Chapter 11: The Proposal

Introduction

"The Proposal" is a one-act play by the renowned Russian writer **Anton Chekhov**. It is a farce, or a humorous play, that satirizes the trivialities and absurdities of the upper-middle-class society of 19th-century Russia. The play revolves around the attempts of **Ivan Vassilevitch Lomov**, a wealthy but hypochondriac landowner, to propose marriage to **Natalya Stepanovna**, the daughter of his neighbour **Stepan Stepanovitch Chubukov**. Despite their intention to marry for practical reasons like property and social standing, their interactions are dominated by petty arguments and ridiculous disputes.

Play Summary

The play opens with **Ivan Vassilevitch Lomov**, a nervous and somewhat sickly young man, arriving at the house of his neighbour, **Stepan Stepanovitch Chubukov**, dressed in his formal evening clothes. Chubukov is surprised by Lomov's attire but greets him warmly, assuming he has come to borrow money.

Lomov, after much hesitation and beating around the bush, finally reveals his true purpose: he has come to propose marriage to Chubukov's daughter, **Natalya Stepanovna**. Chubukov is overjoyed at the prospect, as Lomov is a wealthy and desirable match for his daughter, and he immediately goes to call Natalya.

When Natalya enters, Lomov tries to initiate the proposal. However, he gets sidetracked and begins to talk about how well their families have known each other and their land. This leads to a heated argument over the ownership of a small piece of land called **Oxen Meadows**. Lomov claims it belongs to his family, while Natalya vehemently insists it belongs to hers. The argument escalates with both accusing each other's families of dishonesty and greed. Chubukov re-enters and takes Natalya's side, joining the quarrel, and eventually, Lomov, feeling unwell and insulted, storms out.

After Lomov leaves, Chubukov reveals that Lomov had actually come to propose marriage. Natalya is shocked and immediately regrets their argument, realizing the opportunity she has lost. She becomes hysterical and pleads with her father to bring Lomov back.

Chubukov fetches Lomov, who returns, still agitated and suffering from palpitations. As Lomov tries once again to propose, a new argument erupts, this time about the superiority of their respective hunting dogs. Lomov boasts about his dog, **Guess**, claiming it is superior to Natalya's dog, **Squeezer**. Natalya passionately defends Squeezer and ridicules Guess, leading to another furious exchange of insults and accusations about their dogs' pedigrees, hunting abilities, and physical defects.

The argument pushes Lomov to the brink of collapse due to his weak heart. He faints, and both Chubukov and Natalya mistakenly believe he is dead. They panic, lamenting their foolish arguments. When Lomov stirs back to consciousness, Chubukov, in his desperation to seal the marriage, quickly puts Natalya's hand into Lomov's, declares them engaged, and forces a kiss. Despite Lomov's continuing protests and his frail health, Natalya agrees to the proposal.

However, even as they are "engaged," their first words as a couple are a resumption of the argument about their dogs, with Chubukov shouting for champagne to celebrate and calm the situation, while the couple continues their bickering, highlighting the farcical nature of their union.

A scene from a play depicting an argument between a man and a woman in formal attire.

Main Characters

Key Themes

Textbook Questions and Answers

I. Oral Comprehension Check (Page 134)

  1. What does Chubukov suspect Lomov has come for? Is he right?

    Chubukov initially suspects Lomov has come to borrow money from him. No, he is not right; Lomov has come to propose marriage to Chubukov's daughter, Natalya.

  2. Chubukov says of Natalya: "…an excellent match; there’s also virtue, beauty and she’s well-educated.” What more does he say about her, and what does this tell you about his attitude towards his daughter?

    Besides saying she is an "excellent match; there's also virtue, beauty and she's well-educated," Chubukov also mentions that she is "not bad-looking," "a good house-keeper," and "well-educated." He later adds that she is a "love-sick cat" and calls her "a dutiful daughter" but also "a cursed tom-cat." This tells us that Chubukov sees his daughter primarily as an asset to be married off for social and financial gain. While he acknowledges her positive qualities, he also finds her argumentative and perhaps a burden, highlighting his practical and somewhat detached attitude towards her, viewing her more as property than a beloved child.

II. Oral Comprehension Check (Page 137)

  1. Find all the words and phrases Lomov uses to describe Natalya.

    Lomov uses several words and phrases to describe Natalya: "excellent house-keeper," "not bad-looking," "well-educated," "an excellent, good-looking girl," "a good house-keeper," "not bad-looking," and an "excellent match."

  2. What does Lomov say about his ailments?

    Lomov says he suffers from palpitations, a nervous twitch, and is easily upset. He also mentions having a weak heart, being easily startled, and experiencing "terrible palpitations" and a "pulling" sensation in his side, as well as a headache and feeling cold and trembling all over. He describes his sleep as difficult, saying he gets "terrible sleep," waking up suddenly and having a "pulling" in his shoulder and head.

III. Oral Comprehension Check (Page 139)

  1. Do Lomov and Natalya get married at the end of the play? What does Chubukov do to hasten it?

    Yes, Lomov and Natalya do get "married" at the end of the play, or at least they are forced into an engagement. To hasten it, Chubukov quickly shoves Natalya's hand into Lomov's, says "I give my consent! May I be cursed! I give my consent!", and blesses them. He then immediately calls for champagne, despite Lomov being half-fainting and the couple resuming their argument.

IV. Thinking about the Play (Page 142)

  1. What does the play reveal about the nature of the characters and their relationships?

    The play reveals that the characters (Lomov, Natalya, and Chubukov) are essentially quarrelsome, materialistic, and superficial. Their relationships are driven by practical considerations like wealth, property, and social status rather than genuine affection or understanding. They are quick to anger over trivial matters and prone to exaggeration and insult. Despite their underlying intention for a desirable marriage, their egos and stubbornness consistently derail any polite interaction. They are hypocritical, pretending civility while harboring strong resentments. Their relationships are strained and characterized by constant bickering, even in moments of significance like a marriage proposal.

  2. What arguments do Lomov and Natalya have?

    Lomov and Natalya have two main arguments:

    1. Over Oxen Meadows: Lomov claims Oxen Meadows belongs to his family, stating his aunt's grandmother gave it to Chubukov's grandfather's peasants. Natalya vehemently insists it belongs to her family, having been owned by them for generations.
    2. Over their Dogs: Lomov claims his dog, Guess, is superior to Natalya's dog, Squeezer, calling Squeezer overshot and old. Natalya passionately defends Squeezer as a superior and well-bred dog, while criticizing Guess as a poor hunter and physically inferior.

  3. Do you think these characters are realistic in real life? Why/Why not?

    Yes, to a certain extent, these characters can be considered realistic in real life, especially in a satirical context. While their level of bickering and hypochondria is exaggerated for comedic effect, the underlying human traits they represent are common. People often prioritize financial and social gain in relationships, engage in petty arguments, and are driven by ego and stubbornness. The play exaggerates these flaws to highlight the absurdity, but the fundamental aspects of human nature it portrays – vanity, greed, and a lack of genuine communication – are certainly realistic and relatable.

  4. Why does Natalya wish to be married to Lomov, even if they keep on quarrelling?

    Natalya wishes to be married to Lomov primarily because he is a good, wealthy, and suitable match, especially given her age (25) and the societal pressure for women to marry. She is practical and understands the social and economic benefits of such a union. Her desperation to be married overrides the fact that they quarrel constantly. For her, a husband, even an argumentative one, is better than being unmarried and an "old maid." The quarrels, while irritating, are perhaps seen as minor inconveniences compared to the security and status a marriage to Lomov offers.

  5. List the three major points of contention between Lomov and Natalya.

    The three major points of contention between Lomov and Natalya are:

    1. The ownership of **Oxen Meadows**.
    2. The superiority of their respective hunting dogs, **Guess (Lomov's) vs. Squeezer (Natalya's)**.
    3. Their constant insults and arguments about each other's families, character, and physical health/appearance. (While often a result of the above two, their personal insults become a contention in themselves.)



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