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Three Plays: The Cherry Orchard / Three Sisters / Ivanov
plays
- GenresPlays
255 pages, Paperback
First published December 31, 1945
2 people are currently reading
26 people want to read
About the author
Anton Chekhov
5,996 books9,812 followers
Antón Chéjov
(Spanish)
Dramas, such as The Seagull (1896, revised 1898), and including "A Dreary Story" (1889) of Russian writer Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, also Chekov, concern the inability of humans to communicate.
Born ( Антон Павлович Чехов ) in the small southern seaport of Taganrog, the son of a grocer. His grandfather, a serf, bought his own freedom and that of his three sons in 1841. He also taught to read. A cloth merchant fathered Yevgenia Morozova, his mother.
"When I think back on my childhood," Chekhov recalled, "it all seems quite gloomy to me." Tyranny of his father, religious fanaticism, and long nights in the store, open from five in the morning till midnight, shadowed his early years. He attended a school for Greek boys in Taganrog from 1867 to 1868 and then Taganrog grammar school. Bankruptcy of his father compelled the family to move to Moscow. At the age of 16 years in 1876, independent Chekhov for some time alone in his native town supported through private tutoring.
In 1879, Chekhov left grammar school and entered the university medical school at Moscow. In the school, he began to publish hundreds of short comics to support his mother, sisters and brothers. Nicholas Leikin published him at this period and owned Oskolki (splinters), the journal of Saint Petersburg. His subjected silly social situations, marital problems, and farcical encounters among husbands, wives, mistresses, and lust; even after his marriage, Chekhov, the shy author, knew not much of whims of young women.
Nenunzhaya pobeda , first novel of Chekhov, set in 1882 in Hungary, parodied the novels of the popular Mór Jókai. People also mocked ideological optimism of Jókai as a politician.
Chekhov graduated in 1884 and practiced medicine. He worked from 1885 in Peterburskaia gazeta.
In 1886, Chekhov met H.S. Suvorin, who invited him, a regular contributor, to work for Novoe vremya, the daily paper of Saint Petersburg. He gained a wide fame before 1886. He authored The Shooting Party , his second full-length novel, later translated into English. Agatha Christie used its characters and atmosphere in later her mystery novel The Murder of Roger Ackroyd . First book of Chekhov in 1886 succeeded, and he gradually committed full time. The refusal of the author to join the ranks of social critics arose the wrath of liberal and radical intelligentsia, who criticized him for dealing with serious social and moral questions but avoiding giving answers. Such leaders as Leo Tolstoy and Nikolai Leskov, however, defended him. "I'm not a liberal, or a conservative, or a gradualist, or a monk, or an indifferentist. I should like to be a free artist and that's all..." Chekhov said in 1888.
The failure of The Wood Demon , play in 1889, and problems with novel made Chekhov to withdraw from literature for a period. In 1890, he traveled across Siberia to Sakhalin, remote prison island. He conducted a detailed census of ten thousand convicts and settlers, condemned to live on that harsh island. Chekhov expected to use the results of his research for his doctoral dissertation. Hard conditions on the island probably also weakened his own physical condition. From this journey came his famous travel book.
Chekhov practiced medicine until 1892. During these years, Chechov developed his concept of the dispassionate, non-judgmental author. He outlined his program in a letter to his brother Aleksandr: "1. Absence of lengthy verbiage of political-social-economic nature; 2. total objectivity; 3. truthful descriptions of persons and objects; 4. extreme brevity; 5. audacity and originality; flee the stereotype; 6. compassion." Because he objected that the paper conducted against [a:Alfred Dreyfu
Dramas, such as The Seagull (1896, revised 1898), and including "A Dreary Story" (1889) of Russian writer Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, also Chekov, concern the inability of humans to communicate.
Born ( Антон Павлович Чехов ) in the small southern seaport of Taganrog, the son of a grocer. His grandfather, a serf, bought his own freedom and that of his three sons in 1841. He also taught to read. A cloth merchant fathered Yevgenia Morozova, his mother.
"When I think back on my childhood," Chekhov recalled, "it all seems quite gloomy to me." Tyranny of his father, religious fanaticism, and long nights in the store, open from five in the morning till midnight, shadowed his early years. He attended a school for Greek boys in Taganrog from 1867 to 1868 and then Taganrog grammar school. Bankruptcy of his father compelled the family to move to Moscow. At the age of 16 years in 1876, independent Chekhov for some time alone in his native town supported through private tutoring.
In 1879, Chekhov left grammar school and entered the university medical school at Moscow. In the school, he began to publish hundreds of short comics to support his mother, sisters and brothers. Nicholas Leikin published him at this period and owned Oskolki (splinters), the journal of Saint Petersburg. His subjected silly social situations, marital problems, and farcical encounters among husbands, wives, mistresses, and lust; even after his marriage, Chekhov, the shy author, knew not much of whims of young women.
Nenunzhaya pobeda , first novel of Chekhov, set in 1882 in Hungary, parodied the novels of the popular Mór Jókai. People also mocked ideological optimism of Jókai as a politician.
Chekhov graduated in 1884 and practiced medicine. He worked from 1885 in Peterburskaia gazeta.
In 1886, Chekhov met H.S. Suvorin, who invited him, a regular contributor, to work for Novoe vremya, the daily paper of Saint Petersburg. He gained a wide fame before 1886. He authored The Shooting Party , his second full-length novel, later translated into English. Agatha Christie used its characters and atmosphere in later her mystery novel The Murder of Roger Ackroyd . First book of Chekhov in 1886 succeeded, and he gradually committed full time. The refusal of the author to join the ranks of social critics arose the wrath of liberal and radical intelligentsia, who criticized him for dealing with serious social and moral questions but avoiding giving answers. Such leaders as Leo Tolstoy and Nikolai Leskov, however, defended him. "I'm not a liberal, or a conservative, or a gradualist, or a monk, or an indifferentist. I should like to be a free artist and that's all..." Chekhov said in 1888.
The failure of The Wood Demon , play in 1889, and problems with novel made Chekhov to withdraw from literature for a period. In 1890, he traveled across Siberia to Sakhalin, remote prison island. He conducted a detailed census of ten thousand convicts and settlers, condemned to live on that harsh island. Chekhov expected to use the results of his research for his doctoral dissertation. Hard conditions on the island probably also weakened his own physical condition. From this journey came his famous travel book.
Chekhov practiced medicine until 1892. During these years, Chechov developed his concept of the dispassionate, non-judgmental author. He outlined his program in a letter to his brother Aleksandr: "1. Absence of lengthy verbiage of political-social-economic nature; 2. total objectivity; 3. truthful descriptions of persons and objects; 4. extreme brevity; 5. audacity and originality; flee the stereotype; 6. compassion." Because he objected that the paper conducted against [a:Alfred Dreyfu
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 9, 2013
It took two readings for me to appreciate Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard. At first the profusion of characters was confusing and the meaning of the cherry orchard as a symbol was not entirely clear. Only on the second reading—with the benefit of having consulted commentaries—was I able to understand and enjoy this play. If you doubt that interpretation presents challenges, consider that Chekhov intended the play as a comedy, but theatre director Constantin Stanislavski had it performed as a tragedy. As he sat in the audience, Chekhov was not pleased.
The cherry orchard symbolizes the old order in Russia before the emancipation of the serfs in 1861. By remarkable coincidence, Abraham Lincoln ended slavery in the United States with the Emancipation Proclamation two years later. Both courageous decisions led to unavoidable social and economic upheaval. Chekhov’s play was set in Russia several decades later when the gentry still struggled with the loss of its position in society and the difficult aftermath of a forced-labor economy. Chekhov portrays the gentry as unable to cope with the profoundly changed conditions. The representatives of this class are unrealistic, feckless, and shiftless. By contrast, the former serfs are sensible, practical, and hardworking.
Against this backdrop, the characters are archetypes of various classes of people. Liuba Ranyevskaya, the landowner whose family lived blissfully in the orchard for generations, cannot endure the thought of life without it. Piotr Trofimov, an idealistic eternal student, condemns the repressive social order the orchard represents and looks forward to the future. Yermolai Lopakhin, the diligent and pragmatic peasant whose serf forebears labored in the orchard, cannot believe his good fortune in acquiring it. For him the orchard has absolutely no sentimental value. Understandably, these three characters have entirely different perspectives about what it would mean to chop down the cherry orchard.
For Chekhov himself, the cherry orchard had personal significance. After his own beloved orchard passed on to a new owner, he was horrified to discover it chopped down upon his return from a foreign trip. Perhaps for Chekhov, writing the play was his way of coming to terms with this painful experience.
The cherry orchard symbolizes the old order in Russia before the emancipation of the serfs in 1861. By remarkable coincidence, Abraham Lincoln ended slavery in the United States with the Emancipation Proclamation two years later. Both courageous decisions led to unavoidable social and economic upheaval. Chekhov’s play was set in Russia several decades later when the gentry still struggled with the loss of its position in society and the difficult aftermath of a forced-labor economy. Chekhov portrays the gentry as unable to cope with the profoundly changed conditions. The representatives of this class are unrealistic, feckless, and shiftless. By contrast, the former serfs are sensible, practical, and hardworking.
Against this backdrop, the characters are archetypes of various classes of people. Liuba Ranyevskaya, the landowner whose family lived blissfully in the orchard for generations, cannot endure the thought of life without it. Piotr Trofimov, an idealistic eternal student, condemns the repressive social order the orchard represents and looks forward to the future. Yermolai Lopakhin, the diligent and pragmatic peasant whose serf forebears labored in the orchard, cannot believe his good fortune in acquiring it. For him the orchard has absolutely no sentimental value. Understandably, these three characters have entirely different perspectives about what it would mean to chop down the cherry orchard.
For Chekhov himself, the cherry orchard had personal significance. After his own beloved orchard passed on to a new owner, he was horrified to discover it chopped down upon his return from a foreign trip. Perhaps for Chekhov, writing the play was his way of coming to terms with this painful experience.
September 25, 2018
The Cherry Orchard ★★★
Three Sisters ★★
Ivanov ★★★★
Three Sisters ★★
Ivanov ★★★★
October 22, 2020
Three plays:
1. The Cherry Orchard
2. Three Sisters
3. Ivanov
A nice collection of plays. Entertaining.
1. The Cherry Orchard
2. Three Sisters
3. Ivanov
A nice collection of plays. Entertaining.
October 23, 2012
Wonderfully entertaining!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews