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Inequality In The Cherry Orchard

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The erosion of social hierarchy causing a dawn of class issue and inequality amongst different classes of society has played a huge role in Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard. The abolition of Russian serfdom has caused Russian society into a time of flux and confusion. Due to this, it gave the ambitious serfs who were previously pitted in the lower class, a chance to become wealthy and move up in social class. Thus, this allowed for the rise of ambitious and talented in trade and industry, allowing them to gain primary roles in this new capitalist society. Causing a flux of power in Russian society as result of the erosion of power and this is mirrored in Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard. This rise in power for one allows for the fall in another. However, …show more content…

Chekhov illustrates the difference between minor characters of similar characters of social class prior to the liberation. Firs who has spent the largest portion of his life as a serf has his unease in adapting to change, illustrated by Chekov as he’s unable to forget the past and move on. This is evident when he states “I’ve been alive a long time. When they found me a wife, your father wasn't born yet. [Laughing]. A when the liberation came, I was already chief valet” (22). Thus, he feels nostalgia for the past and this sentiment truly keeps him stuck the in glory days of his past and this line foreshadows that Firs’ fate as he is eventually forgotten by the end of the play. Contrasting to Firs, are Dunyasha and Yasha, who aspire to become those of higher class, evident from their aspirations and the way she speaks. In this passage “I have got quite disused to common life, and my hands are as white as white, like a lady’s. I have grown so refined, so delicate and genteel.” (19). She aspires to take occupations of higher class as her “white” hands symbolize her lack of laborious activities usually done by those of the lower class. Furthermore, Yasha, another aspiring nobleman, is unamused when remembering his mother and refuses to see her in the first act. When her mother is brought up in the fourth act as he departs he complains and states “It’s enough to try …show more content…

The liberation allows for the opportunistic middle class who prioritizes these new values and thus, are on the precursor of success, evoking change, taking fate into their own hands and controlling the fate of those around them. Although Trofimov does not take action to make changes, he is able to illustrate and set the grounds and rules of success and the how to adapt in this time of flux and change. Trofimov states that “Mankind marches forward, perfecting its strength. Everything that is attainable for us now will one day be near and clear, but we must work we must help with will all our force those we seek for truth. At present only a few men work in Russia. The vast majority of the educated people that I know seek after nothing, do nothing and are as incapable of work.” Trofimov is talking about the aristocrats who are “educated” but do things with it and are born into power but do nothing with that power. Thus, explaining one of the of pillars of capitalism which is practicality, and thus, Trofimov suggests life should not be stagnant and humans must be pressured to work harder and be motivated to succeed. Therefore, mirroring the lack of pressure on Russian society which leads to a fall in social and economic progress. Furthermore, Pishchik, another middle-class man

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