"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?
"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?
Chekhov draws an admirable variation in the play which adds to the broader fun of it. Lomov comes to propose Natalya who seems to be an acceptable wife to him. Natalya also seems to be interested in the marriage. Later, Lomov claims that his hunting dog named Guess is much better than their dog Squeezer. This leads to a fierce argument and Natalya then asks the above question. Natalya basically wants to say that Lomov is totally ignorant about hunting. She wants to prove that Lomov does not have the ability to compare and judge their hunting dogs. That is why, to underestimate Lomov, she asks this question.
She further teases him by making some suggestions. She suggests that he should go back to his home and lie on the kitchen oven and catch black beetles. She says that he should stop training dogs for hunting because he has no quality that a hunter must possess. She even suggests that instead of going after foxes, he can go after the insects. The suggestions made by Natalya are funny and adds to the comic elements of the play.
"I've noticed that those hunters argue most who know least."-State context and explain the content.
During the argument over the hunting dogs of Lomov and Natalya, Lomov said that his dog Guess is better than Natalya's dog Squeezer. But Natalya did not want to accept it and attacked Lomov verbally. According to her, Squeezer was well-bred and there would be no comparison between them. Later, Chubukov also joined Natalya and supported her which made Lomov even more angry. Natalya insulted Lomov by saying that he was a bad hunter. Lomov came to propose Natalya but he started arguing with her and could not shed his ego. According to Natalya, Lomov lacked the skill of hunting. She also mocked at his illness and made the readers understood that he was not only physically unfit but also mentally weak.
“My heart's bursting!" —Who is the speaker? What happens immediately after the above comment?
"I ... I'm happy too. ..."- Who is the speaker? When did the speaker say this? What happened then?
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?
On what issues did Lomov and Natalya quarrel at first? How did their argument come to an end?
Why did Lomov think about taking a decision about getting married? Whom did he want to marry? Why?
What are Oxen Meadows? What is the measure of the land? What is the controversy?
Why did Natalya and Lomov quarrel over dogs?
When does Natalya come to know of the proposal? How does she react? Why does she react in this way?
