Summary

In "The Marriage Proposal, Chekov makes the argument in this play that a marriage proposal is frequently something of a public performance, complete with predetermined gendered roles and a predetermined set of expectations. Chekov's play conveys the message that certain roles, behaviors, and expectations are assigned to a person based on their gender, and this is one of the ideas that is associated with symbolic gendering. This same idea is still reflected in current media today, and it serves as a reminder that marriage proposals can be occasions of power dynamics, gendered roles, and expectations. These aspects of marriage proposals should be acknowledged and discussed in order to create a society that is more equitable.
This concept is still reflected in many of today's mainstream media outlets. The film "The Proposal" is a good illustration of this. In the film, a character named Margaret Tate finds herself in a situation in which she must wed her assistant Andrew Paxton in order to remain in the country. This reflects the idea that women are expected to be the figures in a relationship that are more submissive, while men are expected to be the figures that are more powerful than women. Another illustration of this would be the television show "The Bachelor." On this show, a single man is given the opportunity to meet a number of women who could become his future wife, but ultimately, he is the one who chooses who he will pop the question to. Once more, this reflects the notion that men are in charge of the relationship and have the authority to select the woman they intend to marry as their spouse. The concept that individuals are given particular roles to play, behaviors to exhibit, and expectations to fulfill based on their gender is referred to as symbolic gendering. This concept is conveyed in "The Marriage Proposal" by the fact that Natalya's father makes the ultimate decision regarding her future, in spite of the fact that she has her own preferences. Chekov is able to convey this concept not only through his actions but also through the language he uses. For instance, Natalya's father often refers to her as his "little girl," which suggests that she does not yet possess the level of maturity necessary to make her own choices. This further reflects the idea that men are expected to be the more powerful and authoritative figures in a relationship. In contrast, women are expected to be more passive and submissive in their roles within the relationship.