CBSE Revision Notes for Class 10 English Footprints Without Feet Chapter 7 The Necklace
Chapter Sketch
‘The Necklace’ is a story of a middle class lady named Matilda. She was born in a clerk family and was married to a clerk named M Loisel. Matilda was a very pretty young lady but she was dissatisfied with the poverty of her family. She wanted to have the luxuries in her life. She hated her own humble surroundings and spent her time dreaming about a fancy and luxurious life.
She borrowed a necklace from her friend, Mme Forestier and lost it in the ball (party). She decided to replace it by a necklace that looked similar to it. It is costed her a fortune and they had to live in a miserable condition to repay the loan they took to buy it. It is a tale of how her desire to have more, lead to her ruin.
About the Characters
- Matilda Loisel She is a pretty young woman who is married to a i clerk. She is dissatisfied with what she has. She is always lost in her dreams of wealth and pleasure.
- M Loisel He is the husband of Matilda and is an ordinary clerk. He lives within his means. He always tries to please his wife as he is a caring man.
- Madam Forestier She is a good friend of Matilda. She is helpful and considerate. She lends Matilda a necklace that leads to her ruin.
OVERVIEW OF THE CHAPTER :
Matilda Loisel and her Unhappiness
Matilda Loisel, a middle class lady, desperately wished she were wealthy. She was very pretty and charming but had the bad luck to be born into a family of clerks and married to another clerk, M Loisel. Her husband worked as a clerk in the office of the Board of Education. Matilda was simple but she was unhappy. She was so convinced that she’s meant to be rich that she detested her real life and spent all day dreaming and despairing about the fabulous life that she was not having.
M Loisel Brought an Invitation :
One day, M Loisel brought an invitation to a fancy ball organised by his boss, the Minister of Education. M Loisel thought that her wife would be delighted to read the invitation but she was not delighted to see the invitation. She told her husband that she does not have a good dress to wear to that occasion and ask him to give the invitation to his friend. Her husband M Loisel, told her that she could buy a new dress. He had saved four hundred francs to buy a gun to join some hunting parties. He said that he would give that money to her for buying a new dress.
Matilda Gets Necklace From Mme Forestier :
Matilda buys a new dress but she was not happy. Her husband asked the reason of her sadness. She says that she would not go for the ball as she does not have jewellery to wear with the dress. He replied that she should wear some natural flowers, but she was not convinced. Then he advised her to borrow it from her friend, Mme Forestier. Next day she went to her friend’s house and borrowed a necklace for the ball.
Matilda at the Day of Ball :
The night of the ball arrived and Matilda was happy at the occasion. She looked very beautiful in the dress. Everyone liked her and she was absolutely thrilled. She and her husband did not leave until 4 am. Then they caught a cab and returned home.
The Necklace was Lost :
When she returned home and was changing her dress, Matilda wanted to see her beauty in final view before the mirror. Suddenly she noticed that the necklace was not around her neck. She was shocked to see that her necklace had got lost. She cried out and informed her husband that she had lost the necklace. Her husband searched for the necklace on every place, where they went last night. He went to the police and the cab offices. He also put an advertisement in the newspapers, but the necklace was not found. So he advised her wife to write a letter to her friend telling her that she needs some time to get the necklace repaired.
Lolsels Replace the Necklace :
At last, Matilda decides to replace the necklace with a necklace that looks similar to it. Her husband gives her 18,000 francs which his father had left for him. He takes a loan of the remaining amount and purchase a diamond necklace for 36,000 francs. She returns the necklace to her friend. Buying the necklace bought the Loisels in poverty. They lost their house, their maid, their comfortable lifestyle and on top of it ail, Matilda loses her good-looking face.
The Truth Revealed Out :
After ten years, all the debts were finally paid. One day Matilda was walking in the Champs-Elysees and saw Mme Forestier. She was looking charming and beautiful as she had looked ten years before. Now that all the debts are paid off, Matilda decided to tell the story to Mme Forestier about her necklace. At this, Mme Forestier informed her that it was a fake necklace and the cost of it was only five hundred francs.
Chapter Highlights
- Matilda, an ordinary woman, unhappy with her monotonous simple life, dreams of grandeur all the time.
- M. Loisel, Matilda’s husband, is satisfied with what he has. He is also happy being a clerk.
- Loisels get invited to a ball at the Minister of Public Instruction’s place.
- Loisel thinks that his wife would be happy to know about the invitation to the ball.
- Matilda is displeased and refused to go as she does not have a dress to wear to the ball.
- Her husband offers to buy her a dress for four hundred francs.
- Matilda buy a good dress but is still unhappy as she has no jewell to complement the beautiful dress.
- Her husband suggests to borrow jewels from her friend, Mme Forestier.
- Mme Forestier lends Matilda a diamond necklace.
- Matilda becomes a celebrity at the ball party as everyone admires her beauty.
- Unfortunately, the couple discovers the necklace is lost as they reach home.
- M Loisel contacts the police, cab offices, advertises to award the finder of the necklace but to no avail. They decide to buy a new necklace to replace it.
- M Loisel collects 18000 francs and they borrow eighteen thousand more to pay for the necklace.
- The couple spend ten years to pay back the debt, working day and night and suffering from dire poverty.
- Ten years of poverty and misery render them old and weary.
- M Loisel meets Mme Forestier one day and narrates the story of the necklace.
- Mme Forestier informs her the necklace was worth just five hundred Francs
Feet Finder is safe for both the buyers and the sellers.
WORD MEANINGS
The given page nos. correspond to the pages in the prescribed textbook.
Of lesser rank or importance
Word | Meaning | ||
PAGE 39 | |||
Petty | Of lesser rank or importance | ||
Incessantly | Continuously | ||
Tureen | A deep bowl with a cover used for serving soup | ||
Exquisite | Finely made | ||
Despair | A complete loss of hope | ||
Elated | To be extremely joyful | ||
PAGE 40 | |||
Spitefully | Hurtfully | ||
Dismay | A feeling of unhappiness and disappointment | ||
PAGE 41 | |||
Vexed | Annoyed, frustrated or worried. | ||
Ecstatic | Very happy and excited | ||
PAGE 42 | |||
Intoxicated | Filled | ||
Salon | A room used for entertaining guests | ||
Modest | Not expensive | ||
Cloak | A sleeveless garment that hangs loosely from shoulders | ||
PAGE 43 | |||
Bewilderment | Confusion | ||
Chaplet | A string of (diamonds) | ||
Usurer | Money lender | ||
PAGE 44 | |||
Attic | A space or room inside the roof a building | ||
Crude | Very simple | ||
Sou | A French coin of low value | ||
Perceived | Noticed, spotted | ||
Personage | Name |
The Necklace Summary In Hindi
I
मटिल्डा स्वप्न लेनेवाली महिला
मटिल्डा काफी सुन्दर थी। परन्तु दुर्भाग्य के कारण वह एक क्लर्क के परिवार में उत्पन्न हो गई। उसके पास कोई दहेज नहीं था, न कोई आशा । उसके पास कोई साधन नहीं था जिसके द्वारा वह प्रसिद्ध हो सके और अमीर उसे प्यार कर सकें। इसलिए उसने शिक्षा बोर्ड के दफ्तर में एक क्लर्क मिस्टर लॉयजल से शादी कर ली। मटिल्डा सुन्दर चीजों के बारे में सोचती । उसके पास न फ्राक थे, न हीरे-जवाहरात । और वह इन वस्तुओं से प्यार करती थी। परन्तु वह उदास रहती थी। वह इसके कारण दुख उठाती थी।
मन्त्री की पार्टी का निमंत्रण
एक शाम उसका पति घर लौटा। वह खुश था। उसे और मटिल्डा को मन्त्री के निवास स्थान पर मन्त्री की पार्टी में आमंत्रित किया गया था। परन्तु मटिल्हा उदास हो गई। उसके पति ने उसे बताया कि यह तो गिने-चुने व्यक्तियों की पार्टी थी। मटिल्डा ने उसे बताया कि इस पार्टी के लिए उसके पास एक अच्छी पोशाक नहीं थी।
नई पोशाक की समस्या को सुलझाना
उसने रोना आरम्भ कर दिया। उसका पति इस पर काफी दुखी हुआ। उसने उसे बताया कि वह एक नई पोशाक खरीद सकती है। उसने एक गन खरीदने के लिए चार सौ फ्रैंक बचाए थे। उसने उन्हें शिकारी पार्टियों में सम्मिलित होने के लिए बचाया था। उसने उसे बताया कि वह वे पैसे उसे दे देगा। वह एक अच्छी पोशाक खरीद सकती है।
हीरों के हार को उधार लेना
मटिल्डा ने एक नई पोशाक खरीदी। परन्तु वह उदास थी। उसने अपने पति को बताया कि पहनने के लिए उसके पास कोई हीरेजवाहरात नहीं हैं। उसने उसे कुछ प्राकृतिक फूल पहनने के लिए कहा। परन्तु मटिल्डा सन्तुष्ट नहीं हुई। फिर उसके पति ने उसे उसकी सहेली मैडम फोरस्टीयर से कुछ हीरे जवाहरात उधार ले लेने के लिए कहा। अगले दिन उसने इस अवसर के लिए उससे हीरों का एक नैकलेस (हार) उधार ले लिया।
मटिल्डा पार्टी में
नाच पार्टी का दिन आ गया। मैडम लॉयजल महान सफलता थी। सभी ने उसकी प्रशंसा की। वह सभी से अधिक सुन्दर थी। वह मुस्कराई और खुशी से भरपूर थी। वह उत्साह से नाची। वह खुशी से पागल सी हो गई थी। सुबह चार बजे के करीब वह घर वापस लौटी। आधी रात से उसका पति एक दुकान में सो-जाग रहा था। उसने उसके कन्धों के चारों तरफ साधारण लपेटने वाले कपड़े डाले । मटिल्डा शीघ्र ही घर जाना चाहती थी। वह नहीं चाहती थी कि दूसरी महिलाऐं उसे उन ओढ़ने वाले कपड़ों में देखें। ये महिलाएँ अमीर फर में लिपटी हुई थी।
हार का खोया जाना
वे घर पहुँचे । शीशे के सामने मटिल्डा ने अपने कंधों के ऊपर से ओढ़ने वाले कपड़े उतारे। वह अपनी शान में अपना अन्तिम नजारा देखना चाहती थी। अचानक वह चिल्लाई । उसको हार उसकी गर्दन के चारों तरफ नहीं था। यह खो गया था।
II
हार की खोज
मटिल्डा ने अपने पति को बताया कि उसने हार खो दिया है। दोनों ने हार को ढूंढा। लॉयजल बाहर देखने गया जहाँ पर वे पैदल चले थे। उसने उस स्थान को देंढा। परन्तु वह उसे नहीं मिला। उसने उसे बताया कि शायद उसने उसे गाड़ी (कैरिज) में गिरा दिया होगा। परन्तु उन्होंने उसका नम्बर नोट नहीं किया। उन्होंने तहें और जेबें देखीं। परन्तु हार हमेशा के लिए खो गया था।
नये हार द्वारा आपूर्ति
एक सप्ताह के अन्त में मटिल्डा ने अपने पति को उन्हें इस हार के स्थान पर दूसरा हार देने के लिए कहा। पैलेस-रॉयल में एक दुकान पर उन्होंने पहले जैसा एक हार देखा। इसकी कीमत 40,000 फ्रैंक थी। उन्हें यह 36,000 फ्रैंक में मिल सकता था। मटिल्डा के पति के पास उसके पिता से मिले 18,000 फ्रैंक थे। उसने बाकी के पैसे भिन्न भिन्न व्यक्तियों से ऊँचे व्याज पर उधार ले लिए। आखिरकार वे हार को खरीदने के योग्य हो गए। उन्होंने इसे मैडम फोरस्टीयर को लौटा दिया। मैडम फोरस्टीयर ने मटिल्डा को कहा कि वह हार उसे पहले लौटा देना चाहिए था। उसकी उसे आवश्यकता पड़ सकती थी। जैसे मटिल्डा को भय था वह बक्से को खोलेगी पर उसने उसे खोला नहीं।
लॉयजल का भयभीत जीवन
मैडम लॉयजल को अब कमी के भयभीत जीवन का पता चला। उन्हें उधार लिया पैसा लौटाना पड़ेगा। मटिल्डा ने नौकरानी को वापिस भेज दिया। वे सस्ते मकान में चले गए। उसने प्लेटें धोयीं। वह स्वयं ही पानी लाई । हरेक स्थान (सीढ़ी) पर वह साँस लेती । हरेक सो (कम कीमत का फ्रेंच सिक्का) के लिए वह मोल-भाव करती। उसके पति ने दिन-रात काम किया। उन्होंने कठिन समय देखा। यह दस वर्ष तक चलता रहा।
मैडम लॉयजल में परिवर्तन
मैडम लॉयजल अब काफी बूढ़ी दिखती थी। वह एक सख्त महिला दिखती थी। उसके बाल बुरी तरह से दिख रहे थे। उसकी पोशाक उलटी-पुलटी थी। जब उसका पति दफ्तर में होता तो वह खिड़की के आगे बैठती। फिर वह पहले के समय के बारे में सोचती। वह सोचती कि यदि उसने हार नहीं खोया होता तो क्या हो गया होता।
सच्चाई का पता चल जाना
एक इतवार वह चैम्स्-इलिसिस में सैर कर रही थी। अचानक उसने एक महिला को एक बच्चे के साथ घूमते देखा। यह मैडम फोरस्टीयर थी। वह अब भी सुन्दर और आकर्षित करने वाली थी। यह देखकर मैडम लॉयजल प्रभावित हो गई। वह उसके पास गई। मैडम फोरस्टीयर मटिल्डा को पहचान नहीं सकी। मटिल्डा ने अपने बारे में बात की और बताया कि उसके साथ क्या हो गया था। इस पर मैडम फोरस्टीयर ने उसे बताया कि हार जो उसने उसे उधार दिया था वह नकलीं था।
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