A Critical Analysis of the Character of Lyubov Ranevsky

Mrs. Lyuba Ranevsky is the protagonist figure of Chekhov’s “The Cherry Orchard”. She is a mature Russian lady, the owner of the estate and the Cherry Orchard around which the story revolves. Lyubov’s life as well as her nature has alleviation of multi shades. She has stood in the way of hard realities of life many times and rather endeavoured to avert them.

A keen study of “The Cherry Orchard” denudes many facets of her personality. Anton Chekhov presents her before us as a representative of Feudal order. By the last breaths of 19^th century, feudalism was dwindling and was replaced by commercialism. So, being a representative of feudalism, she must have to face penury, melancholy and misery. As the descendant of landlords, the current miseries are no less than an ordeal for her.

Her first name “Lyuba” means “Love” in Russian. She seems to personify love with her generosity, magnanimity, corporeal attractiveness and hedonistic nature. She is the only character in the play with suitor. But her amorous feelings waver her judgment frequently. She is sanctimoniously kind hearted and genteel as well as affectionate and sincere to all. She even adores her adopted daughter Varya and courteously behaves eve with her servants.

She has to support a large family that proves her a generous lady by nature. Her family includes her brother Leonid Gayev who has several intriguing verbal habits. Varya, her adopted daughter who is at the apex of her youth, her biological daughter who is a teenager, Charlotte, Anya the governess girls an old servant, Yasha, a young man servant and Dunyasha, a maid servant. She also splurges money on the beggars munificently. She was thrown from the sky to the earth due to her lavish habits. In act IV, Gayer advises her, “There was no need to give them your purse Lyuba. You should not have done that you really should not”. Lyubov replies, “I could not help myself! I could not help it!”

Improvidence and carefree nature are major drawbacks in Lyubov’s character as people of the feudal class generally have. Neither she has made any plan for the rainy season nor is she distracted for the present financial exigency. Lyubov persists in spending as bountifully as ever, borrowing the money he needs. Speaking for her in a letter to his wife, Chekhov said, “Nothing but death could subdue a woman like that.” He described her as, “Tastefully, but not gorgeously dressed, intelligent, very good natured, absent-minded, friendly and gracious to everyone.”

The descriptions declare Lyubov inane and daft as she does not do any valuable or perspicacious works which might be esteemed as brainy. She allows everyone to consummate their desires. Her love affair with a con-man is the nuttiest slip up a lady could ever commit. Yet she is in a frantic haste to elope with her good for nothing love. She is incapable of sedate outlook. We can either call it as doltishness or callousness for Varya as she was leaving her in the lurch. If anybody deserved her bounty then they these two persons who had been in her service in the worst of times on the level.

Lyubov, time and again seems to eat her heart out and sobbing over her only son’s demise who met his maker by immersing in river in his childhood. When she comes across Trofimov, teacher of her son, she snivels.

“My Grisha…….., my boy….., my little boy was drowned why? ….… Why my friend?” She has very soft corner for her son in her heart and still recalls that mishap,

Her solicitude for cherry orchard is also conspicuous. She does not want to suffer the loss of it at all. On hearing about its auction, she becomes down in the dumps. She is forced because the sale of cherry orchard has become a necessary evil as there is no way out to release the heavy debt. Her last words for orchard are unforgettable, “Oh my dear…… My gentle, beautiful orchard!...... my life ..…. my you ……. My happiness… goodbye …. Farewell!” Her love for aesthetic beauty has been manifested through her love for cheery orchard.

To wind up her character, we can assert her with veracious representative figure of feudalism in Russia in the last breaths of 19^th century. The most touching figure in a comedy also stimulates the reader’s commiseration. Lyubov’s character is the one and only character that fabricates the play as “a blend of smiles and tears.”