Present and future in the play The Cherry Orchard. Past, present and future in the play “The Cherry Orchard”

Introduction
1. Problems of the play by A.P. Chekhov " The Cherry Orchard»
2. The embodiment of the past - Ranevskaya and Gaev
3. Exponent of the ideas of the present - Lopakhin
4. Heroes of the future - Petya and Anya
Conclusion
List of used literature

Introduction

Anton Pavlovich Chekhov is a writer of powerful creative talent and unique subtle skill, manifested with equal brilliance both in his stories and in novels and plays.
Chekhov's plays constituted an entire era in Russian drama and theater and had an immeasurable influence on all their subsequent development.
Continuing and deepening the best traditions dramaturgy of critical realism, Chekhov strove to ensure that in his plays the truth of life, unvarnished, in all its commonness and everyday life, would dominate.
Showing natural progression Everyday life ordinary people, Chekhov bases his plots not on one, but on several organically related, intertwined conflicts.

At the same time, the leading and unifying conflict is predominantly the conflict of the characters not with each other, but with the entire social environment surrounding them.

Problems of the play by A.P. Chekhov's "The Cherry Orchard" The play “The Cherry Orchard” occupies special place in the works of Chekhov. Before her, he awakened the idea of the need to change reality, showing the hostility of people's living conditions, highlighting those features of his characters that doomed them to the position of a victim. In The Cherry Orchard, reality is depicted in its
Chekhov's play “The Cherry Orchard” was written during the period of social upsurge of the masses in 1903. It reveals to us another page of his multifaceted creativity, reflecting the complex phenomena of that time. The play amazes us with its poetic power and drama, and is perceived by us as a sharp exposure of the social ills of society, an exposure of those people whose thoughts and actions are far from moral standards of behavior. The writer clearly shows deep psychological conflicts, helps the reader to see the reflection of events in the souls of the heroes, makes us think about the meaning true love and true happiness. Chekhov easily takes us from our present to the distant past. Together with its heroes, we live next to the cherry orchard, see its beauty, clearly feel the problems of that time, together with the heroes we try to find answers to difficult questions. It seems to me that the play “The Cherry Orchard” is a play about the past, present and future not only of its characters, but also of the country as a whole. The author shows the clash between representatives of the past, the present and the future inherent in this present.
I think that Chekhov managed to show the justice of the inevitable departure from the historical arena of such seemingly harmless persons as the owners of the cherry orchard. So who are they, the garden owners? What connects their lives with his existence? Why is the cherry orchard so dear to them? Answering these questions, Chekhov reveals an important problem - the problem of passing life, its worthlessness and conservatism. The name itself Chekhov's play puts you in a lyrical mood. In our minds there appears a bright and

unique image

a blooming garden, personifying beauty and the desire for a better life. The main plot of the comedy is related to the sale of this ancient noble estate. This event largely determines the fate of its owners and inhabitants. Thinking about the fate of the heroes, you involuntarily think about more, about the ways of development of Russia: its past, present and future.

The embodiment of the past - Ranevskaya and Gaev

Exponent of the ideas of the present - Lopakhin
Trofimov is a democrat by origin, habits and beliefs.
Creating images of Trofimov, Chekhov expresses in this image such leading features as devotion to public causes, desire for a better future and propaganda of the fight for it, patriotism, integrity, courage, and hard work. Trofimov, despite his 26 or 27 years, has a lot of difficult life experience behind him. He has already been expelled from the university twice. He has no confidence that he will not be expelled a third time and that he will not remain an “eternal student.” Experiencing hunger, poverty, and political persecution, he did not lose faith in new life , which will be based on fair, humane laws and creative creative work. Petya Trofimov sees the failure of the nobility, mired in idleness and inaction. He gives a largely correct assessment of the bourgeoisie, noting its progressive role in the economic development of the country, but denying it the role of creator and creator of new life. In general, his statements are distinguished by directness and sincerity. While treating Lopakhin with sympathy, he nevertheless compares him with
a beast of prey , “who eats everything that comes his way.” In his opinion, the Lopakhins are not capable of decisively changing life by building it on reasonable and fair principles. Petya causes deep thoughts in Lopakhin, who in his soul envies the conviction of this “shabby gentleman”, which he himself so lacks.?
Trofimov's thoughts about the future are too vague and abstract. “We are heading uncontrollably towards the bright star that burns there in the distance!” - he says to Anya. Yes, his goal is wonderful. But how to achieve it? Where is the main force that is capable of turning Russia into
blooming garden Some treat Petya with slight irony, others with undisguised love. In his speeches one can hear a direct condemnation of a dying life, a call for a new one: “I’ll get there. I’ll get there or show others the way to get there.”“(as Varya ironically calls Trofimova) Lopakhin’s strength and business acumen are lacking. He submits to life, stoically enduring its blows, but is not able to master it and become the master of his destiny. True, he captivated Anya with his democratic ideas, who expresses her readiness to follow him, firmly believing in the wonderful dream of a new blooming garden. But this young seventeen-year-old girl, who gained information about life mainly from books, is pure, naive and spontaneous, has not yet encountered reality.
Anya is full of hope and vitality, but she still has so much inexperience and childhood. In terms of character, she is in many ways close to her mother: she has a love for beautiful word, to sensitive intonations. At the beginning of the play, Anya is carefree, quickly moving from concern to animation. She is practically helpless, she is used to living carefree, not thinking about her daily bread, about tomorrow. But all this does not prevent Anya from breaking with her usual views and way of life. Its evolution is taking place before our eyes.
Anya’s new views are still naive, but she says goodbye to the old home and the old world forever.

It is unknown whether she will have enough spiritual strength, perseverance and courage to complete the path of suffering, labor and hardship. Will she be able to maintain that ardent faith in the best, which makes her say goodbye to her old life without regret? Chekhov does not answer these questions. And this is natural. After all, we can only talk about the future speculatively.

Conclusion
The truth of life in all its consistency and completeness is what Chekhov was guided by when creating his images. That is why each character in his plays represents a living human character, attracting with great meaning and deep emotionality, convincing with its naturalness, the warmth of human feelings. In terms of the strength of his direct emotional impact, Chekhov is perhaps the most outstanding playwright in art..
critical realism Chekhov's dramaturgy, responding to pressing issues of his time, addressing the everyday interests, experiences and worries of ordinary people, awakened the spirit of protest against inertia and routine, and called for social activity to improve life. Therefore, she has always had a huge influence on readers and viewers.. I am proud that Anton Pavlovich is a Russian writer, and no matter how different the masters of culture are, they probably all agree that Chekhov, with his works, prepared the world for better life, more beautiful, more fair, more reasonable.
If Chekhov looked with hope into the 20th century, which was just beginning, then we live in the new 21st century, still dreaming of our cherry orchard and of those who will nurture it. Flowering trees cannot grow without roots. And the roots are the past and the present. Therefore, for a wonderful dream to come true, the young generation must combine within themselves high culture, education with practical knowledge of reality, will, perseverance, hard work, humane goals, that is, to embody best features Chekhov's heroes.

Bibliography

1. History of Russian literature second half of the 19th century century / ed. prof. N.I. Kravtsova. Publisher: Prosveshchenie - Moscow 1966.
2. Exam questions and answers. Literature. 9th and 11th grades. Tutorial. – M.: AST – PRESS, 2000.
3. A. A. Egorova. How to write an essay with a "5". Tutorial. Rostov-on-Don, “Phoenix”, 2001.
4. Chekhov A.P. Stories. Plays. – M.: Olimp; LLC "Firm" Publishing house AST, 1998.

Introduction
1. Problems of the play by A.P. Chekhov's "The Cherry Orchard"
2. The embodiment of the past - Ranevskaya and Gaev
3. Exponent of the ideas of the present - Lopakhin
4. Heroes of the future - Petya and Anya
Conclusion
List of used literature

Introduction

Anton Pavlovich Chekhov is a writer of powerful creative talent and unique subtle skill, manifested with equal brilliance both in his stories and in novels and plays.
Chekhov's plays constituted an entire era in Russian drama and theater and had an immeasurable influence on all their subsequent development.
Continuing and deepening the best traditions of the dramaturgy of critical realism, Chekhov strove to ensure that his plays were dominated by the truth of life, unvarnished, in all its commonness and everyday life.
Showing the natural course of everyday life of ordinary people, Chekhov bases his plots not on one, but on several organically related, intertwined conflicts.

At the same time, the leading and unifying conflict is predominantly the conflict of the characters not with each other, but with the entire social environment surrounding them.

The play “The Cherry Orchard” occupies a special place in Chekhov’s work.
Before her, he awakened the idea of the need to change reality, showing the hostility of people's living conditions, highlighting those features of his characters that doomed them to the position of a victim. In The Cherry Orchard, reality is depicted in its historical development. The topic of changing social structures is being widely developed. The noble estates with their parks and cherry orchards, with their unreasonable owners, are becoming a thing of the past. They are being replaced by business-like and practical people; they are the present of Russia, but not its future. Only the younger generation has the right to cleanse and change life. Hence the main idea of the play: the establishment of a new social force, opposing not only the nobility, but also the bourgeoisie and called upon to rebuild life on the principles of true humanity and justice.
The very name of Chekhov's play sets one in a lyrical mood.

unique image

The embodiment of the past - Ranevskaya and Gaev

Exponent of the ideas of the present - Lopakhin
Trofimov is a democrat by origin, habits and beliefs.
In our minds, a bright and unique image of a blooming garden appears, personifying beauty and the desire for a better life. The main plot of the comedy is related to the sale of this ancient noble estate. This event largely determines the fate of its owners and inhabitants. Thinking about the fate of the heroes, you involuntarily think about more, about the ways of development of Russia: its past, present and future.
Experiencing hunger, poverty, and political persecution, he did not lose faith in a new life, which would be based on fair, humane laws and creative constructive work.
Trofimov's thoughts about the future are too vague and abstract. “We are heading uncontrollably towards the bright star that burns there in the distance!” - he says to Anya. Yes, his goal is wonderful. But how to achieve it? Where is the main force that is capable of turning Russia into
Petya Trofimov sees the failure of the nobility, mired in idleness and inaction. He gives a largely correct assessment of the bourgeoisie, noting its progressive role in the economic development of the country, but denying it the role of creator and creator of new life. In general, his statements are distinguished by directness and sincerity. While treating Lopakhin with sympathy, he nevertheless compares him to a predatory beast, “which eats everything that gets in its way.” In his opinion, the Lopakhins are not capable of decisively changing life by building it on reasonable and fair principles. Petya causes deep thoughts in Lopakhin, who in his soul envies the conviction of this “shabby gentleman”, which he himself so lacks.
Anya is full of hope and vitality, but she still has so much inexperience and childhood. In terms of character, she is in many ways close to her mother: she has a love for beautiful words and sensitive intonations. At the beginning of the play, Anya is carefree, quickly moving from concern to animation. She is practically helpless, she is used to living carefree, not thinking about her daily bread or tomorrow. But all this does not prevent Anya from breaking with her usual views and way of life. Its evolution is taking place before our eyes.
Anya’s new views are still naive, but she says goodbye to the old home and the old world forever.

Conclusion
Anya’s new views are still naive, but she says goodbye to the old home and the old world forever.
In terms of the strength of his direct emotional impact, Chekhov is perhaps the most outstanding playwright in the art of critical realism.
Chekhov's dramaturgy, responding to pressing issues of his time, addressing the everyday interests, experiences and worries of ordinary people, awakened the spirit of protest against inertia and routine, and called for social activity to improve life. Therefore, she has always had a huge influence on readers and viewers.

Bibliography

The significance of Chekhov's drama has long gone beyond the borders of our homeland; it has become global. Chekhov's dramatic innovation is widely recognized outside the borders of our great homeland. I am proud that Anton Pavlovich is a Russian writer, and no matter how different the masters of culture may be, they probably all agree that Chekhov, with his works, prepared the world for a better life, more beautiful, more just, more reasonable.
If Chekhov looked with hope into the 20th century, which was just beginning, then we live in the new 21st century, still dreaming of our cherry orchard and of those who will nurture it. Flowering trees cannot grow without roots. And the roots are the past and the present. Therefore, for a wonderful dream to come true, the younger generation must combine high culture, education with practical knowledge of reality, will, perseverance, hard work, humane goals, that is, embody the best features of Chekhov's heroes.
3. A. A. Egorova. How to write an essay with a "5". Tutorial. Rostov-on-Don, “Phoenix”, 2001.
1. History of Russian literature of the second half of the 19th century / ed. prof. N.I. Kravtsova. Publisher: Prosveshchenie - Moscow 1966.

2. Exam questions and answers. Literature. 9th and 11th grades. Tutorial. – M.: AST – PRESS, 2000.

4. Chekhov A.P. Stories. Plays. – M.: Olimp; LLC "Firm" Publishing house AST, 1998.

The very name of Chekhov's play sets one in a lyrical mood. In our minds, a bright and unique image of a blooming garden appears, personifying beauty and the desire for a better life. The main plot of the comedy is related to the sale of this ancient noble estate. This event largely determines the fate of its owners and inhabitants. Thinking about the fate of the heroes, you involuntarily think about more, about the ways of development of Russia: its past, present and future.

The landowner's estate is a kind of mirror here, which reflects both the poetry of the “noble nests” and the bitter fate of the serf slaves, whose reproachful eyes, according to Petya Trofimov, look from every leaf, from every trunk of this beautiful, blooming garden. The life of many noble generations flowed here easily and carefree, supported by the labor of those dumb, powerless people who planted and nurtured it. On the one hand, life, devoid of worries about their daily bread, makes it possible for nobles to devote themselves to poetry, art, love, forming highly educated, cultured people. But, on the other hand, such an existence deprives them of will, perseverance, the ability to adapt to various life circumstances, sensitivity and attention to others. All of the above qualities are combined in the images of Ranevskaya and Gaev. Being on the verge of ruin, they are forced to sell their family estate, which is associated with touching memories of childhood, youth, past prosperity and happiness. This fact itself speaks of the economic collapse suffered by the heroes who personify Russia’s noble past. But it's not only that. After all, if Ranevskaya and Gaev were oppressed only by thoughts of impending material ruin, then they would probably happily agree with the solution that Lopakhin offers. In fact, what makes these people, with rare unanimity, reject the saving option? This question is not easy to answer. It seems that the point here is not in the frivolity, impracticality or stupidity of the ruined nobles, but in their heightened sense of beauty, which does not allow them to destroy beauty in order to make a profitable business out of a poetic cherry orchard. commercial enterprise. The crisis of the noble class is much deeper. It has lost not only its economic, but also its social position, because it is unable, as before, to determine the path of development of the country. Fully aware of their worthlessness and inability to cope with life, these sweet, kind and honest people They themselves give the cherry orchard to the new owner. There is no struggle in the play.

If in the image of Ranevskaya, the egoistic character traits inherent in the nobility are mainly exposed, then in the image of Gaev, helplessness, worthlessness, laziness, tactlessness, lordly arrogance and arrogance are even more clearly manifested. He often looks funny, for example, when, getting carried away, he makes a speech addressed to the closet, or gives a lecture about sexual decadents.

Perhaps, thoughts about the future of Russia, which largely coincide with Chekhov’s, are most fully expressed in the monologues of Petya Trofimov, a young intellectual whose life is full of work and hardship. Experiencing hunger, poverty, and political persecution, this “eternal student” did not lose faith in a new life, which would be based on fair, humane laws and creative constructive work. Petya Trofimov sees the failure of the nobility, mired in idleness and inaction. He gives a largely correct assessment of the bourgeoisie, noting its progressive role in economic development country, but denying it the role of creator and creator of a new life. In general, his statements are distinguished by directness and sincerity. While treating Lopakhin with sympathy, he nevertheless compares him to a predatory beast, “which eats everything that gets in its way.” In his opinion, Lopakhins are not capable of decisively changing life by building it on reasonable and fair principles. Trofimov's thoughts about the future are too vague and abstract. “We are heading uncontrollably towards the bright star that burns there in the distance!” - he says to Anya. Yes, his goal is wonderful. But how to achieve it? Where is the main force that can turn Russia into a blooming garden?

Usually the theme of the future is associated precisely with the young heroes of the play - Petya Trofimov and Anya Ranevskaya. But, in my opinion, with all the sympathy for them, one cannot say that they will become the creators of new life. The klutz and “shabby gentleman” (as Varya ironically calls Trofimova) lacks Lopakhin’s strength and business acumen. He submits to life, stoically enduring its blows, but is not able to master it and become the master of his destiny. True, he captivated Anya with his democratic ideas, who expresses her readiness to follow him, firmly believing in the wonderful dream of a new blooming garden. But this young seventeen-year-old girl, who gained information about life mainly from books, is pure, naive and spontaneous, has not yet encountered reality. It is unknown whether she will have enough spiritual strength, perseverance and courage to complete the path of suffering, labor and hardship. Will she be able to maintain that ardent faith in the best, which makes her say goodbye to her old life without regret? Chekhov does not answer these questions. And this is natural. After all, we can only talk about the future speculatively.

If Chekhov looked with hope into the 20th century, which was just beginning, then we, on the threshold of the next century, are still dreaming about our cherry orchard and about those who will nurture it. Flowering trees cannot grow without roots. And the roots are the past and the present. Therefore, for a wonderful dream to come true, the younger generation must combine high culture, education with practical knowledge of reality, will, perseverance, hard work, humane goals, that is, embody the best features of Chekhov's heroes.

The play "The Cherry Orchard", the last dramatic work Anton Pavlovich Chekhov can be considered a kind of testament of the writer, which reflected Chekhov’s cherished thoughts, his thoughts about the past, present and future of Russia.

The plot of the play is based on the history of a noble estate. As a result of the changes taking place in Russian society, the former owners of the estate are forced to give way to new ones. This plot outline is very symbolic; it reflects important stages in the socio-historical development of Russia. Fates Chekhov's characters are connected with the cherry orchard, in the image of which the past, present and future intersect. The characters remember the past of the estate, about those times when the cherry orchard, cultivated by serfs, still generated income. This period coincided with the childhood and youth of Ranevskaya and Gaev, and they remember these happy, carefree years with involuntary nostalgia. But serfdom canceled long ago, the estate is gradually falling into disrepair, the cherry orchard is no longer profitable. The time of telegraphs is coming and railways, era business people and entrepreneurs.

The representative of this new formation in Chekhov's play is Lopakhin, who comes from the Ranevskaya family of former serfs. His memories of the past are of a completely different nature; his ancestors were slaves on the very estate of which he now becomes the owner.

Conversations, memories, disputes, conflicts - all the external action of Chekhov's play is centered around the fate of the estate and the cherry orchard. Immediately after Ranevskaya’s arrival, conversations begin about how the mortgaged and remortgaged estate can be saved from auction. As the play progresses, this problem will become increasingly acute.

But, as is most often the case with Chekhov, there is no real struggle, no real clash between the former and future owners of the cherry orchard in the play. Just the opposite. Lopakhin is doing everything possible to help Ranevskaya save the estate from sale, but a complete lack of business skills prevents the hapless owners of the estate from taking advantage of useful tips; they are enough only for complaints and empty rantings. It is not the struggle between the emerging bourgeoisie and the nobility that is giving way to it that interests Chekhov; the fate of specific people, the fate of all of Russia, is much more important to him.

Ranevskaya and Gaev are doomed to lose the estate that is so dear to them and with which it is connected

so many memories, and the reason for this lies not only in their inability to heed Lopakhin’s practical advice. The time is coming to pay old bills, but the debt of their ancestors, the debt of their family, the historical guilt of their entire class has not yet been atoned for. The present stems from the past, their connection is obvious, it’s not for nothing that Lyubov Andreevna dreams of her late mother in a white dress in a blooming garden. This reminds us of the past itself. It is very symbolic that Ranevskaya and Gaev, whose fathers and grandfathers did not allow those at whose expense they fed and lived, even into the kitchen, are now entirely dependent on Lopakhin, who has become rich. In this Chekhov sees retribution and shows that the lordly way of life, although it is covered in a poetic haze of beauty, corrupts people, destroys the souls of those who are involved in it. This is, for example, Firs. For him, the abolition of serfdom is a terrible misfortune, as a result of which he, useless and forgotten by everyone, will be left alone in an empty house... The same lordly way of life gave birth to the footman Yasha. He no longer has the devotion to masters that distinguishes old man Firs, but without a twinge of conscience he enjoys all the benefits and conveniences that he can derive from his life under the wing of the kindest Ranevskaya.

Lopakhin is a man of a different type and a different formation. He is businesslike, has a strong grip and firmly knows what and how to do today. It is he who gives specific advice on how to save the estate. However, being a businesslike and practical person, and differing favorably from Ranevskaya and Gaev, Lopakhin is completely devoid of spirituality and the ability to perceive beauty. The magnificent cherry orchard is interesting to him only as an investment, it is remarkable only because it is “very large”; and based on purely practical considerations, Lopakhin proposes to cut it down in order to rent out the land for summer cottages - this is more profitable. Disregarding the feelings of Ranevskaya and Gaev (not out of malice, no, but simply because of a lack of spiritual subtlety), he orders the garden to begin to be cut down, without waiting for the former owners to leave.

It is noteworthy that in Chekhov's play there is not a single happy person. Ranevskaya, who came from Paris to repent of her sins and find peace in family estate, is forced to return back with old sins and problems, as the estate is sold under the hammer and the garden is cut down. The faithful servant Firs is buried alive in a boarded-up house, where he served all his life. Charlotte's future is unknown; years pass without bringing joy, and dreams of love and motherhood are never realized. Varya, who did not wait for Lopakhin’s offer, is hired by some Ragulins. Perhaps Gaev's fate turns out a little better - he gets a place in the bank, but it is unlikely that he will become a successful financier.

The cherry orchard, in which the past and present intersect so intricately, is also associated with thoughts about the future.

Tomorrow, which, according to Chekhov, should be better than the day of today, are personified in the play by Anya and Petya Trofimov. True, Petya, this thirty-year-old “eternal student”, is hardly capable of real deeds and actions; he only knows how to talk a lot and beautifully. Another thing is Anya. Realizing the beauty of the cherry orchard, she at the same time understands that the garden is doomed, just as her past slave life is doomed, just as the present, full of unspiritual practicality, is doomed. But in the future, Anya is sure, there must be a triumph of justice and beauty. In her words: “We will plant new garden, more luxurious than this” is not only a desire to console the mother, but also an attempt to introduce a new one, future life. Inheriting from Ranevskaya spiritual sensitivity and sensitivity to beauty, Anya is at the same time full sincere desire change, remake life. She is focused on the future, ready to work and even sacrifice in its name; she dreams of a time when the whole way of life will change, when it will turn into a blooming garden, giving people joy and happiness.

How to arrange such a life? Chekhov does not give recipes for this. Yes, they cannot exist, because it is important that every person, having experienced dissatisfaction with what is, is fired up with a dream of beauty, so that he himself seeks the path to a new life.

“All of Russia is our garden” - these significant words are heard repeatedly in the play, turning the story of the ruin of the estate and the death of the garden into a capacious symbol. The play is full of thoughts about life, its values, real and imaginary, about the responsibility of each person for the world in which he lives and in which his descendants will live.

The external plot of the play by A.P. Chekhov's "The Cherry Orchard" serves as the sale of Ranevskaya's estate for debts, the end of the established way of life noble family. The beautiful garden, against the backdrop of which characters are shown who do not understand the things that are happening or understand them very incorrectly, is associated with the destinies of several generations - the past, present and future of Russia.

The philosophical content of the play lies in the farewell of the new, young, tomorrow's country to the past, obsolete one. We can say that the entire play “The Cherry Orchard” is directed towards the future of the homeland.

The past, present and future in the play are personified by the characters in The Cherry Orchard. Each of them lives in the present, but for some this is the final stage life path(the path Russia is following). These are Ranevskaya, her brother Gaev, and their devoted old servant Firs. For these heroes, the best is in the past. For others (Anya, Petya Trofimov) this is just the beginning of a wonderful future, a new life, with new goals, new happiness, a new country.

In the play, the return from the present to the past is associated not only with some characters, but also with many details of the work. We are reminded of hoary antiquity by old stones, a hundred-year-old cabinet, cherry, which now they don’t know what to do with, but forty to fifty years ago it brought a lot of income... In addition, the play mentions that six years ago the husband died and Ranevskaya's son drowned, blind Firs has been muttering for three years, etc.

From the present to the future in The Cherry Orchard the road opens only for Anya, Varya, Petya and Lopakhin. "Yes, time is running“Lopakhin himself notes.

So, “The Cherry Orchard” is a play about the past, present and future of Russia. The future appears before us in the form of a beautiful garden. “All of Russia is our garden,” says Trofimov in the second act, and in the final act Anya says: “We will plant a new garden, more luxurious than this...”

In general, the image of the cherry orchard plays a large, multifaceted role in the play. First of all, it is a symbol of the passing old life, the dead noble culture. “To own living souls - after all, this has reborn all of you, who lived before and are now living, so that your mother, you, uncle, no longer notice that you are living in debt, at the expense of others, at the expense of those people whom you do not allow further front... It’s so clear, in order to start living in the present, we must first redeem our past, put an end to it...” Petya Trofimov says in his monologue.

It seems to me that these words are the idea of the play. The end of the past is its main meaning. Connected with this in “The Cherry Orchard” is the motif of the proximity of happiness. Addressing Anya, Trofimov calls her to the beauty of the future: “I have a presentiment of happiness, Anya, I already see it... Here it is, happiness, here it comes, coming 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!”

But the Gaevs and Ranevskys do not seem to think about life, the passing life and the future. Even the terrible drama that plays out in connection with the sale of their native estate does not turn out to be a disaster for them. It seems to me that all this happens for the reason that such heroes as Ranevskaya and Gaev cannot have anything serious, anything dramatic in their lives. That is why, in my opinion, the comedic, satirical basis of The Cherry Orchard is connected with Ranevskaya and, of course, Gaev.

And therefore, these representatives of the past do not deserve the beauty of the future that Petya Trofimov talks about. Ranevskaya and Gaev can only be called representatives with a stretch. They are just ghosts who cannot leave behind even a lasting memory.

Because the characters in “The Cherry Orchard” are clearly divided into two groups, they seem to not hear each other, they cannot find mutual language. It’s not surprising: after all, some of them are left in the past, others are moving into the future. Inexorable time separates them...

In fact, time is another actor, perhaps the most important thing in the play. It is invisible, but the greater its significance. Time does not stand in one place; it is characterized by movement. Movement is also characteristic historical process, life. This means that Russia will move forward. In any case, this belief is evident in the play. Obvious, since A.P. himself Chekhov realized that “everything has long since become old, outdated” and is only waiting for “the beginning of something young, fresh.” And the writer happily said goodbye to the past he hated. "Goodbye, old life!” – rings in the finale of “The Cherry Orchard” Anya’s young voice, the voice new Russia, Chekhov's voice.