1. Please rearrange yourselves w/ at least one male per table. Clear off your desks. Notes will be posted on FB.

2. Cherry Orchard A “comedy” in 4 acts

3. Welcome to Russia in the late 1800s Praise her royal Highness, Tzarina Rollins the Enlightened

4. Before we begin, we would like to pass out a Russian delicacy...

5. Now... take out note taking tools

6. Themes to look out for Social class and change Struggle over memory and the past New Russia vs. Old Russia Indirect action Mixing of dramatic genres Independence, liberation, and freedom

7. Who was Chekhov? Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was born on January 29th, 1860 and died July 14th, 1904. He was born into poverty and his grandfather was a serf This is interesting because serfdom was abolished the year after he was born and tends to be prevalent in his literary works He attended a school for Greek boys, as well as grammar school. His writing career began with anecdotes for humorous journals, often writing anonymously

8. You need a Russian name! Given name: Your first name Patronymic name: Middle name identifying one’s father’s name -ov/ova/ovna -ev/eva/evna -ich/ovich/evich Surname: Your last name

9. Why was Chekhov important? ● He modernized the short story ● By the late 1880s many critics responded negatively towards Chekhov for holding no firm political/social views and for failing to show a clear sense of direction in his works ○ Although Chekhov received negative feedback about his objectivity as an author, it is what has characterized his voice ● He challenged the idea of deep character descriptions and elaborate stories by using brevity to get his point across

10. What was Chekhov known for? Plays: The Seagull Uncle Vanya Three Sisters The Cherry Orchard Short-Stories: “Ward No. 6” “Gusev” “The Lady with the Little Dog” “The Darling” “The Huntsman”

11. Chekhov’s Social Class Son of a grocer + Grandson of a serf = Lower-Middle Class/Peasant Life Grandparents bought freedom before emancipation of serfdom Emancipation of Serfdom 1861 Even if released by landlords, good land was taken already Leaving “narrow strips”, difficult to farm and profit off of New peasants needed to repay landlords, lifelong burden Father had many money troubles because of this Went to Moscow w/ family while Chekhov stayed in Taganrog. Had to support family with freelance writing (comics Russian Society = Very Patriarchal Husbands had almost unlimited power by Russian legal code. If a man died, sons inherited property; females of family received very small share. “it would be wonderful if we marry off Anya to somebody with a lot of money” (346)

12. Religious Background Chekhov’s father, Pavel Yegorovich, was a passionate Orthodox Christian Often beat his children, who enforced the religion to his family in a strict, authoritarian manner. In his childhood, Chekhov served as a singer in the choir Attended services regularly, was the altar boy, and took care of bell ringing duty “Between the statements ‘God exists’ and ‘there is no God’ lies a whole vast field, which a true sage crosses with difficulty.” Has no religion, Atheist Focused more on the traditions of religion rather than God. Believed that the idea of the presence of God can be replaced with other ideals of sensationalism

13. Ethnicity and Linguistic Background Russian Family Born in Taganrog, Russia Pavel Yegorovich Chekhov (father) Yevgeniya Chekhov (mother) Speaks Russian, wrote plays in Russian

14. Profession Studied medicine at the University of Moscow, graduating in 1884. He was a practicing physician his whole life. Originally wrote freelance on top of his doctor’s duties to support his family Began publishing works seriously in the mid-1880s Published his first play, Ivanov, in 1887, and won Pushkin Prize in 1888.

15. Politics and Chekhov The two didn’t get along: Feared being labeled politically (liberal/conservative or otherwise). Did not write to blatantly political ends. Wished to be “a free artist and nothing else” - he pushed his own ideology in his work based on telling the truth. However, he is referenced in advocating for a Russian constitution, equality for peasantry, and the removal of the landed gentry.

16. Election time! Take a notecard and write the name of a male of the family you would like to see in power. Cast your ballot up front.

17. Stanislavski & the Moscow Art Theater (MAT) Constantin Stanislavski (1863) co-founded the Moscow Art Theatre in 1897. Developed “Method Acting” Actors using their personal histories to express authentic emotion and create rich characters. One of the theater’s opening productions was The Seagull by Anton Chekhov. Stanislavski co-directed several productions with Nemirovich-Danchenko including, The Cherry Orchard. “Stanislavski method” or “the Method”

18. Russian Impressionism Impressionists fought against academism, they affirmed the beauty and aesthetic value of everyday reality.

19. Stanislavski and “the Method” “Someone gets sick, you know, and the doctor tried one thing after another, that means there's no cure. I’ve been thinking and thinking, racking my brains, I come up with one thing, then another, but the truth is, none of them will work.” Reflect Replicate Perform

20. The Cherry Orchard is the last play Chekhov wrote According to John. L Styan, The Cherry Orchard is: “Supreme achievement of the naturalistic movement in modern theater” Chekhov wrote and revised his last play as a dying man His tuberculosus forced him to live in Yalta (warmer), far from rehearsals at the Moscow Art Theater FYI: Play was first performed in Moscow by the M.A.T. on January 17, 1904, published in June of that year, a few days before Chekhov’s death

21. Naturalistic literature: what is it? “Naturalism was a literary movement (from the 1880s to 1930s) that suggested that social conditions, heredity, and environment shaped human character. Characters can be studied through their relationships to their surroundings Ethical statement can be derived from nonethical ones Theory of representation based on accurate description of detail How is this different from realism? Realism is more defined by its use of technique, while naturalism is innately more philosophical

22. Why is The Cherry Orchard important? Chekhov was a reformer of the modern theater and drama “Anti-theatricalism” Chekhov doesn’t give the audience the sensationalism of exciting love scenes or great fight scenes on stage, a lot of action takes place offstage Chekhov tells the audience about the issues in the play, but he “takes no stand on the issues themselves; there is no triumph, no villainy, no message, no lesson, no argument” (John L. Styan) Despite this, each line of Chekhov’s play is filled with life, and we, as the audience, must recognize this everyday life

23. Mixed responses for Cherry Orchard Russian Symbolist poets approved of the play, interpreting the play as mourning the loss of beauty in the world Bolsheviks associated the play with the 1917 revolution, due to Trofimov’s speeches in the play (censored during Tsarist regime in 1904) Generally, The Cherry Orchard is praised as one of Chekhov’s best works and possibly, greatest play

24. Let’s talk about Russian “comedy” Chekhov wrote The Cherry Orchard was a comedy, but he had difficulty in convincing Stanislavsky and his company that it was not a tragedy. Why? Discuss with your table groups.

25. Create your own tragic Russian comedy “Tragic comedy” is not an oxymoron when you’re referring to Chekhov

26. Inspiration for Russian comedy

27. Thank you for listening Before you leave, make sure you pick up our small gift of gratitude and humor.