Summary of the Necklace

The necklace is a story based on a character called Mathilde. Mathilde was born into a poorer family, but due to her beauty believed she should've been born to a higher class. Never settling for second best she settled into a luxury appartment and 'allowed' herself to marry a clerk - who does all he can to please her, even though she never is thankful. Trying to make her happy, he gets invites to a ball, but being Mathilde, she feels she MUST have a luxury jewellrey item to go with her beautiful dress instead of a corsage. She goes to her rich friend Mme. Forestier, who happily lends her a stunning diamond necklace. The ball goes well, however on the way back, she manages to lose the necklace! Panicking, she looks everywhere with her husband to no avail so eventually, they settle on buying one instead. They find a near-identical one but to buy it they are left amass in debt and no live in an attic room and have a hard life. 10 years down the line, which has been led in poverty, Mathilde and her husband have finally worked off the debt. Sitting in a nearby river, Mathilde spots Mme. Forestier and after a conversation with her, she mentions the necklace and all the problems it has caused in the past 10 years. We are left in the last sentence with Mme. Forestier telling us that the necklace was only made of glass and paste - and only cost about 45 francs!