Guy de Maupassants The Necklace weaves the tale of an attractive middle class woman, Mathilde, who longs to live in wealth and decadence. Using irony and symbolism, The Necklace shows just how dangerous longing for wealth and all its luxuries cab be.
In The Necklace Mathildes husband acquires an invitation to a lavish ball, when presented with the invitation, Mathilde instead of reacting joyfully as her husband expected, merely threw the invitation down and mournfully muttered that she has no dress suited for this ball. So Mathildes husband allows her to buy a dress using the money he was saving to buy a gun. Although she now has a wonderful dress, Mathilde realizes that she has no jewelry that can match the dresss elegance. Mathildes husband recommends she wears flowers with her dress, theyre affordable and in style. But alas, Mathilde knows theres nothing more humiliating than looking poor among other women who are rich." So Mathilde goes to see her rich friend Madame Forestier, to ask if she can borrow some jewelry for the ball. After going through Madame Forestiers jewelry Mathilde finds nothing acceptable, until Mathilde found a beautiful diamond necklace in a black satin box. At the ball Mathilde was prettier than anyone else, stylish, graceful, smiling, and wild with joy. Every man eyed her, wishing for just one dance.
Finally Mathilde had made it. At a ball thrown by the rich and privileged, Mathilde was clearly the most beautiful and elegant woman there. This ball was just the start, shed get invited to more parties, and she would leave her agonizing middle class life behind, and she would become a member of the highest class. But by the time Mathilde got home she realized she had lost the necklace. Mathilde and her husband spent a week retracing their steps looking for the necklace. Mathilde told her friend she broke a link of the necklace and they were having it fixed, to buy a couple more days. But it was hopeless the necklace was gone along with Mathildes dreams of leading a life of luxury. Mathilde and her husband were forced to take loans to buy a replacement necklace, and work for 10 years just to pay off the debt. After finally paying off the debt, Mathilde ran across her old friend Madame Forestier. Mathilde sprinted across the street to greet her old friend. Madame Forestier was aghast when this poor, tired woman claimed to be her old friend Mathilde. After Mathilde explained how difficult the past ten years were, all because of Madame Forestier and her damned necklace. Then Mathilde with childish joy told Forestier that the necklace she returned was merely a replacement. To which Madame Forestier replied but mine was only costume jewelry, worth 500 francs at the most.
The Necklace is a story rife with irony and symbolism. The diamond necklace itself could symbolize a number of things. It could for instance symbolize Mathildes beauty. Although attractive Mathilde, like the necklace is just a fake, shes nothing but a narcissistic middle-class woman with vain dreams of joining the elite. The most ironic and maybe the most symbolic thing in the story was the ending. Mathilde spent her life obsessing over a dream of money and nobility, and for just one night she was able to successfully pretend she had both. Then in one of the most fitting endings of any story she lost everything for a fake diamond necklace.
Already have an account? Log In Now
5728