Satire on Vanity of Women
A literary work in which human vice or folly is attacked through irony, derision or wit is called satire. "The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant is an excellent satire on the vanity of women. Through the characters of Matilda and Forestier, the writer has satirized three aspects of women's vanity; discontent with life, excessive pride in physical beauty and egoism to hide truth.
Firstly, women's dissatisfaction with life has been satirized. Vanity is, in fact, the quality of being vain and valueless. Matilda is not satisfied with her poor husband, humble house and other modest belongings. The absence of expensive stuff in her life makes fer feel worthless and futile. The writer condemns this vain and pessimistic attitude of life.
Secondly, women's excessive pride in their physical beauty has be criticized. Matilda is very proud of her physical beauty. To become a beauty queen at a ball, she procures a costly frock and barrows a diamond necklace which are symbols of her vanity. The writer manifests that vanity has a fall. The necklace is lost and Matilda has to pay a heavy price for it.
Thirdly, women's egoism to hide the truth has been ridiculed. It is the egoism of Forestier that she does not tell Matilda that the necklace is fake. Similarly, Matilda does not tell Forestier that the necklace has been lost. Thus both women have fear of being original and this attitude is intimately connected to vanity or vainglory.
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