由於牽涉到人物是否可以改變未來，契訶夫對於《櫻桃園》氛圍的原始創作意圖一直以來都被如Stanislavsky導演及批評家們所誤解。他的劇本原被自己設想為喜劇而非悲劇，因此我們必須充分理解契訶夫式的幽默特質，及其所連結到的果戈里〈死靈魂〉「笑中帶淚」的漂泊心靈。契訶夫清楚突顯Lyuba Ranevsky夫人這類喜劇性的主人公，是社會經濟轉型時期占主導地位的重要主題。事實上，他在地位與財富關係下檢視每個角色，以其做為一個改變的縮影，Lopakhi這位白手起家、務實的商人角色，有若連接過去與現在、舊世界與新世界之間的橋樑，如契訶夫本人，能廣納文學、戲劇以及美。 《櫻桃園》結合了自然主義與象徵主義，將重點放在人物的心理層面而非劇情情節。受到Ivan Turgenev知識分子如何轉變為理想的思考家的影響，契訶夫呈現給讀者的是：他的祖國蘇俄，在一個革命的時代，面臨過去和未來命運分界點。 《櫻桃園》不同角色被以不同方法解讀，本身的重要意象橫跨個人記憶與歷史事件。在契訶夫的泛時性喜劇裡，其開創性的連接了俄國之母在新革命時代從過去到未來的命運。

In consideration of whether (or not) characters can change their future, Chekhov’s original intention as to the atmosphere of The Cherry Orchard has been much misunderstood by directors (e.g. Stanislavsky) and critics alike; his play was conceived as being not a tragedy but a comedy. This necessitates a full consideration of the nature of Chekhovian humour and its links to ‘laughter through tears’ in Dead Souls, Gogol’s spiritual odyssey. Chekhov’s comic protagonists highlight certain attributes of Mrs Lyuba Ranevsky’s character, the dominant theme being the inescapability of socio-economic transformation. Indeed, nearly every character is observed in relationship to status and wealth. As the epitome of change, the self-made, pragmatic merchant, Lopakhin acts as a bridge between the past and the present, between the old world and the new, though, like Chekhov himself, he is receptive to literature, theatre, and beauty. Combining naturalism and symbolism, The Cherry Orchard emphasizes psychology of character rather than plot. Influenced by the plight of the ‘superfluous man’ in Ivan Turgenev’s works, Chekhov presents us with the transformation of the Russian intellectual into Trofimov, the idealist thinker. Seen by different characters in different ways, the crucial image of the Cherry Orchard itself spans personal memories and historical events. In Chekhov’s own blend of panchronic comedy, its axe connects the past to the future destiny of Mother Russia on the threshold of a new revolutionary era.