The Necklace

In the story “The Necklace” Mathilde the beautiful wife, is selfish and dissatisfied with her life style. She lives a better than average life with a servant at her beck and call and still complains about her surrounds and the fact that she only has one servant. “She suffered from the poverty of her dwellings, from the wretched look of the walls, from the worn-out chairs, from the ugliness of the curtains.” While a woman in her status would never describe their home with such harsh words. The harsh words Mathilde uses lets us know just how she feels about her life in general. Even down to the food that was served one night her husband describe as a good pot of stew “she thought of delicious dishes served on marvelous plates, and of the whispered gallantries which you listen to with a sphinxlike smile, while you are eating the pink flesh of as trout or the wings of a quail.” Everything Mathilde owned was never to her likeness she always wanted something better.

Mathildes’ husband on the other hand worked as a small clerk in the ministry of education, and he didn’t earn enough money to accomplish his wife’s dreams and wishes, but he loved her dearly and tried to keep her happy as much as he can. In the story you can see his love for his wife when he gives up her the invite, and she says she can’t go, because she has nothing to wear. Her husband gives up his chance to buy a gun to go shooting with his friends, so Mathilde can purchase a gown for the ball. Mathilde doesn’t even act like she cared that he gave up his enjoyment, so she could have a new gown for the ball. She shows no appreciation to her husband, not a kiss, no hug, nothing for putting her needs first. Even after Mathilde purchased the dress she wasn’t happy, she now needed jewels, because in her eyes without jewels she would look distress. Nothing her husband suggested was good enough, until he suggested she borrow some jewels from her rich friend Mme. Forestier the same friend she stop visiting because she envied her for have wealth. At her friend’s home all the jewels where just adequate and Mathilde had kept asking “haven’t you anymore?” Until she laid her eyes on the black satin box and found the diamond necklace inside.

Being at the ball was like all Mathilde’s dreams and desires where coming life, she danced all night everyone paid her the attention she had long for all her life. Her husband was tired and had to be to work the next day, but that didn’t stop her from enjoying every minute of the ball they didn’t leave till 4am the next day. After returning from the ball Mathilde notice the necklace was missing she screamed in disbelief, her husband came racing now half dress and asked “What’s the matter?” What’s the matter?” She told him the necklace was missing; he got dress even though he had to work