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The Cherry Orchard

Anton Chekhov

  • Drama
  • Book language: English
  • 69 pages

The Cherry Orchard is a play by Anton Chekhov about an aristocratic family facing debts and the possible sale of their estate and cherry orchard. Through its characters and conversations, it portrays social change in late 19th-century Russia. It is worth listening to for its rich characters and blend of humor and melancholy.

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Text source: standardebooks.org · The work is in the public domain.

Opening of the book

Characters in the Play

Madame Ranevsky (Lyubov Andreyevna) (the owner of the Cherry

Orchard)

Anya (her daughter, aged 17)

Varya (her adopted daughter, aged 24)

Gaev (Leonid Andreyevitch) (brother of Madame Ranevsky)

Lopahin (Yermolay Alexeyevitch) (a Merchant)

Trofimov (Pyotr Sergeyevitch) (a Student)

Semyonov-Pishtchik (a Landowner)

Charlotta Ivanovna (a Governess)

Epihodov (Semyon Pantaleyevitch) (a Clerk)

Dunyasha (a Maid)

Firs (an old Valet, aged 87)

Yasha (a young Valet)

A Vagrant

The Station Master

A Post-Office Clerk

Visitors, Servants

The action takes place on the estate of MADAME RANEVSKY.

Act I

A room, which has always been called the nursery.

One of the doors leads into AƿΏĵ’Ǫ room. Dawn,

sun rises during the scene. May, the cherry trees in flower, but it is cold in the garden with the frost of early morning. Windows closed.

(Enter DǼƿΏĵǪƒĵ with a candle and LLjǙĵƒƗƿ with a book in his hand.)

LjǙĵƒƗƿ

The train’s in, thank God. What time is it?

ƿΏĵǪƒĵ

Nearly two o’clock (puts out the candle). It’s daylight already.

LjǙĵƒƗƿ

The train’s late! Two hours, at least (yawns and stretches). I’m a pretty one; what a fool I’ve been. Came here on purpose to meet them at the station and dropped asleep.   … Dozed off as I sat in the chair. It’s annoying.   … You might have waked me. ƿΏĵǪƒĵ

I thought you had gone (listens). There, I do believe they’re coming!

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