Class difference in Guy de Maupassant’s “The Necklace”:

Marxist theory

NAME: AYESHA IQBAL TITLE:

ROLL NO: FF-20259 CLASS DIFFERENCE IN GUY
DE MAUPASSANT “THE
CLASS: BS 3RD ENGLISH
NECKLACE”: MARXIST
SECTION: B THEORY

SUBMITTED TO: MAM NIDA

TABASSUM
Class difference in Guy de Maupassant’s “The Necklace”:
Marxist theory

Abstract: remembered as a master of the

short story form, who depicted
The research aims to highlight the
human lives, destinies and social
social discrimination in French
forces in disillusioned and often
society from the story “the
pessimistic terms. These
necklace” written by guy Dy
differences affect the ways in which
Maupassant. It focuses on the
the characters interact, they create
women’s life and a very important
the conflict in the story, and they
event in it. The research deals with
affect the way the reader feels about
the societal difference between
and reacts to each of the characters.
upper and lower class and the
One of the purpose of people in
conflicts between rich and poor
their life is to get prosperity,
people in one colonial area. This
prosperity here means a good
research done with the essence of
education, good job and good
Marxism to expose the class
social status. Because everybody
difference of modern society.
has different status in their life
Marxism looks at the economic and
social class appear in life that make
social structures of a society and the
people different one to another.
draws attention to the struggles
between the classes. Guy de In “The Necklace”, Guy de
Maupassant uses a woman’s life, Maupassant uses a woman’s life,
and very important event in it, to and very important event in it, to
depict the Marxism of his or her depict the Marxism of his or her
lifetime, especially between lifetime, especially amongst
women. He uses comparisons and women. He uses comparisons and
downfalls of her life to depict downfalls of her life to depict
society’s shortcomings and beliefs society’s shortcomings and beliefs
of class. of class. Marxism looks at the
economic and social structures of a
Introduction: society and the draws attention to
" No, there's nothing so the struggles between the classes.
humiliating as looking poor in the ''The Necklace'' focuses on
middle of a lot of rich women." Mathilde Loisel, a young woman
(Maupassant,1884, 375) married to a minor official. All she
This research elaborates the class wants is to be rich and to have
difference in the story “The more material goods and the
necklace” written by Guy de trappings of wealth and high
Maupassant. Maupassant was a society. One day she and her
19th-century French author, husband are invited to a ball and
she buys a dress and borrows a
Class difference in Guy de Maupassant’s “The Necklace”:
Marxist theory

beautiful diamond necklace from discrimination occurs. Ansel said

her rich friend, Madame Forestier, that “Discrimination refers to
for the occasion. Mathilde has a unfair treatment of some sort”.
wonderful time at the ball and (Ansel, ET all, 1988: pg.290),
briefly forgets her status. However, Ansel also mentions that
upon leaving the ball, she has to
“discrimination is costly both to
put on her old, worn coat and is
severely disappointed to go back to individual and to society” (pg.304).
her old life. “There is nothing more humiliating
During the evening, she loses the than to have a shabby air in the
necklace and is unable to find it. midst of rich women” (p.33, Mme.
To replace it, she and Monsieur Loisel). This quote demonstrates
Loisel borrow huge amounts of that the most important thing to
money and it takes them ten years Mme. Loisel is one's apparent
to pay it off. After this time, she social class, rather than beauty,
runs into her rich friend again and intelligence, or even one's true
tells her what has happened, social class.
blaming Madame Forestier for her Marxist point of view is a system
poverty. Madame Forestier then of thought that emphasizes the
reveals that the necklace was relationship between social, politic
actually a fake and she had no idea and economy. The fact is the
they had replaced it with a real primary purpose and motivation of
one. people existence is economic in
Class differences between Mathilde other word economic is based and
and Mme. Forestier put an obvious most crucial factor in people life.
restriction upon their relationship. “Marx states that peoples’ story,
action and believe is determined by
By the end of the story, Mathilde
economic condition” (Bressler,
becomes a member of the lower 1999: 213)
class.
It describes a story of a lady named
Literature review: Mathilde Loisel, “An attractive and
alluring young women who wish to
The research aims to discuss be blessed with wealth and
societal difference between upper prosperity that she can jump into a
and lower class and the conflicts higher social status.”
between rich and poor people in
one colonial area. Marx Stated that Marxism is created that its ground
“all society that had ever existed is basically on “the idea of making
had been class societies of one the level of the society in the equal
kind or another” (Saunders, 1990: state by having arguments mostly
5). As a result of this difference on social justification.”
Class difference in Guy de Maupassant’s “The Necklace”:
Marxist theory

Marxism literary criticism Theoretical discussion:

highlights the most is what “people
do perceive the power of being This research deals with the
rich, wealthy and the position that Marxism theory to highlight the
uphold the status of society in the class difference of modern society.
social organization.” Marxism is the movement founded
by Karl Marx and Frederic Engels
“There are more differences in the mid nineteenth century. It is
between poor people than between based upon the idea that a society
middle-class people”. (Rita Mae is composed of the proletariat, or
Brown) working class, and the bourgeoisie,
“Class society or class-based or upper class. It proposes that the
society is an organizing principle bourgeoisie is very separated from
society in which ownership of the working class and bends the
property, means of production, rules in order keep them at the
and wealth is the determining bottom of the social pyramid. The
factor of the distribution of power, aim of Marxism is to bring about a
in which those with more property classless society, based on the
and wealth are stratified higher in
common ownership of the means
the society and those without
of production, distribution and
access to the means of production
and without wealth are stratified exchange. So, with this
lower in the society.”( Wikipedia) knowledge it is a bit easier to see
“Lower class (occasionally how to apply these ideals to
described as working class) are literature. Suseno said that,
those employed in low- “Marxist is terminology
paying wage jobs with very little relationship between social,
economic security. The term political and economic concept”
"lower class" also refers to persons (Suseno, 2001: 5). Meanwhile
with low income.” (Wikipedia) Forgacs said that, “Marxist is a
The main difference between thought based on Karl Marx idea
social status and social class is and a political practice that develop
that “social status is based on one’s
by change in the world” (Forgacs,
factors like family descent, honor
1987: 166)
and prestige of an occupation, and
position in society, while social Their theory urges people to look at
class is based on socioeconomic the social and economic status and
factors”. (pedia) revolution. This theory relates to the
short story “The Necklace” by Guy
De Maupassant. This story
generally manifested the social and
Class difference in Guy de Maupassant’s “The Necklace”:
Marxist theory

economic differences in a woman gain their wealth only from what. It

named Mathilde’s life. Guy De is clear that Matilda only they earn
Maupassant created his stories so by working wants to be wealthy so
that they would create less she can be higher up in social
sympathy for their characters. standings to compete with other
Maupassant was able to display people. “She had neither frocks nor
through his story that conflict is jewels, nothing. And she loved only
caused through proletariat and those things. She felt she was made
bourgeoisie for Mathilde’s desire to for them. She had such a desire to
be upper-class. please, to be sought after, to be
clever, and courted” (338)
Marxist theory is one of the literary
criticisms. Karl Heinrich Marx was Textual analysis:
a philosopher and economist who
were most famous for creation, This research is all about the social
together with Friedrich Engels, of discrimination and the story “the
necklace” is all about rich and
the thought of Marxism and for the
wealthy French people and class
improvement of idea of class
difference of the society of 19th
struggle (Tomasz 2012, 9). century. The luxury lifestyle of
In the short story “The Diamond woman in French makes some of
Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant, them status conscious and wearing
the high social class things,
the economic standings of the
because in French, the people like
characters are shown to be of great
the first-class things in life. So,
importance because they rely on every woman their demands the
their measure of wealth in society. high-quality accessories and
Within the story the most obvious elegant dress wherever they are
use of Marxist theory is between especially in get-to-gathers, mostly
the bourgeoisie and between the high society. In this
the proletariat characters and how short story, the writer presents us
their material circumstances affect how the woman in France always
their lives. In the beginning of the asking for the wealthier life even
story, the material circumstances of though they had been marriage,
Madame Loisel (Matilda) and her especially in parties where all the
husband are clearly set as either low rich people come and gather. Here,
Mathilde believes that money have
middle class or poor in the
the power to change her life, and
economic standpoint of society. when she finally gets two of the
They are known to be the proletariat things she desires most, the
characters, because they are branded dress and necklace, her
controlled by the upper classes and joy was short-termed. At the
Class difference in Guy de Maupassant’s “The Necklace”:
Marxist theory

beginning of “The Necklace,” she she no longer wanted to visit

made the list of all the things, she because she suffered so much
desires for. The beautiful objects in when she came home. For whole
other women’s lives and lacking of days afterwards she would weep
such luxuries in her own lives with sorrow, regret, despair and
make her feel unfortunate and misery” its shows that Mathilda do
make her jealous from other not wants to meet his old rich
women. According to Carl Max, mates because they will take pity
“social stratification in a capitalist on her because of her sufferings.
society always involves class
conflict”. This story shows us the
Further, Mathilda wants to be
conflict in the social status between
look glamorous and rich in the
Mathilda and her friend because of
party. So, a good dress is not
a necklace. The other thing
enough to show that you are a
Mathilda wants a rich, attractive,
wealthy people. In French, the
charming, powerful men. That
standard of wealthy is when you
passage, quote above finishes with:
are wearing a good dress and
"The most intimate friends, men
jewelry. Mathilda still not satisfied
well known and sought after,
when her husband has given her
whose attentions all women envied
money to buy the beautiful dress.
and desired".
She still unsatisfied because she
Just a little afterwards, writer does not have jewelry.as quoited:
points out her weakness as she "I'm upset that I have no jewels,
doesn’t want to visit the party “She not a single stone to wear. I will
had no dresses, no jewels, nothing; look cheap. I would almost rather
and these were the only things she not go to the party." Though her
loved. She felt she was made for husband suggests her to wear
them alone. She wanted so much to flower but Mathilda was aware that
charm, to be envied, to be desired the rich people would wear jewelry
and sought after”. Such class not flower. The discern power of
difference made her unattended object also happens for man, where
and detached from the society the rich people will wear the dark-
because in that type of gatherings colored stylish suit.
women wears high branded clothes
"No; there is nothing more
and jewels but she has no such
humiliating than looking poor in
luxury items in her wardrobe.
the middle of a lot of rich women.
In this quote we can see that to get
“She had a rich friend, a former
noticed by the society in her
schoolmate at the convent, whom surrounding, she has to show that
she has the same thing with them,
the differences between the high-
Class difference in Guy de Maupassant’s “The Necklace”:
Marxist theory

class social status and lower-class folds of her dress, in the folds of
social status do not tolerance the coat, in the pockets,
anything. Then her husband asks everywhere. They could not find it.
her to lend jewelry from her friend "Are you sure that you still had it
madam Forestier and she took the on when you came away from the
necklace from Forestier and went ball?" he asked. "Yes, I touched it
to party because now she is in the hall at the Ministry." "But if
looking a rich woman. By the look you had lost it in the street, we
how the way she dressed and how should have heard it fall." "Yes.
the way she acts. What she worn Probably we should. Did you take
show her truly self. The the number of the cab?" "No. You
appearance is everything in French. didn't notice it, did you?" this
From the top to down, all people quote shows that her wealthy
will respect you if you dressed like appearance finally led her into the
wealthy family, but if you are not, long last suffering life. She lost the
they will underestimate you. This necklace and stress. The high
quote shows us no matter how hard standard of life makes them got
her husband tries to convince her more difficulties in life.
that it’s okay to wear a flower
(roses), but she knows that the rich In order to give it back both the
woman will not wear any flower to husband and wives work for ten
replace the jewelry, they will show years and live with hand and
their richness with wearing their mouth to pay for it. Mathilda asks
expensive diamonds and etc. her friend: "You remember the
probably, they will wear their best diamond necklace you lent me for
jewelry to the ball. the ball at the Ministry?" "Yes.
Well?" madam frostier, "Well, I
In this short story, Mathilda loses lost it." Mathilda. Ask her friend,
the diamond necklace after the "How could you? Why, you
ball. She took off the cloth in brought it back.”? "I brought you
which she had wrapped her another one just like it. And for the
shoulders, to see her glory before last ten years we have been paying
the mirror. But suddenly she cried. for it. You realize it wasn’t easy
The necklace disappeared. "What's for us; we had no money. . .. Well,
the matter with you?" asked her it's paid for at last, and I'm glad
husband, already half undressed. indeed." Mathilda. Madame
Forestier had halted. " You say you
She turned towards him in the bought a diamond necklace to
utmost distress. "I . . . I . . . I've no replace mine?" "Yes. You hadn't
longer got Madame Forestier's noticed it? They were very much
necklace. . .." He started with alike." And she smiled in proud
astonishment. "What! . . . and innocent happiness. Madame
Impossible!" They searched in the Forestier, deeply moved, took her
Class difference in Guy de Maupassant’s “The Necklace”:
Marxist theory

two hands. "Oh, my poor References:

Mathilde! But mine was imitation.
It was worth at the very most five Ansel M. Sharp, Charles A.
hundred francs! . . . " In this quote Register, Richard H. Leftwich.
we can see how the life that she 1988. Economic or Social Issues
dreams on makes her become more Eight Edition. USA: Business
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she has to pay the debt to replacing
her friend necklace that she Bressler, Charles E. 1999. Literary
thought it was the real diamond. Criticism: An Introduction to
Theory and Practices. USA:
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the standard of rich family is really Theory, Black/African
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you. And it happens not only to Analysis". Grade Saver, 29
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crucial impact is for the women 2021.
because we know that women
Forgacs, David. 1987. Marxist
should wear many things such as
Literary Thesis in Jefferson, Ann,
bracelet or watch, earring, and also
and David Robey (Eds). Modern
“Necklace”. So, what we have to
Literary Theory: A Comparison
learn from this analysis is we have
Introduction. London: B. T. Bats
to be happy with what we have and
Ford.
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Maupassant, Guy De, 1850-1893.
(2003). The Necklace and Other
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Class difference in Guy de Maupassant’s “The Necklace”:
Marxist theory

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