Past, present and future in a play
The play " The Cherry Orchard”was published at the very beginning of the 20th century and is a kind of final work by A.P. Chekhov. In this work, he most vividly expressed his thoughts on the past, present and future of Russia. He was able to masterfully show the real situation in society on the eve of the first revolution and the changes that had taken place in the country. As one said famous critic, the main character of the play, in fact, is time. Almost everything depends on it. Throughout the work, the author focuses on the transience and ruthlessness of time.
The actions of the play "The Cherry Orchard" develop in family estate former nobles Ranevskaya and Gaev. The plot of the comedy is connected with the sale of this estate for the debts of the owners. And with it the blooming will go under the hammer marvelous garden, which is the personification of beauty and the desire for a better life. The play intertwines the lives of the past and the present generation. The main characters, the owners of the estate, belong to the old time. They could not get used to a new life after the abolition of serfdom. Ranevskaya and Gaev live one day. For them, time has stopped. They do not understand that if they do not act, they will lose everything.
Ranevskaya also loves to squander money, despite the fact that she has almost no money left. And at the suggestion of the merchant Lopakhin to make from the garden summer cottages and make money on it so as not to lose the estate, and Ranevska and Gaev answer in the negative. As a result, they lose both the garden and the estate. In this act, you can see the carelessness, impracticality and unwillingness of the owners to make any effort. However, another driving force was their heightened sense of beauty. They simply could not cut down a garden in which every leaf was a reminder of a happy childhood.
The new time is represented by young characters. First of all, this is the businesslike merchant Lopakhin, who himself grew up under the tutelage of Ranevskaya. His ancestors wore "muzhiks" with the owners of the estate. And now he's got rich and bought the estate himself. In the person of Yermolai Lopakhin, the author portrayed the emerging bourgeoisie, which replaced the nobility. With his diligence, practicality, ingenuity and enterprise, he managed to firmly establish himself in modern society.
In addition to Lopakhin, the new generation is represented by Petya Trofimov and Anya - people who want to work for the good of society in order to atone for the sins of inactive ancestors. Petya Trofimov is twenty-six or twenty-seven years old, and he is still studying. He was nicknamed " eternal student". This character demonstrates a heightened sense of justice, philosophizes a lot about how things should be, but does little to act. He scolds the nobility for idleness and sees the future for the bourgeoisie. Petya encourages Anya to follow him, as he is sure of a happy future. Although he calls for work, he himself is not capable of creation.
The future of Russia remains uncertain in Chekhov's play. He does not give a specific answer for who this future is and what will happen next. It is only clear that the writer sincerely hoped that the coming century would be fruitful, and that people would finally appear who would be able to grow a new cherry orchard, as a symbol of the eternal renewal of life.
Introduction
1. Problems of the play by A.P. Chekhov "The Cherry Orchard"
2. The embodiment of the past - Ranevskaya and Gaev
3. Spokesman for the ideas of the present - Lopakhin
4. Heroes of the future - Petya and Anya
Conclusion
List of used literature
Introduction
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov - writer of the mighty creative talent and a kind of subtle craftsmanship, manifested with equal brilliance, both in his stories and in stories and plays.
Chekhov's plays constituted an entire epoch in Russian dramaturgy and Russian 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, unadorned, in all its usualness, everyday life.
showing natural flow Everyday life ordinary people, Chekhov bases his plots on not one, but several organically connected, intertwined conflicts. At the same time, conflict is predominantly the leading and unifying one. actors not with each other, but with the entire social environment surrounding them.
The problems of the play by A.P. Chekhov "The Cherry Orchard"
The play "The Cherry Orchard" occupies a special place in Chekhov's work. Before her, he aroused the idea of the need to change reality by showing the hostility of living conditions to a person, 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. Change theme is widely developed social structures. Noble estates with their parks and cherry orchards, with their unreasonable owners, are fading into the past. They are being replaced by businesslike and practical people, they are the present of Russia, but not its future. Only the younger generation has the right to purify and change life. Hence the main idea of the play: the assertion of a new public force opposing not only the nobility, but also the bourgeoisie and called upon to rebuild life on the basis of true humanity and justice.
Chekhov's play "The Cherry Orchard" was written during the period of public upheaval of the masses in 1903. It opens to us another page of his multifaceted work, reflecting the complex phenomena of that time. The play amazes us with its poetic power, drama, is perceived by us as a sharp denunciation of the social ulcers of society, exposing those people whose thoughts and actions are far from moral standards behavior. The writer vividly shows deep psychological conflicts, helps the reader to see the reflection of events in the souls of the characters, makes us think about the meaning true love and true happiness. Chekhov easily takes us from our present to the distant past. Together with his heroes, we live near the cherry orchard, we see its beauty, we 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 heroes, but of the country as a whole. The author shows the clash of representatives of the past, the present and the future embedded in this present. I think that Chekhov succeeded in showing 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 owners of the garden? What connects their life with his existence? Why is the cherry orchard dear to them? Answering these questions, Chekhov reveals an important problem - the problem of the outgoing life, its worthlessness and conservatism.
The very name Chekhov's play tunes in a lyrical way. In our mind, a bright and unique image of a blooming garden emerges, embodying beauty and striving for a better life. The main plot of the comedy is connected with the sale of this old noble estate. This event largely determines the fate of its owners and inhabitants. Thinking about the fate of the heroes, one involuntarily thinks about more, about the ways of Russia's development: its past, present and future.
The embodiment of the past - Ranevskaya and Gaev
The spokesman for the ideas of the present - Lopakhin
Heroes of the future - Petya and Anya
All this involuntarily leads us to the idea that the country needs completely different people who will do other great things. And these other people are Petya and Anya.
Trofimov is a democrat by birth, by habits and convictions. Creating the images of Trofimov, Chekhov expresses in this image such leading features as devotion to the public cause, striving for a better future and propaganda of the struggle for it, patriotism, adherence to principles, courage, hard work. Trofimov, despite his 26 or 27 years, has a great and 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 a "perpetual student".
Experiencing hunger, and need, 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 her the role of creator and creator of a new life. In general, his statements are distinguished by directness and sincerity. With sympathy for Lopakhin, he nevertheless compares him with a predatory beast, "which eats everything that comes in its way." In his opinion, the Lopakhins are not able to decisively change life, building it on reasonable and fair principles. Petya evokes deep thoughts in Lopakhin, who in his heart 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 moving irresistibly towards the bright star that burns there in the distance!” he says to Anya. Yes, the goal is great. But how to achieve it? Where is the main force that can turn Russia into a blooming garden?
Some refer to Petya with light 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 will come. I will reach or show others the way how to reach. And points. He points it out to Anya, whom he loves passionately, although he skillfully hides this, realizing that another path is destined for him. He tells her: “If you have the keys to the household, then throw them into the well and leave. Be free as the wind."
In the klutz and the “shabby gentleman” (as Trofimova Varya ironically calls) there is no strength and business acumen of Lopakhin. He submits to life, stoically enduring its blows, but is not able to master it and become the master of his fate. True, he captivated Anya with his democratic ideas, who expresses her readiness to follow him, firmly believing in a wonderful dream of a new flowering garden. But this young seventeen-year-old girl, who gathered information about life mainly from books, pure, naive and spontaneous, had not yet encountered reality.
Anya is full of hope vitality, but there is still so much inexperience and childhood in it. In terms of character, she is in many ways close to her mother: she has love for beautiful word, to sensitive intonations. At the beginning of the play, Anya is carefree, quickly moving from concern to animation. In practice, she is helpless, 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 forever says goodbye to the old house and the old world.
It is not known whether she will have enough spiritual strength, stamina and courage to go through the path of suffering, labor and deprivation to the end. Will she be able to maintain that ardent faith in the best, which makes her say goodbye to her without regret? old life? Chekhov does not answer these questions. And it's natural. After all, one can only speak about the future presumably.
Conclusion
The truth of life in all its sequence and completeness - this is what Chekhov was guided by when creating his images. That is why each character in his plays is a living human character, attracting with great meaning and deep emotionality, convincing with its naturalness, warmth of human feelings.
By the strength of his direct emotional impact, Chekhov is perhaps the most outstanding playwright in art. critical realism.
Chekhov's dramaturgy, responding to the topical issues of his time, addressing the everyday interests, feelings and worries of ordinary people, awakened the spirit of protest against inertia and routine, called for social activity to a better life. Therefore, it has always had a huge impact on readers and viewers. The significance of Chekhov's dramaturgy has long gone beyond the borders of our homeland, it has become global. Dramaturgical innovation Chekhov is widely recognized abroad by our great motherland. 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 a better life, more beautiful, more just, more reasonable.
If Chekhov peered hopefully into the 20th century, which was just beginning, then we live in the new 21st century, we still dream of our cherry orchard and those who will grow it. Flowering trees cannot grow without roots. Roots are past and present. Therefore, in order to beautiful dream became a reality, the younger generation must combine high culture, education with practical knowledge reality, will, perseverance, diligence, humane goals, that is, to embody best features Chekhov's heroes.
Bibliography
1. History of Russian literature second half of XIX century / ed. prof. N.I. Kravtsova. Publisher: Education - Moscow 1966.
2. Exam questions and answers. Literature. 9 and 11 graduation classes. Tutorial. - M.: AST - PRESS, 2000.
3. A. A. Egorova. How to write an essay on "5". Tutorial. Rostov-on-Don, "Phoenix", 2001.
4. Chekhov A.P. Stories. Plays. – M.: Olimp; Firma LLC, AST Publishing House, 1998.
What is conflict? Conflict is disagreement between people. In the play "The Cherry Orchard" Chekhov considers different conflicts, the main of which is the conflict of times, it can be compared with the conflict of generations. Because all heroes are representatives different generations and different times. It can be conditionally divided into three groups, so past, present, future.
Young people are for the future, and older people are for the past.
The conflict lies in the fact that it does not have a pronounced character - this is one of the features dramatic works. Chekhov may note some similarity philosophical conflict, which is based on different time levels.
Some of the heroes live in memories and the past in which it was comfortable and calm (Examples of the heroes were Ranevskaya, Gaev and Firs). Others live in the present, in which they feel like households of life, examples are the characters Lopakhin and Varya.
The third group of characters is directed to the future, progressively, it seems to them that the future is wonderful, but it is not known how to achieve what they want. Anya and Petya belong to this category. These heroes are young and inexperienced, so they are waiting for a brighter fate.
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Essay on literature.
Here she is - open secret, the secret of poetry, life, love!
I. S. Turgenev.
The play "The Cherry Orchard", written in 1903, - last work Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, completing it creative biography. In it, the author raises a number of problems characteristic of Russian literature: the problems of fathers and children, love and suffering. All this is united in the theme of the past, present and future of Russia.
The Cherry Orchard - central image, uniting heroes in time and space. For the landowner Ranevskaya and her brother Gaev, the garden is family nest, an integral part of their memories. They seem to have grown together with this garden, without it they "do not understand their life." To save the estate, decisive action is needed, a change in lifestyle - otherwise the magnificent garden will go under the hammer. But Ranevskaya and Gaev are unaccustomed to any activity, impractical to the point of stupidity, unable to even seriously think about the impending threat. They betray the idea of a cherry orchard. For landlords, he is a symbol of the past. Firs, an old servant of Ranevskaya, also remains in the past. He considers the abolition of serfdom a misfortune, and to his former owners attached as to his own children. But those to whom he devotedly served all his life leave him to the mercy of fate. Forgotten and abandoned, Firs remains a monument of the past in a boarded up house.
The present time is represented by Ermolai Lopakhin. His father and grandfather were serfs of Ranevskaya, he himself became a successful merchant. Lopakhin looks at the garden from the point of view of the "circulation of the case." He sympathizes with Ranevskaya, while the cherry orchard itself is doomed to death in the plans of a practical entrepreneur. It is Lopakhin who brings the agony of the garden to its logical conclusion. The estate is divided into profitable summer cottages, and "you can only hear how far in the garden they knock on wood with an ax."
The future is personified by the younger generation: Petya Trofimov and Anya, Ranevskaya's daughter. Trofimov is a student who makes his way through life with difficulty. His life is not easy. When winter comes, he is "hungry, sick, anxious, poor." Petya is smart and honest, understands the difficult situation people live in, believes in a brighter future. “All Russia is our garden!” he exclaims.
Chekhov puts Petya in ridiculous situations, reducing his image to the extremely unheroic. Trofimov is a “shabby gentleman”, an “eternal student”, whom Lopakhin stops all the time with ironic remarks. But the student's thoughts and dreams are close to the author's. The writer, as it were, separates the word from its “carrier”: the significance of what is said does not always coincide with social significance"carrier".
Anna is seventeen years old. Youth for Chekhov is not only a sign of age. He wrote: "... that youth can be recognized as healthy, which does not put up with the old order and ... fights against them." Anya received the usual upbringing for nobles. Trofimov had a great influence on the formation of her views. In the character of the girl there is sincerity of feelings and mood, immediacy. Anya is ready to start a new life: to pass the exams for the gymnasium course and break ties with the past.
In the images of Anya Ranevskaya and Petya Trofimov, the author embodied all the best features inherent in the new generation. It is with their lives that Chekhov connects the future of Russia. They express the ideas and thoughts of the author himself. An ax is heard in the cherry orchard, but young people believe that the next generations will plant new orchards, more beautiful than the previous ones. The presence of these heroes enhances and strengthens the notes of vivacity sounding in the play, the motives of the future wonderful life. And it seems - not Trofimov, no, it was Chekhov who entered the stage. “Here it is, happiness, here it comes, coming closer and closer ... And if we don’t see it, don’t know it, then what’s the trouble? Others will see it!"
Features of Chekhov's dramaturgy
Before Anton Chekhov, the Russian theater was in crisis, it was he who made an invaluable contribution to its development, breathing new life into it. The playwright snatched small sketches from the everyday life of his characters, bringing the dramaturgy closer to reality. His plays made the viewer think, although there were no intrigues or open conflicts in them, but they reflected the internal anxiety of a critical historical time, when society froze in anticipation of imminent changes, and all social strata became heroes. The apparent simplicity of the plot introduced the stories of the characters before the events described, making it possible to speculate what will happen to them after. So miraculously the past, present, future mixed up in the play "The Cherry Orchard", by connecting people not so much of different generations as different eras. And one of the "undercurrents" characteristic of Chekhov's plays was the author's reflection on the fate of Russia, and the theme of the future took center stage in The Cherry Orchard.
Past, present and future on the pages of the play "The Cherry Orchard"
So how did past, present and future meet on the pages of The Cherry Orchard? Chekhov, as it were, divided all the heroes into these three categories, portraying them very vividly.
The past in the play "The Cherry Orchard" is represented by Ranevskaya, Gaev and Firs - the oldest character in the whole action. It is they who speak most of all about what was, for them the past is a time in which everything was easy and beautiful. There were masters and servants, each had its own place and purpose. For Firs, the abolition of serfdom became greatest grief, he did not want freedom, remaining on the estate. He sincerely loved the family of Ranevskaya and Gaev, remaining devoted to them until the very end. For the aristocrats Lyubov Andreevna and her brother, the past is the time when they did not need to think about such base things as money. They enjoyed life, doing what brings pleasure, being able to appreciate the beauty of intangible things - it is difficult for them to adapt to the new order, in which material values replace high moral values. It is humiliating for them to talk about money, about ways to earn it, and Lopakhin's real proposal to rent out the land occupied, in fact, by a worthless garden, is perceived as vulgarity. Unable to make decisions about the future of the cherry orchard, they succumb to the flow of life and simply float along it. Ranevskaya, with her aunt's money sent for Anya, leaves for Paris, and Gaev goes to serve in a bank. The death of Firs at the end of the play is very symbolic, as if to say that the aristocracy, as social class has outlived itself, and there is no place for it, in the form in which it was before the abolition of serfdom.
Lopakhin became the representative of the present in the play The Cherry Orchard. "A man is a man", as he says about himself, thinking in a new way who knows how to earn using his mind and flair. Petya Trofimov even compares him with a predator, but with a predator with a subtle artistic nature. And this brings Lopakhin a lot of emotional experiences. He is well aware of all the beauty of the old cherry orchard, which will be cut down at his will, but he cannot do otherwise. His ancestors were serfs, his father owned a shop, and he became a "white-summer", having made a considerable fortune. Chekhov placed special emphasis on the character of Lopakhin, because he was not a typical merchant, who was treated with disdain by many. He made himself, paving the way with his work and desire to be better than his ancestors, not only in terms of financial independence, but also in education. In many ways, Chekhov identified himself with Lopakhin, because their pedigrees are similar.
Anya and Petya Trofimov personify the future. They are young, full of strength and energy. And most importantly, they have the desire to change their lives. But, that's just, Petya is a master of talking and reasoning about a wonderful and just future, but he does not know how to expose his speeches into action. This is what prevents him from graduating from university or at least somehow arranging his life. Petya denies all attachments - be it a place or another person. He captivates the naive Anya with his ideas, but she already has a plan for how to arrange her life. She is excited and ready to "plant new garden even more beautiful than before." However, the future in Chekhov's play "The Cherry Orchard" is very uncertain and vague. In addition to the educated Anya and Petya, there is also Yasha and Dunyasha, and they, too, are the future. Moreover, if Dunyasha is just a stupid peasant girl, then Yasha is already a completely different type. Gaev and Ranevsky are being replaced by the Lopakhins, but the Lopakhins will also have to be replaced by someone. If you recall the story, then 13 years after the writing of this play, it was precisely such Yashas who came to power - unprincipled, empty and cruel, not attached to anyone or anything.
In the play "The Cherry Orchard" the heroes of the past, present and future were gathered in one place, only they were united not by an inner desire to be together and exchange their dreams, desires, experiences. old garden and the house holds them, and as soon as they disappear, the connection between the characters and the time that they reflect is broken.
Connection of times today
Only the greatest creations are able to reflect reality even many years after their creation. This happened with the play "The Cherry Orchard". History is cyclical, society develops and changes, moral and ethical standards are also being rethought. Human life is not possible without the memory of the past, inaction in the present, and without faith in the future. One generation is replaced by another, some build, others destroy. So it was in Chekhov's time, so it is now. The playwright was right when he said that “All of Russia is our garden”, and it depends only on us whether it will bloom and bear fruit, or whether it will be cut down to the very root.
The author's reasoning about the past, present and future in comedy, about people and generations, about Russia makes us think even today. These thoughts will be useful for grade 10 when writing an essay on the topic "Past, present, future in the play" The Cherry Orchard "".
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