The Proposal, Class 10th English

 

The proposal by Anton chikov

 1 - Introduction

 2 - About The Author

 3 - Chapter Explanation

 4- Word Meaning

 5- Textbook Exercises

 6- Previous Year Question/Answers

 7- To Conclude

1- Introduction

The proposal is a one act play written by Anton chikov.  It is about the rich families who uses marriage as a means to increase their wealth.It mainly Consists of three characters.

•Stephen Stepanovitch Chubukov-  He is the landowner and the father of the young girl named natalya. 

•Natalya Stepanovna - She is the young girl of 25 years.

•Ivan Vassilevitch Lomov- He is the neighbour  of chubokov who wants to marry natalya.

2- About The Author 

•Anton Chekhov was a Russian playwright.

• He was also a short story writer.

• He was considered to be the greatest writer's.

• He was doctor by profession.

• His plays are still staged worldwide.

• He wrote 500 short stories.

3- Chapter Explanation

The plays begins in a drawing room of chubokov's house.  Ivan lomov neighbour of chubukov's went to his home to meet him.  Lomov was well dressed. Chubukov's asked him surprisingly  why he was so well dressed.  He informed Chubukov's that he wants to meet him as he has some urgent work.  At this Chubukov's started wondering he must need some money.  After some time lomov informed him about his wish to marry his daughter natalya.  As soon as he heard about this proposal he felt so happy and elated. He hugged lomov that since very long he waited for this proposal.  Now he went to call his daughter natalya. Lomov was left all alone in the drawing room. He now turned thirty-five and wants to marry and settled in life. According to him, Natalya is a good match. She is well educated and not bad looking. She would prove to be a perfect fit for him.

Natalya meets Lomov

Natalya welcomes lomov and complain about his absence for a long time. She starts talking about the field. While talking she noticed his formal dress and asked him whether  He is going to a ball (party). But instead of proposing her for the marriage he talks about his relation with Chubukov's. He also mentions about Oxen Meadows that he had inherited from his aunt.

Argument Started & Continues...

Natalya tells lomov that the oxen meadows do not belong to him, it actually belonged to them. In order to prove his claim he offers to show documents. He also clarifies that oxen meadows were once a subject of dispute between their families. But now it belongs to Lomov. And it was his aunt's grandmother who gave its free use to the peasants of Natalya's father's grandfather. Since peasants used the meadows for forty years, Chubukov's started considering the land to be their own.

But Natalya stick to her point that those meadows belonged to them. Lomov offers to make meadows as a present to Natalya.

Natalya also says that she can make meadows as a present to Lomov. Suddenly, Chubukov enters the room and join the argument. He supports his daughter that oxen meadows belonged to them. The quarrel went to such an extent that they start abusing each other.

Chubukov calls him a villain and a scarecrow. He also calls him a monster.

At this Lomov health deteriorates. As a result, Chubukov asks Lomov to leave his house and never come back again.

As soon as Lomov leaves, Chubukov tells Natalya that Lomov had come to propose her for marriage. When she came to know about the proposal she asked her father to bring him back immediately.

Another Argument Over Dogs

Lomov enters the house again. Natalya tells him that the oxen meadows belonged to Lomov and change the conversation. They shift the topic from oxen meadows to dogs. Lomov tells Natalya that his dog named 'Guess' is the best dog. Natalya again objects to Lomov's claim and calls hr dog 'Squeezer' to be better than Guess. Again argument Started. Again it grows to such an extent that they Started abusing each other.

Lomov's condition became worse and he fell on the floor. Both Natalya and her father thought that he died. After sometime, Lomov comes to his senses. He tells lomov that Natalya is ready for marriage and they should get married soon. He without wasting a single minute joins their hand. He even asked them to kiss each other hand. But again they started arguing about their dogs and the plays ends.

4- Word-Meaning

• pardon- to excuse

• consent- to give permission

• tremble- afraid or nervous

• palpitation(of the heart)- To beat quickly in an irregular manner

• lunatic- a crazy person

• stacked- stored

• meadow- a place for grazing cattle

• peasant- a farmer

• reckon- believed

• gypsie - a homeless person

• hoarse- loud

• agitating- disturbing someone

• intriguer- cheater

• wail- to cry

• assure- convince

• rot- rubbish

• liable to- likely to

• bliss- complete happiness

5- Textbook Exercises

i- 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.

Ans- Chubukov suspected that Lomov had come to borrow money from him.

No, he was not sincere at all because he had already decided not to give money to Lomov.

ii- Chubukov's says of Natalya:'...as if she won't consent! She's in love; egads,she's like a lovesick cat..." Would you agree? Find reasons for your answer.

Ans- Yes, Natalya loves Lomov. This is very clear, as soon as she came to know about Lomov intention she starts weeping and asked her father to bring Lomov back. She even agreed that oxen meadows belongs to Lomov.

iii- This play has been translated in English from the Russian original. Are there any expressions or ways of speaking that strike you as more Russian than English?

Ans- There are many expressions in the play that are not generally used in normal English. These expressions include phrases such as 'and so on', and 'all that'. Other included expressions are 'the scarecrow ', 'the stuffed sausage.

iv- You must have noticed that when we report someone's exact words, we have to make some changes in the sentence structure. In the following Sentences fill in the blanks to list the changes that have occurred in the above pairs Of Sentences.

•To report a declaration, we use the reporting verb- declared

• The Adverb of place here changes to- there.

• When the verb in the direct speech is in the present tense, the verb in reported Speech is in the past tense.

• If the verb in direct speech is in the present continuous tense, the verb in reported Speech changes to past continuous tense. For example, is getting changes to was getting.

• When the sentence in direct speech contains a word denoting respect, we add the adverb respectfully in the reporting clause.

• The pronouns I, me, our and mine, which are used in the first person in direct speech, change to third person pronouns to duch as he, him, their, or his in reported speech.

6- Previous Year Question/Answers

i- How does Lomov come to Chubukov's house? For what does he come? How is he received? (C.B.S.E. 2012)

Ans- He came to Chubukov's house in the evening dress. He came to propose Natalya for marriage. He is treated with respect.

ii- How does Chubukov react when Lomov to asked for the hand of his daughter in marriage? (C.B.S.E. 2019)

Ans- After hearing about the proposal of Lomov, Chubukov felt happy and excited.

He even hugs and kisses Lomov.

iii- How does Natalya react when she comes to know that Lomov had come to propose her? (C.B.S.E. 2014)

Ans- When Natalya came to know about Lomov proposal she was shocked. She cried and asked her father to bring Lomov back. She also felt happy as she wants to marry Lomov.

iv- What kind of a man was Lomov?

Ans- Lomov is a thirty-five year old man. When he went to propose Natalya he was nervous and excited. He has no confidence and self control.

v- Which qualities are common in all three characters of the play 'The Proposal' ?

Ans- All the characters in the play were argumentative and proudy. They even fight on small things.

vi- Neighbours must have a cordial relationship which Lomov and Natalya do not have. Describe the first fight between them. (C.B.S.E. 2015)

Ans- Neighbours should have cordial relationship. Lomov came to Chubukov's house to ask for his daughter's hand in marriage. But their conversation soon transformed into quarrel. Both (Natalya and Lomov) quarrelled on oxen meadows. They claimed that it belongs to them. Lomov even claimed to present the documents related to oxen meadows. But Natalya refuses to believe it and insisted that the land belonged to her family.

Chubukov even joined the quarrel. It went to such extent that they both start abusing each other. All of these points show that they do not share a cordial relationship.

7- To Conclude-

I hope the above notes would be a great help. Check my homepage for all other chapters of class 10th English. If any doubts you can reach me through the comment section below and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

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