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The Necklace - Online Term Paper

The Necklace

The Necklace

The Necklace is a short story that was written by Henri Rene Albert Guy de Maupassant. It was first published in the Parisian Newspaper Le Gaulois in 1884 and was an immediate success. The story was written in a time when there were very distinct social classes primarily determined by one's birth. It is about a woman who cannot come to terms with her position in the middle class. Although she knows she cannot escape her class, she refuses to accept it gracefully. It is through Matilde that Maupassant develops the story's irony which the loss of the necklace borrowed for show, which only worsens their economic position, and finally, their unnecessary sacrifice.
The irony ...

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more dissatisfied with her real life. As a result, she becomes more focused on what she does not have rather than what she does have
Contributing to the irony is the necklace that was loaned. Matilde's husband brings a popular dinner invitation home, and her first reaction is concerning how she would look at the dinner. She tells her husband that they cannot possibly go because she has "nothing to wear". Her husband agrees to buy her a new dress. This, however, is not enough for Matilde; she needs jewelry. She explains that, without jewelry, she will appear "shabby in the company of rich women". In her quest to present herself as a wealthy woman, she decided to borrow a "superb diamond necklace" from a friend. When arriving home, Matilde could not find the necklace . Matilde and her husband had no choice but to replace it. As a result, Matilde's desire to appear part of the upper class has only succeeded in making them part of a lower one.
Henri Rene Albert Guy de Maupassant ...

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The Necklace. (2011, April 25). Retrieved January 13, 2026, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Necklace/98395

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PAPER DETAILS

Added: 4/25/2011 02:28:54 AM
Submitted By: devarus_04
Category: English
Type: Premium Paper
Words: 409
Pages: 2

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