Guy de maupassant the necklace characters

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A beautiful woman who yearns for a life of luxery and wealth. When she is invited to a fancy party, she borrows a necklace from her wealthy friend Madame Forestier because she refuses to go to the party without expensive jewels and a beautiful gown. After a night of happiness, during which she immerses herself in the life of glamour that she believes she deserves, she spends the next ten years paying for her fleeting happiness as a result of losing the borrowed necklace.

Mathilde's devoted husband who is content with his humble lifestyle. He finds it completely incomprehensible that Mathilde does not accept their lifestyle; nonetheless, he appeases her desires for glamor and fun because he wishes for her to be happy.

Mathilde's wealthy friend. Every time Mathilde visits her, Mathilde is consumed with jealousy. Madame Forestier lends Mathilde the necklace for the party; eventually, we discover that the necklace contained fake diamonds.

George Ramponneau is the Minister of Public Instruction, a superior of Monsieur Loisel. This married couple throws the party that the Loisels attend.

The Necklace Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for The Necklace is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

In Guy de Maupassant’s “The Necklace,” education, social class, and society play crucial roles in shaping the lives of each character. The protagonist, Mathilde Loisel, is a vivid example of a woman whose desires and ambitions exceed her social standing. She is discontent with her lower-middle-class lifestyle and yearns for something more. This discontent characterizes many of Maupassant’s writings, as he often explores the trials and tribulations of those who feel trapped by their social status.

Mathilde’s husband, Monsieur Loisel, is a supportive and willing character, although he is more content with his social standing than his wife. He represents a stoic simplicity and acceptance of life’s hardships without complaining. He is willing to sacrifice his own desires to make his wife happy, even if it means enduring financial strain.

Their friends, Monsieur and Madame Forestier, appear only briefly in the story, but their impact is significant. Madame Forestier is a charming and wealthy woman whose lifestyle is full of elegance and happiness. She represents the possibility of achieving the things that Mathilde desires, but cannot have. Monsieur Forestier, on the other hand, is classified as a friend or acquaintance, having known the Loisels for a long time, but his character remains mysterious and somewhat distant, adding to the overall intrigue of the story.

The necklace itself plays a central role in shaping the characters’ lives and the trajectory of the story. It is a symbol of wealth and social status, something that Mathilde desperately desires. The necklace symbolizes the fleeting nature of material possessions and how they can sometimes result in unexpected consequences.

Overall, the characters in “The Necklace” are dynamic and complex, each having their own unique traits and viewpoints. The journey of Mathilde Loisel, from her discontented beginning to the unexpected ordeal she must endure, repr

"The Necklace" is a short story by 19th-century French author Guy de Maupassant, who is regarded as one of the early masters of the short story. It's often studied in English and world literature classes. Maupassant is known for writing about the travails of average people in French society and their efforts to get ahead, often with unhappy results. Read on for a summary and analysis of "The Necklace."

Characters

The story centers on three characters: Mathilde Loisel, Monsieur Loisel, and Madame Forestier. Mathilde, the main character, is beautiful and social, and she wants expensive items to match her sophisticated taste. But she was born into a clerk's family and ends up marrying another clerk, so she can't afford the clothing, accessories, and household items that she wants, which makes her unhappy.

Monsieur Loisel, Mathilde's husband, is a man of simple pleasures who is happy with his life. He loves Mathilde and tries to mitigate her unhappiness by getting her an invitation to a fancy party. Madame Forestier is Mathilde's friend. She is wealthy, which makes Mathilde very jealous.

Summary

Monsieur Loisel presents Mathilde with an invitation to the Ministry of Education's formal party, which he expects will make Mathilde happy because she will be able to mingle with high society. Mathilde is immediately upset, however, because she doesn't have a gown that she believes is nice enough to wear to the event. 

Mathilde's tears sway Monsieur Loisel into offering to pay for a new dress despite their money being tight. Mathilde asks for 400 francs. Monsieur Loisel had planned to use the money he had saved on a gun for hunting but agrees to give the money to his wife. Near the date of the party, Mathilde decides to borrow jewelry from Madame Forestier. She picks a diamond necklace from her friend's jewelry box. 

Mathilde is the belle of the ball. When the night ends and

The Necklace Setting

“The Necklace” takes place in Paris, France, at the end of the 19th century. During the late 19th century, about the time Guy de Maupassant wrote “The Necklace,” Paris experienced a period of social, economic, and technological change. Paris morphed from a medieval city into a modern one with the improvement of France's transportation infrastructure, the rise of new industries, a boom in population, and an increase in tourism. Sometimes referred to as the “Belle Époque,” meaning the “Lovely Age.” This peaceful time of technological innovation birthed a period of immense wealth, posh fashion, and a focus on material goods and consumerism.

This culture framed the setting of “The Necklace”, in which Mathilde feels immense jealousy of the wealthy and yearns for a life filled with extravagance, jewels, dresses, and material and financial excess. She is a young and beautiful woman at the onset of the story, but her youth and charm quickly escape her as she focuses on material possessions.

Fashion in 19th century Paris, France, was very ornate and over-the-top. Wikimedia Commons.

The Necklace Summary

A young and beautiful girl, Mathilde Loisel, is the wife of a clerical worker. She is charming but feels as though she “married beneath her.” She is poor and dreams of luxury. Her husband, Monsieur Loisel, does all he can to please her, even giving up his desire for a rifle to make her happy. Mathilde is envious of the wealthy and feels “there is nothing more humiliating than looking poor in the middle of a lot of rich women.” She feels “tormented and insulted” by the “poorness of her house” and the worn-out, simple appearance of the items within it. Mathilde is extremely jealous of Madame Forestier, her wealthy friend from school, and even avoids visiti