THE DIAMOND

NECKLACE

Batch: 4.06.07 to 6.06.07

R.No: 61

Puneet Kaur (MCA)

Govt. High School, Pakharpura,

Amritsar
THE DIAMOND

NECKLACE

(Guy de Maupasant)

INTRODUCTION

The Diamond Necklace is one of Maupassant’s well-known

stories. The story centers round the character of Mathilde Loisel.

She is an extremely beautiful and charming woman. She wants to

rich and famous. She borrows a diamond necklace from a rich

friends of hers, Madame Forestier, to wear it while attending a ball

(dance) given by the minister of education. She becomes a star

attraction at the party. Everybody admires her and she is a great

success. That is her supreme hour of victory. This moment of great

joy proves very brief. While returning home, she loses the diamond

necklace.

She and her husband borrow a large amount of money to

replace the lost necklace. Both of them have to work hard for ten

years to pay off the debt. Mathilde Loisel loses her beauty, Charm

and Youth and grows old before time. When the debt is paid off, she

meets Madame Forestier, by chance she learns from her that the

necklace was made of artificial diamonds and its price was not

more than 500 francs.

SUMMARY

 The Diamond Necklace is a story of the suffering of a lovely

young lady named Mathilde Loisel. Her life shows that small

things can make or mar our life.

 Mathilde Loisel was a charming young

lady. She was born in a family of clerks.

She had not to feel proud of. She had no

 means of getting married to a rich or famous man. So, the

Ministry of Public Instruction. She wanted to have comforts

and luxuries of life. She was jealous of her own school-mates

who were rich.

 One day, her husband brought her an invitation card. But

she was not happy because she was no pretty gown. So, he

arranged to buy a gown for her. As, the date for the party

drew near, she look sad again. She complained that she had

no jewellery or ornament. Her husband advised her to borrow

some ornament from her friend Madame Forestier she went to

her friend’s house and borrowed a diamond necklace.

 The right of the ball arrived Mathilde was a great success.

She was prettier than any woman present there. She was

filled with joy. All the men looked at her. They asked her

name, wanted to be introduced to her.

Every minister paid a special attention to her. She danced

with passion. She was drunk with pleasure to forget everything in

the victory of her beauty. She left the party about 4’colck in the

morning.

Reaching her home, she stood before the mirror, she wanted

see herself once more in all her glory. But suddenly she uttered a
cry. She no longer had the necklace round her neck. She had lost

it. Her husband went out to see if he could find it, but he had

found nothing.

Mathilde, on the advice of her husband, wrote to her

friend that her necklace had been sent for repairs. In this way

they got some time to buy another diamond necklace. They went

from shop to shop. At last, they found a necklace similar to last

one. The shopkeeper demanded 40,000 francs as its price. The

bargain was settled for 36,000 francs. Mathilde’s husband had

only 18,000 francs with him. He borrowed the remaining

18,000 francs on high interest. They brought the necklace and

sent it to Madame Forestier.

Mathilde did the household work herself. She fetched water.

She washed the floor, utensils and dirty clothes. She did shopping

herself. Her husband worked in the evening and late night to pay

back the borrowed money. At the end of ten years they had paid

everything.

On Suday, Mathilde went out to take a

walk. She saw Madame Forestier and went up

to her. Madame was surprised to see her so

changed. Mathilde then told her that she had

lost her diamond necklace. She had to buy another for thirty-six

francs to replace it. It had taken them ten years to pay for it.

Madame Forestier was moved to hear Mathilde’s tragic story. She

told her diamond necklace was worth only five hundred francs,

for its diamonds were false.

MEANINGS

 Charming - Graceful

 Public Instruction - Education

 Plainly - A simple manner

 Elegant - having or exhibiting good taste

 Distressed - troubled

 Steadily - constant

 Rank - position

 Footmen - servants

 Bewildering - confusing

 Curiosities - Rare things to art

 Candelabra - having support for several lights

 Triumphant air - happy mood

 Ball - Dance

 Envy - Fell Jealous

 Wardrobe - almirah for hanging clothes

 BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Supplementary English Reader of Class +2.

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