PUMPA - SMART LEARNING
எங்கள் ஆசிரியர்களுடன் 1-ஆன்-1 ஆலோசனை நேரத்தைப் பெறுங்கள். டாப்பர் ஆவதற்கு நாங்கள் பயிற்சி அளிப்போம்
Book Free Demo"The Proposal" by 'Anton Chekov' is a Russian one-act play. Chubukov, Lomov and Natalya are the only characters in the play. The drama begins as the curtain rises with Lomov. He is one of the characters in the play. He enters Chubukov's house, which is his neighbour.
Lomov was elegantly dressed in his jacket and white gloves for the evening. While Ivan Vassilevitch Lomov was entering, Chubukov warmly welcomed his neighbour Lomov. He did shake his hand and asked Lomov about his well-being, claiming Lomov's visit to his house was surprising. After thanking Chubukov for his question, Lomov inquired about Chubukov's well-being.
Chubukov replied to Lomov that it was because of people like Lomov's prayers that they were able to live in peace and told Lomov that he shouldn't forget his neighbours. He then politely asked Lomov to have a seat, and, as Chubukov was surprised by the latter's elegant, grand evening attire, he asked Lomov what the occasion was.
Chubukov was quite courteous, calling Lomov "my angel," "my treasure," "my darling," etc., each time he called Lomov's name. Then, he questioned whether Lomov was going anyplace in such a splendid outfit and asked him why he had been dressed so formally and grandly. Lomov said that his only intent in visiting Chubukov was to see him.
Chubukov told Lomov that, from the way he was dressed, it appeared that Lomov was going to a New Year's Eve party. After listening to Chubukov, Lomov responded that he had come to bother Chubukov with his request and informed Chubukov that Lomov had received assistance from him numerous times, not just once or twice. After making this statement, Lomov became too excited to continue and apologised to Chubukov for it. As Lomov became excited when speaking with him, he drank some water to calm himself down.
Chubukov considered for a while that Lomov had approached him to borrow money and that he had told himself not to give Lomov any money. Chubukov pondered this and inquired of Lomov as to the cause of his visit.
Lomov became excited and nervous while expressing his concern towards Chubukov. He later apologised to Chubukov for being so excited. Then he told Chubukov that even though he didn't deserve it and had no right to ask for it, Chubukov was the only person who could aid Lomov in his situation.
After some time, Lomov revealed that his true motivation for coming was to ask for his daughter's hand in marriage. Chubukov was extremely happy to hear that Lomov had come with a marriage proposal. He asked Lomov to repeat what he had said because, in his excitement, he could not believe what he had just heard.
Chubukov showed his happiness and satisfaction with great joy. He struggled for words to convey his joy. He kissed Lomov, overcome with emotion at watching his long-awaited desire come true, saying Chubukov always loved Lomov as if he was his son. Lomov's proposal for his daughter made Chubukov cry joyfully. He then realised that he was behaving so idiotically. But, before Chubukov realised what he was doing, he gave his blessing to Natalya, his daughter, and Lomov. Then, he left the place, saying he would call his daughter Natalya.
Though Lomov desired and proposed to marry Natalya, he was sceptical about whether she would accept his hand. And so, Natalya's assent to this marriage is a question Lomov posed to Chubukov. According to Chubukov, Natalya cannot refuse since she yearned for Lomov's affection, and he assured Lomov of the same. He then goes inside to call his daughter, Natalya.
Lomov was anxious and trembled all over as if he had a test in front of him. He believed it was to his advantage that he had already made up his mind to propose to Natalya; because if he allowed himself more time to think about it, his marriage would end up being postponed or, worse yet, called off entirely.
Given that Natalya Stepanovna is average-looking(not bad-looking), a superb housekeeper, and well-educated, he reassured himself that she would make a wonderful companion. And so, according to Lomov, Natalya could be an ideal life partner for him.
Lomov was very excited about his marriage proposal to Natalya. He could hear noises in his ears as he reacted to the news. He drank some water and thought about his future, and he decided he didn't want to delay his wedding because he was already 35 years old. He also had a palpitation health issue, which caused his heart rate to increase during times of stress, his lips to tremble, and his eyebrows to twitch.
Above all else, Lomov had a hard time falling asleep. He would often experience a pull in his shoulder and the side of his head while sleeping. This problem has been happening around 20 times a day.
As Lomov was thinking about his health issues, Natalya Stepanovna entered the scene.
Natalya Chubukov, who had arrived, was surprised to see Ivan Vassilevitch (Lomov) in her home because Chubukov had amusingly told her that a merchant was waiting to receive his goods; as a result, she was surprised to see Lomov rather than a merchant. Natalya was received by Lomov, who gently inquired about her well-being.
Natalya did ask for an excuse from Lomov because she was wearing an apron and negligee. She then told him she had been shelling peas for drying and was wearing such an outfit. She then requested him to have lunch with her, to which he replied that he had already had lunch.
Natalya offered Lomov lunch, but when he refused, stating he had it already, she again offered him a cigarette and handed him the matches (it's customary for them to do so). She then began to discuss the weather, contrasting that day with the one before, saying that the former was pleasant and the latter was awful, which had an impact on her employees' work that entire day. She went on to discuss her haystack and how she was too avaricious to have a portion of the field cleared; as a result, she was now concerned about the weather and feared that the haystack might rot.
While conversing, she noticed his attire and wondered if he was heading to a ball. She praised him and inquired about the event. As Lomov started to speak, he cautioned her that what she heard might surprise or even incense her. Lomov told her so because he feared that Natalya might reject his proposal. He then experienced an odd cold due to his excitement as he planned to propose to her.
While talking to Lomov, Natalya curiously asked him the purpose of his arrival. Lomov attempted to keep his approach to a minimum and then tried to brief Natalya on the reason for his visit by starting with how he had known Natalya's family from childhood. He then explained how his aunt and uncle, who had passed away, greatly respected Natalya's father and her late mother.
The talk of Lomov also revealed two things. It might be that Lomov's aunt and uncle had no children and might have adopted Lomov. As a result, Lomov must have inherited the land from them after they passed away.
Additionally, Lomov emphasised how the Chubukovs and Lomovs continued their cordial friendship. He also mentions how close their lands were to one another and how his Oxen Meadows touched their birchwoods. Just then, while Lomov mentioned the Oxen Meadows, Natalya started to argue, saying, "The Oxen Meadows were hers and do not belong to him.
Natalya was shocked to hear what Lomov had told her. She claimed Oxen Meadows to be her family property and not Lomov's. Lomov, on the other hand, asserted ownership of Oxen Meadows, and this property dispute was the first cause of their argument.
Natalya says to Lomov that she wasn't aware of it and asked him to explain how he claims it belonged to him. So, to be clear, Lomov specifies the particular Oxen Meadows he is referring to as being those tucked in between birchwoods and the Burnt Marsh, to which Natalya confirmed that she was also talking about the same Oxen meadows. However, Lomov asserted his ownership of the land once more and informed Natalya that she had been incorrect in believing it to be her property.
Natalya couldn't accept Lomov's claim and asked him how long Oxen Meadows had been his, to which Lomov replied that Oxen Meadows had been his for a long time as he remembered. But Natalya remarked that she couldn't believe it as all these days she believed that Oxen Meadows was her family property.
Lomov mentioned having documentation proving his ownership of the Oxen Meadows property to Natalya. He even mentioned that Oxen Meadows were previously a disputed piece of land but that the disagreement had been settled, and they were now his.
Lomov says that going back in time, his aunt's grandmother had given the peasants of Natalya's father's family permission to use Oxen Meadows in exchange for making bricks for his aunt's grandmother. The peasants were given it for forty years, during which time they allegedly formed the habit of considering it to be their own.
According to Lomov, the peasants who belonged to Natalya's grandfather gradually began to conceive of themselves as holders of the land that Lomov's aunt's grandmother had once given them free access to. Therefore, according to Lomov, Oxen Meadows belonged to his aunt, and just because Natalya's family workers were utilising it did not make it their property.
Natalya disagreed with Lomov's argument as she heard her grandfather and great-grandfather telling her that their property extended to Burnt Marsh since she was a young child. She believed in them and didn't see the purpose in disputing who owned them.
And Lomov was quite confident about his claim that he could even show the documents to Natalya, who insisted that Lomov was quite serious about his claim. Natalya disregarded Lomov's assertion and informed him that he was joking since she believed the Oxen Meadows had been their property for the previous 300 years and could not conceive of anyone claiming ownership of it at present. She informed Lomov that while the land was only five dessiatins, worth about 300 roubles, it wasn't about its value, and she couldn't stand Lomov's unfairness. One dessiatin is equivalent to 2.7 acres of land in Russian units.
Lomov pleaded with Natalya to at least pay attention to what he had to say. He continued by saying that the peasants of her great-grandfather used to bake bricks for his aunt's grandmother before Natalya cut him off.
Natalya lost her patience in listening to old stories repeated by Lomov about their ancestors. So, she stated her unwillingness to hear any of Lomov's remarks concerning their grandparents. She only insisted on one thing: the Oxen Meadows be acknowledged as her property, despite Lomov's repeated claims.
Natalya refuted Lomov's assertion, telling him that while he could take days to prove his claim and wear fifteen such dress jackets to demonstrate his claim, she would never accept that Oxen Meadows belonged to him. She said this because Natalya wouldn't be persuaded to accept Lomov's arguments, even if he dressed nicely and appealingly presented his claim. The Oxen Meadows are her property, and she made it abundantly obvious that she could not give them to anybody else or that she desired any of Lomov's.
Lomov responded to Natalya by saying he also didn't place much value on the Oxen Meadows but was only acting fairly and morally. He even offered to give the Oxen Meadows as a gift to Natalya.
Natalya was incensed by Lomov's Oxen Meadows offer and responded by offering to give him Oxen Meadows as a gift because she believed it to be hers in the first place. She was also surprised by his offer to give her her own land to herself. She added that Lomov had been acting quite strangely and that up until that point, they had considered him a good neighbour, but that was not the case anymore. Last year, Natalya's family offered him their threshing machine, even though it would have delayed their process, but he has been treating them impolitely. She thought he wasn't treating them with the proper respect.
Natalya's words hurt Lomov, and he replied that she was treating him like a land robber, which caused him to feel bad. He claimed that he never had in his life sought to take something that wasn't rightfully his. He hated when someone else accused him of the same thing. He drank more water and said, 'Oxen Meadows are his'. Lomov started drinking water because he was so stressed.
Again Natalya and Lomov began to argue that Oxen Meadows belonged to them.
Natalya felt the need to demonstrate her ownership over that area of grassland. So decided to send the grass cutters there that day when Lomov continued to be adamant and dispute about Oxen Meadows' rights. Lomov was shocked by what Natalya had told him.
Lomov threatened to hit Natalya's mowers after she insisted once more that the grass cutters would be at Oxen Meadows that same day. Natalya warned him not to risk doing such a thing. The Oxen Meadows are Lomov's and his alone; he said forcefully as he became quite tense.
Natalya asked Lomov to stop shouting in her home when he reacted out of his tenseness. He mentioned his very uncomfortable elevated pulse rate and took responsibility for his tone. He continued to claim the Oxen Meadows despite his discomfort, after which both started repeatedly claiming the ownership of Oxen Meadows as theirs. As they were fighting, Chubukov entered the scene.
Chubukov arrived as Lomov and Natalya were shouting at one other and inquired about what was happening. Natalya then requested information from her father on Oxen Meadows' ownership. Additionally, Chubukov informed Lomov that the Oxen Meadows are theirs, just like Natalya said. Chubukov's allegation was contested by Lomov, who urged him to use rational thinking. Then Chubukov interrupted him while he was still giving him his version of the events involving their grandparents.
Chubukov then refuted Lomov's claim by pointing out that Oxen Meadows' standing as disputed land was the only reason the peasants were permitted to use it at no cost. But now everyone can see that the Chubukovs are the true owners. He even accused Lomov of failing to notice the plan.
When Chubukov refused to accept Lomov's argument, he became enraged and told Chubukov that Oxen Meadows were his, to which Chubukov calmly answered that he couldn't prove it. However, Lomov asserted once more that he would prove ownership of Oxen Meadows.
So, Chubukov tried to inform Lomov gently that there was no need to yell, as yelling would do nothing. He repeated Natalya's comments that he does not wish to claim anything that is not his and does not want to give away what is his. Moreover, he warned Lomov that if he continued to argue about the land, he would rather give it to his people for free than to him.
Lomov responded to Chubukov, saying, Chubukov did not have the right to give away someone's (Lomov's) property to anybody. Upon hearing this, Chubukov tried to communicate to Lomov that the tone in which Lomov chose to speak to him was annoying him. Furthermore, he also stated that he is twice his age and needs to be spoken to with respect rather than in an agitated tone.
Chubukov attempted to explain to Lomov that he was getting frustrated with how Lomov spoke to him and that because Lomov was twice his age, he ought to be spoken to with respect rather than in a disrespectful tone, but Lomov rejected his explanation.
He replied that his impolite behaviour was a reaction to what Chubukov had been doing, claiming Lomov's land. He called Chubukov a "land grabber".
Chubukov couldn't bear Lomov calling him a "land grabber," as he felt it highly unrespectable. Thus, he angrily asked Lomov to repeat what he had just said. Even Natalya was offended by Lomov's disrespectful behaviour, so she told her father to send mowers to Oxen Meadows. But, Chubukov's mind was fully occupied with Lomov's impolite words, so he asked Lomov to repeat what he said. At that moment, Natalya spoke up again, insisting that the Oxen Meadows belonged to her family and that she couldn't let it fall into the hands of strangers. Lomov threatened to take the case to court to prove his ownership.
Chubukov accused Lomov of merely wanting to appear in court like the rest of his family. Chubukov insisted on pursuing the court proceedings, demonstrating Chubukov's belief in his rights to Oxen Meadows.
When Chubukov made disparaging remarks about Lomov's family members, Lomov became agitated and replied Chubukov that Lomov's family members were all respectable people. He also mentioned Chubukov's grandfather's attempt at embezzlement, to which Chubukov retorted that the Lomov family is known for its craziness and insanity. After hearing his remarks, Natalya joined her father in shouting, "All, all, all!".
The conversation between Lomov and Chubukov had gotten to the point where they blamed their family members for their quarrel.
Once more, Chubukov claimed that Lomov's grandfather was a drunkard and said during the argument that Lomov's younger aunt had fled with an architect. Lomov retorted that Chubukov's mother had a hunchback and felt a pull on his side and head as he said this. He, therefore, requested help and water.
However, Chubukov and his daughter were so engrossed in their quarrel that they did not bother to assist Lomov and instead continued quarrelling with him, as Chubukov described Lomov's father as a greedy gambler and Natalya referred to Lomov's aunt as a backbiter and that no one could equal her level.
Lomov was so frustrated by Chubukov's and his daughter's constant arguments and irritated by their helplessness when his feet became numb. Then he called Chubukov a plotter and stated he suffered from heart discomfort. He also added that in the last elections, Chubukov was... He did not finish the sentence because he felt dizzy. He then searched for his hat to vacate the place.
Still, Natalya did not leave the debate; she described Lomov's actions as low, dishonest, and cruel, and Chubukov added that Lomov was a wicked, double-faced hypocrite!
Lomov did not dispute this time, instead looking for his hat and asking for directions to the entrance. He almost died because his heart was beating and his foot was numb. On his way home, Chubukov warned Lomov not to return to his house, and Natalya advised him to take the matter to court to show that they were not afraid.
Since Natalya was furious with Lomov, she continued to reprimand him and said, "Lomov was a devil and an unreliable guy." Chubukov joined his daughter throughout, referring to Lomov as a "villain" and a "scarecrow."
Natalya was shocked that Lomov dared to humiliate them and claim ownership of their family's property (Oxen Meadows) in the first place. In the end, Chubukov revealed the true reason for Lomov's visit to their house to his daughter amid their talk. He told Natalya that he couldn't believe he had the audacity to ask his daughter to marry him. Unaware of the topic, Natalia enquired what type of proposal her father was referring to, to which Chubkov replied that Lomov had come to propose to her. Natalya was surprised to hear about Lomov's proposal and asked her father why he had not disclosed this reason before. But unaffected by her words, Chubukov chastised Lomov and expressed disgust at his boldness in arriving in evening attire.
The quarrel over Oxen Meadows broke out between them before Lomov could even make a marriage proposal to Natalya. They might not have gotten into such a heated dispute if that subject had never come up, and the families of Lomov and Chubukov would still have been friendly.
When Natalya learned that Lomov had come to propose to her, she was shocked. She immediately collapsed onto the chair and screamed for him to call back, as Chubukov wasn't sure to whom she was referring. She urged her father to move immediately and to call Lomov. Chubukov referred to himself as an unhappy man because he could not comprehend Natalya's shift in attitude toward Lomov. He then thought of hanging or shooting himself.
Natalya claimed that Lomov must be called as she was longing for him and dying without him.
The words of Chubukov and Lomov emphasise the play's exaggerations.
Chubukov told his daughter to stop screaming and to calm down. Then he rushed off while calling for Lomov. Natalia nevertheless requested her father's haste. Upon his return, Chubukov informed Natalya that Lomov was on his way back. Despite calling Lomov back, he didn't want to speak with him and instead wanted her to speak with him directly. Natalya continued screaming.
Chubukov told her daughter of Lomov's arrival when he was returning to Chubukov's house, but he could not tolerate his daughter's strange behaviour. He considered being the father of a grown-up girl to be both a burden and a curse. Chubukov, therefore, wanted to cut his throat since, at one moment, they were cursing, abusing, and throwing Lomov out of their home, and at another, they were again summoning Lomov back to accept the proposal. Natalya had been abusing her father and had blamed him for everything. When Lomov knocked on the door, Chubukov informed him that it was not his fault and asked Natalya to face Lomov on her own and left the place.
Chubukov departed the place, and Lomov arrived completely worn out due to palpitation and numb feet. Natalya apologised to Lomov for the contentious argument she and her father had with him in an unexpectedly different tone. Furthermore, she informed him that she had just realised the Oxen Meadows were his, to which Lomov happily replied that his heart was thumping and his eyebrows were twitching while he tried to talk about the Meadows.
Natalya again assured Lomov that the Oxen Meadows were his and requested that he had a seat when he became perplexed by the change in her behaviour. She admitted her mistake and that she and her father were at fault. Natalya's kind words astonished Lomov, so he also tried to be cordial with her. He admitted to Natalya that Oxen Meadows was of little value, but he nevertheless claimed it out of principle.
Natalya, impatient enough to listen to Lomov, accepted it and shifted the topic to get him to bring up the proposal talk. He continued explaining things without recognising Natalya's concern; he repeated that his aunt's grandmother had given the land to the peasants of her father's family. After the harvest, he intended to look for the blackcock. Then he stated that his dog had problems walking properly, to which Natalya felt pity and asked how the dog had gone lame. Natalya expressed sympathy after listening to Lomov and inquired about how the dog had become lame. Lomov responded that he was unsure of the cause. Even so, he suspected one of the other dogs may have bitten or twisted its leg. It was his best dog, and he had paid a high price—\(125\)roubles—for it (1 Russian rouble is equal to 1.33 rupee). He deeply regretted it.
Natalya was shocked to hear Lomov say he spent \(125\)roubles for his dog because she had assumed he had paid a hefty sum for such a dog. However, Lomov claimed it was extremely low for a superior dog like Guess. She said they bought Squeezer, far superior to Guess, for just 85 roubles. Natalya's claiming that Squeezer was superior to Guess made Lomov laugh uncontrollably. Still, Natalya disagreed with his opinion, claiming that she thought Squeezer was superior to Guess, given Squeezer's youth and potential for future growth. Furthermore, she said Squeezer was superior to Volchanetsky in terms of pedigree and points, surpassing them.
Lomov emphasised that her Squeezer was overshot, indicating that he is poor in hunting. When Lomov claimed that Squeezer was overshot, she disagreed. As a result, Lomov's statement that Squeezer's lower jaw is smaller than his upper jaw served as more confirmation of his previous statement.
Natalya asked if Lomov had measured the size of her dog's jaw since she was annoyed by his argument. Lomov countered again, saying Squeezer was fine for basic acts like following but not for other actions like grabbing. On the other hand, Natalya claimed that her dog was a thoroughbred, the offspring of Chisels and Harness. She claimed that Guess, on the other hand, was as aged and unattractive as a worn-out cab horse. Even though Guess was older, Lomov claimed that his dog was still far superior, so much so that he couldn't negotiate for even five Squeezers. Squeezer is just an ordinary dog, in his opinion, and it could nearly always be found hiding under a shrub, and his value is no more than \(25\)roubles.
Natalya thought Lomov's decision-making on that particular day was flawed. Because, in her opinion, Lomov first asserted that Oxen Meadows belonged to him and then stated that Guess was superior to Squeezer. She thought he was crazy and didn't mean what he was saying, which was a quality she detested. She doesn't understand why he believes his dog is superior to Squeezer. Lomov claimed that despite his assertions that her dog was overshot, Natalya considered him blind or ignorant because she did not accept it.
Natalya's yelling at Lomov upset him. Natalya said Lomov was talking rubbish because she couldn't stand the way he kept comparing Guess to Squeezer. She then said that Guess ought to be shot rather than compared to Squeezer. Lomov said he couldn't continue the conversation because his heart was pounding rapidly.
Natalya made fun of Lomov, saying that those who dispute the most are the least knowledgeable. Lomov told Natalya to stop yelling and to be quiet as he began to experience palpitations. Insisting that her dog Squeezer was superior to his Guess, Natalya persisted in their argument and wouldn't want to give up the argument until he did. When Lomov argued that that couldn't be true and that her Squeezer was the worst and should be hanged, Natalya retorted that Guess was old and hence already half-dead. As his heart was racing, Lomov again begged Natalya to put her argument aside, but she refused. Chubukov entered and inquired about the topic of their quarrel once more as the argument progressed, and they (Lomov and Natalya) raised their voices in a yell.
When Chubukov enquired about the reason for the argument between Lomov and Natalya, Natalya did not answer directly but questioned Chubukov as to which dog was the superior one (Squeezer or Guess). Lomov, on the other hand, posed a more pointed query to him as he asked Chubukov about the overshot status of his Squeezer. Chubukov said Squeezer was the best dog in the district, so it didn't matter if it was overshot.
Lomov asked Chubukov again whether his dog wasn't better since he did not like Chubukov's response. Although Guess has some positive traits, Chubukov noted that it has some flaws as well; as, Chubukov told him that Guess was old and had a small muzzle despite being purebred, stable on his feet, and with well-sprung ribs. As Chubukov refused to speak favourably of Lomov's dog, he started to list the evidence; the first example he cited was the Marusinsky hunt, in which Guess and the Count's dog engaged in a strong competition, but Squeezer lagged far behind.
Lomov insisted that Squeezer's delay in the hunt was due to the Count's dog biting him with his whip. Furthermore, Lomov told him that when other dogs were chasing a fox, Squeezer started chasing a sheep during a hunt, to which Chubukov replied that it wasn't true. Also, during the furious argument between Lomov and Chubukov, Chubukov objected and advised Lomov to end the conversation; and warned Lomov that if they kept arguing, Chubukov might lose his temper. Also, he said everyone was envious of other people's dogs. Furthermore, as Chubukov was fully aware of how Lomov would continue the discussion by bringing up various points, he told Lomov that he remembered everything, to which Lomov replied that he, too, did remember everything. On receiving such a reply, Chubukov teased Lomov, asking, "What did Lomov remember?'
Lomov's palpitations resumed during the conversation, causing him to experience a pounding heart and numb feet.
Lomov's feet began to tingle as the discussion continued, but Natalya persisted, making fun of his palpitation difficulties and asking what kind of hunter he was. She then advised him that he should catch black beetles rather than foxes. Chubukov joined Natalya in her argument, adding that Lomov should stay at home with his palpitations and should not go hunting instead of going and doing what he is best at, arguing whose dog is superior. Once more, Chubukov pressed for a change of subject out of fear of losing his cool.
Chubukov was insulted by Lomov as not even being a real hunter in return for his offence, as, according to Lomov, Chubukov goes hunting just to be counted and nothing more. He kept talking about his heart and using foul language, calling him an intriguer. Chubukov yelled at Lomov and ordered him to be quiet. Chubukov and Lomov were constantly calling each other names like "intriguer," "puppy," "old rat," and "Jesuit." Chubukov also threatened Lomov with a gun and called him a fool because he couldn't stand the way Lomov was speaking.
After hearing what Chubukov said, Lomov began to get emotional, despite the pain in his heart and feet. Thus, Lomov brought up the subject of Chubukov's late wife beating him.
When Lomov claimed Chubukov would be beaten up by his late wife, Chubukov responded by saying that everyone was aware that Lomov was under the housekeeper's control. Lomov's shoulder fell off, and he experienced a heart attack-like sensation. He abruptly collapsed onto a chair while calling for a doctor.
However, Chubukov continued to curse him while drinking water. Even Natalya did the same, but then she was shocked to notice Lomov lying motionless as if dead. Holding Lomov's sleeve, Natalya assumed he was already dead. She asked her father to call a doctor while crying in fear. After realising something was wrong, Chubukov questioned Natalya about it. She replied to him that Lomov was dead.
When Chubukov heard her daughter explain that Lomov had died, he was astounded and worried. He then attempted to force some water down Lomov's throat, but Lomov did not drink it. Chubukov, too concluded that Lomov was dead and began cursing himself. He spoke in an overly dramatic manner, claiming himself to be the unhappiest man in the world and expressed outrage that he hadn't yet cut off his own throat or shot himself in the head. As Lomov regained consciousness, he was uncertain of his place and was referring to stars, mist, etc.
At that precise moment, Chubukov hastily proposed to marry his daughter to Lomov. Asserting that Natalya was ready for it, he placed her hand in Lomov's. He then asked them to leave him in peace and bestowed his blessings upon them.
He couldn't comprehend what Chubukov was saying when he announced the wonderful news that Natalya was willing to marry Lomov, so he inquired as to whom Chubukov was asking him to marry. Chubukov responded by saying that Natalya was ready and insisted on them sharing a kiss. Natalya rushed to express her willingness to wed Lomov when he resumed speaking after regaining consciousness since she was relieved that he was still alive.
Lomov was slowly trying to recall what had happened in the past, but he still didn't understand what was happening around him. And, as Natalya kissed him, he immediately remembered the past, became overjoyed, and kissed her hand, but then he complained because his foot had once more gone numb (this time because of happiness, his foot had gone numb).
Natalya also expressed her joy. After Lomov and Natalya were reunited, Chubukov, too, experienced relief. However, Natalya tricked him by repeatedly bringing up the subject of dogs. She asserted that her Squeezer was superior to his Guess, but Lomov rejected her argument. The play ended happily as Chubukov tried to break up the fight between Lomov and Natalya by offering them drinks when it began again.
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