The Proposal
Lomov comes to propose
Describe how Lomov makes his proposal to Chubukov.
The characters.
- Stepan Stepanovitch Chubukov: a landowner;
- Natalya Stepanovna: his daughter, twenty-five;
- Ivan Vassilevitch Lomov: his neighbour, 'large and hearty, but very suspicious'.
A suspicious welcome. Lomov arrives in evening dress and white gloves. Chubukov greets him with 'my darling', 'my angel', 'my treasure'. But when Lomov gets nervous, Chubukov says to himself: 'He's come to borrow money. Shan't give him any!'
Sudden love. Lomov finally asks for Natalya's hand. Chubukov hugs him, sheds a tear, and says, 'I've always loved you, my angel, as if you were my own son.' He says Natalya is 'like a lovesick cat'. Is he sincere? Think about his first thought.
Lomov's reasons. Alone, he thinks: if he waits for 'an ideal, or real love', he will never marry. Natalya is 'an excellent housekeeper, not bad-looking, well-educated. What more do I want?' He is 35, 'a critical age', and needs a quiet, regular life. Love is not on his list.
A worrier about his health. He suffers 'palpitations', his lips tremble, his right eyebrow twitches, and every night 'something in my left side gives a pull' that wakes him up to twenty times.
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