The Proposal Summary Class 10

Students should read the The Proposal Summary Class 10 English provided below prepared based on the NCERT Book for Class 10 English. In the summary, the teacher has provided the gist of the lesson. The students will be able to understand the entire chapter easily. Students should go through all Class 10 English Chapter Summary provided by us on our website.

Class 10 English The Proposal Summary

`The Proposal’ is a one-act play. Actually, it is a farce written by Anton Chekhov in 1888-89. The play is about the tendency of wealthy families to seek matrimonial ties. The real purpose is to increase their estates and landed properties. Ivan Lomov was a wealthy neighbour of another wealthy farmer Stepan Chubukov. Lomov comes to seek the hand of Chubukov’s twenty-five-year-old daughter, Natalya. Tomov, Chubukov and Natalya’-all three are quarrelsome people. They quarrel over petty or small issues. Each one of them has a claim over a particular piece of land. They also quarrel over their dogs. Amidst this quarrelling, they completely forget the real issue — the marriage proposal. But good sense prevails in the end. Economic good sense ensures that the proposal is made. Chubukov doesn’t want to miss the opportunity. He puts his daughter’s hand into Lomov’s hands. He doesn’t waste any time and blesses them. However, old habits die hard. The newly married couple starts their married life with a fresh quarrel.

Summary in Hindi

‘प्रस्ताव’ एक एकांकी नाटक है। दरअसल, यह 1888-89 में एंटोन चेखव द्वारा लिखा गया एक तमाशा है। यह नाटक धनी परिवारों की वैवाहिक संबंधों की तलाश की प्रवृत्ति के बारे में है। असली मकसद उनकी जागीर और जमीन जायदाद को बढ़ाना है। इवान लोमोव एक अन्य धनी किसान स्टीफन चुबुकोव का धनी पड़ोसी था। लोमोव चुबुकोव की पच्चीस वर्षीय बेटी, नताल्या का हाथ तलाशने आता है। तोमोव, चुबुकोव और नताल्या’- तीनों झगड़ालू लोग हैं। वे छोटी-छोटी बातों पर झगड़ते हैं। उनमें से प्रत्येक का भूमि के एक विशेष टुकड़े पर अपना दावा है। वे अपने कुत्तों को लेकर भी झगड़ते हैं। इस झगड़े के बीच, वे असली मुद्दे – शादी के प्रस्ताव को पूरी तरह से भूल जाते हैं। लेकिन अंत में अच्छी भावना प्रबल होती है। आर्थिक अच्छी समझ यह सुनिश्चित करती है कि प्रस्ताव बनाया गया है। चुबुकोव मौका गंवाना नहीं चाहता। वह अपनी बेटी का हाथ लोमोव के हाथों में देता है। वह कोई समय बर्बाद नहीं करते और उन्हें आशीर्वाद देते हैं। हालांकि, पुरानी आदतें मुश्किल से मरती हैं। नवविवाहित जोड़ा अपने वैवाहिक जीवन की शुरुआत एक नए झगड़े के साथ करता है।

Detailed Summary

When the play begins we see that Lomov comes to meet Chubukov at his house. Chubukov who is a farmer welcomes Lomov. He asks him why he is wearing formal clothes and whether he is going to attend a function. Lomov replies that he is not going anywhere; he has come only to meet him. Lomov appears excited and perturbed. He calms himself down and begins to tell him the purpose of his visit. He tells him that he came to him many times in the past also for his help but he did not help him. Before telling the purpose of his visit. Lomov is excited once again. Chubukov thinks that perhaps he has come to ask for a loan. He makes up his mind not to help him in any way.

Lomov once again begins to tell Chubukov about the purpose of his visit. But he once again becomes excited. He talks about himself in exaggerated terms. Chubukov asks him not to beat about the hush and to talk about his purpose of coming. Lomov gathers courage and tells him that he has come to ask for his daughter Natalya’s hand in marriage. On hearing this Chubukov becomes very happy, he goes in to call Natalya. But before this Lomov asks him whether Natalya would give her permission for this. Chubukov replies that she will readily accept a match like him.

Lomov is left alone in the room. His body is trembling with excitement. He thinks about his present life. He wants to settle the question of his marriage at once. He thinks that now he should not delay. He thinks about Natalya. She is a skilled house-keeper. She is educated and is not bad to look at. At this age, he should not expect a better girl than her. Now he is thirty-five years old. Now he should lead a regulated life. He is suffering from serious diseases like palpitation, excitement and insomnia. Because of these reasons, he should marry.

Just then Natalya comes in. Her father has not told her that Lomov has come to meet her. He only told her that a customer had come. Even then she welcomes Lomov. Before Lomov can speak, she starts speaking-When she mentions his beautiful dress, he is again excited. Before he can talk about his marriage to her, he starts trembling. Natalya encourages him and he recovers. He says that he will tell her everything in brief. Even then he cannot talk in a straight-forward manner. He beats about the bush. He tells her that for the Iasi many decades their families have had good relations. Their estates are also adjoining. His Oxen Warbles touch their birch woods. Natalya protests against this. She says that the Oxen Meadows belong to her. They lay their claims to it. They start quarrelling about the ownership of the Oxen Meadows. They shout loudly at each other. They do not calm down in any way. Chubukov comes in and finds them both quarrelling. He is greatly surprised. But when he finds that they are quarrelling about the ownership of the Oxen Meadows. He also becomes angry. Instead of calming them down, he also starts quarrelling. He claims to be the owner of the Meadows. He insults not only Lomov but also his family members. Lomov becomes more excited. He uses insulting words for Chubukov, Natalya and their family members. Lomov’s palpitation increases and he becomes very perturbed. He goes out of the room. Chubukov says how the foolish Lomov dared to bring a proposal for Natalya’s marriage. When Natalya hears this, she is deeply shocked. She is almost unconscious. She starts weeping and asks her father to bring tomor back. Chubukov feels sad. He says that it is the biggest misfortune to be the father of a girl. He goes out to call Lomov.

Lomov again enters the room. Natalya thinks that she will not annoy him this time. She tries to please him. She says that the Meadows belong to him. She tries to change the topic so that he could propose to her. But he is still not all right. He is feeling disturbed. He does not come to the point. Lomov starts praising the qualities of his dog Guess, which he has purchased for 125 roubles. But Natalya says that her dog Squeezer which she purchased for 85 roubles is much better than Lomov’s dog Guess. Both of them praise the qualities of their dogs. Now they start quarrelling on this topic. They again start shouting at each other. In the meantime, Chubukov comes. Instead of putting an end to their quarrel, he also starts quarrelling. In this dispute. Lomov’s condition deteriorates and he falls on the chair, unconscious. Both the father and the daughter think that he has died. Natalya starts lamenting that her chance of getting married has gone.

After sometime. Lomov comes to his senses. Chubukov tells Lomov that Natalya is willing for marriage. So he should marry her. Natalya expresses her willingness. Chubukov does not want to lose even a moment and joins their hands. He asks them to kiss each other. But soon, they start quarrelling again. They start debating the qualities of their respective dogs. Chubukov tries to calm them down. With this, the play comes to an end.

Summary in Hindi

जब नाटक शुरू होता है तो हम देखते हैं कि लोमोव चुबुकोव से मिलने उसके घर आता है। चुबुकोव जो एक किसान है, लोमोव का स्वागत करता है। वह उससे पूछता है कि उसने औपचारिक कपड़े क्यों पहने हैं और क्या वह किसी समारोह में शामिल होने जा रहा है। लोमोव जवाब देता है कि वह कहीं नहीं जा रहा है; वह उनसे मिलने ही आया है। लोमोव उत्साहित और परेशान दिखाई देता है। वह अपने आप को शांत करता है और उसे अपनी यात्रा का उद्देश्य बताना शुरू करता है। वह उससे कहता है कि वह पहले भी कई बार उसकी मदद के लिए उसके पास आया था लेकिन उसने उसकी मदद नहीं की। अपनी यात्रा का उद्देश्य बताने से पहले। लोमोव एक बार फिर उत्साहित है। चुबुकोव सोचता है कि शायद वह कर्ज मांगने आया है। वह किसी भी तरह से उसकी मदद नहीं करने का मन बना लेता है।

लोमोव एक बार फिर चुबुकोव को अपनी यात्रा के उद्देश्य के बारे में बताना शुरू करता है। लेकिन वह एक बार फिर उत्साहित हो जाते हैं। वह अपने बारे में अतिरंजित शब्दों में बात करता है। चुबुकोव ने उसे चुप रहने और आने के अपने उद्देश्य के बारे में बात करने के लिए नहीं कहा। लोमोव हिम्मत जुटाता है और उसे बताता है कि वह अपनी बेटी नताल्या की शादी में हाथ मांगने आया है। यह सुनकर चुबुकोव बहुत खुश हो जाता है, वह नताल्या को बुलाने जाता है। लेकिन इससे पहले लोमोव उससे पूछता है कि क्या नताल्या उसे इसके लिए अनुमति देगी। चुबुकोव जवाब देता है कि वह उसके जैसे मैच को आसानी से स्वीकार कर लेगी

लोमोव कमरे में अकेला रह गया है। उसका शरीर उत्तेजना से कांप रहा है। वह अपने वर्तमान जीवन के बारे में सोचता है। वह अपनी शादी के सवाल को एक बार में सुलझाना चाहता है। वह सोचता है कि अब उसे देर नहीं करनी चाहिए। वह नताल्या के बारे में सोचता है। वह कुशल गृहणी हैं। वह पढ़ी-लिखी है और देखने में बुरी नहीं है। इस उम्र में उसे उससे बेहतर लड़की की उम्मीद नहीं करनी चाहिए। अब वह पैंतीस साल का है। अब उसे एक विनियमित जीवन जीना चाहिए। वह घबराहट, उत्तेजना और अनिद्रा जैसी गंभीर बीमारियों से पीड़ित है। इन्हीं कारणों से उसे शादी करनी चाहिए।

तभी नताल्या अंदर आती है। उसके पिता ने उसे यह नहीं बताया है कि लोमोव उससे मिलने आया है। उसने केवल उसे बताया कि एक ग्राहक आया था। फिर भी वह लोमोव का स्वागत करती है। इससे पहले कि लोमोव कुछ बोल पाता, वह बोलना शुरू कर देती है-जब वह उसकी खूबसूरत पोशाक का जिक्र करती है, तो वह फिर उत्तेजित हो जाता है। इससे पहले कि वह उससे अपनी शादी के बारे में बात कर पाता, वह कांपने लगता है। नताल्या उसे प्रोत्साहित करती है और वह ठीक हो जाता है। वह कहता है कि वह उसे संक्षेप में सब कुछ बता देगा। फिर भी वह सीधे-सीधे बात नहीं कर पाता। वह झाड़ी के बारे में मारता है। वह उसे बताता है कि इयासी के लिए कई दशकों से उनके परिवारों के बीच अच्छे संबंध रहे हैं। उनकी जागीरें भी लगी हुई हैं। उनके ऑक्सन वारबल्स उनके बर्च वुड्स को छूते हैं। नताल्या ने इसका विरोध किया। वह कहती है कि ऑक्सन मीडोज उसके हैं। इस पर वे अपना दावा करते हैं। वे बैलों के मैदानों के स्वामित्व को लेकर झगड़ने लगते हैं। वे एक-दूसरे पर जोर-जोर से चिल्लाते हैं। वे किसी भी तरह से शांत नहीं होते हैं। चुबुकोव अंदर आता है और उन दोनों को झगड़ता हुआ पाता है। उसे बड़ा आश्चर्य होता है। लेकिन जब उसे पता चलता है कि वे बैलों के घास के मैदानों के स्वामित्व को लेकर झगड़ रहे हैं। वह क्रोधित भी हो जाता है। वह उन्हें शांत करने के बजाय झगड़ा करने लगता है। वह घास के मैदान का मालिक होने का दावा करता है। वह न केवल लोमोव का बल्कि उसके परिवार के सदस्यों का भी अपमान करता है। लोमोव अधिक उत्साहित हो जाता है। वह चुबुकोव, नताल्या और उनके परिवार के सदस्यों के लिए अपमानजनक शब्दों का इस्तेमाल करता है। लोमोव की धड़कन बढ़ जाती है और वह बहुत परेशान हो जाता है। वह कमरे से बाहर चला जाता है। चुबुकोव कहते हैं कि कैसे मूर्ख लोमोव ने प्रस्ताव लाने की हिम्मत की नताल्या की शादी के लिए। जब नताल्या यह सुनती है, तो उसे गहरा धक्का लगता है। वह लगभग बेहोश है। वह रोने लगती है और अपने पिता से कल वापस लाने को कहती है। चुबुकोव उदास महसूस करता है। उनका कहना है कि किसी लड़की का पिता होना सबसे बड़ा दुर्भाग्य है। वह लोमोव को बुलाने के लिए बाहर जाता है।

लोमोव फिर से कमरे में प्रवेश करता है। नताल्या को लगता है कि वह इस बार उसे नाराज नहीं करेगी। वह उसे खुश करने की कोशिश करती है। वह कहती है कि घास के मैदान उसके हैं। वह विषय को बदलने की कोशिश करती है ताकि वह उसे प्रपोज कर सके। लेकिन वह अभी भी ठीक नहीं है। वह परेशान महसूस कर रहा है। वह मुद्दे पर नहीं आते। लोमोव अपने कुत्ते गेस के गुणों की प्रशंसा करने लगता है, जिसे उसने 125 रूबल में खरीदा है। लेकिन नताल्या का कहना है कि उसका कुत्ता स्क्वीज़र, जिसे उसने 85 रूबल में खरीदा था, लोमोव के कुत्ते गेस से बहुत बेहतर है। दोनों अपने कुत्तों के गुणों की तारीफ करते हैं। इसी बात को लेकर अब उनका झगड़ा होने लगा है। वे फिर एक दूसरे पर चिल्लाने लगते हैं। इस बीच, चुबुकोव आता है। उनका झगड़ा खत्म करने के बजाय वह झगड़ा भी करने लगता है। इस विवाद में। लोमोव की हालत बिगड़ती है और वह बेहोश होकर कुर्सी पर गिर जाता है। पिता और पुत्री दोनों सोचते हैं कि वह मर गया है। नताल्या विलाप करने लगती है कि उसकी शादी करने का मौका चला गया है।

कुछ देर बाद। लोमोव होश में आता है। चुबुकोव लोमोव को बताता है कि नताल्या शादी के लिए तैयार है। इसलिए उसे उससे शादी कर लेनी चाहिए। नताल्या ने अपनी इच्छा व्यक्त की। चुबुकोव एक पल भी खोना नहीं चाहता और हाथ मिलाता है। उन्होंने कहा कि एक दूसरे को चूमने के लिए उन्हें पूछता है। लेकिन जल्द ही, वे फिर से झगड़ने लगते हैं। वे अपने-अपने कुत्तों के गुणों पर बहस करने लगते हैं। चुबुकोव उन्हें शांत करने की कोशिश करता है। इसी के साथ नाटक का अंत होता है।

The Proposal Class 10 English Important Questions

Extract Based comprehension Questions

Its cold… I’m trembling all over, just as if I’d got an examination before me. The great thing is, I must have my mind made up. If I give myself time to think, to hesitate, to talk a lot, to look for an ideal, or for real love, then I’ll never get married.

Question & Answer

Question. Who is saying, “I’m trembling all over as if I had got an examination before me”?
Ans. Ivan Vassilevitch Lomov.

Question. What is the great thing that the speaker is talking about?
Ans. The speaker is talking about real love and marriage.

Question. What state of Loom’s mind does the passage reflect?
Ans. His mind reflects that way he would never get married because it is difficult to get an idea or real love.

Question. Why did Loom not want to wait for real love?
Ans. This was because he was anxious to get married.

Extract Based comprehension Questions

“Then you make out that I’m a land grabber? Madam, never in my life have I grabbed anybody else’s land and I shan’t allow anybody to accuse me of having done so. Oxen Meadows are mine!”

Question & Answer

Question. Who is ‘Madam’ in the above lines?
Ans. Natalya

Question. In which situation does Lomov call himself a ‘land grabber’?
Ans. Natalya accuses Lomovof grabbing Oxen Meadows. So, Lomov says that he is not a land grabber.

Question. What had happened to the speaker?
Ans. The speaker got infuriated with Natalya for having called him a land grabber.

Question. What will he not allow the other?
Ans. He will not allow anybody to accuse him of having grabbed anyone’s land.

Extract Based comprehension Questions

What a surprise! We’ve had the land for nearly three hundred years, and then we’re suddenly told that it isn’t ours! Ivan Vassilevitch, I can hardly believe my own ears. These Meadows aren’t worth much to me. They only come to five dessiatins and are worth perhaps 300 roubles, but I can’t stand unfairness. Say what you will, I can’t stand unfairness.

Question & Answer

Question. Who speaks the above lines and to whom?
Ans. Lomov speaks these lines to Natalya.

Question. How much are the meadows worth?
Ans. They worth perhaps 300 roubles.

Question. Who is the speaker of these lines?
Ans. Natalya Stepanovna

Question. What is difficult for the speaker to believe?
Ans. That the Meadows don’t belong to the speaker

Short Answer Questions 

Question. Describe Lomov’s first meeting with Natalya.
Ans. Lomov goes to his neighbour Chubukov’s house to ask for the hand of his daughter Natalya. He is in a fix how to make the marriage proposal. He talks in a roundabout manner. He makes a mention of his meadows which touch their birchwoods. At this, a quarrel ensues between them over the ownership rights the meadows.

Question. Why is Lomov anxious to marry Natalya?
Ans. Lomov wants to settle the question of his marriage at once. He thinks that now he should not delay. He thinks about Natalya. She is a skilled house-keeper. She is educated and is not bad to look at. At this age, he should not expect a better girl than her. He is suffering from some serious diseases. Because of these reasons. He is anxious to marry Natalya.

Question. How does Lomov speak warmly of Chubukov’s family in the beginning? Why does he change his stand?
Ans. In the beginning, Lomov speaks quite warmly about Chubukov’s family. He reminds Natalya that he knows the Chubukovs since his childhood. His aunt and uncle to had great respect for her family. Both the families have been most friendly and close neighbours. Lomov changes his opinion about the Chubukovs when he picks up a quarrel with Natalya and Chubukov over the ownership of Oxen Meadows.

Question. Justify the title of the play. ‘The Proposal’ Or What is the theme or the message of ‘The Proposal’?
Ans. Anton Chekov has aptly titled the play, ‘The Proposal’. The title justifies the main theme—the marriage of Natalya and Lomov. No doubt, both Lomov and Natalya want to be life partners. However, unnecessary quarrels over Oxen Meadows and their dogs Squeezer and Guess temporarily spoil their game. The message is very clear. The main issue must not be clouded and lost sight of by indulging in unnecessary and avoidable quarrels.

Long Answer Questions 

Question. ”The way Chubukov, Natalya and Lomov fought over petty issues is against the behaviour and mannerisms of good neighbours.” Comment. What would you have done to resolve the issue? (If you were in the place of Chubukov)
Ans. Lomov and Chubukovs were neighbours. Lomov came to Chubukovs to propose Natalya. But instead of proposing they started fighting over petty issues like oxen meadows and quality of dogs. This is not the quality of good neighbours. Neighbours should live like friends. There should be a positive relationship between the two neighbours. There should be understanding and patience among neighbours. The fight between Looms nd Chubukovs could have been avoided if handled carefully. The issue of meadows could be resolved calmly and quietly by a good conversation. There must have been some documents showing the ownership of the meadows or both the parties could be convinced by making them understand that if they got married, the meadows will belongs to both of them. Similarly, the issues of dog could be solved instead of counting the negative points of each other’s dogs. They can discuss the positive features of the dogs. Thus the issues could be resolved.

Question. Describe the incidents of humour in the play, ‘The Proposal’?
Ans. ‘The Proposal’ is certainly a humorous play. The very entry of Lomov in a formal I dress and the way Chubukov greets calling him ‘darling’, ‘my treasure’ or ‘my beauty’ make one laugh. Marriage proposal, supposed to be romantic turns to be humorous as the way Natalya and Lomov indulge in arguments over petty issues like ownership of Oxen Meadows and superiority of dogs makes the play humorous. The critical terms that the characters I use for each other like a scarecrow, turnip ghost, blind hen, stuffed sausage, etc., force one to laugh. The hysterical fit of Natalya when she comes to know about the proposal and the wailing of father and daughter when they think Lomov is dead create immense humour. Finally, the way Natalya puts her hand in Loom’s under continuous arguments indicating acceptance of the proposal is really humorous. Thus we see that the whole play is replete with humour, making it a humorous play.

Question. Chubukov has all the attributes of a quarrelsome rich Russian landlord. Instead of solving the problems, he only adds fuel into the fire in their quarrel over Oxen Meadows and the dogs. Justify the statement.
Ans. Chubukov represents a typical rich landlord of 19th century Russia. He seems to be fairly rich and resourceful. Even his neighbour Lornov acknowledges the frequent help rendered to him by Chubukov. He lands his threshing machine to Lomov. On account of this help, he has to put off their own threshing till November. Chubukov is quite practical. He knows that Lomov can be a good match for his daughter Natalya. So, he at once gives his assent to Lomov’s proposal of marrying her. Actually, he has been waiting for such a proposal for a long time. Chubukov is a landlord and can’t resist his hunger for land. He opposes the claim of Lomov over the ownership of Oxen Meadows. He even threatens to send his mowers out to the Meadows. Chubukov can be quite quarrelsome, abusing and insulting. He always sides with his daughter. He picks up a quarrel on Oxen Meadows. He calls Lomov “a land grabber” and “villain”. He abuses his grandfather of being a “drunkard” and his father a ‘gambler’. He jumps into the quarrel and adds only fuel to the fire. However, Chubukov is a great opportunity. He grabs the opportunity the moment Lomov comes into the senses. He makes Natalya kiss and embrace Lomov and gets them married.