MAK LABS — Std 10 English 3.1 Night of the Scorpion

1After reading the poem, complete the following. What happens?

Lines	What is happening?
1-7	The scorpion comes into the home to escape the rain and stings the poet's mother.
8-33	The peasants swarm in to console the mother, chant God's name, search for the scorpion, and offer superstitious prayers. Meanwhile, the rational father tries desperate scientific remedies, and a holy man performs rites.
34-48	After twenty hours, the poison loses its sting. The mother finds relief and selflessly thanks God for sparing her children from the scorpion.

2 AComplete the table: Background/setting of the poem.

Type	Evidence (Quote lines from the poem)
Rural/Urban	Rural Evidences: - "The peasants came like swarms of flies" - "on the mud-baked walls" - "With candles and with lanterns"

2 BScorpion: Many images of the scorpion contrast in the opening lines. Add them to the columns below.

Timid	Dangerous
(1) hides beneath a sack of rice	(i) Diabolic tail
(2) risked the rain again	(ii) Parting with his poison / The Evil One

2 CImagery: Look at the description of the village peasants. What does the imagery suggest about them?

The Images	What images suggest
They came like swarms of flies.	Suggests they arrived in large numbers, creating a chaotic and overwhelming atmosphere.
They buzzed the name of God.	Suggests continuous, collective chanting or mumbling resembling the sound of insects.
They threw giant scorpion shadows on the mud-baked walls.	Suggests the dark, fearful environment and the exaggerated, frightening shadows created by their lanterns.
They clicked their tongues.	Suggests their collective expression of sympathy, helplessness, and sorrow for the mother.

3Choose the correct alternative.

1. The child is afraid but admires - (c) the bravery of his mother.
2. His father and the villagers panic and hastily suggest - (c) religious remedies to help.
3. The poet seems to see the villagers as impractical and almost irritating which suggests that - (c) the poet is critical of tradition.
4. This is a - (c) narrative poem as it tells a story.
5. Using the first person gives the feeling that it is told from - (a) personal experience.
6. 'The scorpion picked on me. And spared my children' depicts - (c) selfless and unconditional love of mother.
7. The poem does not have a rhyme scheme, which means the poem is a perfect example of a - (c) Free verse.
8. The poem is titled 'Night of the Scorpion', for, the major part of the poem, - (b) the scorpion is the victor.
9. The peasants chant the name of God to - (a) nullify the stinging experience.
10. The click of tongues reflects their - (b) collective response to the predicament.

4From the poem provide evidence for the following:

Stages	Evidence (lines from the poem)
(a) the attempts by the peasants to help alleviate the mother's pain.	"buzzed the name of God a hundred times to paralyse the Evil One." "May the sum of all evil... become diminished by your pain."
(b) the action of these same peasants to kill the scorpion.	"With candles and with lanterns / throwing giant scorpion shadows... they searched for him"
(c) the reaction of the rational father.	"My father, sceptic, rationalist, / trying every curse and blessing, / powder, mixture, herb and hybrid."
(d) the various superstitions versus the 'scientific'.	"May the sins of your previous birth / be burned away tonight" (Superstition) versus "He even poured a little paraffin / upon the bitten toe and put a match to it." (Scientific/Practical attempt)
(e) evil versus good.	"May the sum of all evil / balanced in this unreal world / against the sum of good"

5Read the poem and complete the table showing the qualities of the father and mother giving sufficient evidences from the poem.

Qualities
Father	Mother
Rational and Practical: "My father, sceptic, rationalist, / trying every curse and blessing, / powder, mixture, herb and hybrid." Caring and Desperate: "He even poured a little paraffin / upon the bitten toe and put a match to it."	Enduring and Brave: "My mother twisted through and through, / groaning on a mat." Selfless and unconditionally loving: "My mother only said / Thank God the scorpion picked on me / And spared my children."

6 AMatch the Figures of Speech with the correct definition.

Figure	Definition
(1) Metaphor	(b) An implied comparison.
(2) Alliteration	(a) The use of the same sound at the beginning of words.
(3) Onomatopoeia	(d) A word which resembles the sound it represents.
(4) Simile	(c) A comparison between two different things, especially a phrase containing the words 'like' or 'as'.

6 BFind examples from the poem that contain:

Simile: "The peasants came like swarms of flies"
Metaphor: "giant scorpion shadows" / "flame feeding on my mother"
Onomatopoeia: "and buzzed the name of God" / "They clicked their tongues"

7Expand the flow-chart in writing a paragraph in your own words. (Mother -> Agony -> Fights the venom -> Unable to utter, but groans -> Thanks God -> Survives)

The poem narrates the harrowing experience of the poet's Mother who is stung by a scorpion on a rainy night. The intense venom immediately puts her in immense Agony. For twenty hours, she Fights the venom spreading through her blood while lying on a mat. Overwhelmed by the searing pain, she is Unable to utter clear words, but uncontrollably twists and groans in suffering. Despite the chaos of the villagers' superstitions and her husband's desperate remedies, she finally Survives the ordeal as the poison loses its sting. In the end, revealing her supreme selfless love, she simply Thanks God that the scorpion picked on her and spared her children.

8The poet has used various kinds of imagery. Complete the table.

Visual imagery (appealing to eyes)	Tactile imagery (sense of touch)	Sound imagery	Internal sensations, feelings and emotions
(1) Scorpion crawling beneath a sack of rice	(1) Ten hours of steady rain	(1) buzzed the name of God	(1) fear
(2) throwing giant scorpion shadows	(2) Father pouring paraffin on the toe	(2) They clicked their tongues	(2) peace of understanding
(3) I watched the flame feeding on my mother	(3) it lost its sting	(3) groaning on a mat	(3) selfless love (thanking God for sparing children)

9Write an appreciation of the poem in a paragraph format.

Appreciation of 'Night of the Scorpion'

The poem "Night of the Scorpion" is written by the renowned Indian poet Nissim Ezekiel. The central theme of the poem revolves around a distressing night when the poet's mother is stung by a scorpion. Through this narrative, the poet masterfully contrasts the irrational, superstitious beliefs of the traditional villagers with the scientific, rational approach of his father. However, the ultimate message shines through at the end, highlighting the pure, selfless, and enduring love of an Indian mother.

The poem is written in Free verse, meaning it has no fixed rhyme scheme or regular metre, which perfectly suits the natural, conversational flow of a personal memory. The poet has used several figures of speech to create vivid imagery. Simile is used effectively in "The peasants came like swarms of flies," showing the chaotic arrival of the villagers. Onomatopoeia is seen in words like "buzzed" and "clicked," which bring the noisy scene to life. The continuous repetition of "they said" emphasizes the overwhelming presence of the superstitious peasants.

A special feature of the poem is its brilliant use of imagery (visual, sound, and tactile) that transports the reader directly into that dark, rain-soaked, mud-baked room. My favourite lines are the concluding ones: "Thank God the scorpion picked on me / And spared my children," because they beautifully capture the essence of unconditional maternal love. I like this poem very much because it is a realistic and deeply emotional reflection of Indian rural life and family bonds.

10Project: Prepare a Presentation as a piece of reference.

This is a presentation-making activity to be completed by the student using a PC or chart paper, utilizing the provided points and understanding of the poem.

3.1 Night of the Scorpion

English Workshop