Readers Theater Play
The
MAS
a greaTERPIECE
t
literatwork of
u re
Necklace
a twisted tale of greed, glamour, and tragedy
By Guy de Maupassant; Adapted for Scope by Mack Lewis
ILLUSTRATIONS BY DAVE CLEGG
CHARACTERS
*MONSIEUR LOISEL: Matilda’s
husband
*MARCEL: the chimney sweep
who helps with the narration
MADAME FORESTIER
MADAME AMBASSADOR
AMBASSADOR
GENTLEMAN
JEWELER
*Large speaking role
Marie-Claire?!
MAUPASSANT: Ah, here comes
MAID: Oui [hwee], Madame?
Monsieur Loisel. Madame wishes
MATILDA: Marie-Claire, do try to
he were royalty or a wealthy man.
straighten up before the master gets
He is neither, but tonight, he does
home. Everything looks so shabby!
have a gift.
MAID: But, Madame, you have such
LOISEL: Dear Matilda, have I got
a beautiful home.
a surprise for you!
MATILDA: Nothing but faded
MATILDA: What’s this?
wallpaper and dilapidated furniture.
LOISEL: An invitation to the
How it tortures me to live here!
Ambassador’s Ball. I went to a
MAUPASSANT: As I was saying,
great deal of trouble to get it.
MAUPASSANT: Oh, hello there. Or
Madame is charming. She also
Matilda (angry): What would I
should I say, bonjour [bohn-
has rich tastes.
want with this?
ZHOOR]. After all, we are in Paris.
MATILDA: Make it better, Marie-
LOISEL: But this is such a big event!
The year is 1875. And this is the
Claire!
MATILDA: What do you think I own
home of Madame Matilda Loisel, a
MAID: Madame?
that I can wear to such a fancy affair?
young lady as charming as she is
MATILDA: Dust, Marie-Claire!
LOISEL: Why, how about that dress
discontent. Here she comes now.
Straighten! Fluff!
you wear to the theater? It’s
Matilda (distressed): Marie-Claire?
MAID: Yes, Madame. Right away.
pretty enough!
Check It Out
as you read, Look for:
The Moral of the Story
The lesson to be learned from
a story or an experience is called
a moral. What is the moral of
The Necklace?
SCENE 1
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Scholastic Scope

Time Life Pictures/Mansell/Time Life Pictures/Getty Images
*MAUPASSANT [maw-pahSAWN]: the narrator
*MADAME MATILDA LOISEL
[lwa-ZEL]: a young woman
MAID MARIE-CLAIRE
Guy de Maupassant (1850-1893)
is the author of this famous
story. His full name is “Henri
Renè Albert Guy de Maupassant.”
Try saying that five times fast!
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MATILDA: The dress I wear to the
MAUPASSANT: Matilda and a case
lady you have there, young man.
theater?! Are you mad?
full of jewels? This could take a
MARCEL: So she’s a hit!
LOISEL: Please don’t cry, Matilda.
while, so allow me to advance the
MAUPASSANT: See for yourself.
What’s wrong?
story. It seems nothing in the case
Gentleman: Excuse me. May
MATILDA: Nothing. Only I can’t go.
will satisfy Matilda’s tastes—until
I have this dance?
Give the invitation to someone
she discovers the necklace. Her
MATILDA: Certainly!
whose wife is better dressed than I.
heart skips a beat. Her hands
Gentleman: You’re the prettiest
LOISEL: Don’t be sad. How much
tremble.
thing here.
would a new gown cost?
MATILDA: Would you lend me this
MATILDA: You undoubtedly say
MATILDA: Well, I don’t know exactly.
diamond necklace? Only this?
that to all the women.
I should think 400 francs [frahnks]
FORESTIER: Certainly! Now go
Gentleman: Only when they are
ought to do it.
enjoy the ball.
as lovely as you!
LOISEL: Very well. I will give you 400
SCENE 4
francs. Do try to get a dress you’ll be
MAUPASSANT: Matilda spends
the evening in a cloud of happiness.
happy with.
MARCEL: So she’s going to the ball?
It is four in the morning before
MAUPASSANT: Poor Loisel. He looks
MAUPASSANT: She’s already there.
Loisel can convince her to leave.
a little pale.
MARCEL: Wow, look at that! Wealth,
MATILDA: We must hurry out
power, beauty—it’s all here, isn’t it?
before someone sees my coat.
But how did I get here?
LOISEL: No one will notice your coat,
MARCEL: Wait a minute!
MAUPASSANT: You’re not here.
Matilda.
MAUPASSANT: This is Marcel, the
You’re merely telling the story.
SCENE 2
chimney sweep. Marcel, if MarieClaire knew you were traipsing
around the house covered in soot,
she’d wallop you with her dust mop.
MARCEL: Dust mop, shmust mop.
Now listen, you mean to tell me that
MARCEL: I am? Really? Well,
Like Matilda, Maupassant
was a social climber.
His success as a writer
propelled him into Paris’s
high society—where he
got ideas for many of his
stories, including this one!
then, so Matilda arrives
at the ball.
Madame
AMBASSADOR:
And who is this
Monsieur Loisel is going to empty
elegant young lady?
his savings account and work
Ravishing!
LOISEL: Call on your friend, Madame
invitation and buy me a dress.
LOISEL:
overtime just so Matilda can buy a
MATILDA: Something’s not right.
Forestier! She will certainly lend
FORESTIER: The Ambassador’s Ball!
Ambassador,
new dress?
MAID: Madame?
you some jewels.
You must be thrilled.
Madame
MAUPASSANT: We’re already in
LOISEL: Not right? What could be
MATILDA: C’est vrai [seh vray]!
MATILDA: Yes . . . and no. I’m
Ambassador,
Scene 2, Marcel, so I suspect he
wrong?
I hadn’t thought of that. We must
ashamed to say I haven’t any
I’d like you to
already has.
Matilda (crying): Oh, no. Oh, no!
go at once!
jewelry. My husband means well,
meet my wife.
MARCEL: Does he honestly think a
What am I to do?
but after all, he’s merely a clerk.
Madame
new dress will make her happy?
LOISEL: What is it, Matilda?
May I borrow some from you?
AMBASSADOR:
MAUPASSANT: Why wouldn’t it?
MATILDA: I haven’t any jewelry.
Matilda (to herself): I do hope
FORESTIER: Why, of course! Here’s
What a radiant
MARCEL: Because she—
I shall look so poor!
Madame Forestier takes pity on me.
my case.
smile you have!
MAUPASSANT: Shhh. Tais-toi [tay-
LOISEL: You can wear some flowers!
FORESTIER: Matilda, how nice to see
MATILDA: Oh là là [oo law law]!
Come, darling,
twah], Marcel. They’re coming.
MATILDA: How embarrassing it
you! What brings you?
However will I choose? There are
let me show
MAID: Oh my, Madame, you look
would be to appear so shabby
MATILDA: It seems I’ve been invited
so many wonderful pieces!
you around.
simply beautiful.
amidst such opulent women. No,
to the Ambassador’s Ball. Loisel has
FORESTIER: Just trinkets, my dear.
Ambassador:
LOISEL: Stunning, my dear.
I can’t go.
gone out of his way to get me an
Choose whatever you wish.
That’s a lovely
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Scholastic Scope

SCENE 3
The Necklace was
first published in a
French newspaper in
1884. It was a hit!
Maupassant gained
instant fame.
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MATILDA: It’s old and unfashionable.
MAUPASSANT: Not quite, Marcel.
LOISEL: What? Did you have it when
MATILDA: Surely you can see we’re
Please, let’s hurry.
There’s still a lesson to be learned.
we left the ball?
desperate.
LOISEL: At least let me call a cab.
Loisel (at home): I thought we’d
MATILDA: Yes, I felt it around my
Jeweler: Very well. I will accept
It’s chilly out.
never find a cab. I’m still shivering.
neck as we came out.
thirty-six thousand.
MATILDA: But we’ll be noticed. We
MATILDA: Oh, but it was worth it.
LOISEL: Perhaps it’s in the cab.
MAUPASSANT: They can’t begin
can walk down the street. A cab will
Do you know I waltzed with the
MAUPASSANT: Loisel searches the
to afford thirty-six thousand francs.
happen by sooner or later.
Ambassador?
streets. He goes to the police and
So they borrow the money and then
LOISEL: Very well, if only to keep
LOISEL: I’m glad you enjoyed
to the cab offices.
spend 10 years paying it back. They
up appearances.
yourself, but I still have to report to
MARCEL: Does he find it?
have to fire the maid.
work this morning.
MATILDA: Darling, I’m so glad you’re
MARCEL: Not Marie-Claire! Oh, how
MATILDA: Just one more look.
home! Tell me you found it!
I love that old woman!
MARCEL: I don’t see what the big
MAUPASSANT: That’s when Matilda
Loisel (sadly): Tell your friend
MAUPASSANT: They move to a
deal is. She goes to the ball. She
looks into the mirror.
you are having the clasp repaired.
truly shabby one-room apartment.
has a great time. End of story.
MATILDA: The necklace . . . it’s gone!
That will give us time to find a
Loisel gets a second job at night.
replacement.
Matilda takes in work as a
SCENE 5
SCENE 6
Scholastic Scope
MARCEL: They go on like that for
MARCEL: A replacement? They can’t
10 years?
afford a replacement. A diamond
MAUPASSANT: What else can they
necklace like that?
do? Not long after making the final
MAUPASSANT: After a great deal of
payment on their debt, Matilda
searching, they finally find a
bumps into Madame Forestier on
necklace just like it.
the street.
LOISEL: Excuse me, sir. May we have
MATILDA: Madame Forestier, good
a look at that diamond necklace?
morning.
Jeweler: Very well, but if you must
FORESTIER: Do I know you?
know, it is exceptionally expensive.
MATILDA: It’s me, Matilda Loisel.
I cater to a very exclusive clientele.
FORESTIER: My poor Matilda! How
it’s been for us to live in poverty for
Had you only come to me and
MATILDA: It’s nearly identical.
you’ve changed.
so long, but it is finally finished and I
told me the truth! My diamonds
We must have it!
MAUPASSANT: It is true. Ten years of
am decently content.
were fake. They weren’t worth
MAUPASSANT: Loisel swallows hard
hardship and exhausting work has
FORESTIER: You bought a diamond
but 500 francs!
and braves the question.
made Matilda haggard.
necklace to replace mine?
Marcel (after a pause): Boy, that
LOISEL: How much is it?
MATILDA: I’ve had some toilsome
MATILDA: Yes. They were exactly
is a hard lesson.
Jeweler: Forty-thousand francs.
times, and all because of you.
alike.
MAUPASSANT: Indeed, Marcel.
LOISEL: Would you consider thirty
FORESTIER: Because of me?
FORESTIER: Oh, my poor Matilda.
A lesson for us all.
thousand?
Whatever do you mean?
Jeweler: As I said, we serve a select
MATILDA: Do you recall the diamond
clientele.
necklace you lent me? Well, I lost it.
Today, Maupassant is best known for his
dazzling short stories (he penned more
than 300!), which often explore human
weaknesses. What “weaknesses” does
he explore in The Necklace?
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washerwoman.
FORESTIER: But you returned it
to me.
MATILDA: I returned another exactly
like it. It has taken us 10 years to pay
Think Matilda’s fate
is tragic? Maupassant
had it worse. He
contracted a disease
that drove him insane.
He died at the young
age of 42.
•
Writing prompt
A Lesson for Us All
At the end of the play, Marcel and Maupassant agree that Matilda learned a
hard lesson—and that it is a lesson for everyone. This lesson is the moral
of the story. Write a paragraph explaining what the moral of the story is
and how it applies to Matilda.
for it. You can understand how hard
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