English Term Paper
In naturalistic staging, realistic elements such as a prop, sound effect or lifelike gesture often have a symbolic weight. Discuss the function and significance of the stage directions in the cherry orchard. Give at least 2 examples from each of the four acts and do not only discuss sound effects.
Introduction:
Stage direction is a very essential thing for the understanding of a play because of it that a reader is able to picture what it would be if they were to be watching the characters act it out in real life. In the Cherry Orchard, there are many stage directions such as the clothing references, the white cherry orchard and the symbolism of the broken string
Paragraph 1: Clothing references
Act I:
p. 242- [Yepikhodov… wears a jacket and brightly polished high boots…]
p. 242- Yepikhodov: “…these boots…”
p. 243- [Firs…leaning on a stick… wears an old-fashioned servant’s livery and a top hat.]
p. 243- […Mrs. Ranevsky, Anya, and Charlotte…all dressed in travelling clothes…]
p. 243- […Varya, wearing an overcoat and a scarf over her head…]
p. 244- [Varya… has a bunch of keys on her belt.]
p. 247- [Firs comes in wearing a jacket and a white waistcoat.]
p. 247- […Simeonov-Pishchik… wearing a sleeveless coat of fine cloth and wide trousers tucked inside his boots…]
p. 251- [Charlotte crosses the stage wearing a white dress… tightly laced and has a lorgnette attached to her belt.]
p. 253- [Enter Trofimov… dressed in a shabby student’s uniform and wears spectacles.]
Act II-
p. 264- [Firs comes in with an overcoat.]
p. 268- […Passer-by…wear...