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The Marriage Proposal: by Anton Chekhov

The document provides a summary of Anton Chekhov's one-act farce "The Marriage Proposal". It summarizes that the play is set in late 19th century Russia and involves a marriage proposal between Natalia and her neighbor Lomov. However, their discussion continually devolves into arguments over the ownership of land and which of their dogs is better. In the end, Natalia accepts the proposal but they continue bickering, much to the exasperation of Natalia's father who hopes to stop the arguing.

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Rohan Mehta
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2K views

The Marriage Proposal: by Anton Chekhov

The document provides a summary of Anton Chekhov's one-act farce "The Marriage Proposal". It summarizes that the play is set in late 19th century Russia and involves a marriage proposal between Natalia and her neighbor Lomov. However, their discussion continually devolves into arguments over the ownership of land and which of their dogs is better. In the end, Natalia accepts the proposal but they continue bickering, much to the exasperation of Natalia's father who hopes to stop the arguing.

Uploaded by

Rohan Mehta
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Marriage

Proposal
By Anton Chekhov
Anton Chekhov 1860-1904
Farce

 We are supposed to laugh at the action


 The expressions are exaggerated
 The follies of the society are exposed through this
medium
 It is a marriage proposal where the woman is 25 years
old, overage in Chekhov’s time. The man is a
hypochondriac and the father of the girl is trying to
regulate the match.
The Russian Gentry
❖ A Marriage Proposal is a one-act farce. It is
fast-paced play of dialogue-based action and
situational humor. It takes place on a country
estate in late-19th-century Russia. The
characters are members of the privileged class
known as the gentry. These wealthy
landowners employed peasants to work their
fields, which allowed them to enjoy a life of
leisure. Writers of farces often poked fun at
the habits of gentry, including their tendency
to marry for money rather than love.
Characters
❖ Stepan Stepanovitch Tschubukov
(Chubukov)
A country farmer
❖ Natalia Stepanovna
His daughter (aged 25)
❖ Ivan Vassiliyitch Lomov
Chubukov’s neighbor
Setting
The present [1890s]. The living room in
Tschubukov’s Mansion in Russia. Tschubukov
discovered as the curtain rises. Lomov, enters
formally wearing a dress suit.
Introduction
❖ Lomov, wearing a formal dress enters the
living room of the Mansion of Chubukov, his
neighbor and friend, Chubukov warmly accepts
him, shakes hands, and offers a seat.

❖ Lomov tells Chubukov that he wants to


marry Chubukov’s daughter Natalia.

❖ Chubukov expresses his happiness and tells


Lomov to wait and assures him that she will
accept his proposal.
Rising Action
❖When Natalia faces Lomov, he struggles to tell
her what is his purpose.

❖ They end up arguing about their property (oxen


meadows) and Lomov forgets about his purpose.

❖ Chubukov enters and then tells him, upon the


request of Natalia, that they owned the oxen
meadows which cause the problem to rise.

❖ They drive off Lomov and call him with


different names.
Climax
❖ Natalia then feels sorry and admits that the
oxen meadows are Lomov’s property, she tries to
change the subject wishing that Lomov will
proceed to his proposal.

❖ They end up arguing again about their dogs.


On which is the better dog Lomov’s Guess or
Natalia’s Squeezer.

❖ Chubukov then enters and both of them ask


him on which is the better dog. Chubukov gives
his opinion to both of them and end up arguing
again.
Falling Action
❖ Chubukov wants the commotion to stop so he
helps Lomov to remember his purpose on visiting
their Mansion.

❖ As Lomov remembers, he struggles to think


for his body and his heart are suffering from
pain due to palpitation.

❖ Chubukov mimics his every word because of


his irritation of forgetting his purpose and
continues calling him with different names.
They continue to argue as Lomov loses his
consciousness.
Resolution
❖ Natalia, seeing Lomov faint, thinks that he’s
dead and starts crying. Chubukov helps Lomov
gain consciousness.

❖ As Lomov gain his consciousness, Chubukov is


desperate and wants the argument to stop so he
tells Lomov that Natalia has accepted his
proposal.

❖Lomov does not understand what’s going on


but he is happy and kisses Natalia’s hand, they
still argue about their dogs. Poor Chubukov
wants peace so he asks for champagne trying to
stop the two couple from arguing again.
Conflict
❖ Man vs. Man:
Lomov’s principle against Natalia.

❖ Man vs. Society:


The idea that Lomov wants to marry Natalia not
because love but for economic stability. The
idea of economic stability is not because he
wants but it is what the society do which
became ones perspective for marriages.
Theme
❖ Principles complicate minor issues.

❖ The play suggests that love sometimes is not


important in marriages, it is the other way to
stabilize financial status.
Tone
❖ The tone of the play is Humorous:
The characters’ attitude in the play is comical
which entertains the readers.

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