Cherry Orchard Analysis

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Peter Trofimov, the realist of The Cherry Orchard, is a character who seems to be a personal aide to bring the element of “himself” into the play; a synecdoche to the author’s voice, the echo to his personality. Trofimov is seen throughout the play as a source of direct ideological presentation. This, coupled with his sardonic mix of wit and seriousness make him a major character. As a weary student with no ties to the house, save as the tutor of the late Grisha, and as Anya’s romantic interest, he takes on a semi-intellectual role in the play, connecting with the other characters well enough to be taken seriously- on occasion. He is referred to as the “eternal student”(Chekhov 37) in mockery by Ermolai Lopakhin, to which he promptly responds…show more content…
However, while taking into account the background upon which Chekhov wrote The Cherry Orchard, the perception of this speech changes. The essence of this extract boils down to a simple ‘those who work hard will be rewarded’, a sentiment that was just starting to spread in Russia back in the timeline of the play’s background. As Chekhov wrote this play, Russia herself was in great turmoil, providing him with a key focal point and a message, one of changing times. His ideals, set from his life of medical practice along with his empathic writings expresses the world around him, empathizing with the hard-working. The rich no longer stayed rich; neither the poor forever oppressed. This was reflected by the positions that Lopakhin the hard working former Serf, Ranevsky: the one who did not work and Trofimov, the bare intellectual, found themselves in during this great…show more content…
Grisha, the late son of Ranevsky having been under his tutelage, is brought afresh in her memories by the old house, along with the arrival of Trofimov. This painful link stands in stark contrast to Anya’s loving, tender memories, and current passion for him, putting him in between both old and new. He explores Ranevsky’s attachments to the cherry orchard, advising her to let it go, while berates Lopakhin as he gets arrogant about his wealth. These links show not only his presence as a middle-ground in the clash between the eras, but his ability to analyze situations as though the author
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