Introduction: The Necklace - Class 10 PDF Download

About the Author- Guy De Maupassant    
Guy De Maupassant– A Short Biography

About the Author

Guy De Maupassant was a great writer of France. He is considered to be one of the best short story writers of the world. He was born on 5 August 1850 at the Chateau de Miromesnil, in France. Maupassant was a representative of the naturalist school of writers. He depicts human lives often in pessimistic terms. Many of his stories were written during the Franco-Prussian War of the 1870s. He describes the futility of wars and violence that take thousands of innocent lives. He wrote more than 300 short stories, 6 novels, travel books and even poetry. 

INTRODUCTION 

The Necklace’ is one of the well-known stories of NItaupassant. The story centers around Matilda Loisel, who is a beautiful woman. She suffers greatly because of her desire to appear rich and fashionable. She is married to a clerk and leads an ordinary life. But she wants to be rich and famous. Her husband gets an invitation to attend a dance party given by the Minister of Public Instruction. Matilda borrows a diamond necklace from her rich friend Madame Forestier to wear it at the party. She looks charming and everybody praises her. But when she returns home, she finds that she has lost the necklace. She and her husband borrow a big amount of money to replace the necklace. Both of the world hard for ten years to pay off their debt. Their life becomes miserable. One day, after the debt is paid off. Matilda comes across Madame Forestier. Matilda is shocked to learn from her that the necklace was made of artificial diamonds and its price was not more than 500 francs. 

Theme of the Story

`The Necklace’ is a mild satire but with a strong message. It is ridiculous for people of ordinary means to copy the rich. One should live within one’s means. Otherwise, he or she invites unnecessary problems, anxieties and confusion in his or her life.
The main message of the story is that we should be what we are. False pride is the cause of our sufferings. The loss of a false necklace by Mrs. Loisel was not a big loss. Things could have been settled right if she had confessed the loss of the necklace to the owner, Madame Forestier. This small lapse or mistake of Mrs. Loisel makes her whole life miserable and dark. And the irony was that the cause of all these sufferings was a false necklace.

WORD-MEANINGS 

Grand = glorious jewellery = ornament borrows = owes  pretty = beautiful destiny = luck distinguished = marked out, typical  incessantly = continuously  delicacies = tenderness luxuries = comforts apartment = house shabby = ugly tortured = tormented tureen = a dish delighted = pleased potpie = a sweet bread elegant = graceful exquisite = marvellous despair = hopelessness related = pridefully 
Inscribed = imprinted spitefully = with jealousy murmuring = speak in low voice irritated = offended declared = announced impatiently = restlessly stammered = spoke with halts stupefied = shocked dismay = grief violent = outrageous vexation = irritation colleague = co-worker grieved = pained reflected = meditated immediate = instant exclamation = surprise hesitating = doubting
Exactly = nearly larks = small singing bird adorn = to beautify chic = fashionable convinced = assured firmly  humiliating = degrading  Related = narrated uttered = pronounced distress = sorrow/trouble MT-4 closet = private room  admirable = praise worthy workmanship = skill in doing some work ecstatic = very delightful anxiety fear of uncertainty certainly = definitely
Embraced = folded in the arms  passion = a strong emotion the ball = group-dance enthusiasm = high spirit treasure = jewels  intoxicated highly pleasant salons = decorated rooms  wraps = shawls clashed detained = stopped descended = came down rapidly =  conflicted hailing = calling coachman = tonga driver carriage = tonga wearily = much tired removed = took off shivering = trembling
Cast down = shaved track = path advertisement = public announcement state = condition bewilderment = perplexity frightful = horrible clasp = link repaired= mended dictated = spoke loudly replace = to substitute chaplet = wreath
Perceive = to see minutely substitution = replacement horrible = terrible heroically = bravely lodgings = temporary habitation  odious = hateful haggling = quarrelling over prices restored = paid back awry = with twists flattered = false praise approached = went near recognise = to identify astonishment = amazement
Miserable = wretched loaned = owed  decently = with respect content = satisfied