Student Question

What happened to the original necklace in "The Necklace"?

Quick answer:

Madame Loisel likely lost the original necklace sometime after leaving the ball, either in the street or in a cab that she and her husband took home. Monsieur Loisel says that if the necklace had been lost in the street, they would have heard it fall to the ground, so it must be in the cab. Neither of them thought to note the cab's number.

Expert Answers

An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

In "The Necklace," Madame Loisel and her husband are invited to a party at the Ministry of Education. For her part, Madame Loisel feels ambivalent about the party. She believes that if she attends, she will be exposed for what she is: the wife of a poor minor official at the Ministry of Education.

Her husband is stunned at Madame Loisel's distress. He had expected her to be jubilant at the invitation. Finally, he consents to give her four hundred francs for a dress. Even though Mr. Loisel is privately saving up money to buy a gun and go on a hunting trip the next summer, he decides to nix his plans. It is apparent that he dearly loves his wife and wants her to be happy. Despite his efforts, however, Madame Loisel still nurses negative emotions about attending the prestigious event, and she is still mired in a state of distress.

When her husband asks about her unhappy disposition, Madame Loisel laments that she has no jewels to wear to the party. Her husband then suggests that she wear flowers. He mentions that ten francs will buy her two or three beautiful roses. However, Madame Loisel balks at this suggestion. She thinks that the flowers will make her look "poor" among the other wealthy guests. In the end, Mr. Loisel suggests that she visits her friend Madame Forestier to borrow some jewels from her. Upon hearing this, Madame Loisel lights up. She decides to act on her husband's suggestion.

On the night of the party, Madame Loisel is the belle of the ball. She is radiantly beautiful and manages to command the attention of every man there. However, when she returns home, the necklace is not on her neck. She claims that she still had it after leaving the ball, as she "touched it in the hall at the Ministry." The Loisels come to the conclusion that she must have lost it in the cab they took to get home. The tragedy of the story lies in the fact that Madame Loisel (who prizes her charm, youth, and beauty) loses all in her efforts to reclaim her dignity and reputation.

Get Ahead with eNotes

Start your 48-hour free trial to access everything you need to rise to the top of the class. Enjoy expert answers and study guides ad-free and take your learning to the next level.

Get 48 Hours Free Access
Approved by eNotes Editorial