About the work
A Marriage Proposal is a one-act play by Anton Chekhov, which he himself called a "joke in one act." It was written in 1888 and premiered on 12 April 1889 in Saint Petersburg.
Plot
The wealthy but hypochondriac landowner Lomov visits his neighbour Chubukov to propose marriage to his daughter Natalya. Instead of a betrothal, an argument breaks out first over a disputed plot of land, then over their respective hunting dogs. Only once Natalya learns of Lomov's actual intention does her father push the pair toward marriage — and they keep arguing even after their engagement kiss.
Cultural significance
In the manner of vaudeville, the one-act play exaggerates the materially driven marriage customs of the Russian landed gentry and remains among Chekhov's most frequently performed short stage works.