Night of the Scorpion

Summary

In this lecture, the poem 'Night of the Scorpion' by Nissim Ezekiel is explored, highlighting the Indian poet's portrayal of modern Indian sensibility. The poem narrates a mother's struggle after being stung by a scorpion, reflecting Indian culture, superstitions, and the selfless love of a mother. The lecture delves into the poem's structure, rich imagery, and use of rhetorical devices such as personification, simile, metaphor, alliteration, and anaphora, offering insights into Ezekiel's contribution to Indian English poetry.

Takeaways

• 📜 Nissim Ezekiel is a renowned Indian poet known for expressing modern Indian sensibility in English.
• 📚 'Night of the Scorpion' is a narrative poem from Ezekiel's 1965 collection, reflecting on a personal family incident.
• ☔️ The poem recounts the night Ezekiel's mother was stung by a scorpion during heavy rain, leading to a community response.
• 🌃 The setting is a dark room, emphasizing the scorpion's stealth and the subsequent chaos and concern of the family and villagers.
• 🙏 Villagers' reactions include prayer, seeking divine intervention to neutralize the scorpion's poison, highlighting cultural beliefs.
• 🔥 The father's attempts to cure the mother with various remedies, including a traditional burning method, contrast with the villagers' faith-based actions.
• 🕯️ The poem uses vivid imagery, such as candlelight and the swarming of neighbors, to paint a picture of the tense atmosphere.
• 🦂 The scorpion's sting and the mother's suffering are central to the poem, symbolizing pain and the community's shared concern.
• 🌱 The mother's selfless prayer for her children's safety over her own reflects the theme of maternal love and sacrifice.
• 🎨 The poem employs various literary devices like alliteration, metaphor, and anaphora, enriching its language and emotional impact.

Q & A

Who is the poet of the poem 'Night of the Scorpion'?

'Night of the Scorpion' is written by Indian poet Nissim Ezekiel.

What is Nissim Ezekiel known for in Indian poetry?

Nissim Ezekiel is known for expressing modern Indian sensibility in modern idiom and made significant contributions to Indian English poetry.

What is the main theme of the poem 'Night of the Scorpion'?

The poem explores themes of suffering, superstition, maternal love, and sacrifice, as it narrates the story of a mother stung by a scorpion and the community's response.

How does the poem describe the scorpion's entry into the house?

The scorpion entered the house during ten hours of steady rain and hid beneath a sack of rice before stinging the poet’s mother.

How did the villagers react to the mother being stung by the scorpion?

The villagers gathered in large numbers, prayed, and used superstitious beliefs to try and stop the spread of poison in the mother's body, believing that their prayers would help her.

What role does the father play in the poem, and how does he contrast with the villagers?

The father is portrayed as a rationalist and skeptic. Unlike the superstitious villagers, he tries scientific methods like powders and mixtures and even burns the sting with paraffin to cure his wife.

What poetic devices are used in 'Night of the Scorpion'?

The poem uses various poetic devices such as simile, metaphor, alliteration, personification, hyperbole, and anaphora to enhance its imagery and meaning.

Can you give an example of a simile used in the poem?

Yes, an example of a simile is 'The peasants came like swarms of flies,' comparing the villagers to flies.

What is the significance of the mother’s final statement in the poem?

The mother’s final statement, thanking God that the scorpion spared her children and stung her instead, highlights the theme of selfless maternal love.

What is the tone of the poem 'Night of the Scorpion'?

The tone of the poem shifts between somber, intense, and ironic, reflecting the mother’s suffering, the villagers' superstitions, and the father’s scientific efforts.