126
CHAPTER 04
The Proposal
(Play)
In this Chapter...
! Chapter Summary
! Word Meaning
! Chapter Practice
Chapter Summary
Lomov at Chubukov’s House
The play begins in a drawing room of Chubukov’s house. Ivan
Lomov comes to meet Chubukov. Chubukov is extremely happy
to meet him. He is surprised to see Lomov wearing a formal dress
and asks him if he is going somewhere. Lomov informs him that
he has come to meet him because he needs his help. Chubukov
thinks that Lomov must have come to borrow money from him
and states that he wouldn’t give him any money. Finally, Lomov
tells that he has come to ask for Natalya’s (Chubukov’s daughter)
hand for marriage.
Chubukov’s Reaction to the Proposal
Chubukov gets very excited after hearing about the proposal. He
hugs and kisses Lomov. He informs Lomov that he has been
waiting for this proposal since a long time. He even guarantees
that Natalya would also agree to the proposal and goes to call her.
Lomov Thinks about Natalya and His Life
As chubukov leaves, Lomor is left alone in the drawing room. He
starts talking to himself. He finds Natalya to be a good
housekeeper. She is well educated and not bad looking. He thinks
that he needs to get married now because he is thirty-five years
old and needs to live a quiet and peaceful life. He also thinks that
he is always restless and cannot sleep properly. Infact, we (as
readers) find Lomov getting over excited and getting nervous
while stating the proposal.
CBSE Term II English Language & Literature 10th
—by Anton Chekov
Natalya Meets Lomov
Natalya enters the drawing room and is surprised to see
Lomov. She welcomes Lomov and starts talking about the
work in the fields. Suddenly, she notices Lomov’s dress
and enquires if he is going to a ball (party).
Lomov tells her the purpose of his visit. But instead of
talking about the proposal, Lomov tells her about the
good relations between Lomovs and Chubukovs. He also
mentions about Oxen Meadows that he has inherited
from his aunt.
Argument over Oxen Meadows
After hearing Lomov calling Oxen Meadows as his own,
Natalya tells Lomov that the Oxen Meadows do not
belong to him. They actually belong to Chubukov. An
argument begins over the Oxen Meadows. Both of them
constantly state that the Meadows are owned by them.
Lomov offers to show documents to prove his claims. He
clarifies that the Oxen Meadows were once a subject of
dispute between their families. His aunt’s grandmother
gave its free use to the peasants of Natalya’s father’s
grandfather. The peasants used to make bricks for the
grandmother. Since peasants used the meadows for forty
years, Chubukovs started considering the land to be their
own. But now they belong to Lomov.
CBSE Term II English Language & Literature 10th 127

Argument Continues between Natalya Gets to Know about the Proposal

Natalya and Lomov As soon as Lomov leaves, Chubukov tells Natalya that Lomov had
Natalya does not agree and sticks to her point that those come to propose her for marriage. When Natalya hears this, she
meadows belong to them. She insists that the land has almost faints and starts crying. She blames Chubukov for irritating
been owned by them for nearly 300 years. Lomov and asks him to bring Lomov back. Chubukov goes to get
Both Lomov and Natalya insist that the land is not worth Lomov back.
a lot of money but they want the land as a matter of Another Argument over Dogs
principle. Lomov offers to make meadows as a present to
Lomov enters the house again. Natalya tells him that the Oxen
Natalya. Natalya also says that she can make meadows a
Meadows belongs to Lomov and shifts the conversation. Then,
present to Lomov.
they start talking about dogs. Lomov tells Natalya that his dog
Chubukov Joins the Argument ‘Guess’ is the best dog. Natalya again objects to Lomov’s claims
and calls her dog ‘Squeezer’ to be better than Guess. Again, an
Chubukov enters the room and gets to know the reason
argument begins. Both of them list the qualities of their dogs and
for the argument. He supports Natalya and tells Lomov
that Oxen Meadows are owned by them. The quarrel claim their dog to be better than the other. Chubukov also joins
increases to such an extent that Lomov and Chubukov the argument and again it grows to such an extent that they start
start abusing each other and their families. abusing each other.
Chubukov asks Lomov not to talk to him so Chubukov Asks Lomov to Marry Natalya
disrespectfully as he is twice of his age. Lomov calls While they are arguing, Lomov’s condition worsens and he falls
Chubukov a land grabber and threatens to take Chubukov onto an arm chair. Both Natalya and Chubukov think that he has
to the court. died and start crying. They think that Natalya’s chance of getting
This angers Chubukov who sates that Lomov’s married has gone. After sometime, Lomov comes to his senses.
grandfather was a drunkard and his younger aunt Chubukov tells Lomov that Natalya is ready for marriage and that
Nastasya ran away with an architect. He also calls Lomov they should get married soon.
a villain, a scarecrow and a monster who has the courage He does not want to lose even a single moment and joins their
to propose. All this excites Lomov and his health hand. He asks them to kiss each other and blesses them. But again,
deteriorates. Finally, Chubukov asks Lomov to leave his they start arguing about their dogs while Chubukov calls everyone
house and never come back again. for Champagne to try to quiet her daughter.
Word Meaning
The given page nos. correspond to the pages in the prescribed textbook.
Word Meaning Word Meaning Word Meaning
PAGE 144 lunatic a crazy person threshing process of separating the
neglige gown grains from the plant
get up dress
shelling removing shells gypsie a homeless person
pardon to excuse
stacked stored impudent failing to show proper respect
to count on to depend on
and courtesy
PAGE 145 PAGE 147
carafe a water container
by jove used to express surprise or regard a feeling of respect and
admiration for someone PAGE 149
emphasis
meadow a place for grazing cattle mower a person who cuts grass
off my balance excited
clutch to hold with the hand
consent to give permission for marsh a place with loose earth and
something water hoarse loud
trembling to shake slightly as you are wedged to force into a narrow restrain to stop somebody from doing
afraid, nervous, excited etc space, squeeze something
egad expressing surprise, anger perpetuity the state of continuing for a excruciating very painful; causing great
or affirmation long time mental or physical pain
PAGE 146 reckon believed PAGE 150
palpitation to beat quickly and strongly PAGE 148 accustomed habitual
(of the heart) and often in a way that is dessiatins a currency agitating disturbing, exciting or
not regular because of
implore to make a very serious or angering someone
excitement, nervousness
etc emotional request to PAGE 151
someone
twitch to make a slight, sudden pettifogger one who argues about small
movement that is not make head or understand issues
controlled or deliberate tail