The Cherry Orchard (1903)
ACT One
GROUP REPORT
Designed and Complied by BUCK LEE
PROLOGUE
Madame Ravensky went to Paris with her daughter, Anya in order to get rid of her sorrow from losing her husband and son both of them died six years ago. And the family has financial problem now, they may have to sell their cherry orchard in order to pay the debt.
A, In the nursey, Lopahin and Dunyasha are waiting for Ranevsky to come back from the station. But the train was delayed.
B. After few hours, Ranevsky, Anya and Charlotts finally came home. Everybody was so excited about their coming home. And Anya started to talk about what happend in Paris to her sister, Varya.
C. Anya told Varya that mamma was still in a low spirits, because she sold her villa and there's nothing left! That means, they are broke. What they have now are the arrears on the mortgage. So the two girls are already conscious that cherry orchard will be sold sooner or later.
D. After Anya went to bed , Lopahin started to talk about the business of cherry orchard with Ranevsky and Gaen. Lopahin had the idea to let the cherry orchard on less for summary villas in order to pay the debt. But the cherry orchard must be cut down.
E. Ravensky and Gaev didn't accept this proposal and started to digreaa from this topic. Though Lophahin still tried to persuade Ravensky to let it on lease, she still had no interests to sell her cherry orchard. Since there's not conclusion about the orchard, Lopahin left and had her to think of it seriously.
F. Gaev doesn't want the cherry orchard to be sold, too. Therefore he had an idea to ask help from their rich aunt. Since it's not a good suggestion, Anya and Varya still felt better! All of the family want to keep the cherry orchard.
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1. nosegay (p.1338) n. A small bunch of sweet smelling flowers.
2. kvass n. A type of weak beer made in Russia.
3. propitious adj. Giving or indicating a good chance of success <~for something>; favorable.
4. befall v. Used only in the 3rd person, happen to.
5. adjoining v. Be next or nearest to and joined with something.
6. parasol n. A light umbrella used to give shade from the sun.
7. wearily adv. (p.1339) Weary adj. 1. Very tired, esp. as a result of effort or endurance; exhausted. 2. Causing tiredness or boredom. 3. Showing tiredness.
8. staggering adj. something that is staggering is very surprising; astonishing; shocking.
9. arrears (p.1340) n. Money that is owned and should have been paid earlier.
10. mortgage n. Agreement in which money is lent buy a building society, bank, etc for buying a house or other property, the property being the security.
11. brooch n. An ornament with a hinged pin and clasp, worn on women's clothes.
12. mincingly adv. Mince v. Walk or speak in an affected manner, trying to appear delicate or refined.
13. vexation (p.1341) n. 1. In the state of being worried or worried. 2. Something causing annoyance or worry.
14. shudder v. To shiver violently with cold, fear, etc; tremble, shaking.
15. billiards n. A game for two people played with cues and three balls on an oblong cloth-covered table.
16. patchouli n. 1. A fragrant plant grown in the Far East. 2. Perfume made from this plant.
17. knave (p. 1342) n. Dishonest man; man without honor
18. auction (p.1343) n. A method of selling things in which each item is sold to the person who offers the most money for it.
19. verandah n. (veranda) It means porch.
20. indignant (p.1344) adj. Angry and scornful, esp. at injustice or because of undeserved blame.
21. glutton n. 1. A person who eats too much. 2. A person always ready for more of something difficult or unpleasant.
22. extenuate (p.1347) v. Make wrongdoing less serious by providing an excuse.
23. I.O.U n. Abbreviation of I owe you. A signed paper acknowledging that one owes the sum of money stated.
24. conviction n. 1. If someone has conviction, they have been found guilty of a crime in a court of law. 2. A strong believe or opinion. 3. Great confidence in your beliefs or opinions.
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The kin relationship Gaev & Lyubov(brother & sister)
Lyubov & Anya(mother & daughter)
Lyubov & Varya(mother & adopted daughter)
Lyubov & Grisha(mother & son)
Lyubov & her old aunt( the countess)
The up coming marriage relationship
Dunyasha (the maid) & Epihodov (the clerk)
Varya & Lopahin (the merchant)
The business relationship Lyubov & Lopahin
Lyubov & Phishtchik (the landowner)
The master- servant relationship
Lyubov & Dunyasha Lyubov & Firs (an old valet)
Lyubov & Yasha (a young valet)
The teacher- student relationship
Charlotta (the governess) & Anya
Petya Trofimov (the tutor)& Grisha
The landowner-Pishtchik to Lyubov is like a burden.
The relationship between mother and daughter is close. The daughters are aware of the financial problem they have; as a result, they worry about their mother and try to console her.
The relationship between brother and sister is rather close, too. Though they will have arguments over trifle, by and large they seem to know each other well, and they will help each other when one is in need.
The merchant-Lopahin is not welcome by Lyubov and Gaev, for he tries to persuade them to sell the orchard. The relationship is not only involved in business but also marriage of Varya and Lopahin. It's quite ironic for the situation. Like one is going to marry her daughter to a man, who is a threat to your family.
The servants are loyal to their masters. Especially the old valet Firs. He is like an old father who takes care of everything in the house and he even forces Gaev to go to bed. Gaev listens to him just like a little boy who is being asked to go to sleep. Varya, Anya, and Dunyasha are more like sisters rather than the master and servant relationship. Dunyasha watches them grow up and knows them well, like a big sister always being around.
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1. In what place does the scene take place through ACT 1?
The nursery.
2 How do other people think about Lopahin, and how does he look at himself?
Lopahin himself: "a peasant I was, and a peasant I am" (1337). Gaev: "Low-born knave!" (1345) Others: a good man, a most worthy man.
3. How can we know Anya by seeing the responses others show when they see her?
Dunyasha: "my precious, my joy." (1339) Varya: "My little darlingˇK.My precious beauty." (1339) Firs: "My lady has come home!" (1341) Because of her lighthearted mind, her child-like, and her naive, people all like her. Also, Trofimov says "My sunshine! My spring" at the end of Act I, I think that's a hint, because he saw her from the other side of the stage and said the words "tenderly." Maybe there's some special meaning of his words. Especially we know that it's very chilly at that time!
4. What does Varya want to do mostly in her life?
"To go off by myself on a pilgrimage to Kiev, to MoscowˇKand so I would spend my life going from one holy place to another." That's why Ranevsky says that she is still like a "nun."
5.What's the difficultly Ranevsky meets? And how she reacts toward the difficulty?
The cherry orchard is going to be sold in August, and also the financial problems. They have no money to pay the arrears on the mortgage. (1340) But Ranevsky still "ordered the most expensive things and gave the waiters a whole rouble." (1340) Gaev: "She hasn't' got out of the habit of flinging away her money." (1346)
6 Why don't Anya and Varya let Trofimov meet Ranevsky at once?
Because the little son Grisha of Ranevsky was drowned, "and Petya Trofimov was Grisha's tutor, he may remind her." (1341)
7. How does Ranevsky feel about the nursery? And what does the nursery represent here?
She can't believe that she has come back. Her heart is full of happiness and joy. The nursery to her is a representation of the childhood, the innocence and the happiness. (1345) And it may also be a contrast between the past prosperity and the present difficulty.
8. Why does Pishtchik say the words "fancy that" ? What does it show his characteristic?
It may shows to us that he is a person that always feel fresh to the things on earth.
9. How do others think about Gaev?
Others may think that he talks too much. For example, the paragraph he talks about the bookcase. (1344) And the example in page 1347, 1348. Anya and Varya think that he should keep quiet, keep from talking. "Don't talk, that's all."
10. What kind of person is Charlotta?
She may be a straight-minded person, and also a person who is good at pleasing others by showing some tricks. She makes a joke on Lopahin when he tries to kiss her hand to say goodbye. And She says "I don't want to. I'm sleepy," which shows her straight-mind in page 1344.
11 What kind of person is Firs?
He is like an old father, always worries about if others can take care of themselves. "You have got on the wrong trousers again! What am I to do with you?" (1345) "Leonid Andreyevitch, have you no fear of God? When are you going to bed?" (1348)
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