"The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant
"The Necklace," a short story by Guy de Maupassant, revolves around Mathilde Loisel, a woman discontented with her middle-class life in Paris. Despite her husband’s modest but sufficient income as a clerk, Mathilde longs for wealth and status, feeling trapped in her perceived poverty. When her husband brings home an invitation to a prestigious ball, she initially refuses to attend due to her lack of a suitable gown and jewelry. Reluctantly, her husband sacrifices his savings to buy her a dress, and Mathilde borrows a stunning diamond necklace from her wealthy friend, Madame Forestier, feeling ecstatic and beautiful at the event.
However, the night ends in disaster when Mathilde discovers that she has lost the borrowed necklace. In a frantic attempt to replace it, the Loisels incur significant debt, leading to years of hard labor and financial struggle. Over a decade of working tirelessly transforms Mathilde from a once beautiful and hopeful woman into a weary and aged figure. The story concludes with a shocking revelation: the necklace was merely costume jewelry, worth a fraction of what the Loisels paid to replace it, highlighting themes of materialism, social status, and the harsh realities of life.
On this Page
"The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant
First published: “La Parure,” 1884 (English translation, 1903)
Type of work: Short fiction
Type of plot: Naturalism
Time of plot: 1880’s
Locale: Paris
The Story:
Mathilde Loisel, in "The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant, is miserable as the wife of a middle-class Parisian clerk. She suffers constantly from what she views as a life of poverty. Although her husband’s income from his position as a clerk at the Ministry of Public Instructions sufficiently meets the couple’s needs, Mathilde dreams of attending the local salons, which host intimate gatherings of the upper class. She assumes airs at the dinner table, fantasizing that she is eating a higher quality of food and imagining herself dining with the wealthy. Mathilde focuses on her lack of jewels and fine clothing rather than on enjoying her life. She is jealous of one acquaintance in particular with whom she attended convent school, Madame Forestier, who has made a good marriage to a wealthy man.
Thinking Mathilde will be pleased, Monsieur Loisel brings her an invitation to a ball at the Palace of the Ministry. Mathilde surprises him by throwing down the invitation. Because Mathilde lacks a beautiful gown and jewels, she does not feel she can attend the ball. Monsieur Loisel reluctantly agrees to finance the purchase of a four-hundred-franc gown, understanding that he must sacrifice a planned hunting vacation with friends to do so. Mathilde buys the dress but complains that she has no jewels. Monsieur Loisel suggests that she visit her friend Madame Forestier and ask to borrow some jewelry. For once, Mathilde is pleased by a suggestion made by her husband.
Madame Forestier offers Mathilde the choice of her jewels. Mathilde selects a superb diamond necklace from a black satin box. She feels euphoric when she tries it on. When Madame Forestier immediately agrees to let her borrow the necklace, Mathilde kisses her in gratitude.
At the ball, Mathilde’s beauty attracts much attention. She is ecstatic when many men ask her name. She dances with all of the attachés from the cabinet and is even noticed by the minister. Intoxicated with pleasure and passion, Mathilde exists for a time in a fantasy haze. She believes she has at last succeeded in her quest to excel in high society.
Monsieur Loisel finds a room in which to sleep while Mathilde enjoys dancing and socializing. At 4:00 a.m., she is ready to leave. As Monsieur Loisel places her everyday wrap over his wife’s shoulders, it contrasts so much with her beautiful gown that she hurries to depart before the other women notice. Although Monsieur Loisel asks her to wait inside and avoid the cold as he calls a cab, she races down the stairs. They fail to hail a cab and walk miserably in the cold until they find an enclosed carriage, the transportation mode of the middle class, in which to ride.
The Loisels arrive home at the Rue des Martyrs in Paris, and Mathilde pauses to enjoy her reflection in the mirror. She screams when she sees that the necklace is missing. She and Monsieur Loisel search frantically, but they cannot find the necklace. Monsieur Loisel volunteers to walk back to the ball’s location, searching as he goes. He returns home exhausted and without the necklace. At his instruction, Mathilde writes a letter to Madame Forestier, explaining she will delay in returning the necklace. She lies, claiming that its clasp broke so she is having it repaired. This ruse allows them time to continue the search.
When the Loisels are unable to find the necklace, they use its jewel box to search for a jeweler from whom it might have been purchased. They discover the value of the necklace to be forty thousand francs; a jeweler offers to sell them a duplicate for thirty-six thousand francs. They buy the necklace using Monsieur Loisel’s inheritance of eighteen thousand francs and borrowing the balance, imperiling their future security. Still hopeful of finding the necklace, they secure a promise from the jeweler to buy back the duplicate for thirty-four thousand francs if they return it within three months. However, they do not find the necklace, and they assume crippling debt that forever changes their lives. Monsieur Loisel anticipates a “black misery” that will befall them as a result not only of future physical sacrifice but also of “moral tortures.”
When Mathilde takes the newly purchased necklace to Madame Forestier, she fears her acquaintance will discover that the necklace is a replacement. Her greatest concern is that her friend would consider her a thief. Although Madame Forestier scolds Mathilde for delaying the necklace’s return, she never opens the case to inspect it.
The next years are torturous for Mathilde, who works like a servant, her own servant having been dismissed. The Loisels move to poor housing. Mathilde dresses in work clothing suiting her position and assumes all the family’s “odious” housekeeping duties. Monsieur Loisel works a second job at night. They work for ten years to repay their debts. The strain of deprivation exacts a toll, and Mathilde ages rapidly. Occasionally, she fantasizes, remembering the wonders of the ball. Finally, their debt is paid in full.
One day on the street, Mathilde meets Madame Forestier, still youthful and lovely. At first not recognizing Mathilde, Madam Forestier is shocked by her friend’s haggard appearance. She cries out with sympathy over Mathilde’s transformation. Mathilde explains that her life has been hard because of Madame Forestier. Mathilde shares the truth regarding her loss and replacement of the necklace that she had borrowed. She explains it was purchased with ten years of hard labor. She proudly describes how she met her obligation both to Madame Forestier and to society.
Madame Forestier takes Mathilde’s hands in her own and tells her the truth. The necklace that she had loaned Mathilde was mere costume jewelry worth only five hundred francs.
Principal characters
Madame Mathilde Loisel , a middle-class housewifeMadame Forestier , a wealthy former classmate of MathildeMonsieur Loisel , Mathilde’s husband, a clerk at the Ministry of Public Instructions
Bibliography
Bloom, Harold, ed. Guy de Maupassant. Philadelphia, Chelsea House, 2004. Collection of essays on de Maupassant’s short fiction, divided into sections. The section on “The Necklace” includes a plot summary, a list of characters, a summary of critical views on the work, and four full essays relevant to the story.
Bryant, David. The Rhetoric of Pessimism and Strategies of Containment in the Short Stories of Guy deMaupassant. Lewiston, N.Y.: Edwin Mellen Press, 1993. Using several stories as examples, Bryant discusses de Maupaussant’s depiction of a world hostile to humanity. He describes three constants in the stories that contribute to de Maupassant’s overall unity of vision: the world as a metaphysical farce in which the narrator’s detachment transforms suffering, the power of chance, and writing as a response to fate.
MacNamara, Matthew. “A Critical Stage in the Evolution of Maupassant’s Story-Telling.” Modern Language Review 71, no. 2 (April, 1976): 294-303. Emphasizes the extent to which de Maupassant was influenced by oral tradition and spoken conversation.
Powys, John Cowper. “Guy de Maupassant.” In Essays on de Maupassant, Anatole France, and William Blake. Whitefish, Mont.: Kessinger, 2006. Highlights de Maupassant’s realist approach and his focus on physical reality.
Worth, George J. “The English ’Maupassant School’ of the 1890’s: Some Reservations.” Modern Language Notes 72, no. 5 (May, 1957): 337-340. Chronicles de Maupassant’s career and the metamorphosis of his anecdotal conversational style.