NCERT Class 10 English The Necklace

The Necklace

SHE was one of those pretty, young ladies, born as if through an error of destiny, into a family of clerks. She had no dowry, no hopes, no means of becoming known, loved, and married by a man either rich or distinguished; and she allowed herself to marry a petty clerk in the office of the Board of Education. She was simple, but she was unhappy.

She suffered incessantly, feeling herself born for all delicacies and luxuries. She suffered from the poverty of her apartment, the shabby walls and the worn chairs. All these things tortured and angered her.

When she seated herself for dinner opposite her husband who uncovered the tureen with a delighted air, saying, “Oh! the good potpie! I know nothing better than that…,” she would think of elegant dinners, of shining silver; she thought of the exquisite food served in marvellous dishes. She had neither frocks nor jewels, nothing. And she loved only those things.

She had a rich friend, a schoolmate at the convent, who she did not like to visit — she suffered so much when she returned. She wept for whole days from despair and disappointment. One evening her husband returned elated bearing in his hand a large envelope.

“Here,” he said, “here is something for you.” She quickly drew out a printed card on which were inscribed these words:

                      The Minister of Public Instruction 

                                          and

                         Madame George Ramponneau

              ask the honour of M. and Mme Loisel’s company. Monday

                 evening, January 18, at the Minister’s residence.

Instead of being delighted, as her husband had hoped, she threw the invitation spitefully upon the table murmuring, “What do you suppose I want with that?”

Think about it

1. The course of the Loisels’ life changed due to the necklace. Comment.

2. What was the cause of Matilda’s ruin? How could she have avoided it?

3. What would have happened to Matilda if she had confessed to her

friend that she had lost her necklace?

4. If you were caught in a situation like this, how would you have dealt with it?

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?

2. Honesty is the best policy.

3. We should be content with what life gives us.

Please refer to attached file for NCERT Class 10 English The Necklace