Questions and answers of The Proposal

The Proposal broad / long / descriptive important questions and answers for Class - 12th ( WBCHSE and other board )

Q. Justify the title of the play The Proposal.

Ans :- The title of the play is 'The proposal' and it is a very apt one because the whole play is about Lomov proposing Natalya. Right from the beginning to the end of the play, the story revolves round a marraige proposal. Lomov comes to Natalya's house to propose to her but even before he does it, they both start fighting. As a result, Lomov becomes sick and leaves. Natalya's father informs her about the intention of Lomov and she starts lamenting over the loss. Lomov is called back and once again an argument ensues before proposing. Hence, we can say that the title is perfect for the play.

Q.Sketch the character of Stephen Chubukov ?

Ans :- In the play The Proposal Anton Chechov has presented three characters. Stephen Chubukov is one of them. He was a land owner who had a daughter named Natalya. He was a very quarrelsome man but had a habit of speaking politely to everyone initially. He welcomes Lomov in a polite manner and is happy when he says he has come to propose to his daughter. Chubukov was a man to be carried away easily and so when Natalya and Lomov had an argument he too joined in and insulted Lomov. Chubukov is projected as a loving father but a greedy man who is looking for a good match for his daughter.

Q. Briefly describe the character of Lomov.

Ans:-Lomov was a thirty five year old unmarried man. He anxiously waited to get married because he had reached a critical age. He proposed a girl named Natalya in his neighbourhood.Lomov was a strange man .He also suffers from a weak heart and sleeplessness. So, he is desperate to settle down in life and lead a quiet and regular life. Despite his ailments, Lomov was a rich and prosperous farmer. This makes Chubukov secretly wish him to marry his daughter Natalya. As for Lomov, he did not love her, though he was desperate to have a life partner, and so marry Natalya. Lomov was however hesitant to ask for her hand from Chubukov. Thus we can find that Lomov's conditions overpower the other traits he has. He is an eligible, assertive, rich, bachelor, who will be liked by any girl. However, we also know that he is nervous, lacks confidence and is prone to talk in a long-winded manner.He went to propose Natalya but quarrelled over petty issues like the oxen meadows and pet dogs. He also abused Natalya and her father.

Q. Describe the character of Natalya Stepanova.

Ans:-Natalya was a young girl of twenty five. She lived in the neighbourhood of Lomov and could do all the household work. She was a good housekeeper, not bad to look at and educated; that was why Lomov wanted to marry her. She could be a good wife to him.She secretly loved Lomov. She became hysterical when she came to know that Lomov had come to propose to her. She asked her father to call him back. To please Lomov she asked him to forgive her and agreed to his ownership of the Oxen Meadows.She was greedy and short-sighted. She got the whole field of hay cut. She was also very inquisitive and wanted to know why Lomov was dressed up formally.She was touchy and short-tempered and fell into contradiction and argument on two occasions—once over the ownership of Oxen Meadows and the second time over the superiority of her dog Squeezer. She yearned for love and was quarrelsome by nature. She too quarrelled with Lomov over meadows and their pet dogs as to which one is a better breed. She is a very self centric woman.

Q. How does Chubukov react when Lomov says that he has come to ask for the hand of his daughter?

Ans:- In Chekhov's play The Proposal we see that Chubukov is really glad to hear that Lomov has come to ask for Natalya’s hand. He embraces and kisses Lomov. He has tear in his eyes out of joy. He calls for God’s blessing for Natalya and Lomov. He says he is off his balance with joy. He says that it was his continual desire that his daughter will get married with him. He also adds that he always considers Lomov as his son. He goes out to call for Natalya.

Q. What happens to Lomov when he is in an excited state?

Ans:- When Lomov is in excited state his heart beat increases. His lips tremble. There is twitch in his right eyebrow. The worst thing is the way he sleeps. When he goes to sleep, something pulls in his left side. It comes to his shoulder and head. He jumps like lunatic. 

Q. How does Natalya excite Lomov to the point of verbal fighting?

Ans:-Natalya doesn’t agree to the point that Oxen Meadows are not theirs. She says that upto that she thought Lomov was a good neighbor. They lent him their threshing machine last year. They had to postpone their threshing till November. How was Lomov giving her his own land?

Q. Why does Natalya ask her father Chubukov to fetch Lomov in at once when they have fought verbally? How does she accuse her father?

Ans:-Actually Chubukov says that Lomov came to propose to Natalya for marriage. Natalya didn’t know it. So she at once changes and asks her father to fetch Lomov in then. She also accuses Chubukov that he drove Lomov out.

Q. How do Lomov and Chubukov fight after talking about dogs, etc?

Ans:-Chubukov says that Lomov should sit at home with his heart beats. He is not at all a hunter. Lomov replies that he goes hunting to intrigue only. This starts their verbal fight. Lomov calls him an ‘intriguer’. Chubukov calls him ‘pup’. Lomov calls him ‘old rat’. Chubukov calls him ‘fool’, etc.

Q. How is ‘the Proposal’ a great comedy?

Ans:-‘The Proposal’ is a great comedy. It is because of the characters and subject matter and how they behave. Natalya, Lomov and Chubukov fight over foolish things. All these create a lot of laughter. The verbal fights over Oxen Meadows and dogs are really full of humour.

Q. 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”?

Ans:-Chubukov at first suspects that Lomov has come to borrow money. Chubukov is not sincere in saying this. After some minutes, Chubukov starts fighting with Lomov over petty matters. In fact, he sides with his daughter in fighting with Lomov. He even abuses Lomov calling him with bad names. This shows his insincerity in saying this flattering sentence.

Q. Chubukov says of Natalya : “….as if she won’t consent ! She is in love; egad, she is like a lovesick cat..” Would you agree ?

Ans:-Yes, Natalya is in love. This is clear in her behavior when she knows that Lomov came to propose to her. When she knows it, she starts weeping; she calls her father to bring him back at once. He has gone out after the quarrel. She becomes hysteric.

Q. Find all the words and expressions in the play that the characters used to speak about other, and accusations and insults they hurl at each other.

Ans:-Natalya calls Lomov ‘rascal’, ‘The monster’.Chubukov calls him ‘the villain! The scarecrow!’, ‘that blind hen’ ,‘turnip ghost’, ‘the stuffed sausage’, ‘the wizen-faced frump’, ‘malicious, double-faced intriguer’, ‘pup’, ‘old rat’, ‘Jesuit’, ‘milk soap’, ‘fool’.Chubukov calls Lomov’s father as ‘a guzzling gambler’.Lomov calls Chubukov ‘intreguer’, Natalya’s mother as ‘hump-backed’, ‘back-bitters’, etc. Chubukov calls Lomov as ‘my precious’.Lomov calls Natalya as ‘an excellent house keeper, not bad looking, well educated’.