“He’s come to borrow money! Shan’t give him any…”- Who is the speaker? What makes him say this? What features of this character are revealed here?

The speaker here is Stepan Stepanovitch Chubukov, a landowner in Anton Chekhov’s play ‘The Proposal.

The play begins with the arrival of Lomov at Chubukov country house. Chubukov is surprised to see Lomov. He is full of grand manners. Lomov addresses Chubukov as ‘honoured’ Stepan Stepanovitch. All this extraordinary and unnecessary warmth in Lomov’s speech, makes Chubukov feel that he has certainly come to him to borrow money. When Chubukov feels that Lomov is there to borrow money, he immediately comes to the conclusion that he is not going to lend any and will present good excuses to refuse him. Chubukov proves himself to be a narrow-minded person. He is ready to give Lomov his daughter but not money. His behaviour here is exactly like a typical diplomatic businessman.


“Oh, don’t go round and round it, darling! – Who is addressed as ‘darling’? What is it? Who is the speaker? Why does he make this comment?

Here, Ivan Vassilevitch Lomov is addressed Lomov visited Chubukov’s house to ask for his daughter’s hand in marriage. But he could not tell him at first as he was very nervous at that time. as ‘darling!

Therefore it’s referred to the unspoken words which Lomov wanted to say but could not. Here the speaker is Stepan Stepanovitch Chubukov. Chubukov grows impatient and wants to know what Lomov exactly wants to say. He thinks that Lomov has come to his house to borrow money from him. Chubukov decides that he will not give him money and keeping this in mind, Chubukov makes this comment so that he can refuse Lomov if he asks for money.


“I’ve come to ask the hand of your daughter, Natalya Stepanovna, in marriage.”-Who is the speaker? To whom does the speaker say this? What was the reaction of the person spoken to?

“…do you think I may count on her consent ?”-Why is the speaker so uncertain? How does the speaker ultimately get consent?


“She’s like a love-sick cat,”-Who said this and about whom? Analyse the character of the person, referred to here, under the light of the comment above.

“If I give myself time to think, to hesitate, to talk a lot for an ideal, or for real love, then I’ll never get married.”-Who thinks so? When does he think so? Why does the speaker think about it?


“Go; there’s a merchant come for his goods.”—Who said this and to whom? Who is the merchant’? What is referred to as ‘goods’? In what way does it bring out the attitude of the person and the society at that time?

“I’m trembling all over,’ -Who is ‘I’ here? How does the speaker express his nervousness?


“You must excuse my apron and négligé…”. – above-mentioned line has been extracted. Who is the speaker of the quoted line? What is négligee? What was the speaker engaged in before arrival? What did the speaker offer the person addressed as you?

“We’ve had the land for nearly three hundred years…”—Who is the speaker? Who is spoken to? What is referred to as ‘the land’? What do you know of the land from their conversation?


“If you like, i’ll make you a present of them.”-Who is the speaker? Who is the person spoken to? What would the speaker make a present of? Why did the speaker say so?

“How have you the right to give away somebody else’s property?” – Who is the speaker? What property is referred to here? Why does the speaker ask this question?


“Darling, the Meadows are ours!”- Who said this and to whom? Whom did the meadows belong to? Why was there an argument over them?

“You’re not a neighbour, you’re a grabber!”-Who said this and to whom? Why is this said?


“I don’t want anything of yours and I don’t want to give up anything of mine.”-Who says this? To whom does the speaker say this? When does the speaker say this? Bring out the irony latent in it.

“l’ll have the matter taken to court, and then l’ll show you!”-Who is the speaker? Why does the speaker say this? What is the reaction of the person spoken to?


“… and not one has ever been tried for embezzlement, like your grandfather!”-Who said this and about whom? Analyse the character of the speaker under the light of the above statement.

“Oh, unhappy man that I am! I’ll shoot myself! I’ll hang myself!”—Who is unhappy? Why does the speaker wish to die?


“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?

“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?