“Bring him back! Back! Ah! Bring him here.”- Who says this to whom? When is it said? Why is the speaker so excited? What light does the line throw on the character of the speaker?

Natalya says these words to her father Chubukov.

She said it when she learned that Lomov came there to propose her.

The speaker is very excited because receiving a proposal meant a potential prospect of getting married. This line shows that Natalya is quite desperate to get married. The status of a married woman is much more important to her than getting married to the ideal groom or to the man she loves. Though she is incompatible with Lomov, and argues with him every now and then, on hearing that Lomov is about to propose her, she forgets everything and reaches seventh heaven as in those days, marriage was the only means for a woman to gain financial stability and social status.


“What have they done to me! Fetch him back!”-Who is the speaker? Who is ‘him’? What ironic about the speaker’s request to bring ‘him’ back?

Here the speaker is Natalya Stepanovna. Here ‘him’ refers to Ivan Vassilevitch Lomov. Lomov comes to Chubukov house to propose Natalya for marriage. But he can not propose her as they get involved in a heated argument regarding the Oxen Meadows and utters filthy words at each other. Lomov, due to his ill-health, leaves Chubukov house and then Natalya comes to know about Lomov’s real intention from Chubukov. As soon as she comes to know the truth, she becomes impatient and wants to get him back as she does not want to lose the opportunity of getting married. So, she requests Chubukov to fetch him back. Her actions show that she does not seek love, she just needs financial security. The irony lies here where she does not care of any emotion and only wants to get married.


“Forgive us, Ivan Vassilevitch, we were all a little heated.” – Who is the speaker? Who is referred to by ‘us’? Why were the persons referred to ‘a little heated’? Why does the speaker ask for forgiveness?

“Oh, what a burden …. to be the father of a grown-up daughter!”—Who is the ‘father’? Who is the ‘daughter’? Why is the daughter a burden to the father?


“My land is worth little to me, but the principle ..”-Who is the speaker? Which land he referring to? What ‘principle’ does he mean? What made him utter such a statement?

“He got left behind because the Count’s whipper-in hit him with his whip.”- Who is ‘he’ in this sentence? Name the master of him. Name his two contenders. When did the speaker say this?


“What sort of a hunter are you?”-What does Natalya want to say and why does she say so? What suggestions does she make after that?

“I’ve noticed that those hunters argue most who know least.”-State context and explain the content.


“My heart’s bursting!” —Who is the speaker? What happens immediately after the above comment?

“I give you my blessing and so on. Only leave me in peace!”—Who is the speaker? Why did the speaker say so?


“I give you my blessing and so on. Only leave me in peace!”-What does the speaker intend to mean by this comment?

“I … I’m happy too. …”- Who is the speaker? When did the speaker say this? What happened then?


“I ….I’m happy too. ….” -Who says this and when? Why is the speaker ‘happy? How would you explain her happiness?

“What a weight off my shoulders…!”-What aspect of the social condition is revealed by Chubukov through this comment?


“But … still you will admit now that Guess is worse than Squeezer.”-Who is the speaker? Whom is the speaker addressing? Describe the incident involving Guess and Squeezer.

“… that’s a way to start your family bliss!”-Who is the speaker? What way has been referred to here? Give your view on what the speaker says.


Discuss ‘The Proposal as a farcical satire.

Comment on the theme of marriage in this play. How do Lomov and Natalya contribute to this theme?


How did Chubukov welcome Lomov when he paid them a visit?

How does Chubukov react to Lomov proposal?