The Proposal Flashcards
conclusion
The Proposal displayed the quarrelsome nature of the characters of the play and how a wealthy family ruthlessly encouraged marriage with another wealthier family as a means to enhance their economic condition.
What does Chubukov at first suspect that Lomov has come for? Is he sincere when he later says “And I’ve always loved you, my angel, as if you were my own son”? Find reasons for your answer from the play.
Initially, Chubukov suspected that Lomov had come to borrow money from him as he was wearing an evening dress. Chubukov was not sincere at all when he told Lomov that he had always loved him and that he treated the young man like his own son. He had made up his mind that he would not give a single penny to Lomov, if he tried to borrow money from him. He also used all kinds of insults to ridicule Lomov during the argument by calling him ‘pettifogger’, ‘old rat’, ‘Jesuit’, etc. However, when Lomov asked for his daughter’s hand in marriage, his attitude changed immediately and he rushed out and called his daughter, Natalya Stepanovna.
Chubukov says of Natalya: “… as if she won’t consent! She’s in love; egad, she’s like a lovesick cat…” Would you agree? Find reasons for your answer.
Chubukov believed that Lomov was an ideal marriage prospect for his daughter, Natalya. He was indeed waiting for this proposal. However, when Lomov expressed his doubt about Natalya’s consent to the marriage proposal, Chubukov immediately affirmed him saying that even his daughter was in love with him. In the play, we have noticed that Natalya constantly argued and disagreed with Lomov in every respect. When Lomov left after the argument, Chubukov told her that he had actually come with a marriage proposal for her. On hearing this, Natalya started weeping and asked her father to bring back Lomov at once. The statements that show she was actually in love with him are, “Ah! she said, Bring him back! Back Ah! Bring him here. Quick, quick! Fetch him!”
words to decribe Chubukov
intriguer, grabber, old rat
words to decribe Natalya
a lovesick cat, an excellent housekeeper, not bad-looking’ well-educated.
words to decribe Lomov
a good neighbour, impudent, pettifogger, malicious, double faced intriguer, rascal, blind hen, turnip ghost, a villian, scare crow, stuffed sausage, etc.
This play has been translated in English from the Russian original. Are there any expressions or ways of speaking that strike you as more – Russian than English?
For example would an adult man be addressed by an older man as my darling or my treasure in an English play?
Expressions not used in contemporary English are- my angel, my beloved, my beauty (Here these expressions, are used for an adult man) and ‘all that sort of thing’ (not explaining what it is just leaving it as it is) and ‘how may you be getting on’? reported speech
What are you talking about? Oxen Meadows are ours, not yours!
(a) Who is the speaker here?
(b) Who is being referred to by ‘yours’?
(c) Find a word from the extract which means ‘a piece of grassland’.
(d) Who is being referred to as ours?
(a) Natalya is the speaker here.
(b) Lomov is being referred by ‘yours’.
(c) ‘Meadows’ from the extract means ‘a piece of grassland’.
(d) Ours is referred Natalya and his father.
Hear me out, I implore you! The peasants of your father’s grandfather, as I have already had the honour of explaining to you, used to bake bricks for my aunt’s grandmother. Now my aunt’s grandmother, wishing to make them a peasant…
(a) Who is the speaker here?
(b) What did the peasants do?
(c) Find the exact word from the extract which means ‘to ask something in a very serious way’
(d) What is synonym of ‘high respect in the extract’?
(a) Lomov is the speaker here.
(b) The peasants used to bake bricks for Lomov’s Aunt’s grandmother.
(c) ‘Implore’ from the extract means ‘to ask something in a very serious way’.
(d) The word is ‘honour’.
You may take it that I know whether I have the right or not. Because, young man, I’m not used to being spoken to in that tone of voice, and so on. I, young man, am twice your age, and ask you to speak to me without agitating yourself, and all that.
(a) Who is the speaker here?
(b) How did the speaker wanted Lomov to talk to him?
(c) Find the word from the extract which means ‘to disturb, excite or anger someone’.
(a) Chubukov is the speaker here.
(b) Chubukov wanted Lomov to speak to him without agitating himself.
(c) ‘agitating’-from the extract means ‘to disturb, excite or anger someone’.
Never mind about my people! The Lomovs have all been honourable people, and not one has ever been tried for embezzlement, like your grandfather!
(a) Whom does the speaker say the above lines to?
(b) How did Lomov describes his people?
(c) Find the word from the extract which means ‘theft of funds’.
(d) Explain ‘Never mind about my People’.
(a) Lomov (The speaker) said the above lines to Chubukov.
(b) Lomov described his people as honourable.
(c) ‘Embezzlement’ from the extract means ‘theft of funds’.
(d) Lomov said this line because his family members.
NATALYA : What proposal?
CHUBUKOV : Why, he came here to propose to you.
NATALYA : To propose? To me? Why didn’t you tell me so before?
CHUBUKOV : So he dresses up in evening clothes. The stuffed sausage!
The wizen-faced frump!
(a) Who is being referred to as ‘he’?
(b) Why did he meet Chubukov?
(c) Find the word from the extract which means ‘Make an offer of marriage to someone’.
(d) Who was dressed in as a stuffed sausage?
(a) Lomov is being referred to as ‘he’ in the extract.
(b) Lomov met Chubukov’s to ask for Natalya’s hand.
(c) ‘Propose’ from the extract means ‘make an offer of marriage to someone’.
(d) Lomov was dressed as a stuffed sausage.
Which qualities are common in all three characters of the play ‘The Proposal’?
All the characters in the play are argumentative, full of pride and possessiveness. They are always ready to argue for petty things.
How does Lomov come to Chubukov’s house? What for does he come? How is he received?
Lomov came to Chubukov’s house in the evening dress with gloves on. He cames to propose to his daughter Natalya. He is received with all the respect by Chubukov.
How does Chubukov react when Lomov says that he has come to ask for the hand of his daughter?
When Lomov says that he has come to ask for the hand of his daughter, Chubukov gets off balanced with joy. He embraces and kisses Lomov, sheds a tear of joy and calls for God’s blessing for Lomov and Natalya.
