The Necklace Guy De Maupassant Summary
Introduction
The Necklace is a short story written by Guy De Maupassant. It was first published in the French newspaper Le Gaulois in 1884. The story is about a woman named Mathilde Loisel, who is not content with her simple life and desires a life of luxury and wealth. She borrows a necklace from her friend to wear to a party, but the necklace is lost, and she spends years paying off the debt incurred to replace it.
Main Characters
The main characters in the story are:
- Mathilde Loisel - A beautiful but discontented woman who desires a life of luxury and wealth.
- Her husband - A clerk who is content with their simple life.
- Mme. Forestier - Mathilde's wealthy friend who lends her the necklace.
Plot Summary
Mathilde Loisel is a young woman who is unhappy with her simple life. She dreams of a life of luxury and wealth, but her husband is only a clerk and they do not have much money. One day, her husband comes home with an invitation to a fancy party. Mathilde is excited at the prospect of attending, but she has nothing to wear.
Her husband suggests that she borrow something from her wealthy friend, Mme. Forestier. Mathilde borrows a beautiful diamond necklace from Mme. Forestier and attends the party, where she is the most beautiful woman there. However, when she returns home, she realizes that she has lost the necklace.
Mathilde and her husband search everywhere for the necklace, but they cannot find it. They decide to replace it without telling Mme. Forestier. They buy a new necklace and spend the next ten years of their lives working hard to pay off the debt that they incurred to replace it.
One day, Mathilde encounters Mme. Forestier and tells her the truth about the lost necklace. Mme. Forestier is surprised and tells Mathilde that the necklace was not real diamonds, but rather fake ones made of paste. Mathilde is devastated, realizing that she and her husband had worked so hard and suffered so much for nothing.
Themes
The Necklace explores themes of materialism, social class, and the consequences of deception. Mathilde Loisel is consumed with the desire for material possessions and social status, which ultimately leads to her downfall. The story also shows the negative consequences of deception and the importance of honesty.
Conclusion
The Necklace by Guy De Maupassant is a timeless tale that explores the human desire for material possessions and social status. The story shows how the pursuit of these things can lead to deception and ultimately, suffering. It is a cautionary tale that reminds us of the importance of honesty and contentment with what we have.
