The symbol of the garden in the play “The Cherry Orchard. Chekhov A. n. What does the cherry orchard symbolize in the play?

The play “The Cherry Orchard” was written by Chekhov shortly before his death. It is impossible to imagine a person who would not know this play. In this touching work, Chekhov seems to say goodbye to a world that could be more merciful and humane.
Studying Chekhov’s work “The Cherry Orchard,” I would like to note one feature of his heroes: they are all ordinary people, and not one of them can be called a hero of their time, although almost each of them is a symbol of the time. The landowner Ranevskaya and her brother Gaev, Simeonov-Pishchik and Firs can be called a symbol of the past. They are burdened by the legacy of serfdom, under which they grew up and were raised, these are the types of the outgoing Russia. They cannot imagine any other life for themselves, just like Firs, who cannot imagine life without masters. Firs considers the liberation of the peasants a misfortune - “the men are with the gentlemen, the gentlemen are with the peasants, and now everything is in pieces, you won’t understand anything.” The symbol of the present is associated with the image of Lopakhin, in which two principles are fighting. On the one hand, he is a man of action, his ideal is to make the earth rich and happy. On the other hand, there is no spiritual principle in him and in the end the thirst for profit takes over. The symbol of the future was Anya - the daughter of Ranevskaya and the eternal student Trofimov. They are young and they are the future. They are obsessed with the idea of ​​creative work and liberation from slavery. Petya calls on you to give up everything and be free like the wind.
So who is the future? For Petya? For Anya? For Lopakhin? This question could have been rhetorical if history had not provided Russia with a second attempt to resolve it. The end of the play is very symbolic - the old owners leave and forget the dying Firs. So, the logical ending: inactive consumers in the social sense, a servant - a lackey who served them all his life, and a cherry orchard - all this is irrevocably a thing of the past, to which there is no way back. History cannot be returned.
I would like to note the cherry orchard as the main symbol in the play. Trofimov’s monologue reveals the symbolism of the garden in the play: “All of Russia is our garden. The land of the giant is beautiful, there are many wonderful places on it. Think, Anya: your grandfather, great-grandfather and all your ancestors were serf owners who owned living souls, and don’t human beings look at you from every cherry tree in the garden, from every leaf, from every trunk, don’t you really hear voices... Own living souls, because this has reborn all of you who lived before and are now living, so that your mother, you, and uncle no longer notice that you are living in debt at someone else’s expense, at the expense of those people whom you do not allow beyond the front hall.. “All the action takes place around the garden; its problems highlight the characters’ characters and their destinies. It is also symbolic that the ax raised over the garden caused a conflict between the heroes and in the souls of most of the heroes the conflict is never resolved, just as the problem is not resolved after cutting down the garden.
“The Cherry Orchard” lasts about three hours on stage. The characters live during this time for five months. And the action of the play covers a more significant period of time, which includes the past, present and future of Russia.

Essay plan
1. Introduction. The artistic originality of Chekhov's plays
2. Main part. Symbolic details, images, motives of A.P.’s comedy Chekhov. Sound and color effects of the play
— The image of the cherry orchard and its meaning in comedy
— White color and its meaning in “The Cherry Orchard”
— The role and symbolism of artistic details. The image of the keys in the play
— Sound effects, musical sounds and their role in comedy
— The motif of deafness and its meaning in the play
— Symbolism of images
3. Conclusion. The meaning of symbolic details, motifs, images in Chekhov

In the plays of A.P. For Chekhov, it is not the external eventfulness that is important, but the author’s subtext, the so-called “undercurrents.” The playwright plays a large role in various artistic details, symbolic images, themes and motifs, as well as sound and color effects.
For Chekhov, the very name of the play is symbolic. The image of the cherry orchard, which holds together the entire plot of the play, is filled with special meaning for each of the main characters. So, for Ranevskaya and Gaev, this image is a symbol of home, youth, beauty, perhaps all the best that happened in life. For Lopakhin, this is a symbol of his success, triumph, a kind of revenge for the past: “The Cherry Orchard is now mine! My! (Laughs.) My God, my God, my cherry orchard! Tell me that I’m drunk, out of my mind, that I’m imagining all this... (Stamps his feet.) Don’t laugh at me! If only my father and grandfather would get out of their graves and look at the whole incident, like their Ermolai, the beaten, illiterate Ermolai, who ran barefoot in the winter, how this same Ermolai bought an estate, the most beautiful of which there is nothing in the world. I bought an estate where my grandfather and father were slaves, where they were not even allowed into the kitchen. I’m dreaming, it’s only imagining it, it’s only seeming...” Petya Trofimov compares the cherry orchard with the image of Russia: “All of Russia is our garden. The earth is great and beautiful, there are many wonderful places on it.” At the same time, this character introduces here the motive of misfortune, suffering, life at the expense of others: “Think, Anya: your grandfather, great-grandfather and all your ancestors were serf owners who owned living souls, and is it really possible that from every cherry in the garden, from every leaf, from human beings do not look at you from every trunk, do you really not hear voices... To own living souls - after all, this has reborn all of you, who lived before and are now living, so that your mother, you, uncle no longer notice that you are living in debt, on someone else’s expense, at the expense of those people whom you do not allow further than the front hall...” For the author, it seems, a blooming cherry orchard is a symbol of beauty and purity, and cutting it down is a violation of the former harmony, an attack on the eternal, unshakable foundations of life. In the comedy, the symbol of the cherry orchard itself becomes the bouquet sent by the gardener (first act). With the death of the garden, the heroes are deprived of their past, in fact they are deprived of their home and family ties.
The image of the cherry orchard introduces the color white into the play as a symbol of purity, youth, the past, memory, but at the same time as a symbol of impending destruction. This motif is heard both in the characters’ remarks and in the color definitions of objects, clothing details, and interiors. So, in the first act, Gaev and Ranevskaya, admiring the blossoming trees, remember the past: “Gaev (opens another window). The garden is all white. Have you forgotten, Lyuba? This long alley goes straight, straight, like a stretched belt, it sparkles on moonlit nights. Do you remember? Have you forgotten? - “Lyubov Andreevna (looks out the window at the garden). Oh, my childhood, my purity! I slept in this nursery, looked at the garden from here, happiness woke up with me every morning, and then he was exactly the same, nothing has changed. (Laughs with joy.) All, all white! O my garden! After a dark, stormy autumn and cold winter, you are young again, full of happiness, the heavenly angels have not abandoned you...” Lyubov Andreevna sees “the late mother in a white dress” in the garden. This image also anticipates the coming death of the garden. The color white appears in the play also in the form of details of the characters’ costumes: Lopakhin “in a white vest”, Firs puts on “white gloves”, Charlotte Ivanovna in a “white dress”. In addition, one of Ranevskaya’s rooms is “white”. As the researchers note, this color echo unites the characters with the image of the garden.
Some artistic details are also symbolic in the play. So, first of all, these are the keys that Varya carries with her. At the very beginning of the play, he draws attention to this detail: “Varya enters, she has a bunch of keys on her belt.” Here the motive of the housewife and housekeeper arises. And indeed, the author endows this heroine with some of these traits. Varya is responsible, strict, independent, she is able to manage the house. Petya Trofimov develops the same motif of keys in a conversation with Anya. However, here this motive, given in the perception of the hero, takes on a negative connotation. For Trofimov, the keys are captivity for the human soul, the mind, for life itself. So, he calls on Anya to free herself from unnecessary, in his opinion, connections and responsibilities: “If you have the keys to the farm, then throw them into the well and leave. Be free like the wind." The same motive is heard in the third act, when Varya, having learned about the sale of the estate, throws the keys to the floor in despair. Lopakhin picks up these keys, noting: “She threw away the keys, she wants to show that she is no longer the mistress here...”. At the end of the play, all the doors are locked. Thus, giving up the keys here symbolizes the loss of home, the severance of family ties.
Both noise effects and musical sounds acquire their special significance in the play. So, at the beginning of the first act, birds sing in the garden. Chekhov correlates this birdsong with the image of Anya, with the major scale of the beginning of the play. At the end of the first act there is a pipe played by a shepherd. The viewer also associates these pure and gentle sounds with the image of Anya, the heroine with whom the author sympathizes. In addition, they emphasize Petya Trofimov’s tender and sincere feelings for her: “Trofimov (with emotion): My sunshine! My spring! Further, in the second act, Epikhodov’s song sounds: “What do I care about the noisy light, what are my friends and enemies…”. This song emphasizes the disunity of the characters, the lack of real mutual understanding between them. The climax (the message about the sale of the estate) is accompanied in “The Cherry Orchard” by the sounds of a Jewish orchestra, creating the effect of a “feast during the plague.” Indeed, Jewish orchestras at that time were invited to play at funerals. Ermolai Lopakhin triumphs to this music, but Ranevskaya weeps bitterly to it. The leitmotif in the play is the sound of a broken string. Researchers (Z.S. Paperny) noted that it is this sound in Chekhov that unites the characters. Immediately after it, everyone begins to think in the same direction. But each of the characters explains this sound in their own way. So, Lopakhin believes that “somewhere far away in the mines a tub fell off”, Gaev says that it is screaming “some kind of bird... like a heron”, Trofimov believes that it is an “eagle owl”. For Ranevskaya, this mysterious sound gives rise to vague anxiety: “For some reason it’s unpleasant.” And finally, Firs seems to sum up everything said by the heroes: “Before the misfortune it was the same: the owl was screaming, and the samovar was humming incessantly.” Thus, this sound symbolizes the impending death of the cherry orchard, the heroes’ farewell to the past, which is gone irrevocably. The same sound of a broken string in Chekhov is repeated at the end of the play. Its meaning is repeated here; it clearly defines the boundary of time, the boundary of the past and the future. The sounds of the ax in the finale take on the same meaning in The Cherry Orchard. At the same time, the sound of the ax is accompanied by music ordered by Lopakhin. The music here symbolizes the “new” life that his descendants should see.
The motif of deafness acquires symbolic meaning in the play. And he sounds not only in the form of the old servant Firs, who “hears poorly.” Chekhov's characters do not hear or understand each other. Thus, researchers have repeatedly noted that the characters in “The Cherry Orchard” each talk about their own things, as if not wanting to delve into the problems of those around them. Chekhov often uses so-called “passive” monologues: Gaev addresses the closet, Ranevskaya – her room – the “children’s room”, the garden. But even when addressing others, the characters actually only indicate their inner state and experiences, without expecting any response. So, it is from this perspective that in the second act Ranevskaya addresses her interlocutors (“Oh, my friends”), in the third act Pishchik addresses Trofimov in the same way (“I am full-blooded...”). Thus, the playwright emphasizes the disunity of people in the play, their alienation, the violation of family and friendly ties, the violation of the continuity of generations and the necessary connection of times. The general atmosphere of misunderstanding is indicated by Ranevskaya, turning to Petya: “we need to say this differently.” Chekhov's characters seem to live in different dimensions. Lack of mutual understanding gives rise to many internal conflicts. As many researchers note, each of the characters has their own conflict. So, Ranevskaya is a loving mother, an easy-going, kind and delicate nature, with a keen sense of beauty, who actually lets everyone into the world. Petya Trofimov always says that “you need to work,” but he himself is an “eternal student” who does not know real life and all of whose dreams are utopian. Lopakhin sincerely loves Ranevskaya's family, but at the same time triumphs at the funeral of the cherry orchard. Chekhov's heroes seem to be lost in time, each of them plays his own tragicomedy.
The images of the characters themselves are also symbolic in the play. So, Epikhodov symbolizes an absurd, funny person, a loser. He was nicknamed “twenty-two misfortunes.” Ranevskaya and Gaev personify the past era, Petya Trofimov and Anya represent the illusory future. The old servant Firs, who is forgotten in the house, also becomes a symbol of the past in the play. This last scene is also largely symbolic. The connection between times is broken, the heroes lose their past.
Thus, the symbolism of artistic details, images, motifs, sound and color effects creates emotional and psychological tension in the play. The problems posed by the playwright acquire philosophical depth and are transferred from the temporal plane to the perspective of eternity. Chekhov's psychologism also acquires a depth and complexity previously unheard of in drama.

The final chord of a bygone era

The symbol of the garden in the play “The Cherry Orchard” occupies one of the central places. This work drew a line under the entire work of A.P. Chekhov. It is with a garden that the author compares Russia, putting this comparison into the mouth of Petya Trofimov: “All of Russia is our garden.” But why is it a cherry orchard, and not an apple orchard, for example? It is noteworthy that Chekhov placed special emphasis on the pronunciation of the name of the garden precisely through the letter “E”, and for Stanislavsky, with whom this play was discussed, the difference between the “cherry” and “cherry” orchard did not immediately become clear. And the difference, according to him, was that the cherry tree is an orchard capable of making a profit, and it is always needed, and the cherry tree is the keeper of the passing lordly life, blooming and growing to delight the aesthetic tastes of its owners.

Chekhov's dramaturgy tends to involve not only the characters in the action, but also the environment around them: he believed that only through the description of daily life and routine affairs is it possible to fully reveal the characters' characters. It was in Chekhov's plays that “undercurrents” appeared that gave movement to everything that happened. Another feature of Chekhov's plays was the use of symbols. Moreover, these symbols had two directions - one side was real and had a very objective outline, and the second side was elusive, it can only be felt at the subconscious level. This happened in The Cherry Orchard.

The symbolism of the play lies in the garden, and in the sounds heard behind the stage, and even in Epikhodov’s broken billiard cue, and in Petya Trofimov’s fall from the stairs. But symbols of nature, which include manifestations of the surrounding world, are of particular importance in Chekhov’s dramaturgy.

The semantics of the play and the attitude of the characters to the garden

The meaning of the cherry orchard symbol in the play is by no means accidental. For many peoples, flowering cherry trees symbolize purity and youth. For example, in China, spring blossoms, in addition to the listed meanings, are associated with courage and feminine beauty, and the tree itself is a symbol of good luck and spring. In Japan, the cherry blossom is the emblem of the country and the samurai, and means prosperity and wealth. And for Ukraine, cherry is the second symbol after viburnum, denoting the feminine principle. Cherry is associated with a beautiful young girl, and the cherry orchard in songwriting is a favorite place for walks. The symbolism of the cherry orchard near a house in Ukraine is enormous; it is it that drives away evil forces from the house, acting as a talisman. There was even a belief: if there is no garden near the hut, then devils gather around it. During the move, the garden remained untouched, as a reminder of the origins of its family. For Ukraine, cherry is a divine tree. But at the end of the play, the beautiful cherry orchard goes under the ax. Isn't this a warning that great trials await not only the heroes, but the entire Russian Empire?

It’s not for nothing that Russia is compared to this garden.

For each character, the symbol of the garden in the comedy “The Cherry Orchard” has its own meaning. The action of the play begins in May, when the cherry orchard, the fate of which is to be decided by the owners, blooms, and ends in late autumn, when all nature freezes. The flowering reminds Ranevskaya and Gaev of their childhood and youth; this garden has been next to them all their lives, and they simply cannot imagine how it could disappear. They love it, they admire it and are proud of it, telling them that their garden is included in the book of landmarks of the area. They understand that they are capable of losing their estate, but they cannot wrap their heads around how it is possible to cut down a beautiful garden and build some kind of dachas in its place. And Lopakhin sees the profit that he can bring, but this is only a superficial attitude towards the garden. After all, having bought it for a huge amount of money, leaving no chance for competitors at the auction to take possession of it, he admits that this cherry orchard is the best he has ever seen. The triumph of the purchase is connected, first of all, with his pride, because the illiterate man that Lopakhin considered himself to be became the master where his grandfather and father “were slaves.”

Petya Trofimov is most indifferent to the garden. He admits that the garden is beautiful, it pleases the eye, gives some importance to the life of its owners, but every twig and leaf tells him about hundreds of serfs who worked to make the garden flourish and that this garden is a relic of serfdom that must be ended . He tries to convey this to Anya, who loves the garden, but not as much as her parent, who is ready to hold onto it to the last. And Anya understands that it is impossible to start a new life while preserving this garden. It is she who calls on her mother to leave in order to start a new garden, implying that it is necessary to start a different life that will allow her to fit into the realities of the time.

Firs, who served there all his life, is closely connected with the fate of the estate and garden. He is too old to start something anew, and he had such an opportunity when serfdom was abolished and they wanted to marry him, but gaining freedom would be a misfortune for him, and he speaks about it directly. He is deeply attached to the garden, to the house, to the owners. He is not even offended when he discovers that he has been forgotten in an empty house, either because he no longer has the strength and is indifferent to him, or because he understands: the old existence is over, and there is nothing for him in the future. And how symbolic the death of Firs looks to the sounds of the garden being cut down, this is due to the fact that in the final scene the role of symbols is intertwined - the sound of a breaking string drowns in the sounds of ax blows, showing that the past is irretrievably gone.

The future of Russia: a contemporary view

Throughout the entire play, it is clear that the characters are connected with the cherry orchard, some more, some less, but it is through their relationship to it that the author tried to reveal their meaning in the time space of the past, present and future. The symbol of the cherry orchard in Chekhov’s play is a symbol of Russia, which is at a crossroads in its development, when ideologies, social strata are mixed and many people simply cannot imagine what will happen next. But this is shown so unobtrusively in the play that even M. Gorky, who did not highly appreciate the production, admitted that it awakened in him a deep and inexplicable melancholy.

The analysis of symbolism, description of the role and meaning of the main symbol of the play, which were carried out in this article, will help 10th grade students when writing an essay on the topic “The symbol of the garden in the comedy “The Cherry Orchard”.”

Work test

The image of the garden in the play "The Cherry Orchard" is ambiguous and complex. This is not just part of the estate of Ranevskaya and Gaev, as it might seem at first glance. This is not what Chekhov wrote about. The Cherry Orchard is a symbolic image. It signifies the beauty of Russian nature and the life of the people who raised it and admired it. Together with the death of the garden, this life also perishes.

A center that unites characters

The image of the garden in the play “The Cherry Orchard” is the center around which all the characters unite. At first it may seem that these are just old acquaintances and relatives who, by chance, gathered at the estate to solve everyday problems. However, it is not. It is no coincidence that Anton Pavlovich united characters representing various social groups and age categories. Their task is to decide the fate of not only the garden, but also their own.

Gaev and Ranevskaya’s connection with the estate

Ranevskaya and Gaev are Russian landowners who own an estate and a cherry orchard. This is brother and sister, they are sensitive, smart, educated people. They are able to appreciate beauty and feel it very subtly. That’s why the image of the cherry orchard is so dear to them. In the perception of the heroes of the play “The Cherry Orchard”, he personifies beauty. However, these characters are inert, which is why they cannot do anything to save what is dear to them. Ranevskaya and Gaev, for all their spiritual wealth and development, are devoid of responsibility, practicality and a sense of reality. Therefore, they cannot take care not only of loved ones, but also of themselves. These heroes do not want to listen to Lopakhin’s advice and rent out the land they own, although this would bring them a decent income. They think that dachas and summer residents are vulgar.

Why is the estate so dear to Gaev and Ranevskaya?

Gaev and Ranevskaya cannot rent out the land because of the feelings connecting them with the estate. They have a special relationship with the garden, which is like a living person to them. Much connects these heroes with their estate. The Cherry Orchard seems to them to be the personification of bygone youth, a past life. Ranevskaya compared her life to a “cold winter” and a “dark stormy autumn.” When the landowner returned to the estate, she again felt happy and young.

Lopakhin's attitude to the cherry orchard

The image of the garden in the play “The Cherry Orchard” is also revealed in Lopakhin’s attitude towards it. This hero does not share the feelings of Ranevskaya and Gaev. He finds their behavior illogical and strange. This person is surprised why they do not want to listen to seemingly obvious arguments that will help find a way out of a difficult situation. It should be noted that Lopakhin is also capable of appreciating beauty. The cherry orchard delights this hero. He believes that there is nothing more beautiful in the world than him.

However, Lopakhin is a practical and active person. Unlike Ranevskaya and Gaev, he cannot just admire the cherry orchard and regret it. This hero strives to do something to save him. Lopakhin sincerely wants to help Ranevskaya and Gaev. He never ceases to convince them that they should rent out both the land and the cherry orchard. This must be done as soon as possible, since the auction will be soon. However, the landowners do not want to listen to him. Leonid Andreevich can only swear that the estate will never be sold. He says he won't allow the auction.

New owner of the garden

Nevertheless, the auction still took place. The owner of the estate is Lopakhin, who cannot believe his own happiness. After all, his father and grandfather worked here, “were slaves”, they weren’t even allowed into the kitchen. The purchase of an estate for Lopakhin becomes a kind of symbol of his success. This is a well-deserved reward for many years of work. The hero would like his grandfather and father to rise from the grave and be able to rejoice with him, to see how much their descendant has succeeded in life.

Negative qualities of Lopakhin

The cherry orchard for Lopakhin is just land. It can be bought, mortgaged or sold. This hero, in his joy, did not consider himself obliged to show a sense of tact towards the former owners of the purchased estate. Lopakhin immediately begins to cut down the garden. He did not want to wait for the former owners of the estate to leave. The soulless lackey Yasha is somewhat similar to him. He completely lacks such qualities as attachment to the place in which he was born and raised, love for his mother, and kindness. In this respect, Yasha is the complete opposite of Firs, a servant who has unusually developed these feelings.

Relation to the garden of the servant Firs

In revealing it, it is necessary to say a few words about how Firs, the oldest of everyone in the house, treated him. For many years he faithfully served his masters. This man sincerely loves Gaev and Ranevskaya. He is ready to protect these heroes from all troubles. We can say that Firs is the only one of all the characters in The Cherry Orchard endowed with such a quality as devotion. This is a very integral nature, which is fully manifested in the servant’s attitude towards the garden. For Firs, the estate of Ranevskaya and Gaev is a family nest. He strives to protect it, as well as its inhabitants.

Representatives of the new generation

The image of the cherry orchard in the play “The Cherry Orchard” is dear only to those characters who have important memories associated with it. The representative of the new generation is Petya Trofimov. The fate of the garden does not interest him at all. Petya declares: “We are above love.” Thus, he admits that he is not capable of experiencing serious feelings. Trofimov looks at everything too superficially. He does not know real life, which he is trying to remake based on far-fetched ideas. Anya and Petya are outwardly happy. They thirst for a new life, for which they strive to break with the past. For these heroes, the garden is “all of Russia,” and not a specific cherry orchard. But is it possible to love the whole world without loving your home? Petya and Anya are losing their roots in their quest for new horizons. Mutual understanding between Trofimov and Ranevskaya is impossible. For Petya there are no memories, no past, and Ranevskaya deeply experiences the loss of the estate, since she was born here, her ancestors also lived here, and she sincerely loves the estate.

Who will save the garden?

As we have already noted, it is a symbol of beauty. Only people who can not only appreciate it, but also fight for it can save it. Active and energetic people who replace the nobility treat beauty only as a source of profit. What will happen to her, who will save her?

The image of the cherry orchard in Chekhov's play "The Cherry Orchard" is a symbol of the home and the past, dear to the heart. Is it possible to boldly move forward if the sound of an ax is heard behind you, destroying everything that was previously sacred? It should be noted that the cherry orchard is and it is no coincidence that such expressions as “hitting a tree with an ax”, “trampling a flower” and “cutting off the roots” sound inhumane and blasphemous.

So, we briefly examined the image of the cherry orchard as understood by the characters in the play “The Cherry Orchard.” Reflecting on the actions and characters of the characters in Chekhov’s work, we also think about the fate of Russia. After all, it is a “cherry orchard” for all of us.

Lesson topic: “Symbols in A. P. Chekhov’s play “The Cherry Orchard”

Lesson objectives:

Educational: expanding the understanding of the work of A.P. Chekhov through the analysis of A.P. Chekhov’s play; identification of symbolism in the play by A.P. Chekhov's “The Cherry Orchard”, definition of their role in the text, reasons for use; consolidation of theoretical knowledge - image, symbol

Developmental: development of associative, imaginative thinking, the ability to analyze, generalize, and draw conclusions;development of skills in working with literary text and interpreting a dramatic work

Educational: formation of national identity, moral values; spiritual and aesthetic development of students

Lesson objectives: consolidate students’ knowledge of the literary concept of “symbol”, determine the role of symbols and the reasons for their use in the play “The Cherry Orchard”.

Lesson type: lesson-conversation, lesson-research

Study methods: heuristic, reproductive, exploratory

Methodical techniques: statement of the problem, joint dialogue between teacher and students, discussion, selection of arguments to confirm one’s own position.

Types of educational activities : reading a literary text, drawing up a table, conversation

Equipment: text of the work, computer, sound-reproducing equipment, projector, blackboard, chalk.

During the classes

Epigraph: “All Russia is our garden.” (A.P. Chekhov)

Organizing time

Hello guys! Today we continue to work with A.P. Chekhov’s play “The Cherry Orchard”. You already know that “The Cherry Orchard” is the writer’s last work, so it contains his most intimate thoughts. This is the anxiety of a dying writer about the future of Russia, about the spiritual connection of generations, about national culture, about the Russian people.

Main part

First, let's remember what a symbol is? What is his artistic role in the work?

Symbol - a multi-valued allegorical image based on the similarity, resemblance or commonality of objects and phenomena of life. A symbol can express a system of correspondences between different aspects of reality (the natural world and human life, society and personality, real and unreal, earthly and heavenly, external and internal). In a symbol, identity or similarity with another object or phenomenon is not obvious, nor is it verbally or syntactically stated.

The image-symbol has many meanings. He admits that the reader may have a wide variety of associations. In addition, the meaning of a symbol most often does not coincide with the meaning of the word - metaphor. The understanding and interpretation of a symbol is always broader than the similes or metaphorical allegories from which it is composed.

Correct interpretation of symbols contributes to a deep and correct reading of literary texts. Symbols always expand the semantic perspective of a work and allow the reader, based on the author’s clues, to build a chain of associations connecting various phenomena of life. Writers use symbolization in order to destroy the illusion of life-likeness that often arises among readers, to emphasize the ambiguity and greater semantic depth of the images they create.

In addition, the symbols in the work create more accurate, capacious characteristics and descriptions; make the text deeper and more multifaceted; allow you to raise important issues without advertising it; evoke individual associations in each reader.

Let's talk about the symbolism of the name.

What is the role of the cherry orchard in the composition of the play?

What do we learn about the estate and the cherry orchard in the first act? How will events around the cherry orchard develop in the future?

At home you should have written down quotes about the cherry orchard. What do the characters in the play say about him?

For clarity, let’s make a table in your notebooks, and, having analyzed and comprehended the statements of the main characters, we will briefly outline the attitude of each character to the cherry orchard.

Attitude to the garden of comedy heroes

Ranevskaya

Gaev

Anya

Lopakhin

“If there is anything interesting, even wonderful, in the entire province, it is only our cherry orchard.”

The garden is the past, childhood, but also a sign of prosperity, pride, a memory of happiness.

“And the Encyclopedic Dictionary mentions this garden.”

A garden is a symbol of childhood, a garden-home, but childhood has to be parted with.

“Why don’t I love the cherry orchard as much as I used to?”

Garden - hopes for the future.

“We will plant a new garden, more luxurious than this.”

The garden is a memory of the past: grandfather and father were serfs; hopes for the future - cut down, divide into plots, rent out. A garden is a source of wealth, a source of pride.

Lopakhin: “If the cherry orchard... is then rented out for dachas, then you will have at least twenty-five thousand a year in income.”

“Cherry trees are born once every two years, and no one buys even that.”

How do Firs and Petya Trofimov feel about the cherry orchard?

Try to summarize all of the above. How do you understand the image of the cherry orchard?

The image of cherry unites all the characters in the play around itself. At first glance, it seems that these are only relatives and old acquaintances who, by chance, have gathered at the estate to solve their everyday problems. But that's not true. The writer brings together characters of different ages and social groups, and they must one way or another decide the fate of the garden, and therefore their own fate.

How does the author feel about the cherry orchard? What is the symbol of the cherry orchard for A.P. Chekhov?

For the author, the garden embodies love for his native nature; bitterness because they cannot preserve its beauty and wealth; the author’s idea about a person who can change lives is important; the garden is a symbol of a lyrical, poetic attitude towards the Motherland.

Playing sound recording: vocalise No. 5 Tenderness. Garden of Eden S.V. Rachmaninov

What emotions does this melody evoke in you? Can she act as a symbol?

Let's remember what sounds are written in the stage directions.

In the works of A.P. Chekhov, not only things, objects and phenomena of the surrounding world acquire symbolic subtext, but also audio and visuals. Through sound and color symbols, the writer achieves the most complete understanding of his works by the reader.

Find the moment in the second act where the cry of an owl sounds. What do you think it symbolizes?

And the sound of a broken string? The sound of an ax? Other sounds? Please comment.

Let's look at the table again.

Sound symbols

Owl cry - poses a real threat.

“Firs. This was also the case before the disaster; and the owl screamed, and the samovar hummed endlessly” (act II).

The sound of a pipe – background design of the tender feelings experienced by the character.

“Far beyond the garden, a shepherd plays the pipe. ... Trofimov (touched) My sunshine! My spring! (action I).

The sound of a broken string - the embodiment of impending disaster and the inevitability of death.

“Suddenly... the sound of a broken string, fading,

sad" (act II).

The sound of an ax - symbolizes the death of noble estates, the death of old Russia.

“You can hear an ax knocking on a tree in the distance” (act IV).

Have you noticed which color is most often repeated in the play?

Of all the variety of colors in the play “The Cherry Orchard,” Chekhov uses only one – white, using it in different ways throughout the first act.

“Gaev (opens another window). The garden is all white."

At the same time, the garden in the play is only named, shown only outside the windows, as the potential possibility of its destruction is outlined, but not specified. White color is a premonition of a visual image. The heroes of the work repeatedly talk about him: “Lyubov Andreevna. All, all white! O my garden! To the right, at the turn to the gazebo, a white tree bent over, looking like a woman... What an amazing garden! White masses of flowers."

Let's continue the table:

Color symbols

White color – a symbol of purity, light, wisdom.

“Gaev (opens another window). The garden is all white" (act I),

“Lyubov Andreevna. All, all white! Oh my garden! (action I),

Color spots – details of the characters’ costumes.

“Lopakhin. My father, it’s true, was a man, but here I am in a white vest” (act I),

“Charlotte Ivanovna in a white dress...passing through the stage” (act II),

“Lyubov Andreevna. Look... in a white dress! (action I),

“Firs. Puts on white gloves" (act I).

Conclusion

Chekhov in the play “The Cherry Orchard” used almost the entire range of symbolic expressive means: sound, real, verbal symbolism. This helps him create a voluminous artistic canvas, bright and scenic, with its own “undercurrent”, depicting the death of noble nests.

The writer's art, democratic in the highest sense of the word, was oriented toward the ordinary person. The author trusts the reader's intelligence, subtlety, ability to respond to poetry, and become a co-creator with the artist. Everyone finds something of their own in Chekhov's works. That's why we still read and love it.

You did a good job today. The following students received grades... (sounding out marks)

Homework: in preparation for the final essay on the play by A.P. Chekhov, in 7-8 sentences comment on the epigraph of today’s lesson: “All of Russia is our garden.”