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A review by gabbuz
The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov
4.0
Reading plays was never my thing. Until I found Anton Chekhov.
The Cherry Orchard is a story about an aristocratic Russian family who gathered debts because of their lavish spending. Now, they must repay them by selling something very important to them. The only thing that keeps their family together.
The story kept my interest from the beginning to the end. The ending was sad, but undramatic and even mundane. But then I realised something. I have just witnessed one of the most important historical events of Russia! And it was between the daily-like dialogues of characters who were deciding what to do with their property, future and love-lives, in a short engaging play. That is the definition of great literature to me.
The character I connected the most with was Lopakhin. Although a secondary persona, he was the main one for me. He comes from a family of slaves, or, serfs. He was raised by his father’s fists and his mother’s tears. Growing up he had nothing, not even shoes. Now, he is a businessman. His hard work is awarded, and his words hold value. But, he feels as worthless as the serf he was raised (or abused) to be. He believes more wealth and power will remove his inner suffering and will allow him to build a family. Yet, he never feels ready for commitment and love. Ah, the illusion of “when I reach x, I will start living”.
I love how simple Chekhov’s writing is. I couldn’t stop reading until there was nothing left to. I wish the play was longer. I also wish there was a part two — I must know if Lopakhin married.
“My father was a peasant, it's true, but here I am in a white waistcoat and yellow shoes . . . a pearl out of an oyster. I'm rich now, with lots of money, but just think about it and examine me, and you'll find I'm still a peasant down to the marrow of my bones.”
The Cherry Orchard is a story about an aristocratic Russian family who gathered debts because of their lavish spending. Now, they must repay them by selling something very important to them. The only thing that keeps their family together.
The story kept my interest from the beginning to the end. The ending was sad, but undramatic and even mundane. But then I realised something. I have just witnessed one of the most important historical events of Russia! And it was between the daily-like dialogues of characters who were deciding what to do with their property, future and love-lives, in a short engaging play. That is the definition of great literature to me.
The character I connected the most with was Lopakhin. Although a secondary persona, he was the main one for me. He comes from a family of slaves, or, serfs. He was raised by his father’s fists and his mother’s tears. Growing up he had nothing, not even shoes. Now, he is a businessman. His hard work is awarded, and his words hold value. But, he feels as worthless as the serf he was raised (or abused) to be. He believes more wealth and power will remove his inner suffering and will allow him to build a family. Yet, he never feels ready for commitment and love. Ah, the illusion of “when I reach x, I will start living”.
I love how simple Chekhov’s writing is. I couldn’t stop reading until there was nothing left to. I wish the play was longer. I also wish there was a part two — I must know if Lopakhin married.
“My father was a peasant, it's true, but here I am in a white waistcoat and yellow shoes . . . a pearl out of an oyster. I'm rich now, with lots of money, but just think about it and examine me, and you'll find I'm still a peasant down to the marrow of my bones.”