The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov is about a Russian family that is unable to prevent its beloved estate from being sold in an auction due to financial problems. The play has been dubbed a tragedy by many of its latter producers. However, Chekhov labeled his play a farce, or more of a comedy. Although this play has a very tragic backdrop of Russia's casualty-ridden involvement in both World Wars and the Communist Revolution, the characters and their situations suggest a light-hearted tone, even though they struggle against the upcoming loss of the orchard. Apathy and passivity plague the characters and contribute often to the comic side of things. Sometimes, however, the passivity erupts the tragic flaws of the characters as they fail to save the estate. Another theme of The Cherry Orchard is the thin line between reality and outer appearance between which the characters cannot distinguish. Although indirect, this confusion provides the play yet again with comedy. On the contrary, the confusion is also seen as another tragic flaw of the characters contributing to the downfall of the estate and its orchard. Another theme Chekhov portrays is the effect of choice and free will. In

consequences of choices made by the characters. The members of the Ranevsky family are the only victims from the choices made in the play as they choose to remain passive and let the auction consume their estate. Since the Ranevsky family remained passive, their estate fell into the hands of Lopakhin who purchased it at the auction. It is ironic in two ways since Lopakhin's father was a serf on the once wealthy estate and also that he had tried to help the family prevent the estate from being sold. He benefited from the choices made by the Ranevsky family. Another example of this is Pishchik and his finance dilemma. He allows his estate to be mined and eventually makes enough money to pay his debts; although he pays Mrs. Ranevsky back, he is too late to help in her time of need. Chekhov uses this as a theme to blame consequences on those who refuse to act in a situation to save themselves. This shows how the tragedy falls primarily on the Ranevsky family in the end because of their actions, or lack thereof.

Madame Ranevsky is a foolish woman only too anxious to return to a worthless young lover; Gayev is an amiable ass who talks too much; Anya is a goose and her Trofimov a solemn windbag; Lopakhin, the practical self-made man, is confused and unhappy; Epihodov a clumsy idiot; Dunyasha a foolish girl; Yasha an insufferable jumped-up lad; and Firs far gone in senility (Corbin, John 33-37).

Although the passive actions of the characters are tragic, they bring forth a laugh in certain situations. The above example of Gayev calling out billiard shots and consuming massive amounts of fruit candy brings images of a drunk blurting nonsense while drowning in his beverages, which is altogether very funny. Lopakhin's constant nagging about making a decision, preferably his own, is constantly pacified and brushed away by the family. In this manner he is like a giddy dog nipping at your heel, and is also something to laugh heartily at. Also, Lopakhin and Varya's marriage ideas leads into nothing but laughter as it is easy to relate to. It is the cat and mouse game of love where one chases another, only to give up, only to be chased themselves and so on in a continuous loop. Neither is objective towards marriage, yet neither is willing to propose it. Mrs. Ranevsky even pushes it upon Lopakhin, although it is of no use. Lopakhin eventually seems to be set upon proposing when he says to Mrs. Ranevsky, "I'm ready now....Let's settle it at once and get it over. I don't feel I'll ever propose without you here." (Chekhov 226-296). Yet when brought together, nothing is accomplished and they are called away. Laughter springs from the nature of these two characters and their inability to act when called to do so. Comedy is mixed with the tragic flaws of the characters in each of these surcumstances.

The final display of tragedy in Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard is the

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Approximate Word count = 2150
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page double spaced)