The Necklace Class 10 English Chapter 7 CBSE Notes 2025-26

"The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant is a powerful short story from the CBSE Class 10 English “Footprints Without Feet” book, exploring themes of pride, materialism, and honesty through the life of Madame Loisel. 

Born into a modest family of clerks without a dowry or prospects, Matilda Loisel always feels she deserves a life filled with luxury, beauty, and wealth. Her dissatisfaction makes her feel miserable about her otherwise simple life with her husband, who is a clerk in the Board of Education.

Madame Loisel’s Dissatisfaction Matilda is constantly unhappy because she dreams of affluence that her actual circumstances cannot provide. She resents her shabby apartment, worn furniture, and simple meals, always longing for beautiful clothes and expensive jewellery. Visiting her wealthy schoolmate causes her even greater sorrow, making her painfully aware of what she lacks.

Her husband, although content and loving, fails to understand her unhappiness. He is portrayed as caring and practical, saving up money for his hobbies and trying his best to please his wife. 

When he brings home an invitation to an exclusive ball—something most people would rejoice at—Matilda is upset instead, as she frets over not owning a suitable dress or jewellery to wear.

The Ball Invitation and Its Impact Matilda’s initial problem is her lack of a suitable dress. Understanding her distress, her husband sacrifices his savings meant for a hunting gun to buy her a new dress costing four hundred francs. 

Yet, her worries do not end there. She soon realises she has no jewellery to wear with the dress. Even after her husband suggests wearing natural flowers, she feels this will make her look poor among wealthy women.

The matter is resolved when her husband remembers Matilda’s rich friend, Madame Forestier. Matilda borrows a beautiful diamond necklace from her, and at the ball, she becomes the centre of admiration. Thrilled and intoxicated by her beauty and the attention she receives, Matilda feels for once that she belongs among the upper class.

The Loss of the Necklace After returning home from the successful night, Matilda is horrified to discover that the necklace is missing. In a panic, she and her husband search their apartment and retrace their steps, but the necklace is never found. They check with police and cab agencies, and place ads offering a reward, but with no luck. Hopeless, Matilda writes to Madame Forestier with an excuse to buy time.

Deciding that they must replace the lost necklace, the Loisels find a similar diamond necklace at the Palais-Royal for thirty-six thousand francs. They pay eighteen thousand francs from Mr. Loisel’s inheritance and borrow the rest, plunging themselves into debt and hardship.

Years of Hard Work and Change To pay off the debts, Matilda and her husband completely change their lifestyle. They dismiss their maid, move to a small attic, and take up strenuous menial work. Matilda does all household chores, bargaining over small sums, while Mr. Loisel works extra jobs late into the night. 

This new life of poverty and constant labour transforms Matilda into a hardened, prematurely aged woman, drastically different from the beautiful lady who once wore a sparkling necklace to a ball.

After ten long years of hardship and repayment, the debt is finally cleared. However, the Loisels’ lives are irreversibly altered, and Matilda’s youthful beauty has faded. She often reminisces about the fateful evening that changed everything.

The Final Twist and Moral One Sunday, Matilda encounters Madame Forestier and decides to confess the truth about the lost necklace. Surprised by Matilda’s changed appearance, Madame Forestier learns about their decade-long struggle to repay the cost of the lost necklace. 

In a shocking revelation, Madame Forestier tells Matilda that her original necklace was a fake, worth only about five hundred francs.

The story concludes with a powerful message—sometimes pride and the desire to impress others can lead to unnecessary suffering. Had Matilda told the truth to her friend, she could have avoided years of hardship. 

The story emphasizes honesty and contentment, showing how a small decision can change lives completely.

Character Analysis

• Mme Matilda Loisel: Attractive, dreamy, and dissatisfied, she longs for a lavish life, but her pride and desire for admiration become her downfall.
• Monsieur Loisel: Kind, supportive, and practical, he sacrifices his savings and comforts to make Matilda happy and helps her through every hardship.
• Mme Forestier: Generous and friendly, she lends her necklace without hesitation but is unaware of the suffering her friend endures because of the lost necklace.

Key Plot Points

• Matilda is unhappy with her simple life and wants luxury and admiration.
• Her husband brings a ball invitation; Matilda’s concerns over dress and jewellery are solved with money and borrowing.
• She is admired at the ball but loses the borrowed necklace.
• To replace the necklace, the Loisels borrow a huge amount and face a decade of hardship.
• A final revelation reveals the borrowed necklace was fake, making their sacrifices unnecessary.

Glossary

• Incessantly: Continuously
• Tureen: Covered dish for soup
• M.: Short for ‘Monsieur’ (French for Mr.)
• Mme: Short for ‘Madame’ (Mrs. in French)
• Vexation: State of being annoyed or distressed
• Ruinous: Disastrous
• Usurers: Money-lenders who charge high interest
• Sou: Old, low-value French coin
• Awry: Out of position; twisted

Important Questions for Revision

• What changes occurred in the Loisels’ life after the necklace was lost?
• What led to Matilda’s ruin, and could it have been avoided?
• What might have happened if Matilda had been honest with Madame Forestier?
• How does the story show that one small mistake can change life drastically?

Themes and Messages

• Materialism and pride can lead to unhappiness and even disaster.
• Honesty is crucial; hiding the truth can make problems worse.
• We should be content with what life gives us and not compare ourselves to others.

Suggested further reading

• ‘The Dowry’ by Guy de Maupassant
• ‘A Cup of Tea’ by Katherine Mansfield
• ‘The Bet’ by Anton Chekov

"The Necklace" ultimately teaches the value of honesty, contentment, and the dangers of vanity and social comparison. By revising these points, students can easily understand the main events, character traits, and underlying messages in the story.

Class 10 English Chapter 7 Notes – The Necklace: Key Points for Quick Revision

These Class 10 English Chapter 7 notes break down the story "The Necklace" for quick and effective revision. Our summary covers all crucial themes and events, helping you grasp character motivations and important lessons. Every major point is highlighted for easy exam preparation.

Use these revision notes to review the plot, key vocabulary, and major messages from Guy de Maupassant’s famous short story. The glossary included ensures you understand tricky words, while the discussion points encourage deeper reflection and better answer writing in exams.