A Marriage Proposal

Anton Chekhov (1860–1904) was a legendary Russian playwright and short story writer, celebrated for his realism, sharp social critique and dark humor. 'A Marriage Proposal' is a one-act farce that brilliantly satirises the land-owning Russian gentry, who treat marriage not as a romantic bond but as a cold, calculated economic transaction designed to consolidate property. The entire action takes place in the drawing-room of the wealthy landowner Stepan Stepanovich Choobookov.

Lomov's arrival and the proposal mission

The play opens with Ivan Vassilievich Lomov, a wealthy but highly hypochondriac neighbour, entering Choobookov's house in a formal dress-coat, tails and white gloves. Choobookov welcomes him warmly but secretly suspects Lomov has come to borrow money. Lomov nervously reveals his true purpose: he has come to ask for the hand of Choobookov's twenty-five-year-old daughter, Natalia Stepanovna. Overjoyed at the prospect of merging their estates, Choobookov embraces Lomov, sheds a dramatic tear and rushes out to call Natalia, assuring him she is 'madly in love' with him.

Left alone, Lomov trembles violently and rationalizes his decision: at thirty-five (a 'critical age') he needs a quiet, regular life, and Natalia is an excellent housekeeper, well-educated and not bad-looking. He then catalogues his ailments, heart palpitations, a twitching eyelid, a numb foot and a stabbing pain in his side.

The dispute over Ox Meadows

Natalia enters in an apron, having been shelling peas. As Lomov tries to build up to the proposal by praising the friendly relations between their families, he casually mentions 'my Ox Meadows', which run along Natalia's birch forest. Natalia instantly corrects him: Ox Meadows belong to the Choobookovs, not the Lomovs. A fierce, stubborn argument erupts.

Lomov explains that his aunt's grandmother had lent the Meadows free of charge to Natalia's great-grandfather's peasants in exchange for making bricks; the peasants used the land for forty years and came to regard it as their own, but he has the legal deeds. Natalia refuses to listen, declaring the land is worth only 300 rubles but that she cannot stand injustice. They scream at each other, Lomov clutching his heart, Natalia threatening to send her mowers to cut the grass that very afternoon.

Choobookov's entry and hysteria

Choobookov enters and, instead of calming them, immediately sides with his daughter and insults Lomov. The quarrel degenerates into personal slander, they accuse Lomov's grandfather of being a drunkard, his aunt of running away with an architect, his mother of being a hunchback and his father of being a gambler. Clutching his chest, his leg going numb and stars before his eyes, Lomov staggers out.

Choobookov then lets slip that the 'idiot' had actually come to propose marriage. Struck by shock and hysteria, Natalia collapses into an armchair wailing, 'Propose? To me? Bring him back! Get him!' She blames her father, who runs out to fetch Lomov back, lamenting, 'What a burden, Lord, to be the father of a grown-up daughter!'

The dispute over the dogs and the comic resolution

Lomov returns, pale and exhausted. Natalia quickly concedes that Ox Meadows are his and, hoping to steer him toward marriage, asks when he will go hunting. Lomov mentions his dog Guess, for which he paid 125 rubles; Natalia scoffs that her father's dog Leap, bought for only 85 rubles, is far superior. A second, even more violent argument breaks out over whose dog is better. Overwhelmed by the shouting and his failing heart, Lomov faints into an armchair.

Believing him dead, Natalia screams for a doctor and Choobookov panics. But Lomov revives, muttering 'Where am I?' Seizing the moment before another quarrel, Choobookov joins their hands: 'She accepts! My blessings and so forth... only get married and leave me in peace!' Natalia cries 'I accept!' and tells the dazed Lomov to kiss her. Yet even now Natalia must have the last word, 'you must admit now that Guess is worse than Leap!', and Lomov shouts back 'Better!' The play ends with the newly-engaged household still screaming over their dogs as Choobookov calls for champagne.