Compositions. Heroes and their roles Minor characters cherry orchard
In the play "The Cherry Orchard" there are many supporting characters who participate in the action on a par with the main characters, but at the same time do not outwardly influence the development of events. It is interesting that in addition to the main and secondary characters, persons who do not appear on the stage take part in the action on equal terms: the Yaroslavl aunt, the Parisian lover, Pishchik's daughter Dashenka. Even these ephemeral characters set the tone for the play.
Minor characters they often repeat, and thereby imprint in the memory the thoughts of the main characters or say what has remained unspoken, phrases that are important for understanding the play are sometimes put into their mouths.
The minor characters remember their place, at the same time, without disappearing anywhere, revolving around Gaev, Ranevskaya, Lopakhin, Trofimov, Vary, Anya, involuntarily caricatures the behavior of the main characters, especially the first two. Despite the fact that little or almost nothing is said about not very significant personalities, their characters clearly show through in those few remarks that the author gives them.
Here is Simeonov-Pischik - a hectic brisk person who never deviates from his role. Every time he appears on the stage, he is unchanged - asks for money and talks about Dasha. Pischik is a comic figure without any reservations, his abbreviated surname is also ridiculous. He is like a clown who, going on stage, must show a new number. In the first act, Pischik, for some reason, swallows Lyubov Andreevna's pills, seriously stating: "He took all the pills," in the third, he admires Charlotte, while not bothering himself with exquisite phrases, all his praises boil down to the words "Think about it!" But he is both delicate (takes Lopakhin away from Ranevskaya after the news of the sale of the cherry orchard), and honest (pays debts to Lopakhin and Ranevskaya), and sensitive (cries when he learns about the family's departure). Clown clown, but sincere, good person, in general, so similar to Gaev, who laughs at Pischik.
Enough interesting role the play is played by the arrogant Charlotte Ivanovna, an expert in turning everything serious into a comic way. But even her sorrowful streams break through: "I want to talk so much!", And not with anyone ... "It seems that something from Ranevskaya here. Charlotte, by the way, should have a phrase that could be put into any hero's uela: "Who am I, why I am, it is not known ..." And it is Sharit that with her tricks, ventriloquism, circus performances that emphasizes the comedic situation. In fact, all the actions of the heroes are just comedies, but the main characters take themselves seriously, and the minor ones prevent the reader from perceiving them the same way.
Another comical face of Epikhodov, a muddler, "twenty-two misfortunes." He owns a brilliant phrase: "I just can't understand,. And this is said by the person who is assigned the most comic role in the play! Such speeches are reminiscent of Gaev's pathetic sayings. Incidentally, "twenty-two misfortunes" took from the previous owners of Lopakhip a noteworthy, if you think about it, stroke.
Finally, there are also servants. Firs can hardly be called a secondary character. He, appearing relatively rarely, plays a significant role in the play; Chekhov trusts him in the final monologue. So, for all the poverty of his lines, Firs is almost the most significant character. Much smaller roles are assigned to Dunyasha and Yasha, two servants who try to imitate the masters and thus unconsciously mimic them, exaggerating specific traits Ranevskaya and Gaev. Servant speech is often a clumsy imitation of small talk. Doesn't it remind Dunyasha Ranevskaya when, in excitement, he says: "I'm going to fall ... Oh, I'm going to fall!" or when she shows Yasha how little she was when he was leaving (Lyubov Andreevna also likes to remember her childhood), or when she tells everyone and everyone about Epikhodov's proposal: “He loves me, loves me so much!”? And the always yawning Yasha, casually lighting a cigarette is a recognizable parody of Gaev. "You are educated, you can talk about everything" - a sign of the highest praise from Dunyasha, although Yasha, in general, is not smart. But he is impudent and free-spirited, allows himself to laugh at every suitable and inappropriate occasion, even in the face of Gaev.
Both of them, Dunyasha and Yasha, are extremely ridiculous in their desire to be like masters in everything. Dunyasha, always powdering herself, with her statements that she is a "delicate girl" and with ridiculous declarations of love for Yasha, Yasha, drinking champagne and applying only one definition to everyone - "ignorance" - in fact, just turned out inside out, grotesque images of masters.
All the minor characters in their clown absurdity represent a rather sad pantomime. They cannot argue against the pattern, they cannot postpone the inevitable, but they do not humiliate themselves with despondency. They have to leave the stage, however, this is not a cause for sadness. Their departure is framed like a carnival show. The main characters do not know how to deal with their grief, but the secondary ones (and they feel the same feelings) scare away grief with laughter. It is not without reason that Chekhov presented The Cherry Orchard to us precisely as a comedy, moreover, in some places it turns into an outright farce, which, however, only aggravates the drama of the play.
There are no random and "useless" heroes. Each of them is like a small puzzle of one large image. Perhaps someone can be thrown away and considered superfluous, but then the very picture of what is happening will become incomplete.
Lackey Yasha, brought from Paris by Lyubov Ranevskaya, complements the image of his mistress. The man is completely spoiled. He is arrogant, self-confident and very well settled in life. Despite not the most better times, Ranevskaya continues to pay him decently, to travel abroad with him, and even brings a footman to the estate.
Yasha is irresponsible, he has a poor speech and a disgusting character. He is spoiled by the luxurious life of the hostess, and when trouble strikes and the estate leaves for the auction, the man plaintively asks to take him with him to Paris. Ranevskaya's kindness is taken by Yasha for weakness.
Yasha is the complete opposite of Firs. Even the age of the characters is different. Yasha, young, full of strength and indifference to the owners. He is only interested in the financial side and his own comfort. Firs, on the other hand, is an old man who is over eighty years old.
The old footman lived permanently on the estate. He remained with his masters, even after the abolition of serfdom. The man has become practically a member of the family. He courted Lyubov and Gayev when they were young, and he continued to take care of them when they became adults. For the elder, "other people's" finances were never important. He was more concerned with the comfort and order of the estate.
Firs very responsible, pedantic, but meanwhile, open-minded. He literally suffers from new laws, and most importantly, does not understand what awaits him in the future. When an old man is simply forgotten in the estate in a hurry and bustle, he faithfully lies down on the bench and waits for people to come back for him.
Dunyasha also serves on the estate. She is a reflection of Ranevskaya herself. The girl is very emotional, vulnerable and sensitive. Epikhodov is in love with Dunyasha. But she frivolously gives preference to Yasha. The girl is drawn to the intelligent, as it seemed to her, the image of a foreign lackey. She will soon be very disappointed in her wrong, hasty choice, since for Yasha, Dunyasha is an empty place. Epikhodov will remain to look after the estate when Lopakhin will win the bid.
The image of Epikhodov is both comic and tragic at the same time. The man is called "twenty-two misfortunes" because of his ability to get into various troubles, inadvertently breaking things, breaking dishes. It attracts bad luck like a magnet. So the man was clearly not lucky with his marriage to Dunyasha, because his chosen one preferred another. Epikhodov is very hard on the "quarrel" and does not even try to hide his emotions.
The image of Boris Semeon-Pischik is also not accidental in the play. The man is very lively, as his life is full of different events. He is in constant search of money. A man, trying to borrow them even from the ruined Gaev and Ranevskaya.
Pischik is an optimist in life. He believes that even from the most difficult situation, you can find a way out. His faith in good things simulates situations after which he, though partially, but pays off all his debts.
Chekhov in his play endowed even minor characters with special "features." Each of them, one way or another, completes the images of the main characters, while remaining unique.
Lyric comedy by A. P. Chekhov "The Cherry Orchard" is one of the heights of the writer's dramatic creativity. The images of the main characters created by him have become textbooks, but the images of the secondary characters are also of considerable importance. Of course, these characters do not make a serious contribution to the development of the general plot, but they help the author to draw and show the viewers and readers a more complete and voluminous picture.
The key task of the minor characters is to summarize the main thoughts and opinions of the main characters. They seem to express what the main characters did not say in their speech. With the help of them, Chekhov shows the importance of the key points that are fundamental for understanding and comprehending the play.
Chekhov practically does not describe the minor characters in any way, all the traits of their characters can be seen through their remarks, which the author successfully and effectively "makes" them pronounce.
Consider a hero like Epikhodov. In his opinion, he is a very educated person, which is a strong exaggeration, since in fact, we see his narrow-minded mindset and pride. His speech is notable for a pile of words, not entirely correct comparisons, he often inserts foreign words into speech that are inappropriate in this context. On the one hand, his speech is beautiful and good, but on the other hand, it is difficult to understand:
“As a matter of fact, without touching on other subjects, I must express myself about myself, by the way, that fate treats me without regret, like a storm to small ship... If, let's say, I'm wrong, then why do I wake up this morning, for example, say, I look, and I have a terrible spider on my chest ... That's it. (Shows with both hands.) And you also take kvass to drink, and there, you see, something extremely indecent, like a cockroach. "
Take a character like Yasha. This is a young man who has picked up on the pernicious atmosphere of Parisian life, which is especially clearly seen in his addresses to Dunyasha, whom he calls "The Cucumber". Yasha speaks, but his speech does not make much sense, he is overly self-confident, cruel and vengeful person. This is especially noticeable in the episode when he brutally dealt with Charlotte's dog that bit him right in front of her window. Yasha is a person without principles and without morality, but he is quite simple and understandable, and such people are needed everywhere, so he can use it.
There is one more hero who is difficult to define as "secondary", since in fact, he practically plays the main role in the "Cherry Orchard" - Firs. He has little presence on the stage, but the author put the final monologue summing up the play in his mouth. Firs is an "eternal serf" who once himself gave up the long-awaited freedom.
I think it's unfair to refer to the minor characters as backgrounds, like pieces of furniture. They're just as important characters plays, even though they are given a little time. The characters cannot emerge victorious in the current conditions of life, but they do not consider it a tragedy. They leave the stage brightly, effectively, and memorable. It is important to understand that if the main characters are not able to overcome their melancholy and grief, and the secondary characters seem to scare away everything bad with their behavior, with their laughter. This turns the play into a comedy, and in some places into a farce, which emphasizes the fact that this is a dramatic work.
All the characters in the play "The Cherry Orchard" are of great importance in the ideological and thematic context of the work. Even the casually mentioned names carry a semantic load. For example, there are non-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
- Ranevskaya Lyubov Andreevna - a sensitive, emotional woman, but completely not adapted to life and unable to find her core in her. Everyone uses her kindness, even the footman Yasha and Charlotte. Lyubov Andreevna expresses emotions of joy and tenderness in a childish way. She is characterized by affectionate treatment of the people around her. So, Anya - "I'm going away," Firs - "my old man." But a similar appeal to furniture is striking: "my cabinet", "my table". Without noticing it herself, she gives the same assessment to a person and to 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. He 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 sides, so it seems ambiguous. On the one hand, her own state of mind is in the foreground. She left for Paris, leaving her children behind. On the other hand, Ranevskaya gives the impression of a kind, generous and trusting woman. She is ready to disinterestedly help a passer-by and even forgive a betrayal of a loved one.
- Anya - kind, gentle, empathic. She has a big loving heart. Arriving in Paris and seeing the environment in which his mother lives, he does not condemn her, but regrets her. Why? Because she is lonely, there is no close person with her who would surround her with care, protect her from everyday adversities, understand her tender soul. The disorder of life does not upset Anya. She knows how to quickly switch to pleasant memories. He has a subtle sense of nature, enjoys the singing of birds.
- Varya- Ranevskaya's adopted daughter. A good hostess, constantly at work. The whole house rests on it. Girl of stern looks. Having taken upon herself the heavy burden of caring for the household, she became a little hardened. She lacks a subtle mental organization. Apparently, for this reason, Lopakhin never made her a marriage proposal. Varvara dreams of going to holy places. She does nothing to somehow change her fate. He hopes only for God's will. At twenty-four years old he becomes a "bore", so that many do not like it.
- Gaev Leonid Andreevich. To Lopakhin's proposal regarding the future "fate" of the cherry orchard, he categorically reacts negatively: "What nonsense." He is worried about old things, a wardrobe, he addresses them with his monologues, but he is completely indifferent to the fate of people, so the servant left him. Gayev's speech testifies to the limitations of this man, who lives only by personal interests. If we talk about the situation in the house, Leonid Andreevich sees a way out in receiving an inheritance or in Ani's profitable marriage. Loving her sister, she accuses her of being vicious, she did not marry a nobleman. He speaks a lot, not embarrassed by the fact that no one is listening. Lopakhin calls him a "woman" who grinds only with her tongue, while doing nothing.
- Lopakhin Ermolai Alekseevich. To him you can "apply" the aphorism: from rags to riches. He evaluates himself soberly. Understands that money in life does not change a person's social status. “Ham, kulak,” says Gaev about Lopakhin, but he doesn't care what people think of him. Not trained in good manners, unable to communicate normally with a girl, as evidenced by his attitude towards Varya. 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 "console" Ranevskaya: "The garden is sold, but you sleep well."
- Trofimov Petr Sergeevich. Dressed in a shabby student's uniform, glasses, thin hair, for five years, "dear boy" has changed a lot, looked ugly. In his understanding, the goal of life is to be free and happy, and for this you have to work. He believes that those who seek the truth need help. There are many problems in Russia that need to be solved and not philosophized. Trofimov himself does nothing, he cannot graduate from the university. He utters beautiful and intelligent 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 to his speeches.
- Simeonov - Boris Borisovich Pischik. Landowner. Falls asleep on the go. All his thoughts are directed only at 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.
- Charlotte Ivanovna - governess. Knows nothing about himself. She has no relatives or friends. 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 would understand her. But she cannot understand herself either. "Who am I? Why am I?" - this poor woman did not have a bright beacon in her life, a mentor, loving person, which would help to find the right path and not turn off it.
- Epikhodov Semyon Panteleevich works in an office. He considers himself a developed person, but openly declares that he cannot decide in any way: "live" for him or "shoot himself." Jonah. Epikhodov is pursued by spiders and cockroaches, as if trying to force him to turn around and look at the miserable existence that he has been dragging out for many years. Unrequitedly in love with Dunyasha.
- Dunyasha - maid in Ranevskaya's house. Living with the gentlemen, she lost the habit of a simple life. Doesn't know peasant labor. Afraid of everything. Falls in love with Yasha, not noticing that he is simply not able to share love with someone.
- Firs. His whole life fits into "one line" - to serve the masters. The abolition of serfdom is evil for him. He is used to being a slave and cannot imagine another life.
- Yasha. An uneducated young footman dreaming of Paris. Dreams of a rich life. Callousness is the main feature of his character; even with his mother tries not to meet, ashamed of her peasant origin.
- 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 of the house were numbered. In the nervous and tragic image of Ranevskaya, all the shortcomings of the nobility were expressed: its inability to self-sufficiency, lack of independence, spoiledness and a tendency to evaluate everyone according to class prejudices, but at the same time the subtlety of feelings and education, spiritual wealth and generosity.
- Anya. A heart beats in the chest of a young girl, 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 cannot yet look at things critically and blindly believes Trofimov's "chatter", presenting reality in a rosy light. She's the only one. Anya is not yet aware of the versatility of this world, although she is trying. She also does not hear those around her, does not see the real problems that have befallen the family. Chekhov had a presentiment that this girl was the future of Russia. But the question remained open: will she succeed in changing something, or will she remain in her childhood dreams. After all, in order to change something, you need to act.
- Gaev Leonid Andreevich. Spiritual blindness is characteristic of this mature person. He stayed in childhood for the rest of his life. In conversation, he constantly uses billiard terms out of place. His horizons are narrow. The fate of the family nest, as it turned out, did not bother him at all, although at the beginning of the drama he beat himself in the chest with his fist and publicly promised that The Cherry Orchard will live. But he is categorically incapable of doing business, like many nobles who are used to living while others are working for them.
- Lopakhin buys the family estate of Ranevskaya, which is not a "bone of contention" between them. They do not consider each other to be enemies; humanistic relationships 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 safely, Lopakhin is happy that he can finally get down to real business. We must pay tribute to the hero, because it was he, the only one, who was concerned about the “fate” of the cherry orchard and found a way out that suited everyone.
- Trofimov Petr Sergeevich. He is considered a young student, although he is already 27 years old. One gets the impression that the student body 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 boundaries 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 rather delicate psyche. Any emotional shock can push her in the wrong direction, from where she can no longer be returned. Therefore, Petya must think not only about himself and about the implementation of his ideas, but also about the fragile creature who was entrusted to him by Ranevskaya.
Characteristics of heroes
How does Chekhov feel about his heroes?
A.P. Chekhov loved his heroes, but he could not entrust the future of Russia to any of them, not even Peta Trofimov and Anya, the progressive youth of that time.
The heroes of the play, attractive 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 fades into oblivion, and they are forced to drag out a miserable existence on the last proceeds. Lopakhin suffers, as he realizes that he can do nothing to help them. He himself is not happy with the purchase of a cherry orchard. No matter how hard he tries, he still will not become his full-fledged 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? Isn't the author pinning his hopes on them? Perhaps, but these hopes are very vague. Trofimov, by virtue of his character, is not capable of taking any radical actions. And without this, the situation cannot be changed. He is limited only to talking 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 the uncertainty of life, changes should not be expected from her. Perhaps, in the distant future, when she has set all life priorities for herself, it will be possible to expect any actions from her. In the meantime, she is limited to belief in the best and a sincere desire to plant a new garden.
Whose 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 Lopakhino, he values the desire for compromise and for poetic beauty, although he is not able to appreciate the real beauty of the cherry orchard. The Cherry Orchard is a member of the family, but everyone is unanimously forgetting about this, while Lopakhin is generally unable to understand this.
The heroes of the play are divided 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 for themselves. Moreover, they are all unhappy. Ranevskaya is experiencing disappointment in love, life and her social supremacy, which seemed unshakable yesterday. Gaev once again discovers that aristocratic manners are not a guarantor of power and financial well-being. Before his eyes, yesterday's serf takes away his estate, becomes the owner there even without the nobility. Anna is left penniless, she has no dowry for a profitable marriage. Her chosen one, although he does not require him, has not yet earned anything himself. Trofimov understands that he needs to change, but does not know how, because he has no connections, no money, no position to influence something. They are left with only the hopes of youth, which are short-lived. Lopakhin is unhappy, because he realizes his inferiority, belittles his dignity, seeing that he is no equal to any masters, although he has more money.
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