Chekhov understood that people are mysterious and can't be reduced to what we nowadays call 'motivation.'
One of the reasons why there are so many versions of Chekhov is that translations date in a way that the original doesn't; translations seem to be of their time.
I think probably I've been influenced by Chekhov and Walt Disney, if you see what I mean.
Chekhov directors and Chekhov actors love working on his plays because there seems to be no end to what you can find out about the micro-narrative when you're investigating a text.
Chekhov was capable of casually tossing off deplorable comments in his letters, combined with a very modern anger against anti-Semitism.