A Necklace’s Command

Jewelry is bold, creative, artisan assembled pieces of materials and gemstones that women use as an accent of character and fashion. In particular, a necklace is alluring, intricate, a standout addition to a person’s outfit. Usually, jewelry is cheaply made depending on the choice of design, type of gemstones and whether the particular gemstone(s) are in high demand. Rare pieces of jewelry are usually in such high demand that it is mainly sought out by the wealthy due to how expensive it is and is recognized as a symbol of monetary value. Many pieces that contain diamonds, pearls, rubies, gold and silver for example are radiant, attention-seeking, glamorous elements that embody the significance of money and status in the mid-1800s French society. In “The Necklace” Madame Mathilde wishes to replicate herself into the wealthy class for one night at the ball at the expense of a borrowed necklace. In opposition of the necklace’s radiance, it is a sign of temptation and misfortune that represents the deception of wealth and poverty. This deception facilitates Madame Mathilde’s envy, suffering, sacrifice, inhibitions towards the economic system and promotes the lavish lifestyle of the rich.

The author, Maupassant wrote this story with delicacy, irony, mystery and meaning. First off, he sets up the story with plenty of emotion and description, which signifies the lifestyle and desires of the main character. “She was one of the pretty and charming girls who are sometimes, as if by mistake by destiny, born into a family of clerks”(65). This expression is sad and questions the happiness of the young lady, it also foreshadows the short-comings that she will endure. Maupassant further goes into detail of her sadness, lack of love, empathy, or gratitude and most importantly humility. “She had no dowry, no expectations, no means of being known, understood, loved, wedded by any rich and distinguished man; and she let herself be married to a little clerk at the Ministry of Public Instruction”(65). Madame Mathilde can now be labeled as a depressed, not content nor satisfied with her life or marriage. Secondly, the irony of the borrowed necklace was that it is an affordable piece of decorum. The necklace was about 500 francs which is relatively cheap, something that the Loisels’ could have purchased themselves from the beginning, if that necessary. Sadly, Monsieur and Madame Loisel had lost their beauty, youth, money, house and had contracted debt all at the expense of pride and ego.

Thirdly, the mystery lies within the borrowed necklace. Where did it go, was it stolen, how will it be replaced, why didn’t Madame Mathilde informed or explained to her former classmate and friend Madame Forestier about what had happened and so forth. Lastly, the meaning can be interpreted in a variety of opinions and perspectives. The main character is usually depicted first as a depressed, jealous, and greedy woman but the overall story has depth. Which can be perceived as a reminder to always remain humble, enjoy the things that you do have in your life, and do not gamble away irreplaceable items such as love, shelter, and savings for a short-term outcome. Overall, “The Necklace” can be analyzed and criticized by many perspectives such as formalist and feminist depending on the individual chosen depiction.

Formalist criticism, one of the viewpoints that the audience could and would identify with has a central meaning. Madame Mathilde, who was an “pretty, ambitious young homemaker who was forced by her parents’ modest circumstances to marry an insignificant government clerk”(4), locked away the key to her hopes and fantasies when she married Monsieur Loisel. Even in her misery that is filled with grief and regret, her husband still finds the time to cherish and honor his wife by providing an invitation to the ball and her gown despite his limitations. She is still not satisfied, so she rushes off to Madame Forestier to borrow jewels that would be appropriate for this occasion. She accepts Madame Forestier’s necklace that “transforms Madame Loisel into such a success”(2). At the conclusion of the ball that particular night, Madame Loisel ultimately finds herself in despair and tragedy when she realizes that the necklace is gone. Although, it is fine to have dreams and want many things, you should never under-appreciate what you already have. Madame Mathilde may not have had the best of everything or what she wanted in particular but she did have a home, clothes, her beauty and youth, a servant to take care of the household chores and most importantly the support and love from her husband who would and did do what she had asked of him in order to please her.

By breaking down Madame Mathilde’s emotions and actions, you can understand the pain and misery that she endured throughout the story as well as the happiness and joy she experienced wearing the necklace for the first time and the duration of the ball. In the 1800s and early 1900s, women had limited say-so. Everything was handle mainly through the male figures within the family. Women were expected to stay at home, cook, clean, take care of the children, many did not have jobs or any independence. Madame Mathilde was trapped within the French society’s norms and class system. It’s clear that she spent many days inside due to the society’s and her own perception of beauty and wealth. Since only beauty and wealth mattered to the society, that was all Madame Mathilde cared about. She had gained the attention that she craved for at the ball. She was beautiful, envied by others, complimented on her grace and attire, and danced the night away. For one night, she was alive and free from her internal imprisonment of the mind. This obsession to be adorned by all imprisons not only herself but her husband as well. For they will spend forty thousand francs in order to replace the necklace and ten years to repay their debt when simply Madame Mathilde could have done was to explain the situation to Madame Forestier in the first place.

In conclusion, Madame Mathilde was a young, depressed housewife who felt trapped by her ancestry and society but in actuality had more than most people. Her and her husband were not rich and may not have had a lot but they were well off in comparison to other Parisians. She never had to worry about the day-to-day norms, food, shelter, household chores because she had a loving husband who worked day in, day out. She never lived or experience any level of poverty until she had to repay her acquired debt for the lost jewel. Therefore, the necklace was symbolic for Madame Mathilde’s disruptive and selfish tendencies which led to her and her husband’s tragedy.