WBCHSE HS English Suggestion 2022- 'The Proposal' (Anton Chekhov) | Chapter wise suggestion

9. Narrate the character of Lomov.

Or, Sketch the character of Lomov as you find in the play.

Ans.- Anton Chekhov’s one-act play ‘The Proposal’ centres around Lomov’s proposal for Chubukov’s daughter, Natalya. Lomov is a typical feudal landowner. Born and brought up in a feudal milieu he looks at marriage as a social relation rather than a personal one. He decides to marry to maintain his social status Lomov is a hypochondriac. He always remains obsessed with his real or imaginary illness and spends sleepless nights due to insomnia. He is egoistic and adamant over the trifling issues of a small plot of land and the hunting dogs. He is unstable in his purpose, unpredictable in his action, ridiculous in his decision, but he is coincidentally or successful in achieving his goal.

10. Sketch the character of Natalya.

Or, Describe Natalya.

Ans.- In the game of the marriage proposal, Natalya remains unaware about her marriage proposal for less a long time. So, the ‘love-sick cat’ does not show any favour for lomov, a bachelor. Instead, she develops a long and furious quarrel over a disputed plot of land called Oxen Meadows. She is lonely and desperate for a husband. It becomes clear only when she goes frantic to get Lomov back after she learns about Lomov’s marriage proposal from her father. Natalya cannot deny her ego and again gets involved in an outrageous quarrel, now over the hunting dogs. Even after getting married she carries on her argument. She is prepared to spend her life with her hypochondriac, insomniac, unstable husband probably as ‘an excellent housekeeper’.

11. Describe Chubukov.

Ans.- In Anton Chekhov’s play ‘The Proposal’ Chubukov is a landowner with feudal mindset. He looks at marriage as an economic settlement rather than a personal desire. Chubukov thinks her daughter a liability and wants her to get married soon. Though he does not welcome Lomov cordially, his address is full of tender words. He is happy with Lomov’s proposal as it will offer him a permanent relief. This attitude can be found in almost every patriarchal family in our time too. Chubukov cannot sacrifice his feudal ego and gets entangled twice in furious arguments with Lomov. However his encouragement helps Lomov and Natalya to get married in spite of their unpreparedness. He remains a firm connector between two unstable characters.

12. Describe the quarrel over the hunting dogs.

Or, Explain the issue of second debate between Lomov and Natalya.

Ans.- In spite of her every caution Natalya contradicts Lomov when he describes his dog, Guess, the best. Natalya comments that it was too much to spend 125 roubles for Guess. They got a better dog, Squeezer for 85 roubles only. Lomov readily finds Squeezer’s faults – it is overshot; as a result it is a bad hunter. Natalya then describes Squeezer as a pure dog and Guess as impure, old, ugly and like a worn-out cab-horse. Chubukov says Guess is old and short in the muzzle. Lomov mentions how Squeezer was left behind but Guess ran neck and neck with the Count’s dog. Then they leave the issue of the dogs and starts excavating each other’s family scandals.