Chapter 10 – The Proposal
By Anton Chekhov
NCERT Questions & Answers
Thinking about the Play (Page 157–158)
Q1. 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.
Answer:
At first, Chubukov thinks Lomov has come to borrow money. When he realises Lomov wants to propose to his daughter, he quickly becomes affectionate. His earlier suspicion and sudden change show he is not entirely sincere — his affection depends on self-interest.
Q2. 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.
Answer:
Yes, Natalya is eager to marry but does not openly express it. She argues with Lomov over land and dogs, yet when she learns he came to propose, she is desperate to bring him back. Her behaviour shows she does wish to marry him.
Q3. (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.
Answer:
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Lomov calls Chubukov a grabber, intriguer, old rat.
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Chubukov calls Lomov a pettifogger, lunatic, fool.
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Natalya calls Lomov a malicious, double-faced intriguer.
They accuse each other of dishonesty, lying, and cowardice.
(ii) What do you learn about the characters from their exchanges?
Answer:
They are quarrelsome, short-tempered, and materialistic. Their pride and stubbornness overshadow reason. Yet, beneath all this, they are eager for marriage and social security.
Q4. What does the play tell you about the contemporary notion of marriage?
Answer:
It shows that marriage was often seen as a social and economic arrangement, not just an affair of love. Land ownership, wealth, and social status mattered more than personal affection.
Q5. How do Lomov and Natalya finally come to be married?
Answer:
Despite quarrelling about land and dogs, Natalya and Lomov are pushed by Chubukov, who insists they stop arguing and seal the proposal. In excitement, he blesses them, even as they continue bickering.
Extra Questions & Answers
Short Answer
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Why is the play called The Proposal?
Because the entire play revolves around Lomov’s attempt to propose marriage to Natalya, though it keeps getting delayed by petty quarrels. -
Why is the play called a farce?
It uses humour, exaggerated quarrels, and absurd situations to criticise human folly. -
What qualities of Lomov are revealed in the play?
He is nervous, excitable, materialistic, and quarrelsome, yet also sincere in wanting to marry.
Long Answer
Q. Comment on the humour and satire in The Proposal.
Anton Chekhov’s one-act play is a farce that uses humour to expose human weaknesses. Lomov, Chubukov, and Natalya indulge in endless quarrels over trivial issues like land and dogs, instead of focusing on the marriage proposal. Their exaggerated arguments, insults, and contradictions create comic effect.
Chekhov satirises materialism — marriage is treated as a deal involving property and status, not love. He also mocks human stubbornness, as the characters are more eager to win arguments than to resolve matters. The humour lies in irony: Lomov proposes but ends up fighting; Natalya desires marriage but quarrels fiercely; Chubukov blesses the couple while they argue.
Through laughter, Chekhov criticises the hypocrisy, greed, and folly of society. The play entertains while also prompting reflection on the true meaning of relationships.
Summary of The Proposal
Anton Chekhov’s The Proposal is a one-act farce that humorously exposes the materialism and foolishness of marriage arrangements in 19th-century Russian society.
The play opens with Lomov visiting his neighbour Chubukov’s house. Chubukov first suspects that Lomov has come to borrow money. When Lomov reveals he has come to propose to Natalya, Chubukov becomes overjoyed and calls him “son.”
Lomov is nervous and awkward in expressing his proposal. Instead of directly proposing, he begins discussing land disputes about the Oxen Meadows. Natalya quarrels fiercely, claiming the land belongs to her family. The quarrel escalates with insults. When Chubukov joins, the argument becomes louder.
In frustration, Lomov leaves. When Natalya learns that he had come to propose, she becomes hysterical, begging her father to call him back. When Lomov returns, Natalya changes her tone. However, another quarrel starts, this time over whose dog is better — Lomov’s Guess or Natalya’s Squeezer. Again, harsh words are exchanged, and Lomov nearly collapses.
Finally, Chubukov, exasperated, forces them to stop fighting and announces their engagement. Even then, the couple continues bickering, while Chubukov cheers that the marriage has been settled.
The play ends with irony: the proposal is successful, but the foundation is quarrels and greed, not love.
Chekhov, through witty dialogues and absurd situations, highlights human weaknesses — greed, pride, and lack of emotional depth. Marriage is portrayed as a social contract for wealth and property. The play is comic but also a satire on society’s misplaced priorities.
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✦ Biography of Anton Chekhov
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860–1904) was a Russian playwright, short-story writer, and physician, considered one of the greatest writers in world literature.
Born on 29 January 1860 in Taganrog, Russia, Chekhov came from a poor family. Despite hardships, he studied medicine at Moscow University, qualifying as a doctor in 1884. He practiced medicine throughout his life, famously saying, “Medicine is my lawful wife, and literature is my mistress.”
Chekhov began writing humorous sketches to support his family. His early works gained popularity for their wit. Gradually, he developed a more serious style, producing masterpieces of short fiction noted for psychological depth and realism. His famous stories include The Lady with the Dog, The Steppe, and Ward No. 6.
As a dramatist, Chekhov revolutionised theatre. His plays The Seagull, Uncle Vanya, Three Sisters, and The Cherry Orchard are landmarks of modern drama. Unlike melodramatic plots, Chekhov focused on everyday conversations, inner conflicts, and subtle emotions, creating realism on stage.
His writing style is marked by brevity, understatement, irony, and compassion. He avoided moralising, instead presenting life as it is, with humour and sadness intertwined.
Chekhov’s health was frail due to tuberculosis, which plagued him for years. He died on 15 July 1904 in Badenweiler, Germany, at the age of 44.
Today, Chekhov is celebrated as a pioneer of the modern short story and drama. His works continue to influence literature and theatre worldwide, admired for their humanism, irony, and timeless relevance.