CBSE Class 10 English Chapter 9 The Proposal Notes 2026-27: Summary, Characters, Themes and Questions

These Class 10 English Chapter 9 PDF Notes The Proposal explain Chekhov’s play in plain words. You get the story, the characters, the themes and every NCERT answer. Everything here follows the NCERT First Flight text.

Short on time? Jump to Quick Revision. Want to understand the play properly? Read from the top. Either way, these CBSE Class 10 English Chapter 9 PDF Notes The Proposal 9 The Proposal are built for a fast, clear read.

Table of Contents

1. Chapter Overview
2. Summary of The Proposal
3. Character Analysis
4. Themes and Literary Devices
5. Word Meanings
6. NCERT Questions and Answers
7. MCQs
8. Quick Revision
9. Important Questions
10. Short Answer (Snippet)
11. FAQs

Chapter Overview

The Proposal is a short, funny play. A man comes to ask for a girl’s hand. Instead, he ends up in a shouting match.

The play is a farce. A farce uses silly situations and exaggerated behaviour to make you laugh. It also pokes fun at real habits in society.

Facts box: the numbers in the play

Common mistakes to avoid:

• Lomov is 35. Natalya is 25. Students often swap them.
• Lomov calls Chubukov a “Jesuit”. Chubukov never says it.
• The meadows are worth little. The fight is about pride.
• NCERT spells one speaker tag as “Natlya”. That is a printing slip. Write Natalya.

Class 10 English Chapter 9 PDF Notes The Proposal

Summary of The Proposal

Read the summary in eight small scenes. Together they show how the play builds.

Scene 1: A Suspicious Welcome

Lomov arrives in evening dress and white gloves. Chubukov greets him warmly. He calls him “my angel” and “my treasure”.

Chubukov is puzzled by the fancy clothes. He asks if Lomov is going somewhere.

Scene 2: The Wrong Guess

Lomov says he needs a favour. He is so nervous that he keeps drinking water. Chubukov thinks, in an aside, that Lomov wants a loan. He decides not to give any.

Then Lomov blurts it out. He has come to ask for Natalya’s hand.

Scene 3: The Sudden Change

Chubukov’s mood flips at once. He hugs Lomov and cries a little. He says he has loved Lomov like a son.

He rushes off to fetch Natalya. Lomov, alone, talks himself into the marriage. He is 35, unwell and in need of a quiet life.

Scene 4: The Meadows Quarrel

Natalya enters, dressed for housework. She chats about hay and peas. Lomov tries to praise both families.

Then he mentions “my Oxen Meadows”. Natalya objects. She says the land is hers. Neither will give way.

The fight grows louder. Lomov clutches his heart. Chubukov walks in and sides with his daughter.

Scene 5: The Insult Match

Chubukov and Lomov trade insults about each other’s families. Lomov rushes out, close to collapse. Chubukov shouts that he must never return.

Only then does Chubukov mention the proposal. Natalya is shocked. She wails and orders her father to bring Lomov back.

Scene 6: The Return

Lomov comes back exhausted. Natalya apologises at once. She now says the meadows really are his.

She wants to steer him back to the proposal. She asks about his hunting plans instead.

Scene 7: The Dog Quarrel

Lomov mentions that his dog Guess is lame. Natalya says her father’s Squeezer is far better. Lomov says Squeezer is “overshot”, meaning the lower jaw is short.

The fight explodes again. Chubukov joins in. Insults fly. Lomov falls into a chair and seems to die.

Scene 8: The Forced Ending

Natalya and Chubukov panic. Then Lomov stirs. Chubukov pushes the couple’s hands together and orders them to kiss.

They agree. But within seconds they are arguing about Guess and Squeezer again. Chubukov calls for champagne to drown them out. The curtain falls.

Memory trick: the Three M’s. The play has three beats. Meadows, Marriage reveal, Mutts. If you can list those, you can retell the whole play.

Character Analysis

Each answer below gives a trait and proof from the play. Board examiners reward this pattern.

Ivan Vassilevitch Lomov

Lomov is a 35-year-old landowner. He is large and hearty but very suspicious. He is also a hypochondriac. That means he imagines or exaggerates illness.

• Nervous: he says he is “trembling all over” like before an exam.
• Health-obsessed: palpitations, twitching eyebrow, a numb foot.
• Practical about marriage: he calls Natalya a good housekeeper and well-educated. He never mentions love.
• Stubborn: he says he acts “on principle” and will not drop the meadows.
• Easily provoked: he screams “Mine!” and insults Chubukov.

Natalya Stepanovna

Natalya is Chubukov’s 25-year-old daughter. She runs the house. She is sharp-tongued, proud and quick to argue.

• Fiercely possessive: she repeats “ours, ours, ours” about a small piece of land.
• Proud of her things: she defends Squeezer as if it were family.
• Practical: the moment she hears “proposal”, she begs her father to fetch Lomov.
• Dramatic: she wails, and she screams that Lomov is dead.
• Never admits defeat: even at the end she insists Guess is worse.

Stepan Stepanovitch Chubukov

Chubukov is a landowner and Natalya’s father. He is warm when he wants something. He is nasty when he is crossed.

• Two-faced: he calls Lomov “my angel”, then “scarecrow” and “turnip-ghost”.
• Money-minded: his first thought is a loan. His second is a rich son-in-law.
• Hot-tempered: he admits he loses his temper easily, then loses it.
• Melodramatic: he threatens to shoot himself and hang himself.
• Desperate for the wedding: he joins their hands and says “leave me in peace”.

Who called whom what

Themes and Literary Devices

Theme 1: Marriage as a business deal

Lomov lists Natalya’s skills like items on a bill. Chubukov’s love for Lomov appears only after the word “marriage”. Chekhov mocks families who marry for land and wealth.

Theme 2: Pride and ego

Nobody in the play wants to lose. The meadows are worth little. The dogs are only dogs. But each character must be right.

Theme 3: Petty quarrels spoil big moments

The proposal is nearly forgotten. Small fights swallow the most important event in the play.

Theme 4: Hypocrisy

Chubukov’s sweet talk hides his real thoughts. The aside “Shan’t give him any!” shows the gap between words and thoughts.

Theme 5: Poor communication

Nobody listens. Lomov cannot say “I want to marry you” plainly. Natalya cannot say “I want this proposal” plainly. So they shout instead.

Devices you can name in an answer:

• Farce: exaggerated action and sudden reversals.
• Irony: a proposal turns into a war.
• Aside: a private thought spoken to the audience, like Chubukov’s fear of a loan.
• Repetition: “Mine!” and “Ours!” shouted back and forth.
• Hyperbole: “I’ll cut my throat!” over a small matter.
• Satire: the play laughs at greed and pride.

Word Meanings

NCERT Questions and Answers

Thinking about the Play

Q1. What does Chubukov first suspect Lomov has come for? Is he sincere when he calls Lomov “my own son”?

Chubukov first suspects that Lomov has come to borrow money. He says so in an aside and decides to refuse.

He is not sincere. His warmth appears only after Lomov mentions marriage. Soon after, he calls Lomov a scarecrow and a villain. His love lasts as long as the meadows are not mentioned.

Q2. Is Natalya “like a lovesick cat”?

Chubukov’s claim is only partly true. Natalya shows no romantic love in the play. She spends her time defending her land and her dog.

But she wants the marriage. When she learns of the proposal, she shrieks and orders Lomov to be fetched. She is more anxious to marry than in love.

Q3 (i). Words and insults the characters use. See the “Who called whom what” table above.

Q3 (ii). Five adjectives for each character.

• Lomov: nervous, suspicious, stubborn, hypochondriac, easily angered.
• Natalya: proud, possessive, sharp-tongued, dramatic, determined.
• Chubukov: two-faced, greedy, hot-tempered, melodramatic, impatient.

Q3 (iii). What will they quarrel about next?
They will quarrel over anything: the wedding, their servants, the hay, or even the champagne. Their pride will never let a topic rest.

Thinking about Language

Expressions that sound Russian, not modern English. Address words like “my darling”, “my angel” and “my treasure” for a grown man sound foreign. So do the “and so on” and “and all that” that Chubukov attaches to sentences.

Modern English in the play: “Spit it out!”, “I can’t make head or tail of this” and “What a weight off my shoulders”.

Stress table (stressed syllable in capitals)

Check the exact syllable count for words like “thoroughbred” and “temporary” in your dictionary. British and American speakers split them differently.

Phrases in your own sentences

• You may take it that: “You may take it that the match is cancelled.”
• He seems to be coming round: “After the faint, he seems to be coming round.”
• My foot’s gone to sleep: “Sit still too long and my foot’s gone to sleep.”

Reported Speech (fill in the blanks)

1. To report a question: asked.
2. To report a statement: said / declared.
3. here changes to there.
4. Present tense in direct speech becomes past tense.
5. Present continuous becomes past continuous. am getting changes to was getting.
6. A word of respect adds the adverb respectfully.
7. First-person pronouns change to he/she, him/her, his/hers, their.

Exam tip for the Hangal passage: change only the quoted sentences. Shift tenses back one step. Change I to he, my to his, and today to that day.

Speaking and Writing: Anger Management

Three ill effects of anger: it raises blood pressure, it damages relationships and it clouds judgement. To stay calm, pause, breathe and speak slowly. A small benefit: controlled anger can push you to fix an unfair situation.

MCQs

1. Who wrote The Proposal?
   (a) Tagore (b) Chekhov (c) Shakespeare (d) Dickens → (b)
2. What type of play is it?
   (a) Tragedy (b) Farce (c) Epic (d) Ballad → (b)
3. What does Chubukov first think Lomov wants?
   (a) His daughter (b) A job (c) A loan (d) Land → (c)
4. How old is Lomov?
   (a) 25 (b) 30 (c) 35 (d) 45 → (c)
5. What is Oxen Meadows?
   (a) A hunting lodge (b) A disputed piece of land (c) A village (d) A river → (b)
6. Which dog belongs to Lomov?
   (a) Squeezer (b) Harness (c) Guess (d) Chisels → (c)
7. What does “overshot” mean?
   (a) Too fast (b) Lower jaw shorter than upper (c) Lame (d) Very old → (b)
8. How does the play end?
   (a) Lomov leaves for good (b) The couple quarrel again (c) They sign a contract (d) Chubukov apologises → (b)

Quick Revision

• The Proposal is a one-act farce by Anton Chekhov, written in 1888–89.
• Three characters: Lomov (35), Natalya (25), Chubukov (her father).
• Three beats: Meadows, Marriage reveal, Mutts.
• Chubukov first thinks Lomov wants money.
• Lomov’s ailments: palpitations, twitching eyebrow, numb foot.
• The meadows are worth about 300 roubles. The fight is about pride.
• Guess cost 125 roubles. Squeezer cost 85 roubles.
• Lomov collapses. Chubukov joins their hands. They quarrel again.
• Themes: marriage for property, pride, hypocrisy, poor communication.
• Devices: farce, irony, aside, hyperbole, repetition, satire.

Important Questions (Board-Style Practice)

These are practice questions in board style, not confirmed past papers. Check the latest CBSE sample paper for marks and word limits.

Short answer (about 40 words)

1. Why is Chubukov’s affection for Lomov not genuine?
2. What are Lomov’s health complaints? What do they show about him?
3. Why does Natalya change her mind about Lomov after the reveal?

Long answer (about 120 words)
4. “The play shows how petty issues can ruin important moments.” Discuss.
5. Write a character sketch of Chubukov with evidence from the play.

Model answer to Question 4 (about 120 words)
Structure: point, proof, meaning.

In The Proposal, Lomov visits the Chubukovs to ask for Natalya’s hand. The most important event of his life should be simple. Instead, he starts a fight over Oxen Meadows, a small plot worth about 300 roubles. Once he and Natalya reconcile, the dogs Guess and Squeezer spark a second fight. Even the engagement does not stop it. The couple argue about the dogs again seconds after agreeing to marry. Chekhov uses this exaggeration to show how pride can make people ignore what really matters. The audience laughs at the quarrels but also sees a warning. Small egos can wreck big moments.

The Short Answer

The Proposal is a one-act farce by Anton Chekhov, written in 1888–89. Ivan Lomov visits his neighbour Chubukov to ask for the hand of his daughter Natalya. Instead of proposing smoothly, Lomov and Natalya quarrel about who owns Oxen Meadows and whose dog is better. Lomov collapses from nervous excitement, and Chubukov forces the couple to agree to marry. They begin arguing about the dogs again at once. The play mocks marriages arranged for property and shows how pride ruins important moments.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the summary of The Proposal Class 10?
Ivan Lomov visits his neighbour Chubukov to propose to Natalya. He is nervous and unwell. He and Natalya quarrel over Oxen Meadows, then over their dogs. Lomov collapses. Chubukov forces the couple to accept each other. The play ends with them still arguing about the dogs.

Who wrote The Proposal and what type of play is it?
Anton Chekhov, the Russian short-story writer and dramatist, wrote The Proposal in 1888-89. It is a one-act play and a farce. Its original title was A Marriage Proposal. The English version in Class 10 First Flight is a translation from Russian.

What did Chubukov first think Lomov came for?
Chubukov first thinks Lomov has come to borrow money. He says so in an aside and decides not to lend any. When he hears that Lomov wants to marry Natalya, he changes at once and calls Lomov his own son.

What is the theme of The Proposal?
The play satirises marriages arranged for property and money. It also shows how pride and petty ego wreck important moments. The characters care more about land and dogs than about love, and they cannot stop quarrelling even at the happy ending.

Why do Lomov and Natalya quarrel?
They quarrel because both are proud and stubborn. First they fight over who owns Oxen Meadows. Later they fight over whose dog is better, Guess or Squeezer. Neither will admit a mistake, so small issues grow into loud arguments.

Conclusion

To sum up, Chekhov turns a marriage proposal into a comedy of pride. Lomov, Natalya and Chubukov are funny because they are so stubborn. They are also a little sad, because they cannot see what matters.

Use these Class 10 English Chapter 9 PDF Notes The Proposal in three passes. Read the summary once. Learn the character proofs. Then revise with the Quick Revision list before the exam.

More Class 10 English Notes

• ⬅️ Previous: Class 10 English Chapter 7 PDF Notes Madam Rides the Bus
• ⬅️ Previous: Class 10 English Chapter 8 PDF Notes The Sermon at Benares
• 📚  All Class 10 English notes
• Compare with the text on the NCERT official site

About the Author

Nextoper Editorial Team. Written from the NCERT First Flight text.