The Proposal – Character analysis of Lomov, Natalya & Chubukov

 The Proposal

Anton Chekhov

(Character Analysis)

“The Proposal” by Anton Chekhov– Character Analysis

👉  Chubukov’s character as a responsible father

Answer: Stepan Stepanovitch Chubukov, a rich landowner in Chekhov's play, ‘The Proposal’, was bothered with the responsibility of finding a suitable suitor for his little girl, Natalya.

When Lomov approached Chubukov to ask for his daughter’s hand in marriage, he readily accepted it and encouraged Lomov to talk to his daughter. It is clear that Chubukov disliked Lomov as he gave vent to his real feelings during the course of their arguments. 

However, on seeing Natalya's excitement, when she heard about Lomov’s intention of visiting their place Chubukov as a sensible father realized that Natalya and Lomov should get married. Though, he got involved in the arguments his sensibility made him step back. For his daughter’s sake, he almost forced them to get engaged even in the middle of a fierce battle of words.

Thus, Chubukov demonstrated himself to be a reasonable dad to whom his little girl's prosperity was his main goal.

👉  Lomov’s Character in the play, ‘The Proposal’

Answer: In the play, 'The Proposal' composed by Anton Chekhov, Ivan Vassilevitch Lomov is a mild and pacified neighbor of Stepan Stepanovitch Chubukov. He is a 35 year old bachelor.

The playwright further describes him as large and hearty, but a very suspicious landowner. He is a stock person, a neurotic who is fanatical on his fanciful sickness and spends restless evenings.  For him, marriage marks the beginning of a social relation rather than a personal one. So he chooses a quiet and regular life instead of searching for ideal or a real love. 

He decides to ask for Natalya’s hand in marriage because he feels Natalya possesses the quality of an acceptable wife. But he gets involved in multiple arguments with Natalya and her father Chubukov. His hesitation and nervousness in uttering the marriage proposal to Natalya is extremely funny. Chekhov highlights Lomov’s illness to show the traditional diseased society. It indicates individual weakness as well as social degeneration.

👉  Sketch the character of Natalya

Answer: In the play 'The Proposal' composed by Anton Chekhov, Natalya Stepanovna is the 25 year old little girl of the rich landowner, Stepan Stepanovitch Chubukov.

We learn from Lomov’s soliloquy that she is an excellent housekeeper not bad looking and very well educated even before she appears. When finally she makes her entry, she destroys all the expectations of romance in that situation that is supposed to be romantic.

She is dressed in an apron and negligee and talks about shelling peas and staking hay to a man who has come with a marriage proposal. She shows no signs of the ‘love-sick-cat’ attitude that her father has led us to expect because she is unaware about the marriage proposal. 

This spirited lady mocks Lomov and argues with him but gets extremely excited and restless and urges her father to call him back when she comes to know about his proposal of marriage. In her extreme eagerness to get married, she accepts Lomov's proposal.

But Lomov did not utter such a proposal directly. Besides, Natalya kisses the confused Lomov at her father’s consent but starts to argue immediately after that. Thus, Chekhov’s uses her as a tool to satirize the process of courtship and marriage.

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