Discuss “The Proposal” as a one-act play.

As a one-act play

Answer:  Anton Chekhov’s play “The Proposal is a perfect example of one-act play. It obeys the rules of unity of time, plot and action. It deals with only one theme developed through one situation to one climax in order to produce the maximum of effect and that is to put forth a marriage proposal. The total plot is one dimensional. It treats the problems of everyday life like marriage. Like a perfect one-act play, also in this play, action begins right at the start of the play. Also, there are no breaks in the action; it is continuous. The play starts and ends within a short span of time. Besides all the three characters are here central and indispensable (অপরিহার্য) for the construction of the play. It is notable that there is no more side character to disgrace the progress of the story. Thus, this play stands as a perfect one-act play in all aspects. 

Discuss the Social Life of the-then Russia.

Social life

Answer:   In the one-act play The Proposal, the playwright Anton Chekhov portrayed a fine social life of the bourgeoisie in Russia through three dramatic characters. The then Russian people’s major livelihood was agriculture. They were apparently very polite-speaking persons. But when the fact of their interest came, they became desperate to full that. They considered marriage as a social necessity. There was no place of love in marriage. Just as One character Lomov wanted to marry his neighbor Chubukov’s daughter Natalya only to fulfill his own sake. On the other hand, once other characters savagely behaved with Lomov when situation went against them. Again they behaved sweetly with him when the matter came about their own interest regarding marriage of Natalya. So in that society, all ran after profits.

“Oh, What a burden lord to be father of a grown-up daughter”—Who mkes the remark and who is the daughter? Why does the speaker think that grown-up daughter is a burden?

Answer:    In the one-act play The Proposal by Anton Chekhov, Chubukov makes the remark.

 Here the grown-up daughter is Natalya.

 A grown-up daughter has to be married off to a good bridegroom and every father has that huge responsibility. Until his daughter’s marriage is done, he suffers from it as if the grown-up girl is a burden to him. Here Chubukov is not exception at all. He is very much desperate to finish off the matter of his daughter’s marriage. Lomov comes to propose Natalya for marriage. But twice Lomov and Natalya involves into argument before Lomov proposes her. Even Chubukov argues with Lomov severely forgetting the marriage proposal. So it seems difficult to arrange Natalya’s marriage. So, Chubukov considers his daughter Natalya as a burden.

Character of Chubukov.

Character of chubukov

Answer:    In the one-act play The Proposal, the playwright Anton Chekhov has magnificently presents three interesting characters and Stephen Chubukov is one of them. He was a land owner. He is very much desperate for his 25-year old daughter Natalya’s marriage. He always pretended to be calm, a good neighbour as well as a polite speaking person. But actually, like his daughter. He never missed a chance to argue and quarrel with Lomov. He welcomes Lomov in a polite manner and is happy when he says he has come to propose to his daughter. But again he badly quarrels with Lomov over simple matters. Again later, he does not waste the time to fix marriage when both are agreed though little ago, he was terribly insulting Lomov. Chubukov is projected as a loving father but a greedy man who is desperate to get good match for his daughter. Overall Chubukov is an impetuous and hypocritical man, always runs after his sake.

Character of Lomov.

Character of lomov

Answer:   The major protagonist in the one-act play The Proposal by Anton Chekhov, Lomov is introduced as a landowner and the neighbour of Chubukov. He is a man of 35 with severe palpitation. At that certain age, he feels the necessity of marriage in his life. He selects Natalya, the daughter of Chubukov to marry.  His choice to marry her is not due to his love for Natalya; rather he thinks so only for his care. He is brave and fashionable too as he directly comes to Natalya to propose her wearing fine clothes.  He is habitual to pick up quarrel for nothing. He always gets excited over simple conversation. He has great esteem about himself. He thinks himself as a man of principle.

Character of Natalya.

Character of Natalya 

Answer:   In the one act play The Proposal by Anton Chekhov, Natalya is introduced as the daughter of a land-owner Chubukov. She is a young girl of 25. She is also the neighbour of Lomov and she is adept in household works. Besides her good looking, she is educated too. At the very beginning of the play, we see that she is very formal as she greets Lomov with warmth and she is very gracious too as she permits Lomov to smoke. Natalya also has the sense of appreciation as she compliments Lomov upon his dressing. But she is a quarrelsome girl by nature as she begins to quarrel with Lomov oxen meadows, superiority of their dogs. Even forgetting that Lomov is their neighbour and presently a guest, Natalya abuses him and forces him to get out. But when she comes to know about the reason of Lomov’s visiting their house, she becomes infuriated, desperate to marry him and while wailing, blames her father for Lomov’s departure. So, Natalya is a hypocritical, obstinate and as well as a love-sick girl.

Write down the attack and counter-attack of three main characters on hunting strategy.

HUNTING STRATEGY

Answer:  After getting involved into argument over oxen meadows, the three main characters Lomov, Natalya and Chubukov again got busy in argument over their hunting strategy. This argument started with the conversation over the superiority of their dogs. Then suddenly Natalya cursed Lomov saying that being a bad hunter Lomov should go back home and sit on the kitchen oven to catch black beetles, not going after foxes. It followed Chubukov’s statement. He stated that a hunter like Lomov should remain at home with his palpitation and should not track any animal. Chubukov also said that Lomov was habitually an arguer, not a hunter. But Lomov was not less in any account than them. He is heard to remark that Chubukov used to go to hunt only to meet the count to intrigue as he was a real intriguer.

“Why yell like that”—Who said this and to whom? What was that other person trying to prove? Bring out the incident.

Answer:    In the one act play The Proposal by Anton Chekhov, Chubukov said this to Lomov.

 Lomov came to Natalya’s house to propose her for marriage. But before conveying his proposal, Lomov got involved into argument with her over the ownership of a disputed land called Oxen Meadows. Here Lomov tried to prove that the oxen meadows belong to him giving many oral proofs.

 Hearing the argument, Natalya’s father Chubukov came on the spot and when Chubukov failed to calm Lomov, he also became heated and Chubukov was heard to remark that he would not give up his own land and would not want anything of others. He ordered him to stop his mouth and threatened him to send his peasants to the meadows to occupy it.

"Bring him back/ fetch him…….”—Who says this and to whom? Why is the speaker so excited? Bring out the irony from the context.

Answer:   In the one act play The Proposal by Anton Chekhov, Natalya says this to her father Chubukov.

 Lomov comes to his long-time neighbour Chubukov’s house to give the proposal to marry his daughter Natalya. But before conveying his proposal, Natalya and Lomov get involved into argument over the ownership of a disputed land called Oxen Meadows. But due to severe palpitation, Lomov cannot carry on the argument and leaves their house. Then when Natalya asks her father about the reason of Lomov’s arrival, father informs her about the real reason of lomov’s coming and Natalya gets upset and begins to wail for missing the chance of marrying Lomov because she is also like a love-sick cat and is adult enough to marry, especially Lomov.

 Natalya has actually no love for Lomov. She just wants to marry Lomov to lead her life smoothly. That is why, before knowing the matter of proposal, she badly abuses Lomov and after knowing about proposal, she becomes desperate to marry Lomov forgetting her earlier act. Here the irony lies.