The poem ‘Night of the Scorpion’ is written by Nissim Ezekiel. It is about an old incident of the poet’s life that he still remembers.
The poem is about a night when a scorpion bit his mother and how it exposed the superstitions of the villages and tried to do all irrational things rather than helping her. It also beautifully expresses love as a mother for her child at the end of the poem.
Watch this video to understand the poem. Go through the word meanings, Appreciation and Figures of speech. It covers everything that you need for your board exams.
Word meaning
Stung : bite
Steady : Constant
Diabolic : Showing wickedness typical of a devil.
Peasants : farmers, Villagers
buzzed: To whisper;
Diminished : to become smaller.
Groaning: moan, making unpleasant sound
Sceptic : Someone who is undecided as to what is true and enquires after facts.
Rationalist : Logical, a person who bases their opinions and actions on reason and knowledge rather than on religious belief or emotional response
groaning : a mournful sound conveying pain or grief
sceptic : one who doubts general beliefs
rationalist: a person who believes in reason and knowledge than opinion and belief
incantation : the chanting of words that claim to have magical power
Appreciation
The poem ‘Night of the Scorpion’ is by Nissim Ezekiel
The poem is written in free verse without any rhyme scheme metre. There are many figures of speech e.g. Onomatopoeia- ‘and buzzed the name of God a hundred times’. Here, we feel we can actually hear the buzzing of the prayers of the many peasants. The other figures of speech are Metaphor, Simile, Alliteration, Antithesis etc.
The poem depicts not only the superstitions of the peasants but also the selflessness and unconditional love of a mother who is stung by a scorpion. It also explains the care and affection of the villagers and their efforts to comfort the pain of the mother.
Figures of speech
- Parting with his poison – flash
Figures of speech: Alliteration
Explanation: Here, the sound P is repeated twice for poetic effect. - he risked the rain again.
Figures of Speech: Alliteration
Explanation: Here, the sound R is repeated twice for poetic effect. - The peasants came like swarms of flies.
Figures of Speech: Simile
Explanation: Here, there is a direct comparison between the swarm of flies and peasants. - and buzzed the name of god a hundred times.
Figures of Speech: Onomatopoeia
Explanation: Here, the word ‘buzzed’ denotes a whispering sound cause by many peasants. - To paralyse the evil one.
Figures of Speech: Metaphor
Explanation: Here, Evil is indirectly compared to the scorpion. - with candles and with lanterns.
Figures of Speech: Repetition
Alliteration: Here, the word with is repeated for poetic effect.
More figures of speech from this chapter will be updated later.
Question and Answers
- What does the phrase ‘to paralyse the evil’ mean in stanza 3?
Ans: The phrase ‘to paralyse the evil’ means to stop the scorpion’s venom from spreading throughout the body of the poet’s mother.
- Who are ‘they’ in stanza 4?
Ans: In stanza 4 they mean “Peasants”.
- Whom does the word ‘him’ refer to in line no 3?
Ans: Him refers to the scorpion in line no 3.
- Why does the poem begin with the poet’s remembering the night?
Ans: This poem is about how the scorpion stung the poet’s mother and the mother’s love for her children. … The speaker specifically remembers this night due to this event- namely, the mother getting bitten.
- What forced the scorpion to take shelter in the poet’s house?
Ans: Ten hours of steady rain forced the scorpion to take shelter in the poet’s house.
- When did the mother find relief?
Ans: After twenty hours of suffering in pain, the poison finally subsided, and the mother got relief.
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Other poems from the textbook of SSC Maharashtra Board
1.1 Where the mind is without fear | Explanation and appreciation | English Medium | Maharashtra Board
1.3 All the World’s a Stage | Explanation and appreciation | SSC Board | English Medium | Maharashtra Board
2.1 Animals | Explanation and appreciation | English Medium | Maharashtra Board
2.4 The pulley | Explanation and appreciation | English Medium | Maharashtra Board
3.1 Night of the scorpion | Explanation and appreciation | SSC English Medium | Maharashtra Board
4.4 The Height of the Ridiculous | Explanation and appreciation | SSC English Medium | Maharashtra Board
