Mathilde’s Internal and External Conflicts as Reflected in Guy De Maupassant’s The Necklace

Abstract

Key words: Character, conflict, Internal Conflict, External Conflict, Moral Value

Guy De Maupassant’s short story entitled “The Necklace” reflectets a woman named Mathilde who is married to little clerk in Ministry of Education. Madame Mathilde had beautiful face and charm; she married with Mr. Loisel to change her status become upper class woman. Mathilde was unhappy with marriage; she was not given money by her husband. She imagines that she live in big house, wearing good dress and the jewels.

The writer analyzes that Madame Mathilde is glamour a woman and responsibility person. As a woman live in environment upper class Mathilde wants look glamour woman as their friends and become centre of attention all a men in party. She doing anything to successful at the party, so she borrows the jewels from Madame Forestier. After the party, she realizes that the jewel is losing. She really fears, desperate and she thinks that Madame Forestier will be angry and punish her. So, she replaces the jewels with hard work and suffers at the ten years.

This condition creates internal  and external conflicts with respect to the family of  Mathilde and Mr. Loisel. Besides, Mathilde has conflicts with Madame Forestier and the social condition. In short story,  there is an important moral value which wants to teach  the readers—Be Yourself.  However, the writer only focused on discussing Mathilde’s internal and external conflicts.