Mrs. Ranyevskaya was actually her own enemy regarding money, debt, and denial. This is because of the decisions that she makes that portray her as a materialist and one who fails to accept her situation. In the first place, Mrs. Ranyevskaya takes too much money for the mortgage, not considering the fact that she will be required to repay. After some time, it becomes impossible for her to repay the loan, and therefore, she has her orchard taken for auction. In addition, Mrs. Ranyevskaya fails to accept the situation at hand and, therefore, becomes unresponsive to calls made to save the land. The calls from the various friends would have saved the shame of such a well-known leader. She leaves in denial, and the worst then occurs, leaving her and the family homeless.
As the land is taken away from Mrs. Ranyevskaya, it is sold to Laopahin. This is because the Orchard is sold at a low price just to get the money to repay the mortgage taken by Mrs. Ranyevskaya. This is quite significant as it shows materials changing hands from the powerful to the common man. This was a shameful time for Mrs. Ranyevskaya, losing her property to a person who had always been under her rule. Therefore, it is a crucial aspect as it serves as a lesson to have humanity come first while materialism comes second.
Indeed, the play is a form of comedy due to the various aspects of irony included. First, the play indicates the rich and powerful losing their lands to the poor and the vulnerable. In real life, it would be expected that the rulers have the ability to cover the shame of losing their land and property to the poor. Also, it is quite comical to state that the ruler and powerful person have nowhere to turn for help in the case of difficulties. The powerful woman, Mrs. Ranyevskaya, rejects the help offered and leaves in denial of the reality that continues to be uncovered.
Works Cited
Chekhov, Anton. The cherry orchard: a comedy in four acts. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2016. Retrieved from: https://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/c/chekhov/anton/cherry orchard/act1.html
http://www.theatrehistory.com/russian/chekhov001.html
