How does Anton Chekhov’s The Proposal, challenge the notion that marriage is based on love and compatibility?
Answer as written by the student:
Anton Chekhov’s The Proposal challenges the notion that marriage is based on love and compatibility because :
- The play portrays marriage as a business transaction between two wealthy families who want to increase their estates and status . Lomov, the suitor, does not express any genuine affection or admiration for Natalya, the bride. He only praises her beauty and homemaking skills as assets. He also calculates the economic benefits of marrying her, such as acquiring the disputed Oxen Meadows. 💰
- The play also shows that the couple is not compatible at all. They have no common interests or values. They constantly argue over trivial matters, such as the ownership of the land and the quality of their dogs. They are stubborn, rude, and insensitive to each other. They do not listen or understand each other. They only agree to marry because of their parents’ pressure and their own fear of being single. 🤬
- The play also mocks the romantic ideal of marriage as a happy and harmonious union . It exposes the absurdity and hypocrisy of the social conventions that force people to marry for the wrong reasons. It also suggests that marriage is not a guarantee of happiness or fulfillment, but rather a source of conflict and misery. 😢
Step-by-step explanation of the answer:
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