"The Cherry Orchard"

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the pursuit of happiness in Anton Chekhov's play "The Cherry Orchard." The paper analyzes the characters within the play and looks at the actions they take in order to attempt to achieve happiness. It then discusses which of the characters did, in fact, manage to achieve the happiness they were pursuing. The paper suggests that real happiness comes from personal satisfaction and a willingness to take action and improve one's life.

From the Paper:

"For many of the characters in the play, happiness is more like the absence of misery. This is seen by the way that the characters spend their time escaping into the past to hide from their problems. Lyobov Andreyevna is the main example of this. This is specific to her memories of the death of her son. This is the reason that she leaves her home and travels overseas. She then spends her time on frivolous things that do not really achieve true happiness. One good example of this is seen where she hires an orchestra for a party, despite not having any money to pay them. This shows that she views happiness as being based on short-term pleasure. In effect, her life is about escaping from misery by constantly seeking pleasure. This does not allow her to achieve any true happiness."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Chekhov, A. "The Cherry Orchard." Three Plays: The Sea-Gull, Three Sisters & The Cherry Orchard. New York: Random House: 129-189.

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• Analytical Essay # 23332 : "The Cherry Orchard" by Anton Chekhov"
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• Analytical Essay # 127428 : "Nature in "The Cherry Orchard"

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