The Proposal — Class 10 English
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Chapter summary
The story in steps
- Lomov visits Chubukov in formal clothes because he wants to ask for Natalya's hand in marriage.
- Chubukov gladly approves and leaves Lomov alone with Natalya, but they soon quarrel over Oxen Meadows.
- Lomov leaves angrily, and Natalya learns he came to propose, so she begs her father to bring him back.
- When Lomov returns, he and Natalya start a new argument about whose dog is better, Guess or Squeezer.
- Lomov becomes excited and weak, and Chubukov fears the proposal will fail because of their endless fighting.
- Chubukov quickly joins them in marriage, and the couple continue arguing even after getting engaged.
Key ideas & terms
- Lomov
- A nervous, quarrelsome landowner who comes to propose marriage.
- Natalya
- Chubukov’s daughter, who argues with Lomov over trifles.
- Chubukov
- Natalya’s father, eager to get his daughter married.
- Oxen Meadows
- The disputed land that triggers the first quarrel.
- Satire
- The play’s mockery of marriage and property customs.
- Hypochondria
- Lomov’s habit of imagining himself ill.
शब्दार्थ · Word meanings
- sufferings
- pains and troubles
- palpitations
- fast, strong heartbeat
- hypochondriac
- person always worried about health
- implore
- beg strongly
- lunacy
- madness; foolish behaviour
- meadows
- grassy fields
- encroach upon
- take another's land unfairly
- pedigree
- family line of an animal
- humpbacked
- having a bent back
- black beetle
- a dark insect
Extra questions & answers
Why does Lomov visit Chubukov’s house?
He comes to propose marriage to Chubukov’s daughter Natalya, considering it a practical and suitable match.
What are the two issues over which Lomov and Natalya quarrel?
First over the ownership of Oxen Meadows, and then over whose hunting dog — Squeezer or Guess — is superior.
How is the marriage finally settled?
Amid the quarrelling, Chubukov hastily joins the hands of Lomov and Natalya, declaring them engaged even as they continue to argue.
What does the play satirise?
It mocks the marriage customs of the landed gentry, where unions are driven by property and status rather than love, and bickering is no bar to marriage.
Why is Chubukov suspicious when Lomov first arrives?
Seeing Lomov formally dressed, Chubukov suspects he has come to borrow money, and is delighted and surprised to learn he has actually come to propose to Natalya.
How does the quarrel over Oxen Meadows begin?
Instead of proposing, Lomov claims that Oxen Meadows belongs to him; Natalya insists the meadows are hers, and both, joined by Chubukov, argue heatedly over ownership.
How does the second quarrel, over the dogs, start?
After Natalya learns Lomov came to propose and calls him back, they begin boasting about their hunting dogs, Squeezer and Guess, each claiming theirs is superior.
What role does Lomov’s ill health play in the comedy?
Lomov is a nervous hypochondriac who is easily excited; during the quarrels his palpitations and panic grow until he nearly faints, heightening the farce.
What does the play suggest about the reasons for the marriage?
The match is driven by property, social status and practicality rather than love, which is why the couple’s constant quarrelling does not prevent it.
How does Chekhov create humour in the play?
Through exaggeration — the characters’ pettiness, their fierce quarrels over trifles, and Lomov’s imagined illnesses turn an ordinary proposal into a comic farce.
Activity
1. The word ‘proposal’ has several meanings. Can you guess what sort of proposal the play is about?
(i) a suggestion, plan or scheme for doing something
(ii) an offer for a possible plan or action
(iii) the act of asking someone’s hand in marriage
The correct meaning is (iii), the act of asking someone’s hand in marriage. Lomov visits Chubukov’s house to ask for Natalya’s hand in marriage.
2. Do you think Indian and Russian weddings have any customs in common? With the help of a partner, fill in the table below.
Customs similar to Indian ones: both weddings involve relatives and friends, special clothes, rings, a procession, a reception, food, music, speeches or blessings, and celebrations lasting many hours. Customs different from Indian ones: in the Russian ceremony described here, the groom answers riddles while climbing to the bride’s apartment, pays money for wrong answers, tours the city after registration, gives repeated wedding toasts, and pays to recover the ‘stolen’ bride and her shoe.
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 loved you, my angel, as if you were my own son”? Find reasons for your answer from the play.
At first, Chubukov suspects that Lomov has come to borrow money, and he privately decides not to lend him any. His later claim that he has always loved Lomov like a son is not entirely sincere. He becomes affectionate only after learning that Lomov wants to marry Natalya. During the quarrels, he quickly calls Lomov insulting names and attacks his family, showing that his earlier tenderness is exaggerated and mainly connected with his eagerness to arrange the marriage.
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 reasons for your answer.
Natalya’s behaviour partly supports Chubukov’s statement. Before she knows about the proposal, she quarrels fiercely with Lomov and drives him away. As soon as she learns that he came to propose, she becomes desperate, cries, and demands that her father bring him back immediately. She then agrees that the Oxen Meadows are Lomov’s and tries to restart a friendly conversation. However, her readiness to resume quarrelling about the dogs shows that her feelings are mixed with pride, stubbornness, and a strong desire to marry.
3. (i) 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. (For example, Lomov in the end calls Chubukov an intriguer; but earlier, Chubukov has himself called Lomov a “malicious, doublefaced intriguer.” Again, Lomov begins by describing Natalya as “an excellent housekeeper, not bad-looking, well-educated.”)
At first, the characters use affectionate or approving expressions. Chubukov calls Lomov “my dear fellow,” “my darling,” “my angel,” “my treasure,” “my precious,” “my beauty,” and says he has loved him like his own son. Lomov calls Chubukov “honoured Stepan Stepanovitch” and describes Natalya as “an excellent housekeeper, not bad-looking, well-educated.” During the quarrels, Natalya calls Lomov’s behaviour strange, not neighbourly and impudent, and later calls him a rascal and a monster. Lomov accuses the Chubukovs of being landgrabbers and calls Chubukov a grabber, an intriguer, an old rat and a Jesuit. Chubukov calls Lomov a pettifogger, a malicious doublefaced intriguer, a villain, a scarecrow, a blind hen, a turnip-ghost, a stuffed sausage, a wizen-faced frump, a boy, a pup, a milksop and a fool. The characters also insult one another’s families by calling relatives dishonest, mad, drunken, hump-backed, gambling, gossiping or disloyal.
3. (ii) Then think of five adjectives or adjectival expressions of your own to describe each character in the play.
Lomov is nervous, excitable, argumentative, suspicious and determined to marry. Natalya is strong-willed, short-tempered, possessive, marriage-minded and quick to contradict. Chubukov is dramatic, opportunistic, hot-tempered, insulting and eager to arrange his daughter’s marriage.
3. (iii) Can you now imagine what these characters will quarrel about next?
They may quarrel next about the wedding arrangements. Natalya might demand a large ceremony, Lomov might object to the expense, and Chubukov might interfere by insisting that his family’s customs are superior. A small disagreement about the guest list, the food or where the couple will live could quickly grow into another loud argument.
Thinking about Language
I. 1. This play has been translated into English from the Russian original. Are there any expressions or ways of speaking that strike you as more Russian than English? For example, would an adult man be addressed by an older man as my darling or my treasure in an English play? Read through the play carefully, and find expressions that you think are not used in contemporary English, and contrast these with idiomatic modern English expressions that also occur in the play.
Expressions such as “my darling,” “my treasure,” “my precious,” “my angel,” “honoured Stepan Stepanovitch,” “By Jove!”, “egad,” “I have the honour to ask,” “I implore you,” “Devil take him,” “Tfoo!” and “I give you my blessing and so on” sound formal, old-fashioned or influenced by Russian manners of address. Contemporary speakers would more naturally say “my friend,” “Mr Chubukov,” “I would like to ask,” “please,” or “goodness!” The play also contains idiomatic modern expressions such as “Spit it out,” “go round and round it,” “hear me out,” “make head or tail of,” “shut up,” “my foot’s gone to sleep,” “coming round” and “what a weight off my shoulders.”
I. 2. Look up the following words in a dictionary and find out how to pronounce them. Pay attention to how many syllables there are in each word, and find out which syllable is stressed, or said more forcefully.
palpitations interfere implore thoroughbred
pedigree principle evidence misfortune
malicious embezzlement architect neighbours
accustomed temporary behaviour documents
palpitations: pal-pi-TA-tions, four syllables; interfere: in-ter-FERE, three syllables; implore: im-PLORE, two syllables; thoroughbred: THOR-ough-bred, three syllables; pedigree: PED-i-gree, three syllables; principle: PRIN-ci-ple, three syllables; evidence: EV-i-dence, three syllables; misfortune: mis-FOR-tune, three syllables; malicious: ma-LI-cious, three syllables; embezzlement: em-BEZ-zle-ment, four syllables; architect: AR-chi-tect, three syllables; neighbours: NEIGH-bours, two syllables; accustomed: ac-CUS-tomed, three syllables; temporary: TEM-po-ra-ry, four syllables; behaviour: be-HAV-iour, three syllables; documents: DOC-u-ments, three syllables.
I. 3. (i) You may take it that
Meaning: you may accept or assume that something is true. Sentence: You may take it that the school will remain closed on Sunday.
I. 3. (ii) He seems to be coming round
Meaning: he appears to be regaining consciousness or recovering. Sentence: After resting for a few minutes, the fainted player seemed to be coming round.
I. 3. (iii) My foot’s gone to sleep
Meaning: my foot has temporarily become numb and is tingling because of pressure on its nerves. Sentence: I sat in the same position for so long that my foot went to sleep.
II. 1. To report a question, we use the reporting verb asked (as in Sentence Set 1).
asked
II. 2. To report a statement, we use the reporting verb ________.
said
II. 3. The adverb of place here changes to ________.
there
II. 4. When the verb in direct speech is in the present tense, the verb in reported speech is in the ________ tense (as in Sentence Set 3).
past
II. 5. If the verb in direct speech is in the present continuous tense, the verb in reported speech changes to ________ tense. For example, ________ changes to was getting.
past continuous; am getting
II. 6. When the sentence in direct speech contains a word denoting respect, we add the adverb ________ in the reporting clause (as in Sentence Set 1).
respectfully
II. 7. The pronouns I, me, our and mine, which are used in the first person in direct speech, change according to the subject or object of the reporting verb such as ________, ________, ________ or ________ in reported speech.
he, him, their or his
III. Here is an excerpt from an article from the Times of India dated 27 August 2006. Rewrite it, changing the sentences in direct speech into reported speech. Leave the other sentences unchanged.
“Why do you want to know my age? If people know I am so old, I won’t get work!” laughs 90-year-old A. K. Hangal, one of Hindi cinema’s most famous character actors. For his age, he is rather energetic. “What’s the secret?” we ask. “My intake of everything is in small quantities. And I walk a lot,” he replies. “I joined the industry when people retire. I was in my 40s. So I don’t miss being called a star. I am still respected and given work, when actors of my age are living in poverty and without work. I don’t have any complaints,” he says, adding, “but yes, I have always been underpaid.” Recipient of the Padma Bhushan, Hangal never hankered after money or materialistic gains. “No doubt I am content today, but money is important. I was a fool not to understand the value of money earlier,” he regrets.
Laughing, 90-year-old A. K. Hangal, one of Hindi cinema’s most famous character actors, asks why they want to know his age. He says that if people know he is so old, he will not get work. For his age, he is rather energetic. We ask him what the secret is. He replies that his intake of everything is in small quantities and that he walks a lot. He says that he joined the industry when people retire and that he was in his forties. Therefore, he does not miss being called a star. He adds that he is still respected and given work when actors of his age are living in poverty and without work, and that he has no complaints, though he has always been underpaid. Recipient of the Padma Bhushan, Hangal never hankered after money or materialistic gains. He regrets that although he is content then, money is important, and that he had been a fool not to understand the value of money earlier.
Speaking and Writing
1. Anger Management: As adults, one important thing to learn is how to manage our temper. Some of us tend to get angry quickly, while others remain calm. Can you think of three ill effects that result from anger? Note them down. Suggest ways to avoid losing your temper in such situations. Are there any benefits from anger?
Three ill effects of uncontrolled anger are that it damages relationships, leads people to say or do things they later regret, and harms clear thinking and physical well-being. To avoid losing one’s temper, a person can pause before responding, breathe slowly, leave the situation briefly, listen to the other person, speak calmly and discuss the issue after emotions settle. Anger can have a limited benefit when it alerts us to injustice or a serious problem and motivates constructive action. It is useful only when expressed calmly and responsibly rather than through insults or violence.
2. In pairs, prepare a script based on the given excerpt from The Home and the World by Rabindranath Tagore. You may write five exchanges between the characters with other directions such as movements on stage and way of speaking, etc.
[An orderly but quiet room. Nikhil enters and looks enquiringly at Bimala.]
BIMALA: [Nervously playing with her bangles] Is it right that ours should be the only market in Bengal that allows foreign goods?
NIKHIL: [Calmly] What do you think would be the right thing to do?
BIMALA: [Firmly] Order the foreign goods to be cleared out!
NIKHIL: [Gently] The goods are not mine. The market belongs even more to those who use it for trade.
BIMALA: Then make them trade only in Indian goods.
NIKHIL: Nothing would please me more, but what if they refuse?
BIMALA: [Angrily] How dare they refuse? Is the market not under your authority?
NIKHIL: [Turning towards the door] I will not force them. To tyrannise for the country is still to tyrannise over the country.
BIMALA: [Disappointed] You will never understand why I feel so strongly about this.
3. In groups, discuss the qualities one should look for in a marriage partner. You might consider the following points.
• Personal qualities
– Appearance or looks
– Attitudes and beliefs
– Sense of humour
• Value system
– Compassion and kindness
– Tolerance, ambition
– Attitude to money and wealth
• Education and professional background
A suitable marriage partner should be honest, respectful, kind, emotionally mature and able to communicate calmly. Similar attitudes and beliefs can help, but both people should also tolerate differences. A sense of humour, compassion and willingness to support each other are more lasting than physical appearance alone. Their ambitions, views about money, family responsibilities, education and professional plans should be reasonably compatible. Most importantly, both partners should enter the relationship freely and treat each other as equals.
4. Are there parts of the play that remind you of film scenes from romantic comedies? Discuss this in groups, and recount to the rest of the class episodes similar to those in the play.
Yes. The play resembles romantic-comedy scenes in which a marriage proposal is repeatedly delayed by misunderstandings and comic quarrels. Lomov arrives formally dressed but cannot complete his proposal because he and Natalya argue over the Oxen Meadows. After he leaves, she discovers his real purpose and urgently demands his return. Their second conversation also turns into a ridiculous dispute about their dogs, and Lomov collapses just before the engagement is settled. Similar film scenes often show two people who are expected to become a couple arguing over trivial matters while their families try desperately to bring them together.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Dictate the biogrophical information given below. Students should then guess the name of the playwright.
(1564 – 1616). He was born at Stratford-on-Avon in April 1564. His father was an important public figure in Stratford. People believe that he received a decent grammar-school education in literature, logic, and Latin (mathematics and natural science did not form part of the curriculum). When he was eighteen, he married Anne Hathaway, who was eight years his senior. He seems to have prospered in the London theatre world. He probably began his career as an actor in London, and he earned enough as author to acquire landed property.
When he was forty-seven, he retired to a large house in Stratford. He died in 1616, leaving behind a body of work that still stands as a pinnacle in world literature.
The playwright is William Shakespeare.
Homophones
Can you find the words below that are spelt similarly, and sometimes even pronounced similarly, but have very different meanings? Check their pronunciation and meaning in a dictionary.
• They were too close to the door to close it.
• Since there is no time like the present, she thought it was time to present the present.
In the first sentence, “close” meaning “near” is pronounced with an /s/ sound at the end, while “close” meaning “shut” is pronounced with a /z/ sound. In the second sentence, the first “present” means the current time and the last “present” means a gift; both are nouns stressed on the first syllable. The middle “present” means to give or show something and is a verb stressed on the second syllable.