E109 Study Questions – Chekhov, The Cherry Orchard

1. Think about what the orchard "means", what it symbolizes. First, discuss what it means generally in the play, then pick one character and discuss what it represents for that one character.

2. Many people, including the play’s first director, emphasize the tragic elements in this play, but Chekhov labels it a comedy. Discuss how it fits the comic genre, then consider which aspects, and why, you would emphasize, the tragic or the comic, if you were in charge of a production.

3. In what ways is the party (ball) important? What events at the party are significant?

4. How does the play portray social change – positive, negative, mixed? Are the generation issues tied to the changes in society or to some other factor?

5. Pick one speech that you think is key to understanding the play and explain why. (Be sure to cite the page number of the speech.)