Hello friends today we are discuss this question, the question is -Discuss Chekhov’s ‘The Proposal’ as a supreme example of one-act play.
A one act play narrates the happenings of a single day or revolves around a solitary incident which takes place at a particular place and deals with a limited number of characters. ‘The Proposal’ by Anton Chekhov describe the events of the day when Lomov goes to Chubukov’s house to seek his daughter’s hand in marriage. The play deals with a specific issue. Therefore, Chekhov has chosen only three characters to highlight the theme of courtship and marriage. The play progresses rapidly and ends suddenly. The three characters, Stepan Stepanovitch Chubukov, Natalya Stepanovan and Ivan Vassilevitch Lomov with their witty and humorous dialogues, make the play alive. Chekhov has successfully criticised the lifestyle and mannerism of the landed gentry of 19th century Russia. The entire play takes place at Chubukov’s drawing room. Thus, ‘The Proposal’ fulfils all the criteria of a one-act play.