Introduction
The Cherry Orchard, the play about the Russian revolution is confused between being a tragedy or a comedy. The play is marked with both tears of biding a farewell as well as begining of a new and optimistic beginning. The play has been heavily debated for being a comedy or a tragedy due to its style and comedy. But what makes a play a tragedy or a comedy. The general concept of a play being a tragedy or a comedy is linked to the modes a play exhibits. If a play retains a happy and jolly tone, it will be vaguely termed as a comedy while a play manifested in suffering, plight and sombre tone can be regarded as a tragedy. Let's discuss what Chekhov himself considered.
Controversy between the Author and the Producer
The problem of tragedy and comedy was produced from the difference between the writer's and producer's concept of play.
In his letter, Shekhov said;
"Not a drama,but a comedy has emerged from me, in places even a farce".
Chekhov, the one who formulated the particular play conceived it as neither a tragedy nor a comedy but rather a farce. But the producer of the play,
Stanislavski disagreed with Chekhov and called it a tragedy.
He said in response to Shekhov:
This is not a comedy or a farce, as you wrote, it is a tragedy,whatever way out you may have found for better life in the last act
Because according to Stanislavski the play featured a tragic atmosphere where people had gone bankrupt and they were about to lose their lodgings. Stanislavski even delayed the performance of the fourth act in order to sustain the prevailing suspense. But Anton was not pleased by the producer's conduct. Let's discuss why Stanislavski deemed the play as a tragedy?
What is tragic in the Play?
As mentioned above, Stanislavski and many critics consider The Cherry Orchard a tragedy because of the sound reasons on which the play is based. It is the dismal condition of the aristocratic class that makes the atmosphere of the play tragic. Aristocrats, the ones who used to rule over the serfs have been reduced to the people suffering under the growing pain of debt. We see the Lyobov family selling their villa in Mentone to clear their debts but this does not work out well for them. Their tragic hamartia is their lack of control over their spendings and lack of business mindset. During a conversation with Lopakhin, Lyobov admits,
I’ve always scattered money about without holding myself in, like a madwoman, and I married a man who made nothing but debts.
Although Lyubov openly admits her tragic flaw, but she fails to act upon the advice of Lopakhin to lease the land of the Cherry Orchard for a sustainable source of income. Consequently, she auctions her ancestral pride in exchange for money to clear her debts. Her inability to act upon Lopakhin's sincere advice is what establishes a tragic departure with the land she could transform it to a moneymaking machine.
What is Comic in the Play?
The moments of tragedy, as well as comedy, are sequentially present in the play. Although Anton has tried to add farcical effect by mingling of absurd action right after a serious happening. For instance, when Varya and Anya are discussing about their deplorable financial condition, Lopakhin moos to add laughter among the audience of the play as a temporal comic relief.
This play is also a comedy in a sense due to its display of the financial victory of the serfs who once worked under their masters. Lopakhin, who has come out of the background of the serfs have used his brain in a way that has made him capable of purchasing the Cherry Orchard. Lopakhin does not forget about his past and feels proud of his financial as well as social freedom.
Conclusion
So, it is evident that the situational complexity of this play makes us harder to decide about its genre. But one thing is certain, this I. play is not entirely a tragedy for the aristocratic class. There is a hidden message of hope for them. They can start a business with the money they have accumulated through the process of auctioning. In fact, Gaev (brother of Lyubov) has bid a farewell to sloth as he has been selected for a job in the bank. Manifestly, the play is neither an absolute tragedy, nor an absolute comedy but a combination of both that signals at the optimistic vision of the writer,
The human race progresses, perfecting its powers.
Sources and Suggested Readings
- Lecture of Sir Hassan
- https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/cherry-orchard-by-anton-chekhov-comedy-tragedy-560554
- http://www.askliterature.com/drama/the-cherry-orchard-as-a-comedy/
- A portion of this answer was contributed by Muhammad Awais (My Classmate)
