Chekhov´s Way

Anton Chekhov uses a unique technique in his play or maybe that’s just my impression. I have read Shakespeare and Beckett this year too and the three are very different. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet he portrays a lot of emotion within the plot. Beckett tells the story of a man remembering his past but it´s ambiguous why the character is doing it. In The Cherry Orchard Chekhov focuses on each character intensely, he exposes the characters a groups of people that are connected with each other, but focuses on them individually. He gives more importance to what they say than to why. It is as if each character were speaking to them selves when really they are engaged in a conversation with other characters.

When Lyubov arrives to the house, she gives slight importance to her welcome, instead she says “my nursery, sight delightful room… I used to sleep here when I was little… And here I am, like a little child”. (66) she says that aloud but really no one cares except her.

Anya had just arrived from the trip too and the maid Dunyasha was excited to see her and tell her about the proposal. Rather than paying attention to her, she says: “I haven´t slept for four night on the journey. I feel dreadfully cold.” (66)

Dunyasha had received a proposal and even though she had shared it with other characters, she was thinking to herself “he does love, he does love me so”. (66)

Characters seem to be engaged in each other’s conversation but momentarily doze off to think something that only involves them. Anya was telling Dunyasha that “ it´s always the same with you” and then she says “I´ve lost all my hair pins” (66) which has nothing to do with what they were talking and does not include Dunysasha at all.

Varya was talking to her sister to her sister. “All day long darling, as I go about looking after the house, I keep dreaming all the time. If only we could marry you to a rich man, then I should feel more at rest. Then I would go off by myself on a pilgrimage to Kiev to Moscow…” (68) but as she talks to her she says her thoughts out loud of she wants to do.

The girls uncle Gaev was stating his opinion about his sister with Varya her daughter, but since he was to some degree talking to himself she says “Uncle dear, you´d better be quiet” (78) because of what he had said.

The characters personal thoughts play an important part in the play because they reveal ideas that later on I suspect will be important. Their opinion, even though know don’t make sense will later on connect. And I must also add I like this way of presenting a character. First because you can identify with it easier, and second because it adds excitement to the play. You never know why the characters dozes off and express their true thoughts.