The Proposal

Anton Chekhov
+ Summary of "The Proposal"
"The
Proposal" is a one act play /
ssta jamilies seeking a farce wvritten by
Anton Chekhov. It depicts the
man sefforts to proposea marriaqe with other vealthy
ties
ones. It revolves around thetendency of wealthy
vounglady for marriage, It i entered on how episode of a
for petty things. the young couple keeps young
Lomov reaches Chubukov's home in his fighting
Cnubukov who suspects that he has comeformal evening get- up. He starts beating in the bush
jirst
decides not to give him any money.with
to borrow money and
dSks Lomov to be specific and
gets overwhelmed on hearing it. learns that he has come to ask the hand
of Natalya in marriage.
He
Lomov thinks that it is the right time for him to Chubukov
delay his marriage and lead a quiet and marry. He is already 35 - a critical age. He
should not
looking, educated. He inguires of Chubukov reqular Iife. Natalya is an excellent
housekeeper,
whether Natalya would get ready to marry him or not. not bad
he becomes greatly happy to know And
from Chubukov that she also loves him.
Natalya surprisingly asks Lomovwhy he is in the
Visit but he goes off the point. He tells her about evening dress. He tries to tell her the purpose behind the
his Oxen Meadows touching
Over this issue, they start a verbal fight. Natalya's birch woods. And
Natalya refuses Lomov's claim and his offers to make them asa present. She
him as a land grabber. When Chubukov gets irritated and accuses
joinsthem,
are theirs. Chubukov agrees withher and clarifies that
Natalya asks him to tell Lomov that 0xen Meadows
they start quarreling like street dogs and share Lomov won't be able to prove his ownership. Thus,
some mean talks amongst them.
Lomov undergoes an attack of palpitation so he returns his home.
Natalyaabout Lomov'sproposalto marry her. She gets shocked to know it Accidentally, Chubukov tells
and undergoes an attack of
hysterics. She tells Chubukov to bring him back at once.
Lomov reenters withhis palpitating heart. Natalya begs to be excused. She tells him
that the Meadows
belong to him. Suddenly, they start discussing about their respective dogs.
Heargues with her that his dog
- Guess is better than Squeezer.Natalya defends saying that their Squeezer is of the finest
both start fighting over their dogs.
pedigree. Thus.
Lomov tries to prove his dog's superiority by citing the dog's race with the count's dog. He tells how
Squeezer is left behindas he runs after a sheep. In the mean time, Lomov's condition of the heart goes
wrong. Natalya and Chubukov ask him what sort of hunter he is. He should beat homerather than going
for hunting.
Lomov becomes numb from the excessive arguments. Natalya saysChubukov that Lomov is 'dead'
Chubukov accuses himself for everything and calls for water and a doctor. In the mean time, Lomov
revives and reports huow the stars become visible to him. Chubukov asks him to ge married hurricdly.
Important Questions

Q1 Answer the following questions in brief:

How does Lomov come to Chubukov's house? What for does he come? How is he received?
Lomov comes to Chubukov's house in an evening dress with his gloves on.
º Lomov comes to propose to Chubukov's daughter - Natalya.
º Lomov is received with allthe respect by Chubukov. It is clear by Chubukov'swords like "nmy angel:
"ny dear fellow, "my treasure" etc.
 decides not to
give him
that Lomov has ome for? and he
first suspect
What does Chubukoy at Lomov has come to borrow
money
that
r Chubukov at first Suspects augnter:
come to ask for the hand of his embrUces
any money. he hus Natalva's hand. He
Chubukov react when Lomoy savs that come to ask for
How does thut lLomov has
Chubukov is really delighted to hear for Natalya.
P
kisses him. He literally cries out ofjov and goes out to call
and should not
Why dses Lomov want to get
married?
marry. He is already 35 -a critical age. He
im to SICKness.
r Lomov thinks that
it is the right time for He suffersfrom a weak heart and sleep looking.
quiet and regular life. bad
delay his marriage and lead a Natalya is an excellent
housekeeper, not
He wisheSsomeone to look after him. Moreover,
educated. So, he wants her to get married.
excited state?
What happens to Lomov when he is in an There is a tWitch
attack of palpitation. His heart beat increases. Hlis lips tremble. side. it
Lomov undergoes an
sleep. When he goes to sleep, something pulls in his left
in his right eyebrow. He loses his starts jumping like lunatic.
comes to his shoulder and head. He
Meadows belong to him?
How does Lomov try to prove that the 0xen use of those
narrates an entire account of his aunt's arandmother who gave the free
Lomov father's arandfather. In return, they were to
Meadowsin perpctuity to the peasants of Chubukov's
bricks for her. But, thepeasants got intothe habit of regarding them as their own. And that is
make Meadows
is how Lomov tries to prove that the Oxen
how the land became a matter of dispute. This
belong to him.
he is not used to misbehavior by young man Iike
How does Lomov react when Chubukov says that
Lomov?
fairto claim his land as his own. He wants to
r Lomov reacts quite excitedly and says that it is not
treatment. He tells Chubukov that he
talkcalmly and politely if he receivessomewhat the same kind of
is not a neighbour but a "grabber":
when they have fought verbally?
Why does Natalya ask her father Chubukov to fetch Lomov in at once
How does she accuse her father?
verbally because
Natalya asks her father - Chubukov to fetch Lomov in at once when they have fought
about it.
she comes to know from himabout Lomov'sproposalto marry her:. Natalya doesn't know
in. She
º So, Natalya at once changes her mood and way of talk. She asks her father to fetch Lomov
accuses Chubukov that he was responsible fordriving Lomov out of the house.
How is 'the Proposal'a great comedy?
"The Proposal" is a great comedy. It is because of the characters and the theme of the play. The way
the characters behave is quite humourous. Natalya, Lomov and Chubukov fght over foolish things
The verbal fights over Oxen Meadows and their respective dogs ure really full of fun

Tasks based on Reading

Q1. Read the seen excerpt of the poem and answer the questions properly:

"Lomov : 'm thinking of having a.Chubukov : I'm sick! l can't breathe! Airl"
What is the name ofLomov's dog?
a) Harness b) Squeezer c) Guess d) Count
IWhichpedigree's dog does Natalyahave?
a) Chisels b) Squeezer c) Guess d) Dobermann
 dog is overshot.
a) Chubukov's Labrador c) Natalya's Guess d) Count
b)Natalva's Squeezer
+Squeezer is a thorouahibred aumal whuch is the son ofl llurness ond Chisls.
a) Mastiff b) Harness d) Dobermann
c)Guess
IS the mcaning of the term, "mtriguer"
a) Supporter b) Well-wisher ) 'vil planner d) Mean

Tasks based on Language Components

Q1 Edit the following passage

properly:
My aunt 's grandmother give the
free use on these Meadows in
perpetuity to a peasants of your
father's grandfather, on return for
which they were to made bricks for
her. The peasants has the free use of
them for forty years or regarded
them as their own.

Q2 Fillin the blanks properly:

getting awfully upset; at this very moment my lips
Isuffer from palpitations, I'm excitable and aiways an, the) twitch in my right eyebrow. But the very
(is, are, has, have) trembling, and there's(a, sooner get into bed and begin to go off. when
worst of all is the way I. (sleep, seeps, slept). I no shoulder and
suddenly something in my left side L(give, gives, gave) a pul, and l can feel it in mybut as soon as I
a bit (for, and, nor, so) lie down again,
head. I jump up like a lunatic, walk about
pull!
begin to get off to sleep there's another
Tasks based on Creative Writing
patch up
ever any of your family members fighting for apettly thing? Have you ever tried to
Have you
notebook.
between/among them? Write about it in your