The Necklace

The Necklace is a short story by Guy de Maupassant, first published in 1884.

The story follows a woman who dreams of wealth, luxury, and a higher social position despite living a modest life with her husband. When the couple is invited to an elegant event, she borrows a beautiful necklace from a wealthy friend so that she can appear more sophisticated.

After the celebration, she discovers that the necklace has disappeared. Unable to admit what happened, she and her husband borrow a large amount of money to replace it. They then spend years living in poverty and working relentlessly to repay their debts.

With its famous ironic ending, The Necklace explores vanity, social ambition, appearances, and the consequences of pride. Maupassant shows how the desire to seem wealthier and more important can completely transform a person's life.

"SHE was one of those pretty and charming girls who are sometimes, as if by a mistake of destiny, born in a family of clerks. She had no dowry, no expectations, no means of being known, understood, loved, wedded, by any rich and distinguished man; and she let herself be married to a little clerk at the Ministry of Public Instruction."

This English edition of The Necklace was translated from the original French by Jonathan Sturges.