Name:
Freshman English, Period:_____
Date:

Worksheet for “A Marriage Proposal”
by Anton Chekhov, pages 385-397

11. What is a farce?
a) unhappy drama
b) a play that uses exaggeration for humor
c) a long, epic drama

12. What genre is “A Marriage Proposal?
a) farcical drama
b. sarcastic mystery
c. ironic short story
d) serious romance

11-16.
The humor in “A Marriage Proposal” comes from the characters’ exaggerated responses to one another and their displays of emotional extremes.  As you read the play, find examples of exaggerated statements or actions that Lomov and Tschubukov use and write them in the boxes below.

17 – 19. 
Think about “A Marriage Proposal" as a farce, a play that uses exaggeration for a humorous effect.  In each box on the left, note the character's quality, trait, or flaw that you think is most highly exaggerated.  In each box on the right, note a detail from the play that supports your choice.

20. According to Lomov, he wants to marry Natalia for all of the following reasons except that she
a. is well-educated
b. is his true, ideal love
c. is an excellent housekeeper
d. is not bad-looking

21. When Lomov offers the meadows to Natalia, she
a. agrees to marry him
b. refuses to marry him
c. takes the offer as an insult

22. When Natalia hears that Lomov has come to propose marriage, she asks her father
a. to throw Lomov out
b. to call Lomov back quickly
c. whether she should marry Lomov

23. What reason to get married did your class not bring up?
a. two people together earning money makes you richer
b. companionship and support in life
c. you have someone to yell at all the time

24. What are the most desired characteristics in a marriage partner?
a. Good looking and sexy |
b. Rich and a good cook
c. Strong and protective

25. Which of the following is not true about Anton Chekhov, the author of “The Marriage Proposal”?
a. He was a doctor and writer
b. He died at age 44 after a long illness with lung disease
c. He wanted everyone to see what a great life they really had.

26. Which historical fact about Russia from 1890-1900 is not true?
a. People were starving, but a great railroad was built across Russia.
b. Lenin grew in power and Communism was born in Russia by 1900.
c. Russia became a democracy and had elected their own leaders by 1895.

27. What is Natalia’s exaggerated character trait that is farcical (a little humorous)?
a. Her stubborn contrariness until she learns that Lomov wants to propose.
b. Her frustration that culminates in her shooting Lomov by error.
c. Her hypochrondria that makes her feel like she is sick from different things all the time

28. Which exaggerated statements were from Natalia’s father, Tschubukov?
a. Why didn’t I shoot myself? Why have I never cut my throat? What am I waiting for now? Only give me a knife!
b. My daughter is as fat as an elephant but I will cry buckets of tears when she gets married.
c. I have more land than I need or want. You could ride a horse for 14 days and not reach a boundary.

29. What might be a purpose of Chekhov’s play?
a. To show through exaggeration our own ridiculousness
b. To show a beautiful example of true love
c. To show his audience the correct and very romantic way to propose

30. What does Chekhov’s philosophy mean? (“A man with a hammer should be behind the door of every happy man.”)
a. Unhappiness is happiness.
b. If we realize what makes us unhappy, we may be motivated to evolve and change things for the better.
c. Violence is the way to get things to change.