" The Proposal " Anton Chekhov All important questions and answers .

       Questions and answers

 1 .Why did Lomov  think about taking a decision about getting married ? Whom did he want to marry ? Why?  3+1+2=6

Ans: Lomov suffered from high level of nervousness .He thought that he was already thirty - five and that was a critical age . It was high time to take a decision about getting married .He definitely required someone to pair up to maintain a quiet and regular life .If he gave himself time to think , to hesitate to talk a lot , to look for an ideal , or for real love , he would never get married.

# Lomov wanted to marry Natalya Stepanovna.

# He found in Natalya an ideal wife . She was an excellent housekeeper and not bad not -looking .She was well educated too.Moreover , she was only daughter of Chubukov.

2. Describe the character of Chubukov as a sensible father.

Ans. In Anton Chekhov's one -act "The Proposal" Chubukov certainly appears to be a sensible father.He is in great tension about  a suitable suitor for this grown-up daughter,Natalya . Despite his anger , he succeeds in bringing Lomov back at the request of his daughter , even after driving him out of their house following a debate with Lomov .Again, true to their nature ,Natalya and Lomov are engaged in debates . That debate goes to such an extent that Lomov faints .When Lomov comes round ,Chubukov does not lose a moment in placing his daughter's hand in Lomov's hand in Lomov's.He sensibly finalises the marriage and gives his blessing . 

3. ''Forgive us Ivan Vassilevith, we were all a little heated '' - Who is the speaker ? Who are referred to by 'us' ? Why were the persons referred to 'a little heated ' ? Why does the speaker ask for forgiveness? 1+1+2+2=6

Answer. Natalya is the speaker.

# Natalya and Chubukov are referred to by 'us'.

#Natalya and Chubukov got into a long argument with Lomov over the ownership of the Oxen Meadows . The situation so worsensed that it degenerated into personal abuses and aspersions . They were 'a little heated' as they wanted to stick to their demand of meadows .

#After Lomov was driven out , Nataly came to know from his father that Lomov had come with a marriage proposal .Then she began to insist her father to bring Lomov back as she was desperate for marriage . After marriage .After Lomov returns , she begs forgiveness and tries to make amends for their bad behaviour with him. 

4." If you like ,I'II make you a present of them " - Who is the speaker ? Who is the person spoken to ? What would the speaker make a present of ? Why did the speaker say so ? 1+1+1+3=6

Answer. # Lomov is the speaker .

# Here the  person spoken to is Natalya .

# The speaker would make a present of the Oxen Meadows......

# Natalya and Lomov are engaged in  arguments over the ownership of the Oxen Meadows . Lomov argues how he has possessed the meadows . He tries to  establish  his ancestral right . Natalya does not want to hear any argument . Then Lomov claims the meadows as his right . He adds that the meadows are of no worth to him . He is  concerned with the principle   .That's why Lomov says so.

5." Why are you so formal in your get up? " who is the speaker?  Who is atabeing spoken to?What led the speaker to make this comment? 1+1+4=6

Answer. 

# Chubukov is the speaker of this quoted line from "The proposal"

#The person spoken to is Ivan Vassilevitch Lomov

# Ivan Vassilevitch Lomov was clad in evening dress, gloves and so on , which were worn, especially for attending special occasion like the New Year's Eve. Being surprised by Lomov's dress ,Chubukov made the above comment. 

6.Sketch the character of Natalya . 6

Anaswer: In Anton Chekhov's one - act play " The play Proposal " , Natalya , according  to Lomov , is good - looking , excellent as  housekeeper. Though she is love - sick  , there is no expression of love in her .She is whimsical , quarrelsome and obstinate . In the argument over the Oxen Meadows  , she drives  out Lomov. But when she hears of Lomov's marriage proposal , she asks her father to call Lomov back She begs pardon of Lomov .She again gets into an argument with Lomov over the hunting dogs . Finally , when she gets married , she shows no sign of romance. Again , she starts quarreling . Therefore , she is a perfect match for Lomov.

7. Give  a brief sketch of the character of Lomov in the play " The Proposal " . 

Answer: In Anton Chekhov's one -act play  " The proposal " , Lomov is a young man and  a neighbour  of Chubukov. He is a landowner , and often complains about his palpitating and bursting heart , sparking temples , benumbed feet , etc . He often comes to his neighbour with some requests .He comes with a proposal to marry Natalya .He is well aware that Natalya's father Chubukov is a landowner, and Natalya is the only heiress of that property .Actually Lomov represents bourgeoisie society where marriage was a  convenient deal , nothing else. 

8. " And it's impossible for me not to marry. " _ Why is the speaker so interested to marry ? Whom does he want to marry?  Why?    3+1+2 

Ans: Lomov who wants to marry Natalya Stepanovna,  in his soliloquy thinks of the reasons which compelled him to take the decision of marriage. He is thirty - year old and according to him he has reached a critical age, the last stage of his youth. Till date,  he has not found anybody whom he can truly love and thus thinks that waiting further may lead him to exceed the ideal age for getting married. Moreover,  Lomov is obsessed about his health and slight excitement makes him palpitate .He also thinks that he suffers from various other diseases and needs someone to look after him. Besides,  he wants to lead a quiet and regular life. Therefore, all these reasons encourage Lomov to take the decision to get married. 

# Lomov wants to marry   Chubukov's daughter,  Natalya Stepanovna. 

# Lomov wants to marry Natalya because she is an excellent housekeeper,   not bad _ looking  and well _ qualified. According to him,  all these qualities are enough to consider Natalya as a suitable match. 

9." I've been hoping for it for a long time. " _ Who is the speaker?  What does 'it' refer to?  How did the speaker come to know about 'it' ? What more did the speaker say in this context ? 1+1+1+3

Answer :  Chubukov is the speaker. 

'It ' refers to Lomov's marriage proposal for Chubukov's daughter, Natalya Stepanovna

Chubukov  came to know about the marriage proposal when Lomov visited his house to ask for his daughter Natalya''s hand in marriage. 

When Chubukov heard  about Lomov's wish to marry Natalya,  he  became excited. He embraced and kissed Lomov and said that he had been hoping 'it' , ( marriage proposal ) for a long time and it had been his continual desire. He declared that he loved Lomov as if he was his own son. He shed tear and blessed Lomov. He failed to find proper reason  for  his idiotic behaviour but  ultimately came to the conclusion that his joy was making him lose his balance. 

10 ." Im the most unhappy of men!" _ Who said this? Why did he say so ?How did the speaker  get rid of his unhappy.  1+3+2
'

Answer : Chubukov is the speaker.  During the arguments with Natalya  and her father Chubukov  , because of his suffering from palpitations, Lomov fell fainted into  an armchair, crying for a doctor's help. Seeing Lomov at this worst condition, Chubukov said that he was the most unhappy of men.

#After a short while,  Lomov got back his sense  , moved to his  sides and uttered some words. Hearing Lomov's words, Chubukov got back the hope of Lomov's well _ being and got rid of his unhappiness. 

11."Bring him back! Back!Ah!Bring him here. " - Who says this and to whom?  When  is this said? What impression of the speaker  can be formed from this remark?  1+1+2+2 

Answer. Natalya says the above  line to her father,  Chubukov. 

When Chubukov  reveals to Natalya  that Lomov came to their house to propose marriage  to her , she utters the above mentioned line.

The above remarks made by Natalya shows that she  is quite desperate to get married. Natalya,  a twenty -five - old  girl considers marriage  as the only way  through whict she can secure  her future  both socially  and financially. Therefore,  when she learns about  Lomov's  real intention of visiting  their  house,  she becomes extremely eager to marry the man whom she and her father had abused verbally during  the argument over over the  Oxen Mendows just  a little while ago which forced Lomov to leave their house. This remark also makes it clear that the status of a married woman is much more important to Natalya than getting  married to the man of her choice.