NCERT · Class 10 · English · First Flight: The ProposalDescribe the argument between Lomov and Natalya regarding the ownership of Oxen Meadows.

The quarrel over Oxen Meadows begins accidentally during what was supposed to be a polite conversation between Lomov and Natalya. Lomov mentions "my Oxen Meadows," which immediately triggers Natalya's objection as she insists the land belongs to her family. Lomov explains that his aunt's grandmother gave the temporary free use of the Meadows to Natalya's father's grandfather's peasants in return for making bricks. Natalya firmly rejects this historical claim, arguing that the land has belonged to the Stepanovs for nearly three hundred years. The argument escalates into extreme verbal abuse, showcasing their obsessive obsession with property ownership over reason, courtesy, and the true purpose of Lomov's visit.