About this title: The final play written by the famous Russian author, first published in 1904. It portrays the decline of the charming and doomed Ranevskaya family, and opens with Madame Ranevskaya returning debt-ridden to Russia after a five-year exile in Paris following the death of her son. The unscrupulous merchant Lopakhin convinces her that she can only raise the money she needs by selling the famous cherry orchard that surrounds the estate to developers. As the unhappy Ranevskayas leave the estate at the end, the sound of saws can be heard in the orchard outside.
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Description: Fine. Trade Paperback. Dover Publications, 1991. Fine Book. Overall, a clean and tight, lightly read copy. Media mail packed in protective bubble lined shipping bags, Priority in a Flat Rate Envelope. Shipped quickly. Prompt response to questions. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Dover Publications
Date Published: 1991
ISBN-13:9780486266824ISBN:0486266826
Description: Acceptable. May be custom printing with different material than original text. Please contact us with questions BEFORE ordering. Accetable or better condition. Cover may be worn, spine may be creased, may have some underlining, highlighting and marginal notes in text. read more
Description: Good. Light shelf wear and minimal interior marks. Millions of satisfied customers and climbing. Thriftbooks is the name you can trust, guaranteed. Spend Less. Read More. read more
"When I finished reading this play, I wasn't sure what to make of it, and I've been thinking on it for a couple of weeks now. I'm still not entirely sure what I think, but I know it caused me to think about what I thought, so that counts for something. Anyway, I find the humor constantly laced with sadness to be poignant, and I can imagine how this play could be a directorial challenge. I love the old servant who laments the freeing of the serfs. What a wretched fellow; how sad for him to feel that way, yet funny. I like the nostalgic feeling of the play. Interesting how I can think aristocracies are bad and still feel sorry about them falling. (Of course, the passing of the aristocracy in Russia didn't exactly lead to good times.) I identify with the sense of resistance to change that came from several characters. This is a strange little piece about a bunch of folks sort of not liking how things are going but just kinda going with the flow; so many of us are in that state. Some of them, particularly Lopakhin, just miss opportunities. I'd like to see it performed. And I have to love Chekhov throwing in the proverbial loaded gun and not firing it and making that not a flaw somehow."
"I read this in high school; at the time, I wasn't as focused as I shoulod have been, so I didn't understand it as well as I might have if I had read it carefully.
From what I remember, there were many, mnany characters, and the names were hard to keep track of at times, as many characters went not onloy by their given name, but by a nickname (and sometimes even two!). I gave up after a while, which I regret doing now. I'd like to try again as an adult!"
"Yes, of;course it's a sin to some to think about Chekhov's work and Ron Jeremy acting out the head character. However, porn, sex, love, lust.. it is all the very basics of human nature. If Chekhov was alive today, writing the Cherry Orchid, how would it be different? would they be more 'juicy' scenes in the play? Back then an unmarried young woman alone in a room with a man was pretty on the edge already. An what about her step mother, traveling through foreign lands, taking care of some sick man? Perhaps there is a generation disconnect here.
Chekhov did not write about 'the higher calling'. In my opinion he tried to push out the limits of what was reasonable to read or see in a play back them. Come on! Gayev was not born into a high society, he was not even middle class. What happen to Gayev could be traced to socialism. think about it. Poor taking over the rich. :)
And of'course it is a comedy! How could it not be. The awkwardness, the foolishness, the comedy of all those characters being caught in the situation they are in. May be it's because I am Russian, may be it's because I come from family who pray on Russian classic writers - may be that's why I see the humor and that's why some other people don't see it at all. This is not the sort of humor that announces it self before the punch line or stares you straight in the face so you can't miss it. Perhaps reading more classics would help you see it. Try Dead Souls by Gogol."
"Having already read Chekhov's Ivanov, I founded myself comparing the two as a bit and enjoying this play more. It's about a family who is losing their wealth and needs to sell their cherry orchard, and I thought that was much more relatable than the story of Ivanov.
The one thing that I really enjoyed about this play was the sense of memory that I got while I was reading it. I think Chekhov did a good job of showing why this place was important to the family. I got a sense that there was a lot of sorrow about losing the orchard, but in some ways he very much incorporated the hope for the future which I enjoyed. Overall I'd say it's a really good story about family and we hold certain places dear to us. My only complaint is that at times the names got a bit confusing."
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