💍 Class 10 English Chapter 7 – The Necklace (Summary, Q&A, PDF)
Book: Footprints Without Feet
Chapter: 7 – The Necklace
Author: Guy de Maupassant
Board: CBSE Class 10 (2025)
✍️ Introduction
“The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant is a powerful short story about pride, vanity, and fate. It tells the story of Madame Loisel, a woman who loses a borrowed necklace and spends ten years in poverty trying to repay the debt—only to discover the necklace was fake. The story ends with a twist that teaches a valuable life lesson.
📖 Summary of the Chapter
Mathilde Loisel is a beautiful but poor woman who dreams of a luxurious life. She is unhappy with her modest surroundings and always wishes for riches, fine dresses, and jewelry. Her husband, a simple clerk, brings home an invitation to a grand ball, hoping to make her happy.
Mathilde feels embarrassed because she has nothing fancy to wear. Her husband gives her money to buy a dress, and she borrows a sparkling necklace from her rich friend, Madame Forestier. At the ball, she looks elegant and receives a lot of admiration.
However, when they return home, she discovers the necklace is missing. In panic, the couple decides not to tell Madame Forestier. Instead, they buy a replacement necklace for 36,000 francs—an amount that takes them ten years of hardship to repay. Mathilde loses her beauty and health while working as a maid.
After ten years, she meets Madame Forestier and finally tells her the truth. Shockingly, Madame Forestier tells her the necklace she lent was artificial and not worth more than 500 francs. The story ends with an ironic twist that highlights the price of pride and the illusion of materialism.
🌟 Central Theme
The story explores themes of pride, materialism, fate, and irony. It warns against pretending to be what you are not and teaches that honesty and contentment are better than false appearances.
👤 Character Sketches
- Mathilde Loisel: A beautiful but proud and dissatisfied woman. Her desire to appear rich leads to her downfall. She learns a harsh lesson after ten years of suffering.
- Mr. Loisel: A caring and supportive husband who sacrifices everything to help his wife, despite being a simple clerk.
- Madame Forestier: A wealthy friend who unknowingly changes Mathilde's life by lending her a fake necklace.
📚 Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Vexation | Anger or annoyance |
| Frugal | Simple and economical |
| Adorn | To decorate or beautify |
| Distress | Extreme worry or pain |
| Ruinous | Causing severe damage or loss |
❓ Important Questions and Answers
- Q1. Why was Mathilde unhappy with her life?
Ans: She felt she deserved a luxurious lifestyle and was dissatisfied with her modest home and income. She constantly compared herself to richer women. - Q2. What did the Loisels do to replace the lost necklace?
Ans: They borrowed money, took loans, and spent all their savings to buy a similar necklace worth 36,000 francs. It took them 10 years to repay the debt. - Q3. What is the irony in the story?
Ans: The necklace Mathilde lost was fake and inexpensive. She ruined her life trying to replace something that had little value, which she could’ve avoided by telling the truth. - Q4. What moral does the story teach us?
Ans: The story teaches us to be honest, content with what we have, and not let pride or appearances control our life choices.
📥 Download PDF Notes
👉 Click here to download PDF of The Necklace Notes
📌 Tags: Class 10 English Chapter 7, The Necklace Summary, Guy de Maupassant, Irony in The Necklace, CBSE 2025, Footprints Without Feet, ToppersNoteHub
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