Analysis Of The Necklace By Guy De Maupassant

The Necklace is a short story written by Guy de Maupassant in 1884. The story revolves around a woman named Mathilde Loisel, who is unhappy with her life due to her lower-class status. She dreams of wealth and luxury, but her life takes a dramatic turn when she borrows a diamond necklace from a friend to wear to a high-society event.

The Plot

Mathilde Loisel is a beautiful woman who is married to a low-paid clerk. She dreams of living a life filled with wealth and luxury. One day, her husband comes home with an invitation to attend a high-society event. Mathilde is excited but quickly becomes upset when she realizes she does not have anything to wear.

Her husband suggests that she borrow a piece of jewelry from her wealthy friend, Madame Forestier. Mathilde borrows a diamond necklace from Madame Forestier, and she feels like a queen at the event. However, after the event, she realizes that she has lost the necklace.

Mathilde and her husband search for the necklace but are unable to find it. They decide to buy a new necklace to replace the lost one, but it costs them everything they have. They spend the next ten years of their lives in poverty to repay the debt they incurred to buy the necklace.

The Theme

The Necklace is a story of greed and materialism. Mathilde Loisel's obsession with wealth and luxury leads to her downfall. She is unhappy with her life and spends all her time dreaming of a better one. When she borrows the necklace, she feels like she has finally achieved her dream, but her greed and carelessness lead to the loss of the necklace and her subsequent downfall.

The story also highlights the theme of deception. Mathilde's desire for wealth and luxury causes her to deceive herself and those around her. She lies to Madame Forestier about the loss of the necklace and spends ten years of her life in poverty to repay the debt incurred to replace it.

The Characters

The Necklace features three main characters – Mathilde Loisel, her husband, and Madame Forestier. Mathilde Loisel is the protagonist of the story. She is beautiful but unhappy with her life due to her lower-class status. She is obsessed with wealth and luxury, which leads to her downfall.

Her husband is a low-paid clerk who loves his wife but is unable to provide her with the life she desires. Madame Forestier is Mathilde's wealthy friend who lends her the diamond necklace. She is kind but unaware of the necklace's true value.