9. The Proposal

(iii) the act of asking someone’s hand in marriage

At first Chubukov suspects that Lomov has come to borrow money. He says to himself, “He’s come to borrow money. Shan’t give him any!”

No, he is not sincere. He says these sweet words only because Lomov is a rich neighbour and a good match for his daughter. Later, during the quarrel, he calls Lomov a “pettifogger”, a “malicious, double-faced intriguer”, a “boy”, a “pup” and a “fool”.

No, I do not fully agree. Natalya does not show any love for Lomov in the play. She quarrels with him over Oxen Meadows and the dogs.

But she is eager to get married. When she learns that Lomov had come to propose, she becomes hysterical and wants him brought back at once. So she wants the marriage, but she is not really ‘lovesick’.

Chubukov about Lomov: my darling, my treasure, my precious, my beauty, my angel, my dear fellow (at first); pettifogger, malicious, double-faced intriguer, villain, scarecrow, blind hen, turnip-ghost, stuffed sausage, wizen-faced frump, boy, pup, fool, milksop.

Lomov about Chubukov: honoured Stepan Stepanovitch (at first); grabber, intriguer, old rat, Jesuit.

Lomov about Natalya: an excellent housekeeper, not bad-looking, well-educated.

Natalya about Lomov: rascal, monster; she says his behaviour is strange and impudent.

Insults about each other’s families: Chubukov says the Lomovs have had lunacy in the family, Lomov’s grandfather was a drunkard, his aunt ran away with an architect, and his father was a guzzling gambler. Lomov says Chubukov’s grandfather was tried for embezzlement, his mother was hump-backed, and his late wife used to beat him. Natalya calls Lomov’s aunt a backbiter. Chubukov says Lomov is “under the slipper” of his housekeeper.

(ii) Think of five adjectives or adjectival expressions of your own to describe each character in the play.

Chubukov: short-tempered, selfish, hypocritical, quarrelsome, practical.

Natalya: argumentative, sharp-tongued, proud, stubborn, eager to marry.

Lomov: nervous, suspicious, hypochondriac (always worried about his health), quarrelsome, indecisive.

(iii) Can you now imagine what these characters will quarrel about next?

They will quarrel about almost anything. They may quarrel about the wedding arrangements, the dowry, property, hunting or their dogs again.

Expressions that sound Russian or old-fashioned: “my darling”, “my treasure”, “my angel”, “my precious”, “my beauty” (used by an older man for a man), “honoured Stepan Stepanovitch”, “egad”, “by Jove”, “Tfoo!”, “devil take him”, “I’ll give it to them in the neck”, “and so on, and all that”.

Modern, idiomatic English expressions: “Spit it out!”, “you just think I’m a fool and want to have me on”, “My foot’s gone to sleep”, “Why talk rot?”, “Shut up!”, “He seems to be coming round”, “You may take it that…”.

1. palpitations — pal-pi-TA-tions (4)
2. interfere — in-ter-FERE (3)
3. implore — im-PLORE (2)
4. thoroughbred — THO-rough-bred (3)
5. pedigree — PED-i-gree (3)
6. principle — PRIN-ci-ple (3)
7. evidence — EV-i-dence (3)
8. misfortune — mis-FOR-tune (3)
9. malicious — ma-LI-cious (3)
10. embezzlement — em-BEZ-zle-ment (4)
11. architect — AR-chi-tect (3)
12. neighbours — NEIGH-bours (2)
13. accustomed — ac-CUS-tomed (3)
14. temporary — TEM-po-ra-ry (4)
15. behaviour — be-HA-viour (3)
16. documents — DOC-u-ments (3)

1. You may take it that — you may believe or accept that. You may take it that the exam will be held on time.
2. He seems to be coming round — he seems to be regaining consciousness (or changing his opinion). The patient fainted, but now he seems to be coming round.
3. My foot’s gone to sleep — my foot has become numb. After sitting cross-legged for an hour, my foot’s gone to sleep.

1. To report a question, we use the reporting verb asked (as in Sentence Set 1).
2. To report a statement, we use the reporting verb said.
3. The adverb of place here changes to there.
4. When the verb in direct speech is in the present tense, the verb in reported speech is in the past tense (as in Sentence Set 3).
5. If the verb in direct speech is in the present continuous tense, the verb in reported speech changes to past continuous tense. For example, am getting changes to was getting.
6. When the sentence in direct speech contains a word denoting respect, we add the adverb respectfully in the reporting clause (as in Sentence Set 1).
7. The pronouns I, me, our and mine, which are used in the first person in direct speech, change according to the subject or object of the reporting verb such as he, him, their or his/hers in reported speech.

Ill effects of anger:

1. It harms our health. It raises blood pressure and causes stress.
2. It spoils our relationships with family and friends.
3. We say or do things in anger that we regret later.

Ways to avoid losing temper:

• Count to ten or take deep breaths before reacting.
• Walk away from the situation for some time.
• Listen calmly to the other person’s point of view.
• Do yoga, meditation or exercise regularly.

Benefits: Anger, if controlled, can push us to fight against injustice and to correct wrongs.