Vocabulary in The Necklace

Money, property, or goods that a woman's family gives to her husband at marriage; here used to suggest Mathilde had no wealth or social advantage to offer when she married.

In this context, feeling a sharp, ongoing unhappiness or anguish — not merely sad but tormented by the gap between one's life and one's desires.

Felt irritated and resentful at a situation one cannot escape; to be worn down emotionally by frustration, the way skin is worn raw by rubbing.

A rigid social class or rank that one is born into and cannot easily leave; used here to mean the fixed lower social station Mathilde feels trapped in.

Waiting rooms or entrance halls leading into the main rooms of a grand house; symbols of aristocratic wealth and elegance that Mathilde dreams of.

Hung or covered with tapestries — heavy decorative woven fabrics depicting scenes or patterns — indicating a richly furnished, old-fashioned aristocratic interior.

Rare, expensive, or exquisitely prepared foods considered luxurious treats; used here to contrast the plain meals Mathilde eats with the lavish feasts she imagines.

Delicately small, pretty, and refined; used to describe the kind of elegant, fine things Mathilde craves but cannot afford.

A feeling of irritation and frustration, especially at something one finds unfair or disappointing; here it describes Mathilde's bitter annoyance at her husband's contentment.

Shawls, cloaks, or outer garments worn by women over their evening dress; here the modest wrap Mathilde uses contrasts painfully with the fur coats of wealthier women.

The process of washing, dressing, and grooming oneself, or the resulting outfit and appearance; a French-derived term for one's overall dressed presentation at a formal occasion.

A moneylender who charges extremely high or exploitative rates of interest; Loisel borrows from such lenders at great personal cost to replace the necklace.

Written legal promises to repay borrowed money by a certain date, often at interest; signing them commits the Loisels to crushing debt they must work years to clear.

Causing complete financial or personal destruction; the debts the Loisels take on are so enormous they devastate every aspect of their lives for a decade.

A small, cramped attic room at the top of a building, typically cheap and uncomfortable; moving there signals the Loisels' dramatic fall into poverty.

A woman hired by the day to do heavy cleaning and domestic work in other people's homes; Mathilde takes on this menial labour to help pay off the debt.

Argued back and forth over a price, trying to get the seller to lower it; Loisel haggles with jewellers to find the best deal when replacing the necklace.

Rough, harsh, and lacking refinement; used to describe how years of hard physical labour have made Mathilde's hands and manner crude compared to her former elegance.