Questions in Past Papers (PU) | The Cherry Orchard By

Anton Chekhov
1. Discuss The Cherry Orchard as a comedy. (2004)
2. The character of Lopakhin in The Cherry Orchard 1/2 (2004)
3. "The Cherry Orchard is a tragedy despite the fact that Chekhov described
it as a comedy". How far would you agree? (2005)
4. How far do you think Chekhov is successful in presenting the theme of
the passing of the old order through the symbol of cherry orchard. (2006)
5. "It is not what the characters say which matters, it is what they are and
what they are doing with their lives". How far do you agree with this
assessment of the characters in The Cherry Orchard? (2007)
6. Is the Cherry Orchard a political play? (2008)
7. Why has Chekhov's drama been called 'lyrical' and 'internal' as opposed
to 'external'? Discuss with reference to his play The Cherry Orchard.
(2009)
8. "Lopakhin is not a merchant in the vulgar sense of the word ... There is
no need for him to be the typical merchant. He is a tender-hearted man."
Do you think that this statement fully explains Lopakhin's character in The
Cherry Orchard? (2010)
9. Discuss the dramatic significance of the sub-plot of The Cherry Orchard.
(2011)
10. The character of Lyubov in The Cherry Orchard 1/2 (2011)
11. Is the CHERRY ORCHARD a blend of smiles and tears? Why? (2012)
12. In THE CHERRY ORCHARD, we watch the dreams of childhood dying
and ambitions of middle age stirring into action. Comment. (2013)
13. How does the comic element in The Cherry Orchard enhance the tragic
impact of the play? (2014)
14. "The Cherry Orchard" can be read as a drama tracing the human
journey from childhood fantasy to the adult consciousness of harsh reality.
Elaborate. (2015)
15. "The Cherry Orchard" is about the passing away of the romantic phase
and the onset of modern capitalist tendencies. Comment. (2016)
16. How does Chekhov bring in comedy in a tragic situation in "The Cherry
Orchard"? How far does he succeed? (2017)
17. How far would you agree that The Cherry Orchard represents a conflict
between modernity and traditional Russian society? Elaborate your answer.
(2018)
18. Lopakhin's utter lack of feelings is no less appalling than the ignorance
and stupidity of the outdated aristocrats. Do you agree? (2019)
19. Symbolism as a Dramatic Device in The Cherry Orchard 1/2 (2019)
20. “ We feel disgusted at the shallowness and indifference of Lopakhin but
we also feel irritated at the ignorance and utter stupidity of the aristocrats.”
Illustrate ? (2020)

Reference to context :

● 1. You must try to understand. Things have changed. It used to be just

the gentry and the peasants. But not there is a new sort of visitor ...
people who want to come here in the summer. (2004) ACT 1
SPOKEN BY LOPAKHIN

● 2. You can charge each tenant twenty-five roubles a year per hectare
per plot --- easily. If you advertise right away I guarantee by the
 autumn you won't have a single plot left (2005) ACT 1 SPOKEN BY
LOPAKHIN

● Here's a fine rug ..... here you are, ladies and gentlemen, a fine rug for
sale ..... (she opens it up) who wants to buy? (2006) SPOKEN BY
CHARLOTTA

● Why must it be like this? Why can't we get suffering over, done with,
quickly! Why can't change .... Finish with all the mess and misery in
life! (2007)

● 3. I trust nobody needs reminding that Orchard and estate come

under hammer in two weeks' time ..... Two weeks friends. Try to think
of it while you dine.(2008) ACT 2 SPOKEN BY LOPAKHIN

● 4. How can we begin to live in the present if we don't redeem the

past .... come to terms with it? There is only one way. By suffering. By
work. By extraordinary effort .... by unceasing toil. Try to understand
that, Anya. (2009) ACT 3 SPOKEN BY TROFIMOV TO ANYA

● 5. I tell you every day. Every day I say the same thing over and over
again. You must let the cherry orchard and the land under building
leases for summer cottages, and you must do it now, as quickly as
possible, or the auction will be on top of you! (2010) SPOKEN BY
LOPAKHIN

● 6. Oh, no, not at all. But there's going to be an enormous bump in my

head for all that.(2010-supp) ACT 3 SPOKEN BY LOPAKHIN
● 7. I suddenly felt sorry for Mama, I just put my hands on her face and
held her, I just couldn't let her go. And afterwards she hugged me,
and cried.(2011) ACT 1 SPOKEN BY ANYA

● 8. Oh, for my sins, I've always spent money like a lunatic. I married a
man who only knew how to get into debts --- killed himself drinking
champagne --- oh, how he drank! I fell in love with someone else -
God, what a misfortune! We had an affair.(2011-supp) ACT
SPOKEN BY Mrs. RANEVSKY

● 9. Oh my lovely innocent childhood! Sleeping here is the nursery,

looking out into the orchard, --- every morning waking up to
happiness. And it is --- the same as it was, nothing's changed.(2012)
ACT 1 SPOKEN BY Mrs. RANEVSKY

● 10. All his narrow minded concern with petty illusion, can't she
understand that we are above all that? We must be free of the small,
the pointless...(2012-supp) ACT SPOKEN BY TROFIMOV
COMPLAIN TO ANYA ABOUT VARYA

● 11. There is no turning back ... is it over ... finished and done worth
long ago. Stop worrying. And stop deceiving yourself ... for once in
your life look at the truth and face it. (2013) ACT 3 SPOKEN BY
TROFIMOV
● 12. Oh my lovely innocent childhood! Sleeping here in the nursery,
looking out into the orchard, ... every morning waking up to
happiness. And it is ... the same as it was, nothing's changed.(2014)
ACT 1 SPOKEN BY Mrs. RANEVSKY

● 13. All his narrow minded concern with petty illusion, can't she
understand that we are above all that? We must be free of the small,
the pointless…(2015) ACT SPOKEN BY TROFIMOV COMPLAIN
TO ANYA ABOUT VARYA

● .... if we're to start living in the present isn't it abundantly clear that
we've first to go redeem our past and make a clean break with it? And
we can only redeem it by suffering and getting down to real work for a
change. (2016) ACT 2 TROFIMOV SPEAKS TO ANYA

● Little peasant. It's true my father was a peasant, but here am I in

my white waistcoat and brown boots, barging in like a bull in a
china shop. The only thing is, I am rich. (2017) ACT 1 SPOKEN
BY LOPAKHIN

● You must try to understand. Things have changed. It used to be just

the gentry but now there's a new sort of visitor ... who comes here in
summer. (2018) ACT 1 SPOKEN BY LOPAKHIN

● "I've never met such frivolous people as you before, or anybody so

non-business and peculiar. Here I am telling you in plain language
that your estate will be sold, and you don't seem to understand."
(2019) ACT 2 SPOKEN BY LOPAKHIN
● My father was a peasant, it's true, but here I am in a white waistcoat
and yellow shoes…. A pearl out of an oyster. I’m rich now, with lots of
money, but just think about it and examine me, and you’ll find I'm
still a peasant down to the marrow of my bones. (2020) ACT 1
SPOKEN BY LOPAKHIN