THE PROPOSAL

Reference to the context:

1. LOMOV: But you can see from the documents, honoured Natalya Stepanovna. Oxen
Meadows, it’s true, was once the subject of dispute, but now everybody knows that
they are mine. There’s nothing to argue about. You see my aunt’s grandmother gave
the free use of these Meadows in perpetuity to the peasants of your father’s
grandfather, in return for which they were to make bricks for her. The peasants
belonging to your father’s grandfather had the free use of the Meadows for forty years
and had got into the habit of regarding them as their own when it happened that…
NATALYA: No. it isn’t at all like that! Both grandfather and great-grandfather reckoned
that their land • extended to Burnt Marsh—which means that Oxen Meadows were ours.
I don’t see what there is to argue about. It’s simply silly!
a. What documents does Lomov offer to show Natalya?
Ans. He wants to show her the documents relating to the Oxen Meadows.
b. What for did Lomov’s aunt’s grandfather give the Oxen Meadows to
Natalya’s father’s grandfather?
Ans. He gave the Meadows in lieu of their making bricks for Lomov’s aunt’s
grandmother
c. For how many years did the peasants have the free use of the Meadows?
Ans. The peasants had the free use of the Meadows for forty years.
d. Why does Natalya say that Oxen Meadows are theirs?
Ans. She says so because her grandfather and great-grandfather thought that
Oxen Meadows extended to Burnt Marsh.
e. Find a word from the passage which means ‘calculated’.
Ans. ‘Reckoned.’

2. CHUBUKOV: Dear one, why yell like that? You won’t prove anything just by yelling. I
don’t want anything of yours and don’t intend to give up what I have. Why should I ?
And you know, my beloved, that if you propose to go on arguing about it, I’d much
sooner give up the Meadows to the peasants than to you. There!
LOMOV: I don’t understand! How have you the right to give away somebody else’s
property?
CHUBUKOV: You may take it that I know whether I have the right or not. Because of the
young man. I’m not used to being spoken to in that tone of voice, and so on. I, young
man, am twice your age and ask you to speak to me without agitating yourself, and all
that.
 LOMOV: No, you just think I’m a fool and want to have me on! You call my land yours,
and then you want me to talk to you calmly and politely! Good neighbours’ don’t
behave like that. Stepan Stepanovitch! You’re not a neighbour, you’re a grabber!
a. What is Lomov yelling for?
Ans. Lomov is yelling to make it clear that Oxen Meadows are his.
b. What does Chubukov threaten to do?
Ans. He threatens to give the Meadows to the peasants.
c. According to Chubukov, how should Lomov speak to him?
Ans. Lomov should speak to him respectfully because he is twice his age.
d. What does Lomov call Chubukov?
Ans. He calls Chubukov a landgrabber.
e. Find a word from the passage which means ‘shouting’.
Ans. ‘Yelling.’
SHORT QUESTIONS:
Q1. What do you think would have been Chubukov’s reaction on hearing the reason for which Lomov
had come to his house?
Ans. When Chubukov came to know that the reason of Lomov’s coming to their house is to marry
Natalya, he was overwhelmed with joy. He embraced and kissed Lomov and told him that he was
hoping for it for a long time. He told Lomov that he had always loved him as if he was his own son.
Q2. How and why did Lomov come to meet the Chubukov family?
Ans. Lomov came in a formal evening dress — wearing a jacket and white gloves. He had come to
meet the Chubukov family to put his proposal for Natalya. He wanted to marry her.
Q3. . What is the ailment that Lomov is suffering from?
Ans. Lomov is 35 years old. It is high time that he should settle for a quiet and regular life. He is
suffering due to a weak heart and sleep-sickness. In need of a companion who may look after him, he
wants to get married.
Q4. What kind of a man is Lomov?
Ans. Lomov is a man of thirty-five years old. He is really a very funny and comical character. He
comes to make a proposal to Natalya. But he is so nervous and excitable that he continues quarrelling
with the girl over trifles, and fails to make the proposal. He has no confidence and no self-control. He
suffers from the fits of epilepsy.
Q5. How can you say that Natalya was not convinced that Oxen Meadows were owned by Lomov?
Ans. Natalya was not convinced as she said that they owned Oxen Meadows for nearly 300 years. It
was surprising and ridiculous if someone else claimed it to be his own. Chubukov also joined the
quarrel.
Q6. What did Natalya say about Guess?
Ans. Natalya said that Squeezer was superior to Guess —Lomov’s dog. Lomov said that his dog
Guess was better than Squeezer. Natalya believed that Guess had become old and ought to be shot.
She also claimed that Squeezer was a hundred times better than Guess.
Q7. Why does the proposal remain unmade during Lomov’s first visit?
Ans. 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.
Q8. Why is Natalya is so anxious to marry Lomov?
Ans. Natalya is an ugly, middle-aged woman. She knows that only a fool like Lomov can marry her.
So, the moment she comes to know that Lomov had come to propose for her hand, she cries and
shouts and forces her father to bring Lomov back.
Q9. How does Chubukov join the quarrel between Natalya and Lomov?
Ans. Chubukov comes in and finds Natalya and Lomov quarrelling. When he finds that they are
quarrelling about the ownership of the Oxen Meadows.,he also becomes angry. Instead of calming
them down,he also starts quarrelling. He claims to be the owner of the Meadows. He insults not only
Lomov but also his ancestors.
Q10. What is the cause of the second quarrel between Natalya and Lomov?
Ans. Lomov starts praising the qualities of the dog Guess. But Natalya says that her dog squeezer
which she purchased for 85 roubles is much better than Lomov’s 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.
Q11.Why is Lomov anxious to marry Natalya?
Ans. Lomov wants to settle the question of his marriage at once. He thinks that now he should not
delay. He thinks about Natalya. She is a skilled house-keeper. She is educated and is not bad to look
at. At this age, he should not expect a better girl than her. He is suffering from some serious diseases.
Because of these reasons,he is anxious to marry Natalya.
Q12. Why was Lomov brought hack by Chubukov?
Ans. Chubukov wondered how Lomov dared to make a proposal of marriage. Natalya was startled to
hear it. She forced her father to bring Lomov back. Chubukov rushed out most unwillingly to request
Lomov to come back. Lomov agreed to come back.
Q13. How does Lomov behave when he is excited?
Ans. When Lomov is excited his heart starts palpitating. His right eyebrow starts twitching. His foot
goes to sleep. In the play, he becomes so excited that he falls unconscious.
Q14. What opinion of Chubukov do you form after reading ‘The Proposal’?
Ans. Chubukov is a rich landlord and a neighbour of Lomov. He is short tempered and rash in
behaviour. He wants Lomov to be married to Natalya. But he forgets the main issue and joins the
quarrels between Lomov and Natalya. He adds only fuel to the fire. He can be abusive and insulting.
However, he grabs the opportunity and blesses Natalya and Lomov in the end.
LONG ANSWERS:
Q1. Write a brief character sketch of Lomov.
Ans. Lomov is a man who is of marriageable age. He also suffers from a weak heart and
sleeplessness. So, he is desperate to settle down in life and lead a quiet and regular life. Despite his
ailments, Lomov was a rich and prosperous farmer. This makes Chubukov secretly wish him to marry
his daughter Natalya. As for Lomov, he did not love her, though he was desperate to have a life
partner, and so marry Natalya. Lomov was however hesitant to ask for her hand from Chubukov. That
made him beat around the bush, argue with Natalya and leave without proposing. Thus we can find
that Lomov’s conditions overpower the other traits he has. He is an eligible, assertive, rich, bachelor,
who will be liked by any girl. However, we also know that he is nervous, lacks confidence and is prone
to talk in a long-winded manner.

Q2. Describe the incidents of humour in the play, ‘The Proposal’?

Ans. ‘The Proposal’ is certainly a humorous play. The very entry of Lomov in a formal dress and the
way Chubukov greets calling him ‘darling’, ‘my treasure’ or ‘my beauty’ make one laugh. Marriage
proposal, supposed to be romantic turns to be humorous as the way Natalya and Lomov indulge in
arguments over petty issues like ownership of Oxen Meadows and superiority of dogs makes the play
humorous. The critical terms that the characters use for each other like a scarecrow, turnip ghost,
blind hen, stuffed sausage, etc., force one to laugh. The hysterical fit of Natalya when she comes to
know about the proposal and the wailing of father and daughter when they think Lomov is dead create
immense humour. Finally, Natalya’s acceptance of the proposal is really humorous. Thus we see that
the whole play is replete with humour, making it a humorous play.
Q3. Give a brief character sketch of Natalya.
Ans. Natalya was 25 years old and the daughter of Chubukov. She was a good housekeeper, not bad
to look at and educated; that was why Lomov wanted to marry her. She could be a good wife to him.
She secretly loved Lomov. She became hysterical when she came to know that Lomov had come to
propose to her. She asked her father to call him back. To please Lomov she asked him to forgive her
and agreed to his ownership of the Oxen Meadows.
She was greedy and short-sighted. She got the whole field of hay cut. She was also very inquisitive
and wanted to know why Lomov was dressed up formally.
She was touchy and short-tempered and fell into contradiction and argument on two occasions—once
over the ownership of Oxen Meadows and the second time over the superiority of her dog Squeezer.
She is as rigid as Lomov. She is not ready to give up even after getting ready to marry him.
Q4. What is the theme of the play ‘The Proposal’?
Ans. 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.
Q5. Justify the title of the lesson, ‘The Proposal’.
Ans. Anton Chekov has aptly and logically titled his one-act-play ‘The Proposal’. The title justifies
the theme and the subject of the play. The whole story revolves round Lomov’s marriage proposal to
Chubukov’s daughter Natalya. The play ends with Chubukov asking Natalya to hurry up and get
married immediately. Natalya seals the proposal by kissing and embracing Lomov. Chubukov willingly
and happily blesses the couple.
The play begins with the visit of Lomov to Chubukov’s house. The moment Chubukov comes to know
that Lomov has come with a proposal of marriage, he becomes extremely happy. Lomov is genuinely
interested in marrying Natalya. He thinks that she is a good housekeeper, educated and not bad
looking. He sees in Natalya an ideal wife who can help him in leading a peaceful and regular life.
Natalya herself being a love-sick cat sees in Lomov a suitable life-partner for her. The Moment she
comes to know that Lomov has come with a marriage proposal, she blames her father for not telling it
before. She threatens to die if Lomov is not brought back immediately.
No doubt, there are quarrels and disputes over the ownership of Oxen Meadows and on the
superiority of their dogs. I Abuses and insults are freely traded. But this farce can’t hide the real
intention of the main characters. The play ends with Natalya kissing and embracing Lomov and
Chbukov blessing the newly married couple.