The Proposal ||First Flight|| Class 10 English Chapter 9
Summary of "The Proposal" (by Anton Chekhov)
"The Proposal" is a one-act play by Anton Chekhov, which is a humorous and satirical take on the institution of marriage, especially arranged marriages, where practical concerns often outweigh romantic emotions. The play revolves around three main characters: Ivan Lomov, Stepan Stepanovitch Chubukov, and Natalya Stepanovna.
Plot Summary:
The story begins with Ivan Lomov, a long-time neighbor of Chubukov, visiting Chubukov’s house with the intention of proposing to Chubukov’s daughter, Natalya Stepanovna. Chubukov warmly welcomes Lomov and is delighted when Lomov reveals the reason for his visit—he wants to ask for Natalya’s hand in marriage.
Lomov is a wealthy landowner, and Chubukov sees this as a good match for his daughter, who is also of marriageable age. However, when Natalya enters the room, unaware of Lomov’s intention to propose, the two quickly get into an argument over a piece of land called Oxen Meadows. Lomov claims the land belongs to him, while Natalya insists that it’s her family’s property. The argument becomes so heated that Lomov, who suffers from heart palpitations and is very nervous, almost faints. Chubukov also gets involved, and instead of settling the proposal, the situation spirals into a full-blown dispute.
After Lomov leaves, Chubukov tells Natalya that Lomov had come to propose to her. Shocked and regretful about the argument, Natalya insists that her father bring Lomov back immediately. When Lomov returns, she tries to smooth things over, but soon, they get into another argument—this time over whose dog is superior: Lomov’s dog Guess or Natalya’s dog Squeezer. Once again, the situation escalates, and Lomov, overcome by stress, collapses.
In the end, Chubukov, desperate to get the two married, quickly declares them engaged while Lomov is still barely conscious. The play concludes with both families continuing to bicker over trivial matters even after the engagement, showing how absurd and comical their behavior is.