The image of Lopakhin in the play "The Cherry Orchard" (composition)

The play about the fate of the cherry garden was the last in the dramaturgy of Anton Chekhov. This work is imbued with the author’s anxious thoughts about the future of Russia. The image of Lopakhin in the play “The Cherry Orchard” along with other characters of the great playwright’s creation serves to reveal one of the most pressing social topics in the life of the Russian people at the beginning of the 20th century.

Man of the New Formation

The merchant Lopakhin is the embodiment of the present. He is a representative of the new bourgeois society. The image of Lopakhin in the play “The Cherry Orchard” is opposed to the previous owners of the estate, as well as to the teacher and eternal student Trofimov, who is in idealistic dreams of raising a new generation.

Quite interesting is the image of Lopakhin in the play "The Cherry Orchard." An essay on this topic is one of the most common tasks in the literature. The merchant in the famous work of the Russian playwright is a complex, contradictory person. He manifests himself in his actions more than in conversations with other characters. And the attitude of those around him plays an important role in the play.

Peasant son

Ermolay Alekseevich, as already mentioned, belongs to the merchant estate. However, his father was a native of peasants. The origin of this person, as well as the facts from his biography give an approximate description.

His father was a simple peasant, after the reform he suddenly became rich and turned into a small businessman. Mentioning his childhood in a conversation with Ranevskaya, Yermolai Lopakhin says that his parent had no education, but used a peculiar pedagogical approach in relation to his son. As a rule, his upbringing was limited to cuffs in a drunken stupor.

The image of Lopakhin in the play “The Cherry Orchard” is the personification of a spiritless new world. This hero, although aware of the stupidity of his late father, but the level of his upbringing and delicacy leaves much to be desired. Watching a theatrical production, he laughs where you need to think. And while reading a book, she cannot understand at all what it is all about.

Uneducated man

But he knows about his gaps in cultural education and seeks to fill them as much as possible. He is not sophisticated and not intelligent, and this fact makes him very upset, and he himself admits that the soul of a simple uneducated man is hiding behind his outer gloss.

Generous man

The image of Lopakhin in the play “The Cherry Orchard” has a number of attractive properties. This enterprising son of a peasant is a very decent, kindly man. He is generous and has the habit of giving money out on credit, realizing that they are unlikely to be returned to him on time. His summer cottage project was developed precisely so that Gayev and Ranevskaya, to whom he has sincere, kind feelings, could be saved from complete ruin. Active Lopakhin, in comparison with the owners of the estate, emphasizes their frivolity and impracticality.

Other heroes

The characterization of other characters is inextricably linked with the image of Lopakhin in the play “The Cherry Orchard”. A brief description of such heroes as Ranevskaya, Gaev - infantilism, serenity, frivolity. These people are used to exist at the expense of others. They are devoid of a sense of the present.

Lopakhin’s path to prosperity was not easy. But, even having achieved his goals, he does not stop. Commercial activities captured him and became a way of life. Ranevskaya and Gaev lead an aimless, idle lifestyle. Lopakhin, by contrast, works from morning to evening.

Petya Trofimov

However, the image of Lopakhin in Chekhov’s play “The Cherry Orchard” only on the background of the owners of the cherry orchard impresses the figure. Petya Trofimov believes that the merchant’s plans for the suburban issue are insolvent, proprietary. For the good intentions of Lopakhin, this man sees only a predatory, limited goal. Not without sarcasm, he says to Yermolai Alekseevich: "... you are a rich man and will soon be a millionaire."

But a predatory beast is necessary, it is an important link in the exchange system. This is the idea of ​​Petya Trofimov regarding the role of Lopakhin in society. According to the eternal student, labor is the basic norm of human existence. However, unlike Lopakhin, Trofimov adheres to the point of view that work should not bring personal benefits, but the benefit of the Fatherland, ideally, the whole of humanity. Trofimov lives in the future, which in his imagination is bright, pure.

He does not support Lopakhin’s plans to reorganize Russian life into an entrepreneurial spirit. In the assessment of the merchant, the idealist student has rather harsh words. Lopakhin, according to his statement, is rich, but poor. And in these words there is some truth. The merchant is wealthy, he became the owner of a luxurious estate and a beautiful cherry orchard. But his inner world is poor. The spiritual side of life is incomprehensible to him as well as the book that he tried to read at the beginning of the play.

Garden image

The cherry orchard is not his property. He only buys land and cherry trees. The beauty and harmony of the world are unattainable for him. Lopakhin is only able to cut down the garden, which he does. The merchant realizes his imperfection and feels that material well-being does not protect him from the difficulties and disharmony that prevail in life. And the true meaning of human existence for him is still unknown.

This character is not able to go beyond the boundaries of reality that surrounds him, and to overcome in his thoughts the boundaries of his own selfish aspirations. In his words there is only a rush to the ideal.

In the soul of this man lives only a warm feeling for Ranevskaya. With deep tenderness, he recalls the kind attitude she once showed to him. But the deep feeling of love is not familiar to him. Selflessly and selflessly, he is not able to love.

The Russian playwright treated his characters with high moral exactingness. In the works of Chekhov there were no heroes positive and negative. Creating the image of Yermolai Lopakhin in the play “The Cherry Orchard”, the author showed objectivity and a comprehensive approach. This hero differs from Gayev and Ranevskaya energy, activity and entrepreneurial acumen. His way of thinking reflects progressive shifts in Russian society.

Tree felling

In the end, there is an important detail. There is an ax knocking on cherry trees. At the request of Ranevskaya, the merchant orders to interrupt the cutting of the garden for a while. But only the former owners leave the estate, the knocking of the ax resumes. The new owner is in a hurry ...

The last sentence of Lopakhin, in which he claims that he can pay for everything, can be perceived only with irony. He can never buy beauty and spirituality. The "Cherry Orchard" is inaccessible to him, because the businessman becomes the winner of the "subtle and gentle soul."