Changes in Russia Captured in the Works of Anton Chekhov...

Anton Chekhov (1860-1904) was born a year before the emancipation of serfism in Russia took place. Although he was the grandson of a serf, Chekhov was able to attend the medical school at the University of Moscow and become a physician. Chekhov started writing in order to support his family economically, becoming a master in drama and short stories. His literature is characterized by the use of colloquial language which could be understood even by the less educated and recently liberated serfs. Social change is the main theme in ‘The Cherry Orchard’, a four-act play written in 1904. In this play the different characters portray how changes in Russia after the emancipation of 1861 were taking place and although the play is set several†¦show more content†¦However, many peasants, although liberated, remained in their state of peasants following the old regime. These men are symbolized by Firs, an old servant for whom freedom was insignificant. He stays loyal, work ing in the Cherry Orchard as a serf since he had no other opportunities in life. Firs and Lohpakin on one side contrast Madame Ranevsky and Gayef her brother. The first two portraying two different ways in which emancipation affected peasants, and the last two, showing how the emancipation affected Russian aristocracy. The past is constantly mentioned by the characters in this play. Even the cherry orchard as property, is a symbol of the Old Russian regime. The end of the Old Regime therefore, is portrayed by Chekhov when at the end of the play Lohpakin becomes the owner of the estate and cuts the cherry orchard. Chekhov, as a contemporary observer, uses his play to criticize some aspects of the emancipation of 1861. The message he leaves is that although the emancipation was an important step towards freedom, it was not the only one to be made. This message, besides being given throughout the novel, is also stated by Trofimov, an idealist student who realizes how far Russia is from achieving real freedom. At the end of Act 2, Trofivom tells Anya, Madame Ranevskaya’s 17-year-old daughter: â€Å"...In order to start living in the present, we first have to redeem our past, make an end of it, and we can only do that through suffering†¦Ã¢â‚¬  . The play shows usShow MoreRelatedShort Story and Dance Pianist1453 Words   |  6 PagesStatus in Two Chekhov Stories In the introduction to our edition of Chekhovs short stories, by George Pahomov, it is stated that Chekhovs fiction â€Å"captured the burgeoning Russian democracy† and that â€Å"in Chekhovs democratic world view, no one was excluded† (vii-viii). We see these ideals being put forward in the two stories by Chekhov that we will discuss in this paper. In these two stories, â€Å"The Resurrection† and â€Å"The Dance Pianist,† we can see how Chekhov depicts a world where the authorsRead MoreA. Chekhov - the Cherry Orchard Commentary4493 Words   |  18 PagesThe Cherry Orchard is Russian playwright Anton Chekhov s last play. It premiered at the Moscow Art Theatre 17 January 1904 in a production directed by Constantin Stanislavski. Chekhov intended this play as a comedy and it does contain some elements of farce; however, Stanislavski insisted on directing the play as a tragedy. Since this initial production, directors have had to contend with the dual na ture of this play. The play concerns an aristocratic Russian woman and her family as they returnRead Morewisdom,humor and faith19596 Words   |  79 PagesWalter G. Moss 1 Table of Contents (with links) 1 Wisdom, Perspective, and Values 2 Humor’s Contribution to Wisdom 4 Humor and Wisdom in Europe: Some Highlights 5 Renaissance Humor: Erasmus, Rabelais, Cervantes, Shakespeare 5 Two European Russians: Anton Chekhov and Vladimir Soloviev 9 Reflections on Humor from Nietzsche to the Theatre of the Absurd 12 Humor and Wisdom in the United States: Lincoln, Beecher, Twain, Sandburg, and Buchwald 17 From The Times (of London) obituary on him (January 19, 2007)