LAQ from the Drama "The Proposal "

 (Q:1) Sketch the character of Natalya Stepanovna?

Ans. In Anton Chekhov's One-act play, "The Proposal" Natalya Stepanovna is a strong-willed girl of 25 years old. She is a neighbour of Lomov. 

She is an excellent housekeeper and is not bad looking. Her father calls her a lovesick cat. Lomov says that she is well educated, but she does not seem to be so.

Natalya does not even know Lomov’s reason for arrival to her house in the very beginning of the play, rather engages herself in a quarrel with Lomov over the ownership of Oxen Meadows and then, a quarrel of Guess versus Squeezer.

But when she gets to know about Lomov’s proposal of marriage, she desperately wants him back. Even though she is broached as an argumentative and quarrelsome woman, she at once accepts Lomov’s proposal to spend her remaining life with him but quarrels with him again over their dogs.

(Q:2) Describe the character of Lomov?

Ans. Ivan Vassilevitch Lomov is the principal character of the one-act play 'The Proposal'. He is 35 years old. He is suffering from palpitations. He wants to lead a quiet and regular life. So he comes to propose to Natalya but he talks a lot and engages in an argument taking the oxen meadows with Natalya. Later he also engages another argument taking the hunting dogs. Lomov can work himself up into extreme states of anxiety. He is a large and healthy person. He is a neighbour of Natalya but he is a very suspicious landowner.

(Q:3) Describe Chubukov as a sensible father? Or, Sketch the character of Chubukov?

Ans. Stepon Stepanovitch Chubukov is a wealthy landowner in the one act play 'The Proposal'. Natalya is his only daughter. He is a typical character, He is very worry of his daughter's marriage. He has the responsibility to find out a perfect life partner for his daughter. So, when Lomov comes to propose to Natalya, he readily acceptes the proposal. But later he engages with an argument with Lomov taking oxen meadows. He compels Lomov to leave his house but he is compelled to call him back for his daughter. So, he is not a practical character. But every time he shows his false aristocrasy. Through him the playright enriches the play with laughter and satires.

(Q:4) Why is the marriage proposal important to all the three characters of the drama, ' The Proposal ' ?

Ans. The marriage proposal was very imporatant to all the three characters; Lomov, Natalya and Chubukov. Lomov who was already 35 desperately wanted to settle down with Natalya. On the other hand, Natalya was already 25 and expert in domestic affairs wanted to marry Lomov. Chubukov, as a father of Natalya wanted her daughter to be settled down. He wanted to finish his responsibility as a father. So, we can see the marriage proposal was very important to all the characters in the play.

(Q:5)  "Bring him back ! Back ! Ah ! Bring him here ."- Who says this to whom? When is it said ? Why is the speaker so excited ?

Ans. In Chekhov's one-act play, "The Proposal", Natalya Stepanovna says this to her father Chubukov.

This is said when Natalya comes to know that Lomov came here to propose to her. She utters the above mentioned line. 

Natalya Stepanovna becomes excited and desperate because she realizes that she has lost an opportunity for marriage with Lomov. When she finds out that Lomov came to propose to her, she feels shocked and immediately regrets the argument they had over trivial matters, which led to Lomov leaving angrily. Her excitement and frantic calls to "bring him back" highlight both her regret and her anxiety about securing a socially suitable match, which was essential in her society.

(Q:6) "She is like a love sick cat." - Who said this about whom ? Who is referred to as a love sick cat ? Why does the speaker say so ?

Ans. In Anton Chekhov’s one -act play “The Proposal” Chubukov says this to Lomov.

Here, Natalya, daughter of Chubukovis referred to as a 'a love sick cat'.

Chubukov, eager to find a groom for his daughter Natalya, is overjoyed when Lomov arrives with a marriage proposal. Seeing Lomov as a suitable match due to his status as a landlord, Chubukov seeks to encourage him by making him feel valued and welcome. He hopes to boost Lomov’s confidence and convey that Natalya is equally eager to accept him as her suitor.