The Night of the Scorpion
About the Poet
Nissim Ezekiel (1924-2004) was Jewish-Indian famous poet, playwright, editor & critic who wrote in English. He is often called the "Father of modern Indian English poetry". He got the "Sahithya Academy Cultural Award" in 1983 & Padmashri Award in 1988. The poem "Night of the Scorpion" presents an Indian village and its Superstitions, Simplicity with the poet's own childhood experiences. Some of his well known poems are Enterprise, Poet, Lover - Birdwatcher.
Q&A (1-8)
Q1. Why does the Poet call the tail "diabolic"?
Ans: In Nissim Ezekiel's Poem "Night of the Scorpion"
- the poet calls the scorpion's tail "diabolic" because it is the part of the insect that carries the deadly sting
- the word "diabolic" means devilish, cruel or evil. By using is word, the poet highlights the dangerous and hurtful nature of the Scorpion's tail, which injected venom into the mother's foot. poison into his mother's body, does the tail is described as diabolic to show its association with suffering, danger and evil ust like something connected with the devil. devil.
Q2. Why does the poet refer to the Scorpion as the evil one?
Ans: The poet refers to the Scorpion as “the evil one” because the Scorpion brought pain and suffering into his home by stinging his mother. In many cultures and traditions, Scorpions are seen as symbols of danger, poison & evil forces, since their sting causes int intense agony and can even be fatlle by calling it “the evil one”, the poet is not only describing the creatures harmful nature but also reflecting the villagers belief that the Scorpion was an agent of evil are misfortune does, the phrase shows both the physical danger of the Scorpion & the superstitious outlook of the villages who saw the incident as a struggle between good and evil.
Q3. What were the pigent Peasants saying as they came & why?
Ans: As the Peasants Crowded into the house with their lanterns, they began saying prayers and uttering words of sympathy. They believed that the scorpions sting was the result of past sins, & that the mother’s suffering would help to burn away her sins and purify her soul some of them even said that the pain would protect her family by transferring misfortune onto her alone. they spoke this way because of their deep Superstitious beliefs hoping that their words and prayers would reduce the effect of the poison and bring relief to the mother.
Q4. What did the poet's father in the poem do to help the poet's mother?
Ans: The poet's father who was a rational and practical man, tried to help his wife with every method he knew. He used powders, herbs & hybrid medicines in an attempt to reduce the poison's effect. He even poured a little paraffin on the wound & set it alight hoping the flame would burn out the poison from her body -> his actions show his scientific and experimental approach, which was very different from the superstitious methods of the peasants who surrounded the mother with prayers and rituals. Thus the father relied on medicine & science to cure his wife, while the villagers depended on faith & tradition.
Q5. What did the peasants say about the sufferings of the poet's mother?
Ans: The peasants who rushed into the poet's house with lanterns & candles spoke in a tone of sympathy. Mixed with Superstition They said that the mother's suffering was the result of her past sins so that the pain from the scorpion's sting would help to burn away those sins. Some of them also believed that her agony would bring good fortune to her family as that suffering would keep her children & husband safe from future troubles. In this way the peasants explained the mother's pain not in scientific terms but through their religious and traditional beliefs, seeing it as a form of purification and sacrifice.
Q6. Why did the peasants find out the scorpion?
Ans: The peasants tried to find out the scorpion because they believed that if the insect kept moving, the poison in the mother's body would also keep spreading according to their superstition. Only if this scorpion was caught and made to stay still would the poison in her blood stop moving. That is why they searched for it with candles and lanterns, hoping Control mother's suffering. This shows how strongly the villagers depended on traditional beliefs and superstitions to explain the cause of pain.
List:
- The prayers that the peasants made for the mother?
- Peasants surrounded the poet's mother and prayed with deep faith. Their prayers reflected their superstitious beliefs:
- They prayed that the poison might purify her flesh of the sins of her past life.
- They wished that her suffering would lessen the misfortunes of her next birth.
- They prayed that her pain would reduce the troubles of her future life.
- They hoped that her agony would protect her children from sorrow and suffering.
- They even wished that her suffering might save her husband's life.
All these prayers show that the peasants saw the scorpion's sting not just as a physical wound. but as a way of cleansing sin and protecting the family through the mother's sacrifice.
Q8. Pick out the Comparisons made in the poem and explain how they enhance the beauty of the poem?
Ans: In "Night of the Scorpion" Nissim Ezekiel makes use of Several Comparisons (Similies and Metaphors) which add depth and vividness to the poem for example the peasants who crowd in the poet's house are described as "like swarms of flies". This Comparison shows how quickly and in large numbers they rushed into the room, creating a noisy, restless atmosphere similarly the scorpions tail is called diabolic, comparing it to something devilish and evil, which highlights the cruelty of the sting and the pain it causes.
Another Striking Comparison is the description of the peasants shadows on the walls, thrown by the lanterns and candles, This creates an image of a dark, almost super-natural supernatural Scene where the atmosphere is filled with fear & mystery. By comparing simple villages to shadows restlessly, the poet adds to the tension of moving situation.
These comparisons enhance the beauty of the scene by making the scene more vivid & dramatic. They help the reader imagine the fear, confusion and emotional intensity of the movement at the same time they bring out the contrast between superstition and Rationalism - as well as the deep love and sacrifice of the mother, which form the central theme of the poem.
The comparisons are not just decorative but play an important role in heightening the mood, the imagery and the emotional impact of the poem.
- Explain how the feelings of a mother are presented in the poem?
In "Night of the Scorpion" Nissim Ezekiel presents. The feelings of a mother in a very touching and powerful way. The mother though bitten by a scorpion and suffering intense pain, Doesn’t complain about her own suffering instead. She shows her selflessness and unconditional love after all the peasants prayers, the father’s experiments and the neighbours remedies. The only words the mother speaks are: “Thank God, the scorpion picked on me and spared my children”. This simple statement reveals the greatness of a mother’s heart even in the phase of poison and unbearable agony.
She doesn’t think of her self but only of the safety of her children…Her maternal instinct makes her accept pain willingly if it means protecting her family. Through this movement, the poet highlights the sacrificial nature of a mother’s love, which is pure selfless and unconditional.
The mother's feelings are contrasted with the reactions of the villagers and the father. While the peasants focus on superstition and the father on science, the mother's words raise above both, showing that a mother's true concern is always her children.
The poem, in this way, beautifully portrays the depth of mother's love - Enduring suffering silently, praying only her children's safety and finding strength even in pain.
a) Narrate all the activities presented in the poem? Nissim Ezekiel's "Night of the Scorpion" narrates a series of activities that take place on the night when the poet's mother is stung by a scorpion.
The poem begins with the description of a heavy rain that forces the scorpion to creep into the poet's mother house and hide beneath a sack of rice. When it stings the poet's mother, The News & Reactions
The news spreads quickly and soon the peasants from the neighbourhood rush in with candles & lanterns. Their shadows dance on the walls as they surround the mother and begin to chant prayers, hoping that the poison will leave her body.
b) Villagers' Methods The villagers try different superstitious methods. They murmur about sins of the past life, draw circles on the floor to trap the evil spirit, and pray that the mother’s pain should protect her children and protect.
c) The Poet's Father Amid this the poet’s father, rational & a scientific man, takes a different approach he tries various powders, herbs, and hybrid medicines. He even pours paraffin on the wound and sets it alight in an attempt to burn out the poison.
d) Other Remedies Other neighbours also attempt remedies, each with their own traditional method. Scorpion Sting - Analysis
Nothing seems to cure the mother immediately. After hours of pain and suffering the poison finally looses its grip and mother recovers at this point, she utters only one simple selfless sentence: “Thank God, the scorpion picked on me and spared my children”.
These activities - The scorpion’s entry, The peasant’s prayers & rituals, the father’s scientific experiments and the mother’s quite endurance - Together create a vivid picture of the event. They show the clash between superstition and rationalism while finally highlighting the pure, selfless love of a mother.