"Rapture" in "The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant refers to the intense joy and pleasure experienced by the main character, Mathilde Loisel, when she receives the invitation to attend a high society ball. The invitation offers Mathilde an opportunity to escape her dull and monotonous life as a lower-class housewife and to experience the luxury and glamour of the upper-class lifestyle. This moment of happiness is short-lived, as Mathilde soon realizes that she does not have the proper attire to attend the ball and must borrow a necklace to complete her outfit. The borrowed necklace is lost and Mathilde spends the next ten years of her life paying off the debt incurred from replacing it.
The word "rapture" in this context refers to the temporary high that Mathilde experiences and highlights the fleeting and illusory nature of her happiness. The theme of the story is that material possessions do not bring true happiness and that the pursuit of wealth and status can lead to long-term misery. The "rapture" in "The Necklace" serves as a warning to the reader about the dangers of becoming too attached to material objects and the importance of living a content and fulfilling life.
In conclusion, the "rapture" in "The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant refers to the moment of intense joy experienced by the main character, Mathilde Loisel, when she receives an invitation to attend a high society ball. The moment of happiness is short-lived and serves as a warning to the reader about the dangers of materialism and the pursuit of wealth and status.