Night of the Scorpion by Nissim Ezekiel-Qs-Ans-Summary & Analysis

Night of the Scorpion by Nissim Ezekiel

 

“Night of the Scorpion” by Nissim Ezekiel is a poem that explores rural Indian life and the reactions of a village to a crisis. It vividly describes the emotional and cultural responses of a community after a woman is stung by a scorpion. The poet uses simple language to capture the scene, and each stanza brings out different facets of the experience.

 

Here’s a stanza-by-stanza analysis:

 Stanza 1

"I remember the night my mother / was stung by a scorpion. Ten hours / of steady rain had driven him / to crawl beneath a sack of rice."

 

In this opening stanza, the poet recalls the night his mother was stung by a scorpion. The words "I remember" suggest that the incident left a strong impression on him. The line "ten hours of steady rain" provides an ominous setting, indicating discomfort and restlessness that has also driven the scorpion into the shelter of their home. The rain is significant because it symbolizes both nature's uncontrollable forces and the ensuing chaos in the household.

 

Stanza 2

"Parting with his poison - flash / of diabolic tail in the dark room - / he risked the rain again."

Diabolic: with evil intention

The second stanza conveys the scorpion's departure after stinging the poet's mother. The phrase "parting with his poison" adds a sinister tone, indicating the venom left behind in the mother’s body. The image of the "diabolic tail" suggests evil, almost as if the scorpion has deliberately caused harm. The phrase "he risked the rain again" implies that the scorpion was desperate to escape, as if aware of the damage caused.

 

Stanza 3

"The peasants came like swarms of flies / and buzzed the name of God a hundred times / to paralyse the Evil One."

 

This stanza depicts the villagers' reaction as they flock to the scene. Ezekiel compares them to "swarms of flies," perhaps indicating both the urgency of their response and a sense of helplessness. Their constant chanting of God’s name reflects the deep-rooted belief in religion as a means to ward off evil. This line also conveys the villagers' view of the scorpion as a malevolent (malicious /məˈlevələnt/) creature, labelling it "the Evil One."

 

Stanza 4

"With candles and with lanterns / throwing giant scorpion shadows / on the mud-baked walls / they searched for him: he was not found."

 

The villagers arrive with candles and lanterns, symbolizing a hope to dispel darkness and evil. However, the "giant scorpion shadows" cast by the lights on the walls indicate an intensified fear of the unknown. The fact that they search for the scorpion but cannot find it adds to the mother’s distress and the general helplessness of the situation.

 

Stanza 5

"They clicked their tongues. / With every movement that the scorpion made / his poison moved in Mother’s blood, they said."

 

In this stanza, the poet observes the villagers’ reaction as they express disapproval or sympathy by clicking their tongues. This line shows their conviction that the scorpion’s movement influences the spread of poison in the mother’s body. It reflects a blend of superstition and empathy, as the villagers believe in unseen, mystical connections between the scorpion and the mother.

 

Stanza 6

"May he sit still, they said / May the sins of your previous birth / be burned away tonight, they said."

 

The villagers begin to voice their beliefs that karma and past sins play a role in the mother’s suffering. This stanza highlights the cultural and spiritual aspect of the rural community, where people accept pain as a form of purification, in this case hoping that it may cleanse her past "sins."

 

Stanza 7

"May your suffering decrease / the misfortunes of your next birth, they said."

 

The villagers continue to interpret the sting as a spiritual event, suggesting that her suffering might prevent further misfortune in her next life. This belief in reincarnation and the idea of suffering as penance reflects the traditional Hindu outlook on life and fate.

 

Stanza 8

"May the sum of all evil / balanced in this unreal world / against the sum of good / become diminished by your pain."

 

The villagers’ words grow more philosophical as they express a wish for balance in the world, hoping that her suffering may reduce the amount of evil in the universe. This reflects their worldview of life as a mix of good and bad forces, where personal suffering contributes to universal harmony.

 

Stanza 9

"May the poison purify your flesh / of desire, and your spirit of ambition, / they said, and they sat around / on the floor with my mother in the centre, / the peace of understanding on each face."

 

The villagers’ words suggest that they view the poison as a form of purification, removing human desires and ambitions. Their presence around the mother, and the "peace of understanding" on their faces, shows their belief in collective strength and mutual support during a crisis.

 

Stanza 10

"More candles, more lanterns, more neighbours, / more insects, and the endless rain."

 

This stanza emphasizes the overwhelming atmosphere with the repetition of “more.” The sense of collective anxiety builds up as more people arrive. The “endless rain” becomes symbolic of the helplessness they feel, as they have no control over the pain or situation.

 

Stanza 11

"My mother twisted through and through, / groaning on a mat."

 

This stanza brings the reader back to the central figure, the poet’s mother, whose physical suffering is palpable (obvious) as she writhes (twists) in pain. The visual imagery in "twisted through and through" and "groaning" reflects her intense agony.

 

Stanza 12

"My father, sceptic, rationalist, / trying every curse and blessing, / powder, mixture, herb and hybrid."

 

The poet’s father, described as a "sceptic" and "rationalist," is usually logical but tries every remedy out of desperation to relieve his wife’s pain. This shows the father’s vulnerability (weakness) and the lengths he is willing to go to, despite his usual disbelief in superstitions.

 

Stanza 13

"He even poured a little paraffin / upon the bitten toe and put a match to it."

 

In this stanza, the father resorts to a drastic measure by pouring paraffin on her toe and lighting it, hoping to burn out the poison. This indicates the extremity of his desperation, crossing the boundary between reason and irrational actions in a bid to help his wife.

 

Stanza 14

"I watched the flame feeding on my mother. / I watched the holy man perform his rites / to tame the poison with an incantation."

 

The poet watches the surreal (strange)  scene of fire "feeding" on his mother’s flesh, which emphasizes the brutality of the situation. Meanwhile, a holy man performs rituals to counteract the poison, representing the clash of traditional practices with the more scientific remedies attempted by his father.

 

Stanza 15

"After twenty hours / it lost its sting."

 

In this brief stanza, the poet reveals that the poison’s effects eventually subside after twenty hours. The simplicity of this line provides relief after the intense suffering described in the previous stanzas, as if the ordeal is finally coming to an end.

 

Stanza 16

"My mother only said / Thank God the scorpion picked on me / And spared my children."

 

The poem closes with the mother’s selfless reaction. Despite her suffering, she is grateful that her children were not harmed. This statement highlights her maternal love and endurance, showcasing her as a symbol of resilience and sacrifice.

 

Overall Analysis

“Night of the Scorpion” presents a vivid, complex picture of rural Indian life, mixing cultural beliefs with individual characterizations. The mother’s resilience, the father’s desperation, and the villagers' superstitions all reflect how different perspectives converge in times of crisis. Ezekiel’s use of imagery, repetition, and structure makes this poem a powerful commentary on faith, family, and tradition.

 

Some short and long answer-type questions based on "Night of the Scorpion" by Nissim Ezekiel:

 Short Answer Type Questions

Who is the narrator of the poem?

 The narrator of the poem is the poet himself, Nissim Ezekiel, who recalls the night his mother was stung by a scorpion.

What drove the scorpion to enter the house?

 

The scorpion was driven inside the house due to ten hours of steady rain.

What did the villagers do after the mother was stung?

 

The villagers gathered around, prayed, chanted God’s name, and made various statements related to karma and fate, hoping to counteract the poison.

How did the father react to the scorpion sting?

 

The father, usually a rationalist, tried several remedies including curses, blessings, herbs, and even applied paraffin and set fire to the affected area to try to neutralize the poison.

What does the scorpion symbolize in the poem?

 

The scorpion symbolizes evil, suffering, and superstition in the poem. It is viewed as an agent of fate that brings pain to the family, particularly the mother.

How does the mother respond at the end of the poem?

 

Despite her suffering, the mother expresses gratitude that the scorpion stung her and not her children, showing her selflessness and maternal love.

Why are the villagers compared to “swarms of flies”?

 

The villagers are compared to “swarms of flies” to indicate their sudden arrival, the buzzing of their voices, and the overall chaotic atmosphere they create.

Long Answer Type Questions

Discuss the significance of superstition and rationality in "Night of the Scorpion."

 

Answer: "Night of the Scorpion" contrasts superstition and rationality through the villagers’ beliefs and the father’s actions. The villagers turn to spiritual beliefs and superstitions, chanting, and praying to counteract the poison, reflecting their faith in the supernatural. They believe the sting could be a consequence of past sins or karma, and hope it will reduce misfortunes in the next life. On the other hand, the father, a rationalist, tries scientific and unconventional methods to alleviate his wife’s pain, showing his desperation to overcome the crisis. Ezekiel thus highlights the duality within the community's response to pain, where traditional and rational methods coexist, yet both seem ineffective in the face of the mother’s suffering.

Analyze how "Night of the Scorpion" presents the theme of maternal love and sacrifice.

 

Answer: In "Night of the Scorpion," maternal love and sacrifice are central themes, especially in the mother’s reaction to her suffering. The mother’s selflessness is evident at the end of the poem when she says she is thankful that the scorpion picked her instead of her children. This statement, despite her immense pain, demonstrates a mother’s instinct to protect her children, even at her own expense. Her reaction embodies the ideal of unconditional love, showing resilience in the face of suffering. Ezekiel uses this to portray maternal love as powerful and self-sacrificing, as the mother finds solace in her own pain rather than allowing it to harm her loved ones.

How does Nissim Ezekiel use imagery and symbolism to enhance the emotional impact of "Night of the Scorpion"?

 

Answer: Nissim Ezekiel uses vivid imagery and symbolism throughout "Night of the Scorpion" to create a strong emotional impact. The "diabolic tail" of the scorpion and the "giant scorpion shadows" cast by lanterns convey an atmosphere of fear and danger. The steady rain sets a dark, ominous tone, suggesting an unstoppable force that drove the scorpion indoors. Symbolically, the scorpion represents evil, misfortune, or fate that disrupts the family’s peace. The villagers are depicted as "swarms of flies," highlighting their desperation and the chaotic reaction to the crisis. These images work together to heighten the reader’s empathy, making the mother’s suffering and the community’s helplessness more palpable

Important Extracts Keeping Quiet-Pablo Neruda

EXTRACT 1

Extract:

Now we will count to twelve
and we will all keep still.
For once on the face of the Earth
let’s not speak in any language,
let’s stop for one second,
and not move our arms so much.

---

Q1. The poet wants everyone to keep still in order to—

(a) enjoy nature
(b) create a moment of peace
(c) celebrate a festival
(d) avoid speaking different languages

Answer: (b) create a moment of peace

 

Q2. “Let’s not speak in any language” suggests—

(a) silence will unite humans
(b) languages are useless
(c) learning languages is difficult
(d) people should forget their mother tongue

Answer: (a) silence will unite humans

 

Q3. The tone of the extract is—

(a) violent
(b) mocking
(c) calm and reflective
(d) angry

Answer: (c) calm and reflective

 

Q4. The poet asks people “not to move their arms so much” to suggest—

(a) stopping all unnecessary activities
(b) exercise is harmful
(c) hard work is useless
(d) people should sleep

Answer: (a) stopping all unnecessary activities

 

Q5. Who is the poet of the poem?

(a) Robert Frost
(b) Pablo Neruda
(c) John Donne
(d) Kamala Das

Answer: (b) Pablo Neruda

 

EXTRACT 2

Extract:

It would be an exotic moment
without rush, without engines;
we would all be together
in a sudden strangeness.

 

Q1. The ‘exotic moment’ refers to—

(a) a time of festival celebration
(b) a rare moment of perfect silence
(c) a holiday trip
(d) a noisy gathering

Answer: (b) a rare moment of perfect silence

 

Q2. “Without rush, without engines” suggests—

(a) no vehicles should be used at all times
(b) freedom from noise and tension
(c) people should walk everywhere
(d) life would stop functioning

Answer: (b) freedom from noise and tension

 

Q3. The phrase “we would all be together” implies—

(a) global unity
(b) family reunion
(c) school assembly
(d) team meeting

Answer: (a) global unity

 

Q4. “Sudden strangeness” means—

(a) fear and confusion
(b) surprising but pleasant calmness
(c) predictable silence
(d) regular behaviour

Answer: (b) surprising but pleasant calmness

 

Q5. The figure of speech in “without rush, without engines” is—

(a) alliteration
(b) metaphor
(c) repetition
(d) onomatopoeia

Answer: (c) repetition

 

EXTRACT 3

Extract:

Fishermen in the cold sea
would not harm whales
and the man gathering salt
would look at his hurt hands.

 

Q1. The poet wants fishermen—

(a) to earn more
(b) to stop killing whales
(c) to change their profession
(d) to travel more

Answer: (b) to stop killing whales

 

Q2. The salt-gatherer looking at his hands symbolizes—

(a) pride in his work
(b) realisation of the pain caused by hard labour
(c) his desire to rest
(d) his anger

Answer: (b) realisation of the pain caused by hard labour

 

Q3. The extract highlights the poet’s concern for—

(a) technology
(b) nature and human beings
(c) politics
(d) fashion

Answer: (b) nature and human beings

 

Q4. The tone of these lines is—

(a) humorous
(b) critical
(c) compassionate
(d) angry

Answer: (c) compassionate

 

Poets and Pancakes - Short Answer Type Questions

Poets & Pancakes

Q1.  What does the writer mean by ‘the fiery misery of those subjected to make-up?

   Ans. The makeup room had a lot of hot bulbs always burning inside and a number of mirrors to reflect the heat. It was really a very difficult and miserable for the artistes to sit there for make-up. There were no cooling systems in those days. So the artists had to bear all that.

Q2. What is the example of national integration that the author refer to?

  Ans. The members of the make-up department were from various parts of India. Anyone could be the head of the make-up room. Once there was a Bengali as the head of this department. He was succeeded by a Maharashtrian. His assistant was a Dharwar Kannadiga. So it was the best example of national integration.

Q3. What work did the ‘office boy’ do in the Gemini studio? Why did he join the studios? Why was he disappointed?  Or Who was the office boy? What was his duty in the make-up department? How did he join the studios? Why was he disappointed and frustrated?

  Ans. The office boy was a forty year old man. He wanted to become a star actor, a top screen writer or a lyric writer. His duty was to apply make-up for the crowd-players for shooting. So he remained unsatisfied and criticized everyone he felt jealous of.

Q4. Why did the author appear to be doing nothing at the studios? (2011)  How was the author’s job odd in the eyes of the other staff? How did they respond to this?
Ans. Asokamitran’s job at the Gemini Studios was to collect information from newspapers and magazines and to paste the cuttings in files for reference. The other members of the studios always advised him to do some better job.

Q5. Subbu is described as a many-sided genius. List four of his special abilities. Or  Who was Kothamangalam Subbu? How did he make all the other staff hate him?
Ans. Kothamangalam Subbu joined the Gemini Studios as a clerk and remained the same in the records. But in practice he soon acquired the status of the No.2 at the studios because of his amazing genius and different skills. He did any work for his boss and ignored the rest. This made the rest of the staff envy him.

Q6. Discuss Subbu’s identity as a poet. Why was he not known as a poet?
Ans. Apart from being an amazing director of movies, Subbu had the identity as a poet. The world of his time and later never recognized him as a poet yet he was a great unknown poet. He wrote poem in the simplest Tamil language and was able to recreate the classical poems in his own style.

 Q7. Subbu was excellent as an actor too. Discuss.
Ans. Subbu was a good actor. He was able to act better than the lead actors yet never wished to take any lead roles in any movie.
Q8. In spite of all the good qualities and readiness to be a host any time, Subbu had only enemies. Why?
Ans. Subbu was good to everyone he met. He always spoke with them in nicely. He fed his relatives. He excelled everyone in the Gemini Studios. But he was hated by most of them just because he was so close to the boss of the studios.   

   Q 9. How did Subbu surpass the office boy despite his limitations?
Ans. The office boy in the makeup department was always ahead of Subbu in the beginning, especially in education, having influential people to support. But he ended up where he began while Subbu ascended the steps to the maximum height and surpassed the Boy.

Q10(a) What made the lawyer stand out from the others at Gemini studios? 

   Ans. The legal advisor’s uniform was totally different from those of others employees at the Gemini studios. He did not wear khadi dhoti and a khadi white shirt. Rather he wore pants and a tie. Sometimes he also wore a loose fitting coat like that of a mail-man.

  Q10 (b) How did the legal adviser behave illegally in the instance of the actress? What did he do? 
Ans. The legal advisor was, of course, an advocate, yet was known as an illegal advisor. Once he recorded the voice of an actress who shouted at the producer and director while in the shooting sets. The legal advisor’s behavior turned out to be illegal because he did it without the actress’ permission.

Q11. Why was the Moral Re-armament army welcomed at the Studios? Or What was MRA? Why did it tour the world?
Ans. MRA, short for Moral Rearmament Army was an anti-Communist organization that toured the world informing the world of the evil side of Communism that was spreading throughout Asia and some parts of Europe. Headed by Frank Buchman, the MRA believed that Communism was evil and it would wipe out democracy in the world.

Long Questions:

Poets & Pancakes

Q1.  What does the writer mean by ‘the fiery misery of those subjected to make-up?

   Ans. The makeup room had a lot of hot bulbs always burning inside and a number of mirrors to reflect the heat. It was really very difficult and miserable for the artists to sit there for make-up. There were no cooling systems in those days. So the artists had to bear all that.

Q2. What is the example of national integration that the author refers to?

  Ans. The members of the make-up department were from various parts of India. Anyone could be the head of the make-up room. Once there was a Bengali as the head of this department. He was succeeded by a Maharashtrian. His assistant was a Dharwar Kannadiga. So it was the best example of national integration.

Q3. What work did the ‘office boy’ do in the Gemini studio? Why did he join the studios? Why was he disappointed?  Or Who was the office boy? What was his duty in the make-up department? How did he join the studios? Why was he disappointed and frustrated?

  Ans. The office boy was a forty-year-old man. He wanted to become a star actor, a top screenwriter, or a lyric writer. His duty was to apply make-up for the crowd players for shooting. So he remained unsatisfied and criticized everyone he felt jealous of.

  Q4. Why did the author appear to be doing nothing at the studios? (2011)  How was the author’s job odd in the eyes of the other staff? How did they respond to this?
Ans. Asokamitran’s job at the Gemini Studios was to collect information from newspapers and magazines and to paste the cuttings in files for reference. The other members of the studios always advised him to do a better job.

Q5. Subbu is described as a many-sided genius. List four of his special abilities. Or  Who was Kothamangalam Subbu? How did he make all the other staff hate him?
Ans. Kothamangalam Subbu joined the Gemini Studios as a clerk and remained the same in the records. But in practice, he soon acquired the status of the No.2 at the studios because of his amazing genius and different skills. He did any work for his boss and ignored the rest. This made the rest of the staff envy him.

 Q6. Discuss Subbu’s identity as a poet. Why was he not known as a poet?
Ans. Apart from being an amazing director of movies, Subbu had the identity as a poet. The world of his time and later never recognized him as a poet yet he was a great unknown poet. He wrote poems in the simplest Tamil language and was able to recreate the classical poems in his own style.

 Q7. Subbu was excellent as an actor too. Discuss.
Ans. Subbu was a good actor. He was able to act better than the lead actors yet never wished to take any lead roles in any movie.
Q8. In spite of all the good qualities and readiness to be a host at any time, Subbu had only enemies. Why?
Ans. Subbu was good to everyone he met. He always spoke with them nicely. He fed his relatives. He excelled with everyone in the Gemini Studios. But he was hated by most of them just because he was so close to the boss of the studios.   

Q1. What was the hierarchy observed at the Make-up Room in Gemini Studios?

Ans.   A strict hierarchy in the Makeup Room

The writer says that a strict hierarchy was observed in the make-up department. The job of the chief make-up man was to apply make-up on the faces of the chief actors and actresses. The senior assistant applied makeup to the faces of the second-number hero and heroine, and the junior comedian did makeup to the main comedian and others of the same rank.

The responsibility of the ‘office boy’ was to apply makeup material on the people who were playing the role of the crowd. He would mix paint in a giant vessel and slap it with a brush on the faces of the people hurriedly. It was done to hide every pore or patch on the face to make it look presentable according to the set-up norms. The mention of a separate office boy in the make-up room shows the large size of the Gemini Studios.

Q2. Write something about Ashokamitran’s job at the Gemini Studios.

Ans. Ashokamitran says that his duty in the Gemini Studios was to sit in a small room. The writer would sit in his desk and make cuttings of the important news-items and collect them in a file. People usually thought his job to be insignificant. So some people would take pity on him and deliver to him a long lecture on the necessity of getting a real job.

Even the ‘boy’ in the make-up department made Ashokamitran aware of the fact that his literary talent was being wasted on that petty job. The writer would every time pray for crowd shooting. It means that only crowd-shooting could save him the boy of the makeup department.

 

 

Q3. About Kothamangalam Subbu

In these lines, Ashokamitran tells us about Kothamangalam Subbu, who was number 2 in position at Gemini Studios. He had a very impressive entry in films than the grown- up boy in the makeup department had. As compared to Kothamangalam Subbu, the office boy had to face more difficulties and uncertainties in his career. In his times, there were no established film producing companies or studios.

Even in the matter of formal education, the boy had a good lead over Subbu. In the office boy’s opinion, Subbu took advantage of being a Brahmin by caste and got closer to well off people and got good exposure to situations that made him feel more comfortable.

Ashokamitran says that Subbu had formed a habit of keeping a broad smile on his face even in adverse situations, i.e. even having a hand in a flop film. He was a resourceful person, who had always had work for people who came in his contact and he had ready solutions to difficult problems. Though he could never do things himself but he had a tact of getting them by others perfectly. His sense of loyalty made him recognised by his seniors and his creativity was his best assets that made him look perfect to others. He was specially made for films (He was tailor-made for films. )

Subbu was always ready for finding  out solutions to problems. He always felt inspired whenever he got orders from his seniors.

If the director asked him about creating a scene for a situation in which a rat fights with a tigress underwater and kills her. Then the rat takes pity on the cubs and tends them lovingly out of pity. Subbu would come up with four ways for the rat showing affection on the cubs

In case the producer said that he was not sure of the effectiveness of his suggestions, then he would come out with fourteen more alternatives.

Film making was so easy for Subbu that he always felt comfortable while dealing with the situations that all of a sudden arose during shooting. The writer further says that it was Subbu who gave direction and definition to Gemini studios during its golden years.

Subbu had also a talent for writing poetry. Although he was capable of writing complex and higher type of poetry, it was his deliberate (willing) choice to write poetry that common people could like and understand easily. But his literary achievements were overshadowed by the success he got in films. He wrote truly original ‘stories’ in folk refrain and diction. He wrote a long novel ‘Thillana Mohanambal’ in which there were dozens of skilfully prepared characters.

Kothamangalam Subbu was behind the success of the film Devadasis that was released in early twentieth century. He had worked for recreating the mood and manner of that film. He was amazingly a great actor, who never aspired for the lead role in which he could play as the hero or the main character in the film. Whatever role he got, he played it sincerely and better than the actors who were in lead roles.

Another quality that Subbu had in him was his generosity (large-heartedness). He was a very kind host (someone who has guests) to anyone who came in his contact and needed shelter. That’s why the writer says that his house was a permanent residence for dozens of near and far relations and acquaintances.

Another thing Ashokamitran adds here about Subbu’s nature is that he was never conscious of the fact that he was helping people by providing them shelter and food in his house. It was a selfless service indeed.