| Name | The proposal |
| Type | Summary |
| Class | 10 |
| Board | CBSE Board |
| Author | Anton Chekhov |
Short Summary – The proposal
As the curtain rises, Lomov can be seen visiting his neighbour Chubukov’s home while wearing a well-groomed outfit. Chubukov inquires about the event after noticing how well-dressed he is. Lomov says he came because of a desire. Chubukov assumes that he must have arrived to request money that he does not want to give back. Chubukov leaves to call Natalya after learning that Lomov had come to ask for Chubulov’s daughter’s hand in marriage. Lomov is a 35-year-old man who experiences palpitations and is easily irritated. He believes that he is at the perfect age to be married and is pleased that he has chosen Natalya. He thinks Natalya is a decent-looking, trustworthy caretaker.
When Natalya arrives, Lomov starts a discussion on the good relations between the two families. He somehow brings up Oxen Meadows, which was formerly a controversial piece of land but is now his, while he continues to talk about his farm. Natalya believes Oxen Meadows to be a part of her family. Both people act childishly and get into a furious argument; Chubukov’s entry only made things worse. While Lomov experiences severe heartbeat and has a numb foot, they yell and scream. They remove Lomov from the residence and continue to treat him badly. Chubukov accidently tells Natalya that he had proposed to her while slandering him, surprising her, and she immediately regrets sending him away. She asks her father to bring him back, and Chubukov excommunicates himself for having a young daughter.
When Lomov comes back, Natalya tries to change the subject by discussing shooting. Later, they have a discussion about their dogs. Natalya is certain that Squeezer, rather than Lomov’s Guess, is a superior dog. When Chubukov arrives, they’re still arguing, which just makes matters worse. Everyone becomes frustrated, and Lomov eventually collapses from palpitations. Even though he’s still cursing when Natalya suddenly realises he’s unconscious. They pronounce him dead after discovering he is unable to consume water. After some time, Lomov starts to move around a little, they give him some water to drink, and Chubukov forcefully takes Natalya’s hands from her, blesses them, and begs them for a kiss. He shows his excitement and kisses Natalya’s hands after coming to his senses. Natalya keeps trying to convince Lomov that Squeezer is superior to Guess, but Lomov is stubborn and won’t listen, so the argument rages on.
About The Author
During the years 1888–1889, Russian playwright and storyteller Anton Chekhov wrote this one-act play. The drama explores how wealthy families seek out relationships with other rich backgrounds in order to grow their fortunes by promoting unions that make financial sense.
Conclusion
The Proposal showed how a wealthy family brutally advocated marriage with another wealthy family as a way to improve their economic situation. It also demonstrated the argumentative nature of the play’s characters.
