A Marriage Proposal Subjective Question

1. How is Lomov greeted by Choobookov?

Ans. Choobookov was delighted and excited to see Lomov. He greeted Lomov and extended a very warm welcome to him.

2. How does Choobookov react when he comes to know that Lomov wants to marry Natalia?

Ans. Choobookov can’t believe his ears. However, he is very happy and excited to hear this.

3. Why does Lomov think that his is a critical age?

Ans. Lomov is thirty five years old. He knows that this is the age to take a decision about marriage. Besides, his heart is not in good condition and he sufferes from palpitation. He realises if he waveres now, he may never get married.

4. Why does Lomov feel nervous before proposing to Natalia?

Ans. Lomov feels nervous because he is not sure about Natalia’s reaction to the proposal for marriage. He is afraid that she may reject his proposal.

5. Why is Natalia afraid that all her hay may rot?

Ans. Natalia feared that her all her hay may get rotten because previous day it had rained heavily. Therefore, she cut down the hay from the plot and felt relieved.

6. What, according to her, is the real worth of Ox-meadows?

Ans. According to Natalia the whole area of Ox-meadows does not come to more than 40 acres and is worth about three hundred rubbles only. This amount means nothing to her but as a matter of principle she would surrender the land to Lomov.

7. Who, according to Lomov, had let the meadows and to whom?

Ans. According to Lomov his aunt’s grandmother had let the Ox-Meadows to Natalia’s paternal great-grandfather.

8. What is Lomov’s explanation of Ox-Meadows becoming a disputed piece of land?

Ans. Lomov says that his Aunt’s grandmother has lent the Ox-Meadows to Natalia’s grandfather’s peasants for temporary use and free of charge. The peasants have used the land for forty years and consider it as their own.

9. What does Choobookov say about Lomov’s father and grandfather?

Ans. Choobookov says Lomov’s father drank like a fish and his grandfather was a gambler and ate like a pig.

10. Why does Lomov refer to the land settlement?

Ans. Lomov does so in order to substantiate that he is presently the owner of land.

11. Why does he complain all the time of palpitation and throbbing?

Ans. He does so because he is suffering from some heart problem.

12. Why does Natalia cry and weep to know that Lomov has come to propose to her ?

Ans. Natalia is in love with Lomov. She likes him intensely though the love is not expressed in words. She weeps because she has unnecessarily quarrelled with Lomov who has come with a marriage proposal.

13. Why does Natalia want to talk about something else?

Ans. Natalia want to change the subject relating to discussion on Ox-meadows.

14. What, according to Lomov, is the main defect of Leap?

Ans. According to Lomov Leap is an ugly looking dog and is having a pig jaw.

15. How does Natalia describe her own pet dog, Leap?

Ans. She describes Leap as a highly pedigreed grey hound.

16. ‘That’s a load off my back.’ What is the ‘load’? Why does Choobookov say so?

Ans. This load is marriage of Natalia. He considered this responsibility as a load on his back.

17. On the basis of your reading of Scene I, do you think that Lomov and Choobookov are cordial neighbours?

Ans. On the basis of Scene I of play, it can be said that Lomov and Choobookov are very friendly to each other and maintain cordial relations as neighbours. Lomov has the honour of knowing Natalia’s family since his childhood. Lomov further affirms that his late aunt and her husband had held Natalia’s father and her mother in great esteem and the two families maintain extremely good relations. Properties of both the families have a common border as they are adjacent to each other and the Ox- Meadows run along ‘Natalia’s birch forests.

18. Write a short note on the character of Lomov on the basis of his self- revelation in Scene.

Ans. Lomov is thirty five years old and realises that he is passing through a critical period as far the proposals for marriage are concerned. Besides, he suffers from a heart condition and experiences palpitations. He has an awfully bad temper and gets easily worked up. Slightest provocation causes trembling of his lips and twitching of his eyelids. He remains restless most of the time and is unable to sleep properly.

19. Are Lomov and Natalia really interested in laying claim to Ox-Meadows?

Ans. Both Lomov and Natalia claim Ox-Meadows as their parental property. Lemov offers to show the property paper to Natalia in support of his claim Natalia on the other hand, claims that her family owned the land of Ox-Meadows practically for three hundred years. Lemov keeps on insisting that the land was given by his great grand parents to Natalia’s paternal great-grand fathers. This is followed by arguments and counter arguments in favour of their individual claims. In this quarrel they forget the most serious matter that is the marriage proposal.

20. Do you think that Natalia was also interested in marrying Lomov? What makes you think so?

Ans. Discussions regarding ownership of Ox-Meadows remained inconclusive with both sides accusing and abusing each other. Due to that Lomov once again experienced palpitations and his left leg was almost paralysed and so he left Choobookov’s house. After Lomov had left, Choobookov informed Natalia that Lomov had actually come to propose her. Natalia was highly excited to hear that and forced her father to immediately get him back. That incident showed that Natalia was interested in marrying Lomov.

21. Despite his heated arguments with Lomov, Choobookov in the last scene shows haste in finalising the marriage. What could be the reason of his haste ?

Ans. Natalia is twentyfive years old and the delay in her marriage is creating a tension in Choobookov’s mind. In the last scene he comes to know that Natalia is also keen to marry Lomov. He also realises that he is getting older and is heading towards the fag end of his life. He also feels that Lomov is a friendly neighbour and a well to do person with plenty of acquired land through inheritance. He also came to know that both Lomov and Natalia are keen to marry each other. So he decides to finalise the marriage of Natalia with Lomov in a hurry.

22. Do you think the title of the drama is suitable? Give reasons in support of your views. Suggest a different title for the drama.

Ans. In my opinion the title ‘A Marriage Proposal’ is suitable for the drama because the drama starts with the proposal of marriage and ends with an acceptance of the proposal. The drama revolves around the proposal of marriage. It begins with the proposal of marriage and gets concluded with the acceptance of the proposal. Marriage proposal by Lomov relieves Choobookov of his worries and its acceptance cures ailments from which Lomov is suffering.

23. ‘Natalia and Lomov would be an ideal couple’. Do you agree? Give reasons.

Ans. Natalia and Lomov would not form an ideal couple because they lack in mutual understanding, tolerance and patience. They start arguing on each and every topic and this finally results into heated exchange of words and even abusive language. In this way they cannot be considered to form an ideal couple. Ideal couple is one whose relationship is based upon mutual trust, love and affection for each other with a sense of devotion. They do not let the petty things come in the way of a happy married life. In case of Natalia and Lomov the probabilities are that they will continue to remain engaged in heated discussion on some or the other topic.