Chapter 9: The Proposal

Q1Written answer

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.

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Worked solution

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.

Q2Written answer

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.

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Worked solution

Chubukov believes that Lomov is an ideal marriage prospect for his daughter, Natalya. He was indeed waiting for this proposal. However, when Lomov expresses his doubt about Natalya’s consent to the marriage proposal, Chubukov immediately affirms him, saying that his daughter is in love with him. In the play, we notice that Natalya constantly argues and disagrees with Lomov in every respect. When Lomov leaves after the argument, Chubukov tells her that he has 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!”

Q3Written answer

(i) Find all the words and expressions in the play that the characters use to speak about each other and the accusations and insults they hurl at each other. (For example, Lomov, in the end, calls Chubukov an intriguer; but earlier, Chubukov has himself called Lomov a “malicious, doublefaced intriguer.” Again, Lomov begins by describing Natalya as “an excellent housekeeper, not bad-looking, well-educated.”)

(ii) Then think of five adjectives or adjectival expressions of your own to describe each character in the play.

(iii) Can you now imagine what these characters will quarrel about next?

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Worked solution

(i) The words and expressions that have been used in the play by various characters to describe each other are listed below:

Chubukov: intriguer, grabber, old rat, Jesuit

Natalya: a lovesick cat, an excellent housekeeper, not bad-looking, well-educated.

Lomov: a good neighbour, impudent, pettifogger, malicious, double-faced intriguer, rascal, blind hen, turnip-ghost, a villain, a scarecrow, the stuffed sausage, a monster, the wizen-faced frump, pup, fool, milksop, etc.

(ii) & (iii) Activity to be done by yourself.

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