You have read 'The Proposal', a one act play. It is a farce. The play is set in ouly ou~ luculion, the drawing room of Chuhukov's house. A 11 three characters in the play are quarrelsome people and they quarrel over petty issues. Lomov and Natalya strut with the issue like a piece of land that is situated at the border between the two neighbors' properties. The discussion turns into a quarrel and the marriage proposal is forgotten. They shout at each other. They are again dragged into an argument over the superiority of each other's dogs.
So, they drag their ancestors in their foolish quarrel. They again abuse each other and call names. Now, make groups of four and discuss the following points. While conducting the discussion, try to use the facial expressions given above.
The marriage proposal is a mockery of romance and marriage in the upper class.
The pride in property, even the superiority of dogs, take priority over love and marriage.
The characters lack patience, stop listening to each other, and then contradict each other.
Do you think these quarrels will promise a happy life?
What qual.ities would you consider for a well- matched couple?
Do you think all of us should know how to manage our anger?

Explanation

A : What do you think of Anton Chekov.s one- act-play .The Proposal?.
B : It is a farce.
C : It is a mockery of romance and marriage in the upper classes.
D :It shows the tendency of the wealthy families seeking ties with other wealthy families in Russia.
A : They do so to increase their estates by encouraging marriages that make good economic sense.
B : They pride in property and even in the superiority of dogs, such petty things take priority over love and marriage.
C : Lomov comes to seek the hand of Chubukov.s twenty-five-year-old daughter Natalia.
D : He forgets everything about the marriage proposal and starts quarrelling over a piece of land, the Oxen Meadows.
A : All the characters lack patience. They stop listening to each other and contradict each other.
B : ln the end, when the fight over their dogs is resolved, Chubukov loses no time to marry them.
C : However, they start their married life by resuming their old quarrel.
D : We should know bow to control our anger. Anger spoils things.
All : Love and romance are serious things. They are not tested on the ownership of a piece of land or the superiority of dogs.