The Necklace by Guy De Maupassant Themes

The Necklace is a short story written by the French writer Guy De Maupassant. This story
perfectly portrays us the societal image of 19th century France. There are a lot of themes
which can be seen in this particular story and makes it relevant to this day.
Materialism – The rapid growth of capitalism has increased the materialistic mind-set in
every individual. Mathilde Loisel is a pretty and young attractive woman who is
materialistic and greedy for wealth and upper status. She desires for a comfortable and
luxurious lifestyle and was unsatisfied with the condition she was living in. She often
thinks of parties and flamboyant lifestyle even though her husband cannot afford her
financial needs and unimaginable wants. Mathilde Loisel was insecure and believed that
woman can only rose to status through their outward appearance, beauty and luxurious
items that Maupassant seems to criticise in his short story. 
Dissatisfaction – The theme of dissatisfaction is common trope in the story. Mathilde
Loisel is dissatisfied with her life and believes that her life is misery. She believes that
she is by fate blundered into a middle class family for she is supposed to be in the upper
class society because of her charming appearance. She lives in a world of her own
imagination thinking about lavish dinners and parties to escape from the reality she lives
in. Her imagination is rich that provokes hunger and thirst as she is unable to afford in the
reality. This led to the continuous dissatisfaction in her life. 
Appearance and Reality – The theme of appearance and reality is common in literature.
Maupassant also evokes the similar theme where the necklace is a symbol of desire and
wants of Mathilde Loisel and the material power that can establish her social status in the
society. On the other hand , Maupassant also depicts that the necklace is merely an
illusion and the illusion is exposed in the later end of the story. The necklace appears to
be expensive and showed material power to Mathilde Loisel materialistic eyes but when
Madame Forestier highlights that it is just a costume jewellery worth about 500 francs, it
breaks the illusion of its material power. 
Condition of Woman – Woman in the 19th century Europe raised voice against
patriarchy and wanted to raise their status in the society as equal to men.
Flaubert’s Madame Bovery also reflects the same condition of a married woman who is
dissatisfied with her marriage life. The same condition appears to be with Mathilde Loisel
and her husband Mr. Loisel cannot afford to giver her. Her condition was such that her
desires and wants for material power is in the hands of her husband. It is her husband’s
position that can guarantee her material power. One can observe such mentality and
social systems in Europe during the 19th century and the condition of many woman who
wanted to raise their social status based on their appearances through clothing , expensive
jewelleries etc. It is evident in the story where Mathilde borrows some necklace diamond
from her luxurious friend Madame Forestier who willingly gives it to Mathilde. Mathilde
was able to show off her expensive clothing and necklace to the party and she became the
center of attention that she always had desired in her daydreams and imagination. This is
the reflection of mindset of 19th century woman who believe that material power can raise
status to woman.