The theme of Anton Chekhov's "The Proposal" stems from the cultural practice of nineteenth-century Russia as economic stability for the gentry rested in the possession of as much land as possible since the potential for the production of agrarian products promised monetary profit. Therefore, in this one-act farce the theme is that economic security takes precedence over romance and love.
It is certainly of interest that Lomov is thrity-five years old and his neighbor Natalia is twenty-five, well past the age of most brides at the time of the play's setting. This fact suggests that Lomov's motivation is not romantic, but practical. Underscoring this idea is Lomov's reluctance to say anything in this romantic vein to Natalia; instead, he speaks of the meadows, suggesting that the possession of land is foremost in his mind.
LOMOV I'll try to be brief. My dear Natalia Stepanovna, as you know, for many years...I inherited the estate, always have the greatest respect for your brother and ...mother....and furthermore my property....my meadows touch your birchwoods.
As he broaches his proposal of marriage, Lomov speaks at length of property, thus indicating that marriage is symbolic of economic considerations, reinforcing the theme of marriage as contract for economic security. Reinforcing this theme, too, are the actions of the Tschubukovs who, although engaged in heated arguments with Lomov, scurry to bring him out of a faint to enough consciousness that he can agree to the marriage with Natalia which the father ironically proposes.
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