The Diamond Necklace Summary And Analysis
Introduction
The Diamond Necklace is a short story written by Guy de Maupassant in 1884. The story revolves around the life of a young woman named Mathilde Loisel, who dreams of living a luxurious life but is stuck in poverty. The story highlights the themes of greed, pride, and the consequences of actions. In this article, we will provide a summary and analysis of The Diamond Necklace.
Summary
Mathilde Loisel is a beautiful woman who is married to a clerk. She is unhappy with her life and always dreams of living a luxurious life. Mathilde is invited to a ball, but she has nothing to wear. She borrows a diamond necklace from her friend, Madame Forestier, and attends the ball. Mathilde is the center of attraction at the ball and enjoys the attention she receives. However, she loses the necklace on her way back home.
Mathilde and her husband decide to replace the necklace with a new one. They buy a new necklace by borrowing money from various sources and spend the next ten years of their life paying off the loan. Mathilde meets Madame Forestier after ten years and tells her about the lost necklace. Madame Forestier reveals that the necklace Mathilde borrowed was a fake one worth only 500 francs.
Analysis
The Diamond Necklace highlights the theme of greed. Mathilde is not content with her life and always desires more. She is not grateful for what she has and always dreams of living a luxurious life. Her greed leads to her downfall when she loses the necklace and has to replace it by borrowing money. Mathilde's desire for material possessions causes her to suffer ten years of poverty and debt.
The story also highlights the theme of pride. Mathilde is proud of her beauty and always desires to be the center of attention. She is not satisfied with her life as a clerk's wife and always dreams of living a life of luxury. Her pride leads her to borrow the necklace from Madame Forestier and attend the ball. Her pride also causes her to hide the fact that she lost the necklace from Madame Forestier and replace it by borrowing money.
Another theme highlighted in the story is the consequences of actions. Mathilde's actions lead to her downfall, and she suffers the consequences of her actions. Her desire for material possessions and pride cause her to lose the necklace, replace it with a new one, and suffer ten years of poverty and debt. Her actions also cause her to lose her beauty and youth.
Conclusion
The Diamond Necklace is a story that highlights the themes of greed, pride, and the consequences of actions. Mathilde's desire for material possessions and pride cause her to suffer the consequences of her actions. The story teaches us to be grateful for what we have and not to desire more than what we need. It also teaches us to be humble and not to let our pride lead us to make foolish decisions.