The Necklace By Guy De Maupassant Summary And Analysis
“The Necklace” is a short story by Guy de Maupassant, first published in the French newspaper Le Gaulois in 1884. It tells the story of a woman named Mathilde Loisel, who longs for a life of wealth and luxury but is stuck in a lower-middle-class existence. When she borrows a diamond necklace from a rich friend to wear to a fancy party, she loses it, and spends the next ten years of her life trying to pay for a replacement.
Summary
Mathilde Loisel is a young woman who is unhappy with her life as the wife of a clerk. She dreams of a life of luxury and elegance, but her husband has a modest income, and they live in a small apartment. When her husband gets an invitation to a fancy party at the Ministry of Education, Mathilde is overjoyed but immediately becomes despondent when she realizes she doesn’t have any fancy clothes or jewelry to wear.
Her husband suggests that she borrow something from her friend, Madame Forestier, who is rich and has an extensive collection of jewelry. Mathilde borrows a diamond necklace from Madame Forestier and looks absolutely stunning at the party. She dances and mingles with the other guests, feeling like a princess.
However, when she returns home, she realizes that she has lost the necklace. She and her husband search frantically for it, but it’s nowhere to be found. They decide to buy a replacement, and it takes them ten years of hard work and sacrifice to pay for it. When they finally give the replacement necklace to Madame Forestier, she tells them that the original necklace was a fake and was worth very little.
Analysis
“The Necklace” is a story about the dangers of coveting material possessions and the consequences of dishonesty. Mathilde Loisel’s desire for wealth and luxury leads her to lie to her friend and borrow a valuable necklace, which she then loses. Her dishonesty and greed cause her to suffer for ten years, working hard to pay for a replacement necklace that turns out to be worthless.
The story is also a commentary on the social class system of 19th century France. Mathilde Loisel is unhappy with her lower-middle-class existence and longs for a life of luxury and elegance. Her desire to be part of the upper class leads her to borrow the necklace and attend the party, where she feels like a princess. However, her dreams are shattered when she loses the necklace and realizes that she can never truly be part of the upper class.
Overall, “The Necklace” is a cautionary tale about the dangers of materialism, dishonesty, and social climbing. It reminds us that true happiness and contentment cannot be found in material possessions or social status, but in the relationships we have with the people we love.
Conclusion
“The Necklace” is a powerful and thought-provoking story that has resonated with readers for over a century. Its themes of materialism, social class, and honesty are still relevant today, and the story serves as a reminder that true happiness and contentment cannot be found in material possessions or social status, but in the relationships we have with the people we love.
