Home > Q&A by Experts > Literature >
Q

When does the story of The Necklace take place?

A

The Necklace, written by Guy de Maupassant, does not explicitly indicate when it takes place. Since it was written in 1884, the story should take place during the late 19th century. This was the period of both great prosperity and terrible poverty.

Detailed answer:

The Necklace is an excellent example of a short story with an intriguing plot. In this novel, de Maupassant raises several questions about life’s problems. He talks about the conflict of desires and opportunities, the bourgeoisie’s detrimental effect on the soul, and social disparity. The story shows socioeconomic struggles by following the life of Madame Loisel and her husband, a clerk with a humble income.

The novel’s overall setting and plot show that the story belongs to the late 19th century. In that period, the Western world experienced rampant technical and social development. Many wealthy people got the chance to enjoy a wide variety of material goods. In this regard, the narration demonstrates the obedience of people’s desires and tastes to the prevailing trends of that era. For example, Mathilde, a beautiful young woman, strives to be a part of the aristocrat society and lead a luxurious lifestyle.

The description of outfits, decorations, interior items, and places also points to the late 19th century. This is especially noticeable when the heroine gets to the ball. She overshadows everyone present and fully enjoys the surrounding attention. Maupassant portrays the environment where ordinary people live. They mostly face continuous need, back-breaking work, and other public problems. These social features were also very prevalent in that period.

Answer's rating:
Updated:
Ask your Question
(We won’t publish it)
Cite This page
You're welcome to use this expert's answer in your assignment. Be sure to cite it correctly

Reference

IvyPanda. (2024, September 2). When does the story of The Necklace take place? https://ivypanda.com/q/when-was-the-necklace-written/

Work Cited

"When does the story of The Necklace take place?" IvyPanda, 2 Sept. 2024, ivypanda.com/q/when-was-the-necklace-written/.

References

IvyPanda. (2024) 'When does the story of The Necklace take place'. 2 September.

References

IvyPanda. 2024. "When does the story of The Necklace take place?" September 2, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/q/when-was-the-necklace-written/.

1. IvyPanda. "When does the story of The Necklace take place?" September 2, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/q/when-was-the-necklace-written/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. "When does the story of The Necklace take place?" September 2, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/q/when-was-the-necklace-written/.

Privacy Settings

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Required Cookies & Technologies
Always active

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Site Customization

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.