The Cherry Orchard Love Quotes

How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Act.Line). Every time a character talks counts as one line, even if what they say turns into a long monologue. We used Julius West's translation.

Quote #4

LOPAKHIN. My father was the serf of your grandfather and your own father, but you--you more than anybody else--did so much for me once upon a time that I've forgotten everything and love you as if you belonged to my family ... and even more. (1.101)

Is it possible that some of Lopakhin's affection for Lubov is actually a Fiers-like servant/master devotion?

Quote #5

VARYA. I think that it will all come to nothing. He's a busy man. I'm not his affair ... he pays no attention to me. Bless the man, I don't want to see him. ... But everybody talks about our marriage, everybody congratulates me, and there's nothing in it at all, it's all like a dream. (1.60)

It's hard to know from the text whether Varya really loves Lopakhin. Her desire to marry him could spring solely from a desire for security and companionship.

Quote #6

VARYA. My darling's come back, my pretty one's come back! …I go about all day, looking after the house, and I think all the time, if only you could marry a rich man, then I'd be happy and would go away somewhere by myself, then to Kiev ... to Moscow, and so on, from one holy place to another. I'd tramp and tramp. That would be splendid! (1.62)

As caretaker of the estate, Varya doesn't think of marriage in terms of love. Anya's marriage to a rich man would be a suitable solution for a difficult problem – and would allow Varya to do what she wants.