“English” Notes Chapter 1.5 The Necklace Class 9 Maharashtra Board

1. About the Story

• “The Necklace” is a short story by Guy de Maupassant.
• It is about a woman named Mathilde Loisel, who dreams of a rich and luxurious life but faces a tragic fate due to her vanity.
• The story teaches a moral lesson about honesty and contentment.

2. Main Characters

1. Mathilde Loisel – A beautiful but materialistic woman who wants to live a rich life.
2. Monsieur Loisel – Mathilde’s kind and hardworking husband, who works in the Ministry of Education.
3. Madame Forestier – Mathilde’s wealthy friend, from whom she borrows a diamond necklace.

3. Summary of the Story

• Mathilde is unhappy because she is not rich and feels she deserves a luxurious life.
• Her husband brings home an invitation to a grand party, but Mathilde is upset because she has nothing elegant to wear.
• Her husband gives her 400 francs to buy a new dress, sacrificing his savings.
• She borrows a diamond necklace from Madame Forestier to look more glamorous.
• At the party, Mathilde is admired by everyone, but after returning home, she realizes she lost the necklace.
• Mathilde and her husband search everywhere but cannot find it.
• They replace the necklace with an identical one worth 36,000 francs by taking loans and falling into debt.
• For the next 10 years, they live in extreme poverty and work hard to repay the debt.
• One day, Mathilde meets Madame Forestier and tells her the truth.
• She learns the shocking truth-the original necklace was fake and worth only 500 francs!

4. Themes of the Story

• Materialism and Vanity → Mathilde suffers because she desires luxury and status.
• Honesty vs. Deception → If Mathilde had told the truth, she could have avoided her suffering.
• The Irony of Fate → The twist ending shows how a small lie can ruin a person’s life.
• Happiness and Contentment → The story teaches us to appreciate what we have instead of chasing illusions.

5. Important Incidents in the Story

1. Mathilde’s Discontent → She is unhappy with her simple life and desires wealth.
2. The Party → Mathilde wears a beautiful dress and the necklace, feeling like a rich woman.
3. The Necklace is Lost → She panics and borrows money to replace it.
4. Ten Years of Hardship → Mathilde and her husband work endlessly to repay the debt.
5. The Shocking Truth → Mathilde learns that the necklace was fake all along.

6. Message of the Story

• Honesty is the best policy → If Mathilde had told the truth, she could have avoided her suffering.
• Material wealth does not bring happiness → Mathilde lost everything because of her desire for luxury.
• One mistake can change a person’s life forever → A small decision led to 10 years of struggle.