The Proposal

Summary

`The Proposal’ is a one-act play. Actually, it is a farce written by Anton Chekhov in 1888-89. The play is about the tendency of wealthy families to seek matrimonial ties. The real purpose is to increase their estates and landed properties. Ivan Lomov was a wealthy neighbour of another wealthy farmer Stepan Chubukov. Lomov comes to seek the hand of Chubukov’s twenty-five-year-old daughter, Natalya. Tomov, Chubukov and Natalya-all three are quarrelsome people. They quarrel over petty or small issues. Each one of them has a claim over a particular piece of land. They also quarrel over their dogs. Amidst this quarrelling, they completely forget the real issue — the marriage proposal. But good sense prevails in the end. Economic good sense ensures that the proposal is made. Chubukov doesn’t want to miss the opportunity. He puts his daughter’s hand into Lomov’s hands. He doesn’t waste any time and blesses them. However, old habits die hard. The newly married couple starts their married life with a fresh quarrel.

Comprehension Questions. Answer the following questions in 30-40 words: 

1. What justification did Lomov give to Natalya and Chubukov to prove that he is the rightful owner of Meadows? 

Lomov told Natalya and Chubukov that his aunt’s grandmother gave the Meadows for the temporary and free use of Chubukov’s grandfather’s peasants. So he is the rightful owner of the open meadows. 

2. Lomov was a quarrelsome person. Justify. 

Lomov was a quarrelsome person. He came to Chubukov’s house to propose Natalya. But he started arguing about the meadows and insisted that those meadows belonged to him. Later he kept on proving that his dog Squeezer is better than ‘Guess’ – the dog of Chubukov’s. He did not care for his health or his proposal but kept on fighting for one or the other reason. It proves that he was a quarrelsome person. 

3. Why does the proposal remain unmade during Lomov’s first visit? 

The proposal remains unmade during Lomov’s fust visit because Lomov is very much nervous and excitable. He beats about the bush. When Natalya comes Lomov begins to quarrel with her about a piece of land. He gets very much excited and leaves the room, cursing and threatening the old man and his daughter, Natalya. He forgets all about the proposal. 

4. What is Chubukov guess about the purpose of Lomov’s visit? 

Lomov calms himself down and begins to tell him the purpose of his visit. He tells him that he came to him many times in the past also for his help but he did not help him. Chubukov thinks that perhaps he has come to ask for a loan. He makes up his mind not to help him in any way. 

5. Why do both the families of Lomovs and Chubukovs claim the ownership of Oxen Meadows? Lomov thinks that Oxen Meadows that touch the birch forest of Chubukov belong to him. His aunt’s grandmother gave the free use of the Meadows to the peasants of Natalya’s father’s grandfather. In return, they were to make bricks for them. Natalya opposes it by saying that their land extends to Burnt Marsh. It means that Oxen Meadows belong to them. 

6. What happens to Lomov when he is in an excited state?

 When Lomov is in an excited state his heartbeat increases, lips tremble and there is a twitch in his right eyebrow. When he goes to sleep in such a state something pulls him from his left side and he jumps like a lunatic.

Answer the following questions in 100-120 words:

1. What is the theme of the play ‘The Proposal’?
The One-Act play ‘The Proposal’ throws light on the lifestyle of the landlords of Russia in the 19th century. The farm labourers worked on their farms. So these landlords led a life of ease and comfort. In fact, they led an idle life. They were full of vanity and pride. They quarrelled over petty things. In the play, we see that Lomov and Natalya have a dispute over a piece of land. They quarrel again over the qualities of their dogs. Chubukov, Natalya’s father, instead of pacifying them, joins them. He and Lomov abuse each other. All of them behave in a very funny way. The play also brings to light the social life of the landowners of the 19th century. An unmarried grown-up daughter was considered a great burden by the parents. Chubukov curses himself for being the father of Natalya. An aged bachelor was also looked down upon in society. This theme has been presented nicely through the characters of Lomov and Natalya.

Questions from the textbook. Thinking about the Play 

1. What does Chubukov at first suspect that Lomov has come for? Is he sincere when he later says ‚And I’ve always love you, my angel, as if you were my own son‛? Find the reasons for your answer from the play. 

At first, Chubukov suspected that Lomov had come to borrow money. He was not sincere when he told Lomov that he had always loved him and that he was like his own son. He had decided that he would not give Lomov any money if he tried borrowing from him. If he truly meant what he said, then he would not have thought of not giving him money. He said so only because Lomov had come with the proposal to marry his daughter.

2. Chubukov says of Natalya: ‚…as if she won’t consent! She’s in love, egad, she’s like a lovesick cat…‛ Would you agree? Find the reasons for your answer. 

Chubukov thought that Lomov was a good marriage prospect for his daughter. He had been waiting for this proposal. When Lomov expressed his doubt regarding Natalya’s consent to the proposal, Chubukov immediately told him that she was in love with him. However, this was not true. Natalya did not see to be in love with Lomov at any point in the play. It seemed like she was more attached to her land, meadows and dogs than to Lomov. In fact, the way they kept getting into arguments about trivial matters suggest that neither Lomov nor Natalya was in love with the other.

3. Find all the words and expressions in the play that the characters use to speak about each other, and the accusations and insults they hurl at each other. 

Several words and expressions have been used by the characters to describe each other. Some of them are as follows: Chubukov: grabber, intriguer, old rat, Jesuit Natalya: a lovesick cat, an excellent housekeeper, not bad-looking, well-educated Lomov: good neighbour, friend, impudent, pettifogger, malicious, double-faced intrigues, rascal, blind hen, turnip-ghost, villain, scarecrow, monster, stuffed sausage, wizen-faced frump, boy, pup, milksop, fool.

Practice Questions

Q1 Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow. 

(a) LOMOV: No. I’ve come only to see you, honoured Stepan Stepanovitch. 

CHUBUKOV: Then why are you in evening dress, my precious? As if you’re paying a New Year’s Eve visit!.
LOMOV: Well, you see, it’s like this (Takes his arm] I’ve come to you, honoured
Stepan Stepanovitch to trouble you with a request. Not once or twice have I already had the privilege of applying to you for help, and you have always, so to speak… I must ask your pardon. I am getting excited. I shall drink some water honoured Stepan Stepanovitch. 

i. What kind of dress is Lomov wearing?
a. an evening dress
b. casual clothes
c. swimwear
d. sportswear 

ii. Why was he dressed like that?
a. He had come for a dinner party. 

b. he had come for the hand of Chubukov’s daughter.
c. He had come to ask for the property. 

d. He wanted to swim in the pool. 

iii. Why does he drink some water?
a. because he was thirsty 

b. because Nataly offered him water
c. because he gets excited 

d. because he had nothing to do 

iv. Find a word from the passage which means ‘special right’.
a. honoured
b. request
c. privilege
d. pardon

Q2 Answer the following questions in 30-40 words each. 

(a) How does Natalya react when she comes to know that Lomov had come to propose? 

When Natalya cames to know that Lomov had come there to propose her she was shocked. She wails, changes her stance and asks her father to fetch Lomov. 

(b) How does Lomov come to Chubukov’s house? What for does he come? How is he received?

Lomov came to Chubukov’s house in the evening dress with gloves on. He cames to propose to his daughter Natalya. He is received with all the respect by Chubukov. 

(c) What is the cause of the second quarrel between Natalya and Lomov? 

Lomov starts praising the qualities of the dog Guess. But Natalya says that her dog which she purchased for 85 roubles is much better than his dog Guess. Both of them praise the qualities of their dogs. Now they start quarrelling on this topic. They again start shouting at each other. 

(d) Natalya was not Lomov’s real love. But still, he wanted to marry her. Give two reasons for his decision. 

Though Lomov was not in love with Natalya, he wanted to marry her because he was suffering due to a weak heart and sleep-sickness. He wanted a companion who could look after him.

Q3 Answer the following questions in 100 -120 words.

(a) Draw a brief character-sketch of Natalya.
Natalya is the heroine of the play ‘The Proposal’. She is twenty-five years old. She is still unmarried. It causes great worry to her father. Natalya wishes that somebody should love her and propose to her. Her father calls her ‘a love-sick cat.’ She is very quarrelsome. She quarrels with others over trifles. Lomov comes to propose to her, but she starts quarrelling with him over the ownership of a piece of land. Lomov leaves her house in a fit of anger. When she comes to know that he had come to propose to her, she starts weeping. She asks her father to bring him back. When Lomov comes back, she tries to please him. But after some time, she starts quarrelling with him on the question of dogs. Lomov faints and she again begins to wail lest she should lose the opportunity for marriage. After some time, Lomov regains consciousness. Her father does not want to lose this opportunity. He at once puts Natalya’s hand in the hands of Lomov. He announces that they are engaged with each other. Natalya becomes very happy. But she again starts quarrelling with him. Thus Natalya is an interesting character. 

(b) Neighbours must have a cordial relationship which Lomov and Natalya do not have. Describe the first fight between them.
Lomov and Natalya meet and rather than proposing her, he gets off the point. He tells her how he inherited his land and how he respects her father. He also tells Natalya that his Oxen meadows touch Natalya’s Birchwood. On hearing this, Natalya says that Oxen Meadows are theirs. They start arguing about it. Lomov clarifies that he is talking about the Oxen Meadows that are between her Birchwoods and Burnt marsh. Natalya again insists that they are theirs.
Lomov refuses it. He tells her that his aunt’s grandmother gave those meadows to her father’s grandfather. The peasants used the land for forty years and started regarding it as their own. Natalya’s father comes and also starts quarrelling with Lomov. They get into a heated argument and resort to name-calling. After some time, Lomov leaves their house.