This The Proposal summary for Class 10 English gives you the full play, themes, characters, and word meanings in one place. The Proposal is a one-act comedy by Anton Chekhov, covered in line with the 2026-27 NCERT for quick board revision.

  • Board Weightage: This drama feeds the Literature section, worth roughly 10 marks across extract, short-answer, and long-answer questions.
  • Most Tested Ideas: The two quarrels, the marriage of convenience, and the comic characters.
  • 2026-27 NCERT: The play is unchanged in the current First Flight textbook.

These notes are prepared by Collegedunia's English subject experts, matched to the 2026-27 NCERT First Flight textbook, and framed around the last five years of CBSE Board questions.

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The Proposal Topic-wise Importance for CBSE Boards

Some parts of the play are asked more than others. This table shows where to spend your revision time.

TopicBoard Importance
The purpose of Lomov's visitHigh
The quarrel over Oxen MeadowsHigh
The quarrel over the dogsHigh
Satire on marriage among the richMedium

The Proposal Summary in Simple Words

This The Proposal summary covers the play in three clear parts.

Lomov Comes to Propose

Ivan Lomov, a well-off but nervous and sickly bachelor, visits his neighbour Chubukov. He has come to ask for the hand of Chubukov's daughter, Natalya. Chubukov is delighted at the match and calls Natalya in. Lomov, however, is too anxious to state his purpose clearly at once.

Easy Tip: Note that Lomov wants to marry mainly because he is aging and unwell, not out of love.

The Quarrel over Oxen Meadows

Before Lomov can propose, he and Natalya begin to argue about a strip of land called Oxen Meadows. Each claims that the land belongs to their family. The argument grows loud and bitter, and Chubukov joins in. In the heat of the fight, the proposal is completely forgotten.

The Quarrel over the Dogs

When Natalya learns that Lomov had actually come to propose, she calms down and the matter is nearly settled. But the two soon start a fresh quarrel over whose hunting dog is better, Lomov's Guess or Natalya's Squeezer. Lomov, overexcited, nearly faints. In the end Chubukov quickly joins their hands and declares them engaged, even as they keep arguing.

Easy Tip: The play ends with the couple still quarrelling, which is the main comic point.

Themes and Message of The Proposal

The play carries two ideas that boards test.

  • Marriage of convenience: The match is about land and money, not love.
  • Human pettiness: The characters quarrel over trifles, which Chekhov turns into comedy.
Remember: The Proposal is a farce, so its humour comes from exaggeration and silly arguments.

The Proposal Word Meanings

These tough words from the play often appear in extract-based questions.

WordMeaning
ProposalAn offer of marriage
PalpitationsVery fast or irregular heartbeats
MeadowsFields of grass
ImpertinentRude and disrespectful
PedigreeThe recorded line of ancestors, here of a dog
VociferatingShouting loudly

Most Repeated Board Questions on The Proposal

This The Proposal summary ends with the questions you must practise. Each has appeared in CBSE-style papers.

  • Why does Lomov come to Chubukov's house?
  • What is the quarrel over Oxen Meadows?
  • What do Lomov and Natalya say about their dogs?
  • How does the play make fun of marriage among the rich?

Full question answers: The Proposal Class 10 English NCERT Solutions

Revised well, this The Proposal summary from Collegedunia should let you attempt any board question on the play with confidence.

More The Proposal English Class 10 Resources

Class 10 English First Flight Notes: All Chapters

Open the notes for any other First Flight chapter from this table.

The Proposal Class 10 English Notes FAQs

Ques. Where can I download The Proposal Class 10 English Notes PDF?

Ans. You can download the The Proposal Class 10 English Notes PDF directly from this page. Both the Normal and HD versions are free.

Ques. What is the theme of The Proposal?

Ans. The play is a satire on marriages of convenience among the landed rich, and it uses silly quarrels to create comedy.

Ques. Who are the main characters in The Proposal?

Ans. The three characters are Ivan Lomov, Natalya Stepanovna, and her father Stepan Chubukov.

Ques. Are these notes aligned with the 2026-27 syllabus?

Ans. Yes. This play remains Chapter 9 of First Flight in the current 2026-27 syllabus, so these notes are fully valid for the board exam.

Ques. How does the play end for a 12th std style answer?

Ans. Chubukov joins the hands of Lomov and Natalya and declares them engaged, but the couple at once begin quarrelling again about their dogs.