Student Question
Did Madame Forestier blame Matilde for her misfortune in "The Necklace"?
Quick answer:
In "The Necklace," Madame Forestier does not blame Matilde for her misfortune. When Matilde reveals the truth about the necklace, Madame Forestier is initially astonished but ultimately shows empathy. She is moved by Matilde's hardship and explains that the original necklace was only an imitation, worth much less than expected. Madame Forestier's reaction is compassionate rather than accusatory, highlighting the tragic misunderstanding between the two friends.
In “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant, Madame Forestier seems more astonished than angry at Madame Loisel's revelation.
Many years after the incident with the necklace, the women meet each other as they walk along the Champs-Elysees. Madame Forestier does not recognize her friend who has changed immensely due to her years of poverty and manual labor. Madame Loisel decides to tell her former friend the true story of the necklace. At this point, Madame Forestier seems taken back by what she hears and attempts to walk away. When she realizes the truth, she stops and shows Madame Loisel empathy for the misunderstanding.
Madame Forestier, deeply moved, took her two hands. "Oh, my poor Mathilde! But mine was imitation. It was worth at the very most five hundred francs! . . . "
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