resolution of his personal conflict: he, a simple man, whose ancestors could not go beyond the kitchen, has now become the owner. And this is where his main triumph lies.

Lopakhin - Trofimov

The conflict in a pair of these people occurs due to the fact that they have opposing views. Trofimov considers Lopakhin an ordinary man, rude, limited, who is not interested in anything other than work. The same one believes that Pyotr Sergeevich is simply wasting his mental abilities, does not understand how one can live without money, and does not accept the ideology that man is above all earthly things.

Trofimov - Varya

The confrontation is most likely based on personal hostility. Varya despises Peter because he is not busy with anything, and fears that with the help of his clever speeches he will make Anya fall in love with him. Therefore, Varya tries in every possible way to prevent them. Trofimov teases the girl “Madame Lopakhina,” knowing that everyone has been waiting for this event for a long time. But he despises her because she equated him and Anya with herself and Lopakhin, because they are above all earthly passions.

So, above it was briefly written about the characters of the heroes of Chekhov’s “The Cherry Orchard”. We described only the most significant characters. Now we can move on to the most interesting thing - the image of the main character of the play.

The main character of "The Cherry Orchard"

The attentive reader has already guessed (or is guessing) that this is a cherry orchard. He personifies Russia itself in the play: its past, present and future. Why did the orchard itself become the main character of “The Cherry Orchard”?

Because it is to this estate that Ranevskaya returns after all the misadventures abroad, because it is because of him that the heroine’s internal conflict intensifies (fear of losing the garden, awareness of her helplessness, reluctance to part with it), and a confrontation arises between Ranevskaya and Lopakhin.

The Cherry Orchard also helps resolve Lopakhin's internal conflict: it reminded him that he is a peasant, an ordinary man who miraculously managed to get rich. And the opportunity that arose with the purchase of the estate to cut down this garden meant that now nothing else in those parts could remind him of his origin.

What did the garden mean to the heroes?

For convenience, you can write the characters’ attitude towards the cherry orchard in a table.

Symbolism of the cherry orchard in the play

But how then is the image of the main character of “The Cherry Orchard” connected with the image of the Motherland? Through this garden, Anton Chekhov showed the past: when the country was rich, the class of nobles was in its prime, and no one thought about the abolition of serfdom. In the present, there is already a decline in society: it is divided, guidelines are changing. Russia was already on the threshold of a new era, the nobility was becoming smaller, and the peasants were gaining strength. And the future is shown in Lopakhin’s dreams: the country will be ruled by those who are not afraid to work - only those people will be able to lead the country to prosperity.

The sale of Ranevskaya's cherry orchard for debts and its purchase by Lopakhin is a symbolic transfer of the country from the rich class to ordinary workers. Debt here means debt for how their owners treated them for a long time, how they exploited the common people. And the fact that power in the country is passing to the common people is a natural result of the path along which Russia has moved. And the nobility had only to do what Ranevskaya and Gaev did - go abroad or go to work. And the younger generation will try to fulfill their dreams of a bright future.

Conclusion

Having carried out such a small analysis of the work, one can understand that the play “The Cherry Orchard” is a deeper creation than it might seem at first glance. Anton Pavlovich was able to masterfully convey the mood of society of that time, the situation in which it found itself. And the writer did this very gracefully and subtly, which allows this play to remain loved by readers for a long time.

1. Attitude towards women (love, marriage)

... a man who had staked his entire life on a woman’s love and, when this card was killed, became limp... this kind of person is not a male, not a man.

Where does this mysterious look come from, as you say? This is all romanticism, nonsense. rot, art.

You attach importance to marriage; I didn't expect this from you.

Is she pretty? ... So why the hell are you calling us to her?

Yes, they [women] don’t need to understand our conversation at all.

No, why talk about love.

What kind of figure is this? She's not like other women.

One gentleman just told me that this lady is oh-oh-oh. Well, do you think that she is definitely - oh-oh-oh?

In the still waters... you know! You say she's cold. This is where the taste lies.

Because, brother, that, according to my observations, only freaks think freely between women.

Let's see what category of mammals this person belongs to.

Here you go - the women were scared!

Such a rich body! At least now to the anatomical theater.

Yes, a woman with a brain.

It’s fresh, and untouched, and timid, and silent, and everything you want.

From this you can make whatever you want.

If you like a woman, try to get some sense, but you can’t - well, don’t, turn away - the earth is not a wedge.

In my opinion, it is better to break stones on the pavement than to allow a woman to take even the tip of a finger.

You and I found ourselves in a women's society, and we were pleased; but leaving such a society is like being splashed with water on a hot day.

I didn’t break myself, so the woman won’t break me.

And besides, love... after all, this feeling is feigned.

If a woman can hold a conversation for half an hour, this is already a good sign.

I loved you, it didn’t make any sense before, and now it doesn’t make any sense. Love is a form, and my own form is already decaying.

A romantic would say: I feel that our paths are starting to diverge, but I’m just saying that we’re tired of each other.

2. Attitude towards friendship and people

You, brother, are still stupid, I see...

Every person must educate himself.

The only good thing about a Russian person is that he has a very bad opinion of himself.

What a weirdo you are!

Well, don't be angry, sissy

There’s no point in feeling sorry for people in general, and even less so for me.

... exactly, every person is a mystery.

...can a person always say loudly everything that happens in him?

I, understand this, need idiots like this.

I want to mess with people, even scold them, and mess with them.

A real person is one about whom there is nothing to think, but whom one must obey or hate.

You are a gentle soul, a weakling, where can you hate!

Whatever slander you level at a person, he, in essence, deserves twenty times worse.

3. Attitude to nature

And nature is nothing, in the sense in which you understand it. Nature is not a temple, but a workshop, and man is a worker in it.

I’ll spread out the frog and see what’s going on inside it; and since you and I are the same frogs, we just walk on our feet, I will know what’s going on inside us too.

I look at the sky only then. when I want to sneeze.

People are like trees in the forest; no botanist will study each individual birch tree.

4. Attitude to art and science

A decent person is twenty times more useful than any poet.

The art of making money, or no more hemorrhoids!

In my opinion, Raphael is not worth a penny, and they are no better than him.

You said this because you don’t see any artistic sense in me - but I really don’t have any.

The other day, I see him reading Pushkin... please explain to him that this is no good.

... and what is science – science in general? There are sciences, just as there are crafts and titles; and science does not exist at all.

First you need to learn the alphabet and then pick up a book, but we haven’t even seen the basics yet.

Updated: 2017-08-08

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