Unlock the essence of The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant with this ultimate guide for Class 10 students. Dive into a detailed summary, explanations, NCERT solutions, and more!
1. Introduction
Overview of The Necklace
The Necklace is a famous short story by the French writer Guy de Maupassant. It was first published in 1884. The story is known for its shocking twist and timeless message. It explores themes like greed, pride, and the importance of honesty.
In the story, we meet Mathilde Loisel, a woman unhappy with her simple life. She dreams of wealth and luxury. One day, she borrows a necklace to attend a grand party. But what happens after that changes her life forever.
This tale is part of the Class 10 English supplementary book Footprints Without Feet (Chapter 7). It is simple to read yet full of deep lessons.
About Guy de Maupassant
Guy de Maupassant (1850–1893) was a master of short stories. He was born in France and wrote hundreds of stories during his lifetime. His works often deal with human emotions, society, and the twists of fate.
Maupassant’s writing is sharp and realistic. His stories, including The Necklace, are still loved worldwide for their surprising endings and relatable characters.
2. Detailed Summary of The Necklace
Introduction to the Story
Mathilde Loisel is a young woman who feels trapped in a modest life. She is married to a simple clerk in the Ministry of Education. Though her husband is loving and content, Mathilde is unhappy. She dreams of riches, elegant dresses, and glamorous parties. She believes she was meant for a life of luxury.
The Invitation
One evening, Monsieur Loisel comes home with exciting news. He has received an invitation to a grand ball at the Ministry. It’s a rare opportunity to mingle with the upper class. But instead of being happy, Mathilde is upset. She says she has nothing suitable to wear.
Her husband sacrifices his savings to buy her a beautiful dress. However, Mathilde is still not satisfied. She complains that she has no jewellery to complete her look. To solve the problem, Monsieur Loisel suggests borrowing something from her wealthy friend, Madame Forestier.
The Necklace
Mathilde visits Madame Forestier and borrows a stunning diamond necklace. At the ball, she dazzles everyone with her beauty and grace. She feels like the woman she has always dreamed of being.
After the party, Mathilde and her husband return home late at night. But soon, disaster strikes—they discover that the necklace is missing!
The Struggle
The Loisels search everywhere but cannot find the necklace. Afraid of being judged and humiliated, they decide not to tell Madame Forestier the truth. Instead, they borrow money from various sources and buy a replacement necklace, which costs 36,000 francs.
To repay the debt, the couple works tirelessly for ten years. Monsieur Loisel takes extra jobs, while Mathilde gives up her comforts and works like a servant. Her beauty fades, and she becomes worn out and aged.
The Twist Ending
After finally paying off their debt, Mathilde sees Madame Forestier on the street one day. She decides to tell her the truth about the necklace and the hardships she endured.
Madame Forestier is shocked. She reveals that the original necklace was a fake and worth no more than 500 francs!
3. Word Meanings and Glossary
List of important words and phrases from The Necklace along with their meanings. These will help you understand the story better.
Word List
- Clerk – A person who works in an office, keeping records or doing simple administrative tasks.
(Example: Monsieur Loisel worked as a clerk in the Ministry of Education.) - Exquisite – Extremely beautiful and elegant.
(Example: Mathilde borrowed an exquisite necklace from Madame Forestier.) - Luxuries – Expensive and desirable items or experiences not necessary for survival.
(Example: Mathilde always dreamed of luxuries she could not afford.) - Distressed – Very upset or worried.
(Example: Mathilde was distressed when she lost the necklace.) - Vexed – Annoyed or frustrated.
(Example: Mathilde felt vexed by her simple lifestyle.) - Frugal – Being careful about spending money, avoiding waste.
(Example: Monsieur Loisel lived a frugal life to save money.) - Shabby – Worn out or untidy, often due to poverty or neglect.
(Example: After years of hard work, Mathilde’s clothes became shabby.) - Adorn – To decorate or add beauty to something.
(Example: Mathilde used the necklace to adorn herself for the ball.) - Dejection – A state of sadness or low spirits.
(Example: Mathilde was in deep dejection when she realised the necklace was missing.) - Ecstatic – Extremely happy or excited.
(Example: Mathilde was ecstatic at the ball, feeling admired and beautiful.) - Fate – The power that is believed to control events in the future.
(Example: Mathilde believed her fate was to live a luxurious life.) - Imitation – A copy of something, not genuine or real.
(Example: The necklace Mathilde borrowed turned out to be an imitation.) - Humiliating – Causing someone to feel ashamed or foolish.
(Example: Mathilde feared the humiliating truth about losing the necklace.) - Indignantly – In a way that shows anger or annoyance, often due to unfair treatment.
(Example: Mathilde indignantly refused to wear simple clothes to the ball.) - Stupefied – So shocked or surprised that one cannot think clearly.
(Example: Mathilde was stupefied when Madame Forestier revealed the necklace was fake.)
4. NCERT Solutions for The Necklace (Textbook Questions and Answers)
READ AND FIND OUT
• What kind of a person is Mme Loisel — why is she always unhappy?
Mme Loisel is vain, materialistic, and ungrateful. She always feels she deserves a life of luxury, which makes her dissatisfied with her modest life.
• What kind of a person is her husband?
Monsieur Loisel is kind, caring, and selfless. He is content with his simple life and goes to great lengths to make his wife happy.
• What fresh problem now disturbs Mme Loisel?
Mme Loisel is disturbed because she does not have jewellery to wear with her new dress for the ball. She feels incomplete without it.
• How is the problem solved?
Her husband suggests borrowing jewellery from her friend, Madame Forestier. Mathilde borrows a diamond necklace from her.
• What do M. and Mme Loisel do next?
After losing the necklace, they search everywhere for it but fail. To avoid humiliation, they decide to replace the necklace without telling Madame Forestier.
• How do they replace the necklace?
The couple borrows money from multiple lenders and buys a similar necklace for 36,000 francs. They spend the next ten years repaying the debt.
THINK ABOUT IT
1. The course of the Loisels’ life changed due to the necklace. Comment.
The necklace, though fake, led to ten years of hardship for the Loisels. Their life changed drastically due to Mathilde’s vanity and their decision to hide the truth.
2. What was the cause of Mathilde’s ruin? How could she have avoided it?
Mathilde’s pride and desire for luxury caused her ruin. She could have avoided it by being honest with Madame Forestier about losing the necklace.
3. What would have happened to Mathilde if she had confessed to her friend that she had lost her necklace?
If Mathilde had confessed, she would have learned the necklace was fake. This would have saved her and her husband from years of unnecessary suffering.
4. If you were caught in a situation like this, how would you have dealt with it?
I would have been honest about losing the necklace. Admitting the truth early on could have prevented the problem from escalating.
TALK ABOUT IT
1. The characters in this story speak in English. Do you think this is their language? What clues are there in the story about the language its characters must be speaking in?
No, English is not their language. The story is set in France, and names like “Loisel” and “Forestier” suggest that the characters are speaking French.
2. Honesty is the best policy.
Honesty would have saved the Loisels from years of hardship. This story is a clear example of how being truthful can prevent unnecessary suffering.
3. We should be content with what life gives us.
Discontentment and greed lead to trouble, as seen in Mathilde’s case. Being content with what we have ensures peace and happiness in life.
5. Character Sketches
Character Sketch of Mathilde Loisel
Mathilde is the protagonist of The Necklace. She is a beautiful but vain and materialistic woman. Despite having a loving husband and a modest home, she is deeply unhappy with her life. She believes she deserves luxury, wealth, and admiration. Her obsession with appearances leads her to borrow a necklace to shine at the ball, which becomes the turning point of the story.
Her pride prevents her from confessing the loss of the necklace, and her life spirals into poverty as a result. After ten years of hardship, she transforms into a hardworking but physically and emotionally worn-out woman.
- Key Traits:
- Vain and dissatisfied
- Prideful and materialistic
- Hardworking and resilient (after losing the necklace)
Character Sketch of Monsieur Loisel
Monsieur Loisel is Mathilde’s husband, a simple and content man. He works as a clerk in the Ministry of Education and finds joy in small pleasures. He is selfless and goes out of his way to make Mathilde happy, even sacrificing his savings to buy her a dress for the ball.
When the necklace is lost, he supports Mathilde by helping to repay the debt, taking on extra jobs and enduring the hardships without complaint. Despite Mathilde’s flaws, he remains a loving and devoted husband.
- Key Traits:
- Loving and supportive
- Hardworking and responsible
- Content and self-sacrificing
Character Sketch of Madame Forestier
Madame Forestier is Mathilde’s wealthy and generous friend. She lends Mathilde the necklace without hesitation. She appears kind and trusting but plays a minor role in the story until the end. Her casual revelation that the necklace was fake highlights the situational irony of the story.
Her wealth contrasts sharply with Mathilde’s modest life, and her friendship indirectly influences the dramatic changes in Mathilde’s life.
- Key Traits:
- Generous and kind
- Wealthy and elegant
- Symbol of irony in the story
6. Extract-Based MCQs The Necklace
Extract 1
“She suffered endlessly, feeling herself destined for all delicacies and luxuries. She was distressed at the poverty of her dwelling, at the bareness of the walls, at the shabby chairs, the ugliness of the curtains.”
MCQs:
- Why did Mathilde suffer endlessly?
a) She was ill.
b) She longed for a luxurious life.
c) She disliked her husband.
d) She had no friends.
Answer: b - What is the meaning of the word ‘bareness’ in this extract?
a) Lack of warmth
b) Lack of decoration
c) Lack of people
d) Lack of cleanliness
Answer: b - What does this extract tell us about Mathilde’s personality?
a) She was content.
b) She was materialistic.
c) She was hardworking.
d) She was shy.
Answer: b
Extract 2
“He threw over her shoulders the modest wraps they had carried, whose poverty clashed with the elegance of the ball costume. She wanted to hurry away, so that she should not be noticed by the other women who were wrapping themselves in rich furs.”
MCQs:
- What do the ‘modest wraps’ symbolize?
a) The Loisel family’s wealth
b) Mathilde’s modest lifestyle
c) The elegance of the ball
d) Mathilde’s happiness
Answer: b - Why did Mathilde want to hurry away?
a) She was tired.
b) She didn’t want to meet anyone she knew.
c) She didn’t want to be noticed wearing modest wraps.
d) She was feeling sick.
Answer: c - What does this extract reveal about Mathilde’s mindset?
a) She was confident in her appearance.
b) She was insecure about her status.
c) She was indifferent to what others thought.
d) She was humble.
Answer: b
Extract 3
“She borrowed the necklace, and on the day of the ball, Madame Loisel was a great success. She was the prettiest of all, elegant, graceful, smiling, and wild with joy. All the men stared at her, asked her name, and wanted to be introduced to her.”
MCQs:
- How did Mathilde feel at the ball?
a) Embarrassed
b) Joyful and confident
c) Nervous
d) Angry
Answer: b - What does the phrase ‘wild with joy’ indicate?
a) Mathilde was overwhelmed by attention.
b) Mathilde was feeling guilty.
c) Mathilde was shy and reserved.
d) Mathilde was scared.
Answer: a - What was the cause of Mathilde’s happiness at the ball?
a) The admiration she received
b) Her husband’s support
c) Her friendship with Madame Forestier
d) Her dance skills
Answer: a
Extract 4
“Madame Forestier, deeply moved, took her hands. ‘Oh, my poor Mathilde! But mine was imitation. It was worth at the very most five hundred francs!'”
MCQs:
- How does Madame Forestier react to Mathilde’s revelation?
a) She laughs at her.
b) She feels sorry for her.
c) She scolds her.
d) She ignores her.
Answer: b - What is ironic about the necklace?
a) It was made of real diamonds.
b) It was not as expensive as it seemed.
c) It was already broken.
d) It belonged to someone else.
Answer: b - What is the moral lesson conveyed through this revelation?
a) Hard work always pays off.
b) Appearance can be deceiving.
c) Never borrow jewellery.
d) Honesty is not important.
Answer: b
7. Most Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here is a list of commonly asked questions about The Necklace, with concise answers that will help students understand the story better.
1. Why is Mathilde dissatisfied with her life?
Mathilde is dissatisfied because she dreams of wealth, luxury, and a glamorous lifestyle, but her reality is modest, which she considers beneath her.
2. How does Monsieur Loisel show his love for Mathilde?
Monsieur Loisel sacrifices his savings to buy Mathilde a dress for the ball and works tirelessly for ten years to repay the debt for the necklace.
3. What is the significance of the ball in the story?
The ball represents a moment of glory and fulfilment for Mathilde, but it also marks the beginning of her downfall when she loses the necklace.
4. What is the role of Madame Forestier in the story?
Madame Forestier lends Mathilde the necklace and later reveals it was a fake. Her role highlights the situational irony that drives the story’s moral lesson.
5. Why didn’t Mathilde tell Madame Forestier about the lost necklace?
Mathilde feared humiliation and chose to replace the necklace secretly, a decision that led to ten years of unnecessary hardship.
6. What is the irony in The Necklace?
The situational irony lies in the fact that Mathilde suffers for ten years to replace a necklace that turns out to be fake, worth only 500 francs.
7. What is the main theme of the story?
The main theme is the danger of vanity, materialism, and dishonesty. It also teaches the value of contentment and the importance of being truthful.
8. How does Mathilde change over the course of the story?
Mathilde transforms from a vain and dissatisfied woman to a hardworking, humble, and worn-out individual due to her years of struggle.
9. How does The Necklace critique social class and appearances?
The story critiques how people value appearances and social status over honesty and simplicity, leading to unnecessary suffering.
10. What lesson does the story teach about honesty?
The story teaches that honesty is the best policy. If Mathilde had been honest about losing the necklace, she could have avoided years of hardship.
8. Conclusion
The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant is a powerful tale about vanity, pride, and the consequences of not being truthful. Through the story of Mathilde Loisel, we see how a desire for a life of luxury can lead to ruin. Her obsession with appearances and her failure to admit the truth about losing the necklace ultimately result in ten years of hardship for her and her husband.
The story’s twist ending highlights the futility of materialism and shows that contentment with what one has is far more valuable than the pursuit of outward glamour. It also emphasizes the importance of honesty, suggesting that being truthful, even in difficult situations, can save us from unnecessary suffering.
Pingback: Footprints Without Feet: Ultimate Guide for All Chapters - Solved Notes