The Proposal

1.0About the Author

Anton Chekhov was born on 29 January 1860 in the Russian Empire. His father, Pavel Yegorovich Chekhov, was a physically abusive man, whereas his mother, Yevgenia, was a fantastic storyteller who loved telling stories to young children and entertaining them.

Central Idea

The Proposal is a one-act play that consists of three characters, namely, Stepan Chubukov (father), Natalya Stepanovna (daughter), and Ivan Lomov (neighbour). The story focuses on young man Lomov who presents a marriage proposal to one of his neighbour's daughters. Just before he conveys his feelings to the girl, they both get into a heated argument about Oxen Meadows. The lady's father, Chubukov, also jumps into the discussion, which makes it even worse. After this discussion is over, they jump into another argument about whose dog is better. During all these heated discussions and quarrels, the main thing 'Proposal' gets forgotten till Lomov falls off due to a high, rapid heartbeat due to which Chubukov immediately puts the daughter's hand in Lomov's hand but then too the quarrel doesn't stop and goes on continuously.

2.0Ownership

Lomov pays a visit to his neighbour, Chubukov. He is wearing a dress-suit. Chubukov expresses a great pleasure. He welcomes him and gives him a warm handshake. But he is surprised to see him in a formal dress and thinks that perhaps he is on his way to some engagement. Lomov tells him that he has no engagement except with him. He tries to explain the purpose of his visit, but he gets nervous and excited. Chubukov has a daughter named Natalya. She is twenty-five, but unmarried. In fact, Lomov has come with a proposal to marry Natalya. He is so nervous that he finds it very difficult to tell Chubukov the purpose of his visit. He says that he has come to ask him for a favour, though he does not deserve it. Chubukov thinks that he has come to borrow money and asks him not to beat around the bush. After much hesitation and stammering, Lomov tells him that he has come to ask for the hand of his daughter, Natalya. Chubukov naturally feels very happy and kisses him. He says that he will go and call his daughter and assures Lomov that she will at once accept this proposal. When Lomov is left alone, he feels that he is cold and his whole body is trembling. He thinks that Natalya is an excellent housekeeper, not at all bad-looking, well-educated - what more he should ask. Moreover, if he does not marry now, he will never get married. He is already thirty-five. He has a weak heart, and he suffers from palpitation.

The worst of all is the way he sleeps. He hardly lies down and begins to doze when he gets a pull in his left side and something begins to hammer in his left shoulder and in his head. He walks about a little, lies down again and feels the same way again. This continues the whole night. Only a well-regulated life can help him in this respect. Marriage alone can bring this much-needed peace and regularity in his life. Natalya comes and is surprised to see Lomov, because her father has told her that there is a merchant who has come to sell something. She begs to be excused for wearing an apron and an old dress. She asks if he would like to have something to eat. Then she offers him to smoke and talks about the weather. She is also surprised to find him in a formal dress, and tells him that he seems to be looking better. She thinks that perhaps he is on his way to a ball. Lomov gets excited. He is unable to express the purpose of his visit. He wants to be brief, but in his excitement he starts beating around the bush. He speaks of the old relations of the Lomovs and the Chubukovs. He tells her that his late aunt and his late uncle had a great regard for her father and her late mother, and furthermore his property adjoins hers; his Oxen meadows touch her birch woods.

3.0Accusations Exchanged

Continuing to speak about his land, he somehow mentions Oxen Meadows which earlier was a disputed property but is now his. Natalya is in the perception that Oxen Meadows belong to her family. Both of them entered into a heated discussion and act childishly and the discussion turns into a quarrel and the marriage proposal is forgotten. Natalya tells him that she will immediately send her mowers to the meadows. Lomov promises to turn them out. They shout at each other. In the course of their quarrel, Chubukov enters. When he is arguing about the Oxen Meadows, he sides with his daughter. Lomov again tries to explain, but Chubukov does not listen. He tells Lomov that the latter cannot prove anything by yelling. He would rather give them to the peasants than let him claim them. Lomov becomes rude. Chubukov begs him to address him respectfully for he is not used to have people address him in that tone of a rude person. Lomov calls him a land-grabber, and tells him that he will prove in the court. Chubukov gets furious, calls him an intriguer and accuses his whole family. In this way, they start to pull each other's family. Lomov says the entire race of the Lomov has always been honourable, and never has one been brought to trial for embezzlement as Chubukov's uncle had been. Chubukov tells Lomov that the latter's grandfather was a drunkard and that his aunt had eloped with an architect. Lomov say that Chubukov's mother was humpbacked. So they drag their ancestors in their foolish quarrel. Now Lomov gets much excited. The palpitation of his heart becomes unbearable. His eyes are blurred. His foot goes numb. It seems as though he were dying. He takes his hat, and staggers out of the room. Chubukov warns him not to come into his house again. The father and the daughter curse him and tell him all sorts of dirty names. After Lomov has gone, Chubukov says that the fool had the courage to come to him with a marriage proposal. When Natalya hears that he had come to propose to her for marriage and that is why he was dressed in evening clothes, she begins to weep and then she falls into an armchair. She blames her father for not telling her that before. She goes into hysterics and asks her father to bring him back immediately. The poor father feels embarrassed: they have insulted him and thrown him out of their house; and now he should call him back. How ridiculous! He feels like shooting himself. Natalya blames her father and calls him brutal. She thinks if it were not for him, Lomov would not have gone. Her behaviour, indeed, is very funny. Chubukov rushes out and calls him back.

4.0It's Time to Celebrate

Lomov returns; he is in a wretched state. His heart is beating terribly; his side is hurting him; his leg has become numb. Natalya feels sorry for her mistake and admits that the Oxen Meadows belong to him. She suggests that they should talk about something else. She wants to avoid every possibility of dispute and wishes Lomov to make the proposal straight away. She asks him if he is going on hunting soon. Lomov replies that he expects to begin after the harvest. His dog, Guess, has gone lame: perhaps it is a dislocation, or maybe he has been bitten by some other dog. Lomov is very proud of his dog; he has bought him for a hundred and twenty-five roubles and thinks it is very cheap. Natalya however, does not agree.

Her dog, Squeezer, cost more than eighty-five roubles, and he is in every way better than Guess. They are again dragged into an argument over the superiority of each other's dogs. In his opinion, Squeezer is over-short; he has a short lower jaw, and therefore he cannot catch his prey. Natalya cannot stand this. She thinks that her dog is pure-bred, whereas Lomov's his dog is old, ugly and skinny and nobody can figure out his pedigree. She does not like when a person does not say what he really thinks. During hot discussion, Lomov again gets excited; he feels the palpitation of heart, and his heart is bursting. The father again enters the room. Both turn to him for opinion. He says Guess certainly has his good points. He is from a good breed, has a good stride, strong haunches, and so forth. But he has two faults, he is old and he has a short lower jaw. Lomov tells Chubukov that on a hunting expedition, his dog-Guess had run neck to neck with the Count's dog. But Squeezer was left behind. Chubukov says that the Count struck his dog with a whip; that is why he was left behind. Lomov reminds him that his dog was whipped because instead of running after the fox, he bit the sheep. Chubukov, however, does not agree. He requests Lomov to stop that argument. But that does not seem possible. Chubukov gets angry. He tells Lomov to stay at home with his palpitation; he is not fit for hunting. They again abuse each other. Lomov begins to see stars; every part of his body is bursting. He falls into a chair and faints. Seeing Lomov faint, Natalya thinks that he is dead. She starts weeping and crying and requests her father to call in the doctor. The poor father feels miserable. He holds a glass of water to Lomov's lips, but the latter does not drink water. The father finds himself in a terrible situation. He is so mad with desperation that he wants to shoot himself. In the meantime, Lomov comes to senses. He sees mist before his eyes. Chubukov does not want to take any more chance by leaving them alone. He at once speaks out that his daughter is willing to marry. He thrusts Lomov's hand into his daughter's hand and gives them his blessings. He just wants to be left in peace. Lomov is still dazed. He is not able to understand what is going on. At last, they kiss each other and are reconciled. But they again start quarrelling over their dogs. Natalya says, "Guess is worse than Squeezer. Lomov says, "Better". Amid their shouting, the poor old father shouts, "Champagne, Champagne" calling out for a celebration.

5.0Let's Recall

• The curtain rises and Lomov is seen entering his neighbour Chubukov's house fully dressed up in his evening attire.
• Chubukov is surprised to see him well dressed and asks him about the occasion.
• Lomov reveals that he had come to make a request.
• Chubukov thinks that Lomov must have come to ask for money which he doesn't want to give.
• On being revealed that Lomov had come to ask for Natalya's hand in marriage, Chubukov gets filled with excitement and leaves to call Natalya.
• Lomov is a 35 year old gentleman who suffers from palpitations gets upset very easily and doesn't sleep well.
• He thinks that it is the best age for him to get married and he is happy that he has decided to marry Natalya.
• When Natalya arrives, Lomov begins the conversation about how grateful and glad he is that both their families are on good terms since the very beginning.
• While continuing to talk about his land he somehow mentions about Oxen Meadows which earlier was disputed property but now belongs to him.
• Natalya couldn't believe a word he was saying because she believes that Oxen Meadows belong to her family.
• Both of them enter into a heated discussion and act childishly when Chubukov enters just to get the conversation more heated.
• They shouted and screamed while Lomov suffers from extreme pounding of the heart, a side pull and a numb foot.
• They throw Lomov out of the house.
• While throwing Lomov out of the house and speaking ill of him Chubukov unintentionally reveals that he had come with a marriage proposal for Natalya which surprises her.
• She regrets sending him out.
• She tells her father to bring him back immediately.
• When Lomov returns, Natalya tries to deviate to another topic and starts talking about shooting.
• Somehow they enter into an argument about their dogs.
• Natalya feels that her Squeezer is better than Lomov's Guess.
• Everyone gets hyper and Lomov finally falls due to his palpitation.
• Natalya notices that Lomov is unconscious.
• They tried to give him water but Lomov couldn't drink.
• The father and the daughter declared him dead.
• Only when Lomov moves they realised that he was alive.
• Chubukov forcefully hands over Natalya's hands to him, gives his blessings and asks them to kiss declaring them to be a married couple.