The Necklace By Guy De Maupassant Sparknotes
Introduction
The Necklace is a short story written by Guy de Maupassant. The story was first published in the French newspaper Le Gaulois on 17th February 1884. The story is about a woman named Mathilde Loisel and her husband, who live a simple life but dream of living a luxurious life. The story is known for its surprise ending.
Plot Summary
The story is set in Paris in the 19th century. Mathilde Loisel is a beautiful woman who is married to a clerk. Mathilde is unhappy with her simple life and dreams of living a luxurious life. One day, her husband comes home with an invitation to a ball at the Ministry of Education. Mathilde is excited but is upset that she has nothing to wear. Her husband gives her 400 francs to buy a dress. Mathilde borrows a diamond necklace from her friend Madame Forestier.
Mathilde looks beautiful at the ball and enjoys the attention she receives. However, when she returns home, she realizes that she has lost the necklace. Mathilde and her husband spend the next ten years of their lives paying off the debt they incurred to replace the necklace. After ten years, Mathilde runs into Madame Forestier and tells her what happened. Madame Forestier tells Mathilde that the necklace was fake.
Characters
The Necklace has three main characters:
- Mathilde Loisel - A beautiful woman who dreams of living a luxurious life.
- Mathilde's Husband - A clerk who loves his wife but cannot afford to give her everything she wants.
- Madame Forestier - A rich friend of Mathilde who lends her the necklace for the ball.
Themes
The Necklace explores several themes:
- Materialism - Mathilde is unhappy with her simple life and dreams of living a luxurious life.
- Appearance vs Reality - Mathilde thinks that the necklace is real and expensive, but it turns out to be fake.
- Pride - Mathilde is too proud to tell Madame Forestier that she lost the necklace and spends the next ten years of her life paying off the debt incurred to replace it.
Symbols
The Necklace has several symbols:
- The Necklace - The necklace symbolizes materialism and appearance vs reality.
- The Ball - The ball symbolizes the luxurious life that Mathilde dreams of.
- The Mirror - The mirror symbolizes Mathilde's vanity.
Analysis
The Necklace is a commentary on materialism and how appearances can be deceiving. Mathilde is unhappy with her simple life and dreams of living a luxurious life. She borrows a diamond necklace from her friend Madame Forestier to wear to a ball at the Ministry of Education. When she loses the necklace, she and her husband spend the next ten years of their lives paying off the debt they incurred to replace it. When Mathilde runs into Madame Forestier and tells her what happened, Madame Forestier tells her that the necklace was fake. The story shows how materialism can lead to misery and how appearances can be deceiving.
Critical Reception
The Necklace has been widely praised for its surprise ending and its commentary on materialism. The story has been translated into numerous languages and has been adapted into several films and stage productions. The story has been included in several anthologies and is considered one of the greatest short stories of all time.
Conclusion
The Necklace is a short story written by Guy de Maupassant. The story is about a woman named Mathilde Loisel and her husband, who live a simple life but dream of living a luxurious life. The story is known for its surprise ending and its commentary on materialism and how appearances can be deceiving. The story has been widely praised and is considered one of the greatest short stories of all time.
