The Proposal by Anton Chekhov (1889)

Name: The Proposal
Author: Anton Chekhov

Ivan Vassilevitch Lomov, a neighbouring landowner, arrives at the house of Stepan Stepanovitch Chubukov dressed in formal evening dress and white gloves, prompting Chubukov to greet him warmly and wonder at his dressed-up appearance. After much nervous hesitation and repeated trips to the water carafe, Lomov reveals he has come to ask for the hand of Chubukov's twenty-five-year-old daughter, Natalya Stepanovna, in marriage. Chubukov is overjoyed, embraces him, and rushes off to fetch Natalya, leaving Lomov alone to fret over his poor health — his palpitations, his trembling eyebrow, and his troubled sleep — while reasoning to himself that at thirty-five he must marry without further hesitation or search for ideal love. Natalya enters in her apron, having been shelling peas, and chats with Lomov about the weather and haymaking before noticing his formal dress and asking why he's so attired. Before he can properly state his purpose, Lomov begins explaining the long-standing friendly relations between the Lomov and Chubukov families and mentions his Oxen Meadows, which border her family's birchwoods. Natalya immediately disputes his claim, insisting the Meadows belong to her family. Lomov cites the history of his aunt's grandmother granting free use of the land to the peasants of Natalya's father's grandfather in exchange for brick-making, but Natalya refuses to accept this and the dispute escalates into a shouting match, with each declaring the land "mine" and "ours" repeatedly. Natalya threatens to send her mowers to the Meadows that day; Lomov threatens retaliation. Chubukov enters and initially sides with his daughter, and the argument grows uglier, with Lomov calling Chubukov a "grabber," Chubukov calling Lomov a "pettifogger," and both trading insults about each other's families — drunken grandfathers, embezzling relatives, an aunt who ran off with an architect, and Lomov's remark that Chubukov's mother was hump-backed. Overcome by heart palpitations, numbness in his foot, and ringing in his ears, Lomov staggers out, and Chubukov forbids him from returning. Once alone, Chubukov and Natalya rage against Lomov as a rascal and villain, until Chubukov reveals that Lomov had actually come to propose marriage. Natalya immediately demands he be brought back, then falls into hysterics, wailing and demanding Lomov's return. Chubukov fetches Lomov back, presents Natalya's hand to him, and gives his blessing, telling them to marry and leave him in peace. Lomov, still dazed and unaware of what has happened, asks what it's about, then understands, kisses Natalya's hand, and declares his happiness, though his foot remains asleep. No sooner have they become engaged than Natalya asks Lomov to admit that her father's dog Squeezer is worse than her own dog... which reignites the argument, as Lomov insists his dog Guess is better. Both shout their positions repeatedly while Chubukov tries to shout over them, calling for champagne to celebrate as the curtain falls on their renewed quarrel.

By Anton Chekhov · First published 1889 · Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance · 5,763 words

First lines

CHARACTERS / STEPAN STEPANOVITCH CHUBUKOV, a landowner / NATALYA STEPANOVNA, his daughter, twenty-five years old / IVAN VASSILEVITCH LOMOV, a neighbour of Chubukov, a large and / hearty, but very suspicious landowner

A drawing-room in CHUBUKOV'S house.

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The Proposal is listed on Textopian as a play by Anton Chekhov, dated 1889 CE.

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Work type: Play
Author: Anton Chekhov
Date: 1889 CE
Language: English
Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Satire, Short Story
Length: 5,763 words
Structure: 1 section, 208 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

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Genres

Comedy — The Proposal is commonly regarded as one of Anton Chekhov's comedic plays, which sees the main characters humorously squabbling over land.
Drama — As a one-act play, the book encompasses dramatic elements through its use of conflict and tension between characters.
Romance — The story revolves around a marriage proposal, thereby implying themes of love and romance.
Satire — Chekhov's play uses satire to mock and criticize the characters' petty disputes and the social norms of his time.