The Major Themes of “The Cherry Orchard”

Change is the law of the cosmos. The clock of time moves on persons, and things come into existence, grow up, mature, decline and go to their resting place. So is the schedule with the socio-political orders and systems. Clash between feudalism and capitalism, tradition and modernity as well as aesthetic beauty and commercialism is central to “The Cherry Orchard.”

“The Cherry Orchard” turned over its new leaf as a debut on the stage in 1904. At that time Russia was ruled over by the Tsar dynasty. Only thirteen years later, the Tsar was overthrown through a putsch.

The process of socio-political u-turns in Russia, as in the rest of the world, had kicked off showing conspicuous indications of great vicissitude in keeping with the times. The old order of feudal supremacy was on its last breaths. Agro-based economy amalgamated the Business or Agro-based economy commingled with the industrialism. The balance of power was shifting from feudal sway to industrialism/ commercialism. Huge estates and plazas were selling out and were being put to commercial use.

In “The Cherry Orchard”, the change has been symbolized in the sale of Gayev family’s cherished and renowned cherry orchard. With the passage of time, when Chekhov started jotting down this play unlike his contemporaries, he gave this theme a hilarious twist by highlighting the ludicrous facet of the ongoing process of socio-political change in Russia. Speaking of the social custom, Firs, the old servant of Lyubov laments: “That’s it! The peasants belonged to the masters and masters belonged to the peasants. You knew where you were. Now, its all topsy-turvy can’t make any sense of it.” The revolution and the war metamorphosed everything. The post war Russia was an innovative Russia with a new political and social setup. Symptoms of the imminent revolution make “The Cherry Orchard” a political play.

Lopakhin, who comes of a serf family, represents the whole plebeian who was emerging into an industrialist class. Lyubov and her family with all its pages represent the feudal class that is, at recent times, eradicated in Russia and is not struggling for its survival on its own.

Lyubov’s ménage and clan is under the obligation of their creditors. They are to pay their debt, which they cannot so their sole asset “The Cherry Orchard” is going to be sold under the law Gayev says that they are expecting some funds from Yeroslavl. On Lopakhin’s enquiry, he reveals that the money is in the region of ten or fifteen thousand roubles. The amount is evidently like a drop in the bucket, which have now run into seven digits. This exasperates Lopakhin as he cries out, “……With all due respect, you are the most frivolous, unbusiness like people I have ever met in my life.” Lopakhin’s statement makes his sharp sagacity apparent in business field and impotence of the feudalism that was prevailing at that time.

In the present case, the renunciation is the penalty, Gayev’s clan ought to reimburse for their reckless and lavish spending. It would not unjust to say that in the present case, the loss of tradition and estates came as a blessing, otherwise they would be soon put behind the bars. Chekhov wants to convey the moral persuasion through his theme that sacrifice of aesthetic value is a necessary evil for the gratification in the recent world. “The Cherry Orchard” is a superb source of aesthetic enjoyment that is going to be put to havoc for purely materialistic interests. It is to be hewed down for building dachas. This gloomy transition reflects the ongoing socio-political transition in Russia that is the striking theme of “The Cherry Orchard.”