Experience the absurd and hilarious world of Anton Chekhov’s "The Proposal" (originally titled "A Marriage Proposal"), a classic one-act Russian farce written in 1888–89. This audiobook brings to life the chaotic and quarrelsome interactions of three unforgettable characters in a performance that explores the satirical intersection of romance and real estate.

The story begins when Ivan Vassilevitch Lomov, a wealthy but highly suspicious and nervous landowner, arrives at the home of his long-time neighbour, Stepan Stepanovitch Chubukov. Dressed in a formal jacket and white gloves, Lomov has come with a singular, life-changing request: to ask for the hand of Chubukov’s twenty-five-year-old daughter, Natalya Stepanovna, in marriage.

Lomov, who suffers from "palpitations" and various nervous twitches, believes he must lead a "quiet and regular life" and has decided that he must marry now as he has reached the "critical age" of thirty-five. While Chubukov is initially overjoyed at the prospect of the union—viewing it as a sensible economic merger of their estates—the "romantic" evening quickly descends into a series of ridiculous and heated rows.

Listeners will be entertained by the characters’ inability to stay focused on the proposal as they devolve into bitter arguments over petty issues, including:

• The Ownership of Oxen Meadows: A long-standing dispute over a piece of land wedged between their birchwoods and the Burnt Marsh, which both families claim to have owned for generations.
• The Superiority of Hunting Dogs: A fierce debate over whether Lomov’s dog, Guess, is a "first-rate" animal or if Natalya’s dog, Squeezer, is "heaps better".

Chekhov’s biting satire highlights the tendency of wealthy families to encourage marriages that make good economic sense, even when the individuals involved are fundamentally incompatible and unable to stop insulting one another. Even as the play reaches its conclusion and the proposal is finally accepted, the bickering continues, offering a humorous look at the start of "family bliss".

Perfect for fans of classic literature and romantic comedies, this audiobook captures the farce and wit of one of Russia’s greatest dramatists.