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The Necklace Summary Analysis and Explanation By Guy De Maupassant
About the Author
Henri René Albert Guy de Maupassant (5 August 1850 – 6 July 1893) was a French writer, remembered as a master of the short story form, and as a representative of the naturalist school of writers, who depicted human lives and destinies and social forces in disillusioned and often pessimistic terms. He wrote some 300 short stories, six novels, three travel books, and one volume of verse.
| Author Name | Guy De Maupassant |
| Born | 5 August 1850, Château de Miromesnil, Tourville-sur-Arques, France |
| Died | 6 July 1893, Passy, Paris, France |
| Short stories | The Necklace, Boule de Suif, The Horla, Two Friends |
| Movies | Bel Ami, Masculin Féminin, A Woman’s Life |
Short Summary of The Necklace in English
Matilda was a young and pretty lady. She was born into a family of clerks. She was simple and had married a pretty office clerk. She dared not to visit his friendly schoolmate’s house which was richly furnished. One day Mr Loisel and Mme. Loisel get an invitation to dinner from the Minister of Public Instruction.
The husband got elected to get the select invitation but the wife got irritated because she didn’t have proper clothes and jewelry to wear. Her husband gave her money to buy a dress.
At her husband’s suggestion, Mme. Loisel went to Mme Forestier’s house and she got ready to lend her entire jewelry. However, she borrowed only a diamond necklace.
Mme Loisel danced at the; ball with enthusiasm. She looked pretty. It made her swell with joy. Her husband wrapped her shoulders in poor wraps. They hired a carriage and reached home and instantly she noticed that the necklace was missing.
They had looked all around but they didn’t find it, then Loisel found a chaplet of r diamonds in a shop. It looked exactly like the lost necklace and they bought it for thirty-six thousand francs.
They handed the jewel to Mme Forestier but she did not open it. But it took them ten years to repay the borrowed amount from which they bought the necklace.
The Loisels sent away the maid and lived in a rented room in an attic. They led quite a humble and poor life for few years. Thus they repaid their loan. One day Mrs. Loisel happened to meet Mme Forestier while they were taking a walk. Mme Forestier revealed that her false necklace was only worth five hundred francs.
What is the main theme of the necklace?
The main themes in “The Necklace” are greed, deceptive appearances, and beauty and vanity. Greed: Mathilde Loisel’s overwhelming desire to live a life of luxury blinds her to the comforts she already possesses and ultimately leads to her losing what wealth and status she initially has.
What happened in the short story the necklace?
In “The Necklace,” Mathilde Loisel yearns to live a rich and extravagant life. … She loses the necklace, feels compelled to replace it, and spends the next ten years working herself to the bone to pay it off. Ultimately, she learns that the necklace was costume jewelry and not worth a tenth of what the replacement cost.
What message does the story necklace teach us?
The story of ‘The Necklace’ is a satire that gives a strong message on human values. The very first thing that this lesson teaches us is that everyone should be content in life with whatever little that he has. One should live within one’s means or else he invites unnecessary problems, anxieties, and confusion in life.
What lesson does the story The Necklace teach us?
The moral lesson of the story, “the necklace” is that we shouldn’t live a materialistic life as it can make our life’s filled with sorrow and grief.