Introduction
Chekhov’s play The Cherry Orchard can be regarded as a work of social justice, particularly in its exploration of the emancipation of the serfs in 19th-century Russia. The liberation of the serfs was a significant event in Russian history, and the play powerfully portrays the effects of this change on both the serfs and the landowners. The play examines the conflicting emotions of both groups and the complex emotions and relationships of those involved. In this paper, emancipation is explored through a close reading of a key speech given by Lopakhin and an analysis of the implications of the freedom of the serfs on the characters and the society of Chekhov’s time. It can be claimed that Chekhov’s play provides an insightful look at how this transition affected the lives of the people involved, causing a flux of a social system and giving hope for a better future.
The Social Justice Theme in the Play
The Cherry Orchard is set in a Russia that is on the brink of transformation, as the feudal serfdom system is on its way out, and a new class system is slowly beginning to take its place. This period is the backdrop of the play, and it is what informs the characters’ decisions and actions. One of its main characters is Lopakhin, a former serf who has risen out of the serfdom system and into the new class system. He is a symbol of hope and progress and speaks to emancipation’s power. For example, in his pivotal speech, he emphatically declared that change is needed and that people must take action to make it happen:
“My God, my God, the cherry orchard’s mine! … Don’t laugh at me! If my father and grandfather rose from their graves and looked at the whole affair, and saw how their Ermolai, their beaten and uneducated Ermolai, who used to run barefoot in the winter, how that very Ermolai has bought an estate, which is the most beautiful thing in the world! I’ve bought the estate where my grandfather and my father were slaves, where they weren’t even allowed into the kitchen…” (Chekhov, par.601).
This speech demonstrates the changing social system in Russia at the time, namely the shift from a traditional, aristocratic society to one that emphasizes the rise of the middle class. By buying the cherry orchard, which was once a symbol of the oppressive upper class, Lopakhin is demonstrating his newfound success and financial freedom, as well as his hope for a better future. This purchase symbolizes his independence and the potential for social mobility, suggesting that anyone can achieve success regardless of their background. As a result, the emancipation of the serfs had a profound impact on the characters of The Cherry Orchard. It gave them a sentiment of independence and aspiration they had never felt before. It allowed them to take control of their own lives and make their own decisions. Finally, it allowed them to see the new class system’s potential and take advantage of it.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the emancipation of the serfs in Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard is an essential social justice theme that speaks to the potential of a new class system. Through Lopakhin’s key speech, the implications of emancipation were demonstrated for the characters and the society of Chekhov’s time. The liberation of the serfs gave the characters of The Cherry Orchard a newfound sense of freedom and hope that they had not experienced previously. This sense of hope and progress is at the heart of Chekhov’s play.
Work Cited
Chekhov, Anton. The Cherry Orchard. Translated by Julius West, Scribner’s, 1917. Web.