Cherry Orchard

The values of a play’s characters and the society in which they live may be revealed through scenes of social occasions. Chekhov’s “The Cherry Orchard” includes one such scene- the party of Liuboff Andreievna Ravensky. This event brings together several characters in the play and offers an opportunity for the reader to asses their values. The scene contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole in that it reveals important characterization.
One character whose values become evident in the party scene is Liuboff, the hostess. The reader is informed about Liuboff’s character through its contrast with another- Peter Trofimoff, with whom she has a disagreement. The two differ with regard to the value of love, as well as that of the past. For example, while Liuboff embraces love and all that it entails, Trofimoff believes that he is above it:
As if I’d ever given her grounds
to believe I’d stoop to such
vulga...