The Proposal

Ans. Lomov is a rich landowner. He is neighbour of Chubukov He is a thirty-five-year-old rich bachelor who wanted to marry Natalya (Chubukov’s daughter). So he came very well dressed in evening, dressed in a jacket and white gloves, to ask for Natalya’s hand.

Ans. Natalya is the only daughter of the landowner Chubukov. She was very possessive about her land and was very determined not to part with it. She was a short tempered lady who used to quarrel with anyone very often. She always pinpointed the amount of help she had offered to her neighbours. Though well educated, she did not use her children wisely and thoughtfully.

Ans. Lomov, a rich bachelor, went to the house of Chubukov to propose Natalya, the daughter of Chubukov, for marriage. Though Lomov was not in love with her but he felt that she was a good housekeeper, beautiful and well educated. He also felt it was time he should settle down.

Ans. Lomov and Natalya were next-door neighbours. One day. Lomov came to Natalya to propose her. Natalya, who didn’t know that he had come to propose her, thought that he had come to claim Oxen Meadows as his own. When Chubukov, Natalya’s father, interfered with them and also pleaded that the Oxen Meadows were the properties of Chubukov, the fight aggravated. For a few moments, Lomov’s real purpose was overshadowed by that issue and he continued the bias that meadows belonged to his aunt’s grandmother who gave them to the peasants of Chubukov’s grandfather on the condition that they would prepare bricks for her. So how it would be considered as Natalya’s property. Though both Lomov and Chubukov, Natalya’s father, were very rich landlords. They quarrelled over a tiny piece of land, called, ‘Oxen Meadows’. But that was not the end of quarrel. Natalya didn’t agree with Lomov’s explanation. Instead, she offered to make a present of it to Lomov who, in turn, rejected the suggestion. And the quarrel continued endlessly. Such first meeting of Lomov and Natalya had in itself seeds of things (quarrels over petty issues) to be expected in the married life.

5. Give a character sketch of Lomov.

Ans. Lomov was a funny man. Physically he was weak but financially he was sound. He was a rich bachelor who wanted to marry Natalya. He was not really in love with Natalya but wanted to marry her because he thought that she was a good-housekeeper and beautiful. He said if he desired for an ideal or real love, he would never get married. He felt that he was 35, now he must lead a quiet and regular life. When he went to propose her, he got diverted. Actually, Natalya thought that he had come to Claim Oxen Meadows as his own, quarrel took place between them. One more time they quarrelled over petty issues. Before finally proposing to her, he fainted and after that shouted a lot but finally succeeded to get acceptance.

Ans. When Lomov is in an excited state his heart beat increases, lips tremble and there is a twitch in his right eyebrow. When he goes to sleep in such a state something pulls him from his left side and he jumps like a lunatic.

Ans. When Chubukov sees Lomov, he suspects that he must have come to borrow money from him. Chubukov is not at all sincere in saying “And I’ve always loved you, my angel as if you were my own son.” But in the entire play Chubukov and Lomov are seen fighting over the property or the dogs.

Ans. Lomov has his reasons to think that Chubukov is not a good neighbour but a land-grabber. His aunt’s grandmother gave the Meadows for ‘temporary’ and free use to Chubukov’s grandfather’s peasants. He doesn’t intend to give up his claim over the Meadows. Good neighbours don’t behave like this. Only land-grabbers behave in this fashion.

Ans. Natalya said that Squeezer was superior to Guess – Lomov’s dog. Lomov said that his dog Guess was better than Squeezer. Natalya believed that Guess had become old and ought to be shot. She also claimed that Squeezer was a hundred times better than Guess.

Ans. Lomov is hypochondriac and nervous. He thinks he is cold, he has a roaring in his ears, he complains of a weak heart, insomnia, strange aches and palpitation. He also suffers from numbness of limbs. He gets nervous very often. His heart collapses twice. He considers himself weak and helpless, and needs sympathy.

Ans. Chubukov is extremely happy and excited to know about Lomov’s proposal. He assures him that Natalya would agree to the proposal. He showers his affection on Lomov and sheds a tear out own happiness and says that it is his heartfelt desire. He does so because he thinks that Lomov would make a good match for his daughter.

Ans. Natalya asked her father to fetch Lomov at once as she had come to know that Lomov had come to propose to her. She accused Chubukov of driving Lomov out of their home.

Ans. Lomov wishes to propose to Natalya because he feels she is an excellent housekeeper, not bad looking, and is also well-educated. Moreover, he feels that he is already thirty-five, which is a critical age and he ought to lead a regular and settled life.

Ans. All the characters in the play are argumentation, full of pride and possessiveness. They are always ready to argue about petty things. They even fought over the breed of dogs.