night of scorpion essay

The Night of the Scorpion

By Nissim Ezekiel

‘The Night of the Scorpion’ is a look at the superstitions of another time and the common humanity that unites all of us throughout the ages.

Nissim Ezekiel

Nationality: Indian

He is one of the most important figures in India's postcolonial literary history.

Poem Analyzed by Emma Baldwin

B.A. English (Minor: Creative Writing), B.F.A. Fine Art, B.A. Art Histories

‘The Night of the Scorpion’ is an eight-stanza poem, each stanza of which contains between three and eighteen lines. This is one of Ezekiel’s first poems, it was first anthologized in Collected Poems (1952-1988) The poem is free verse , meaning it does not contain a rhyme scheme . This choice adds to the seriousness of the poem’s subject matter and the deadly nature of the story Ezekiel tells.

Explore The Night of the Scorpion

• 2 Analysis of Night of the Scorpion
• 3 About Nissim Ezekiel

‘The Night of the Scorpion’ is the story of one night in which the mother of the speaker is stung by a poisonous scorpion. She suffers for twenty hours while peasants, holy men, and her husband attempt to heal her. They try curses, blessings, prayers, herbs, and all forms of ancient medicine that are not practiced in most of the modern world. Their efforts are in vain. A sense of otherworldliness is created by the beliefs and practices of these peasants in comparison to the world in which the reader is existing, a barrier is put up. This barrier is torn down as the poem concludes and the reader realizes how similar they are to the characters in the poem, united by their common humanity.

Analysis of Night of the Scorpion

Stanzas one and two.

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

This poem begins at the beginning, with the speaker telling the story of how his mother was stung by a scorpion. Ezekiel does not use unnecessary phrasing or extra words, he gets right to the point. He describes how the scorpion had been driven inside by “steady rain” and had decided to hide beneath a “sack of rice.” This first stanza is only four lines, a choice Ezekiel makes to urge the story forward. A quick succession of stanzas allows for the poem to flow faster. The second stanza proceeds in the same way, but this time with only three lines.

In this stanza, Ezekiel’s speaker describes the actions of the scorpion. He portrays the creature as being purposefully diabolical, a thought that will directly relate to the beliefs and actions of those who attend the speaker’s mother. The scorpion moves quickly before anyone can do anything, he “part[s] with his poison…” and runs back outside, to risk the weather again.

Stanza Three

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

Throughout this piece, Ezekiel makes a number of language choices that continue to reference the movements and parts of different insects.These descriptors are very prevalent in the third stanza. He describes the actions of the peasants as being like swarms of flies, they “buzzed” God’s name in the hope of paralyzing the “Evil One.”

The image that Ezekiel creates here is clear, the reader can easily visualize a swarm of people coming down on the speaker’s mother, all with good intentions, but perhaps so numerous that no one can do anything that would help. They are all devoted to the same purpose, praying in the hope of saving the mother. They believe that she has been inflicted by the Evil One, or the devil, and pray in an effort to drive him out.

Stanza Four

With candles and with lanterns (…) With every movement that the scorpion made his poison moved in Mother’s blood, they said.

The fourth stanza contains seven lines and describes the hunt that the peasants embark on in an effort to find the scorpion. They search with both candles and lanterns, which throw shadows on the wall in the shape of a scorpion. This image of the scorpion still being in the room (only in the form of shadow) helps set the scene for the next lines as the peasants struggle to help the mother. The shadow is representative of their primitive fears, that something Evil is lurking just where they cannot see it.

This fourth stanza continues, and the search for the scorpion has failed, they do not know, as the reader does, that the scorpion fled the house at the beginning of the poem. This puts the reader in a position above those in the poem, he/she has a greater knowledge of the situation than those experiencing it. A technique that, on stage, or within drama , is known as dramatic irony .

The peasants say that,

With every movement that the scorpion made his / poison moved in Mother’s blood…

This gives the reader the sense that they believe if they are able to capture and kill the scorpion the mother will be cured. A simple, primitive belief, that the reader would very well know to be unfounded. Once again elevating the reader’s position above that of the peasants.

Stanza Five

May he sit still, they said May the sins of your previous birth (…) balanced in this unreal world

The fifth paragraph, also seven lines, holds the poem’s momentum steady. The peasants wish the scorpion to be stilled, but offer a bit of consolation for the mother. They, deep in their superstitions, say to the mother that the poison will burn away the sins of her previous birth, and decrease the suffering of her next. This is a reference to the traditional Hindu belief of reincarnation. Due to their low social status, it was believed that the mother must have committed some kind of grievous sin to be condemned to this life and that perhaps this suffering she was going through would improve her chances of being reincarnated into a higher position in her next life.

Stanzas Six and Seven

against the sum of good become diminished by your pain. 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, (…) I watched the flame feeding on my mother. I watched the holy man perform his rites to tame the poison with an incantation. After twenty hours it lost its sting.

This stanza continues into the next in which the speaker continues relaying the words of the peasants. They wish that the pain the mother is experiencing will purify her flesh,

of desire, and your spirit ambition,

The peasants have given up their search for the scorpion and are now sitting around the mother with her at the center of a circle. The speaker describes each peasant as wearing a face that is peaceful with understanding. The next two lines allow for quick progression of time. Ezekiel lists a number of developments and additions to the story. All of the following are added to the situation:

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

The mother is “twisting” on the floor, “groaning” into the mat. It can be assumed that quite a large crowd has gathered around the mother. Many are there to help, and probably some are there just to observe. At this point in the story, the father is introduced into the poem. He is described as being a very sensible man, rational, and a skeptic. Most likely doubtful of the beliefs of the peasants. At this moment though he is desperate. Ezekiel’s speaker describes his father as trying

every curse and blessing, / powder, mixture, herb and hybrid.

His father has forgotten his reason and is trying everything he can think of in an effort to save his wife. While the reader may have felt some distance from the characters at this point, the father’s desperation feels real and acute. A man is hopeful beyond reason that a curse or blessing will save his wife. He even goes so far as to burn paraffin on her toe. The speaker watches the flames it creates “feeding” on his mother. Just as the poison is moving through her body, so is the flame consuming her skin. The reader is then informed that all of this has been going on for twenty hours. A truly painful and horrific death.

Throughout this poem a number of different remedies are tried in an attempt to save the mother, from what the reader can infer, none of them help. Some of these practices will surely seem absurd to a modern reader. These references to older medicinal practices put distance between the reader and the speaker, especially in the final line of the seventh stanza in which a

holy man perform[s] his rites to tame the poison with an / incantation.

Stanza Eight

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

After this distance is in place, Ezekiel swiftly breaks down the barrier to show how truly similar the reader is, no matter where he/she is from, to the characters in the poem. They are all human and are united by the final stanza.

While once again the scorpion is spoken about as if it chose to kill the mother, the mother’s dedication and pure love for her children breaches the gap between the characters in the poem and any reader. All can empathize with the love felt for a child, mother, or father. This woman, although distant, living in a different time and place, is just as human and real as anyone reading the poem.

About Nissim Ezekiel

Nassim Ezekial was born in Bombay in 1924 as part of Bombay’s Jewish community. He attended Wilson College in Mumbai and received a BA in Literature. After graduating he taught English literature and continued his studies at Birkbeck College, London where he studied Philosophy. He was married and published his first collection of poetry in 1952, The Bad Day. Another book, The Dead Man, was published in 1960. His career also included working in the publication industry, as a critic at The Names of India and editor of Poetry India. He also held a number of professorial positions at the University of Leeds and the University of Pondicherry. He received the Padmashri award from the President of India in 1988. He died in January of 2004 at 79 years old.

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This is amazing writing and was of so much help for my B.A. Exams. I hope to learn more on how to write like you do.

Thank you. It’s really lovely of you to say so.

helped me alot

Good stuff. Always glad to help.

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Baldwin, Emma. "The Night of the Scorpion by Nissim Ezekiel". Poem Analysis , https://poemanalysis.com/nissim-ezekiel/the-night-of-the-scorpion/ . Accessed 29 August 2024.

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The Poems of Nissim Ezekiel

By nissim ezekiel, the poems of nissim ezekiel summary and analysis of "night of the scorpion".

In "Night of the Scorpion," the speaker tells a story from his childhood in which his mother was bitten by a scorpion. The poem begins with a simple declaration: "I remember the night my mother / was stung by a scorpion" (1-2). The scorpion had entered the speaker's home because it wanted to hide from the rain. When it bit the speaker's mother, it was hiding beneath a sack of rice.

The speaker describes the incident in which the scorpion stings his mother without mentioning his mother at all. Instead, he focuses on the scorpion and what he did immediately afterward: "Parting with his poison—flash / of diabolic tail in the dark room— / he risked the rain again" (5-7). Rather than stick around and look at the scene he had caused, the scorpion ran back outdoors.

After the speaker's mother was bitten, the speaker notes that poor people went to his mother's side "like swarms of flies," buzzing with Christianity and hoping to kill one of their visions of Satan (8). The peasants look for the scorpion on their hands and knees with lanterns. Their wish is to find the scorpion quickly because they believe that every movement the scorpion makes without getting killed affects the speaker's mother: "With every movement that the scorpion made his poison moved in Mother's / blood, they said" (16-18).

The peasants begin to share good wishes for the speaker's mother, hoping that the scorpion will die that night, or at least sit still, that the sins of her past life will be burned away, and that she may return to an even better life in her next life because of her suffering.

The peasants continue making wishes for the speaker's mother, wishing that the forces of evil might be diminished by the speaker's mother's pain. They sat on the floor around the speaker's mother, hoping that the scorpion's bite would "purify" her, with "the peace of understanding on each face" (29).

As more people come to visit the speaker's mother, the speaker takes in his surroundings: "More candles, more lanterns, more neighbours, / more insects, and the endless rain" (30-31). The speaker's mother, oblivious to it all, spent this time suffering and twisting on a mat.

The speaker turns his attention to his father, who he describes as a "sceptic" and "rationalist" (34). The speaker notes that even his father is making an effort to help his mother in any way that he knows how, which means turning towards that which he wouldn't otherwise believe: "trying every curse and blessing, / powder, mixture, herb and hybrid" (35-36). The speaker's father even lit the bite on fire in an attempt to remove the poison.

The speaker's mother suffered for 20 hours. Her only response at the end of it all was her gratitude that it didn't happen to anyone else in their family: "My mother only said / Thank God the scorpion picked on me / And spared my children" (43-5).

"Night of the Scorpion," which was published as a part of The Exact Name, demonstrates a new and emerging aesthetic in Ezekiel's poetry. Whereas his early poems conformed to a strict meter and rhyme, later poems like "Night of the Scorpion" adopts a natural, colloquial meter and tone. This poem was published in a time when Ezekiel was making a deliberate attempt at formal innovation by using a loose, seemingly free-verse structure for his narrative poems. Additionally, Ezekiel stopped putting capitals at the beginning of each line, which allows his later poems to flow much more easily on the page.

The fact that Ezekiel distances himself from formal poetic conventions does not imply a lack of care when it comes to the form of "Night of the Scorpion." In fact, Ezekiel makes deliberate choices about line breaks, enjambment, voice, chronology, and tone in this poem which gives it the effect on the reader that made it so famous to begin with. There is only one line break in this poem, which occurs right after the speaker's mother is released from her suffering:

"After twenty hours

it lost its sting.

My mother only said

thank God the scorpion picked on me

and spared my children" (44-48).

This line break is a literal break in the tension of the poem and endows the conclusion with a quiet depth. The tension in the poem before the line break comes from two sources: first, that the speaker's mother is suffering with little prospect of relief, and second, the tension that the speaker holds between personal crisis and mocking social observation.

While the personal crisis is clearly on the surface of the poem, the mocking social commentary is evident through the speaker's tone. The speaker in the poem, who inhabits a perspective between the little boy watching his mother suffer and the older man looking back upon that memory, relays the events of the crisis in a calm and detached manner. The casualness with which the speaker relays this scene is incongruous and even alarming for the reader. Even so, the speaker moves slowly through the events of the poem in one long stanza without breaks—unhurried and, it seems, unbothered. This emotional detachment lets the poem speak directly to the reader, who understands right away what Ezekiel means without having to juggle emotional pain over the suffering mother.

When the speaker addresses the peasants, we find a tone that we often see in the Collected Works —Ezekiel's sardonic and mocking gaze, which is the gaze of an insider that is nonetheless distanced from his subject. In this poem, Ezekiel's irony dramatizes the peasant's, as well as the speaker's father's, superstition in their desperate attempts to save the speaker's mother. The speaker does not see the peasants in a positive light and instead compares them to "swarms of flies" in their desperation to help his mother (8). Their mixture of Christianity and Hinduism allows for slight confusion, as they pray to God for the mother's wellbeing yet also hope for the best in her reincarnations. The speaker highlights how futile their spiritual efforts were in helping his mother: "My mother twisted through and through / groaning on a mat" (32-33). While this perspective does reflect a slight elitism—the speaker is looking down on the peasants for believing what they believe—it also indicates the religious and cultural diversity that India holds. In this way, "Night of the Scorpion" is a quintessentially Indian poem in that it shows the meeting of worlds through a sense of community ties after a specific disastrous event.

Though "Night of the Scorpion" does not use the strict formal structures that Ezekiel had used in his earlier poetry, this does not mean that the poem is not rhythmic or musical. The punctuation and enjambment of the lines cause the poem to flow in the large first stanza. This helps to build tension and make a large block of text easier and more pleasant to read. For example, the descriptions of the peasants looking for the scorpion contain an easy internal rhythm: "With candles and with lanterns / throwing giant scorpion shadows / on the sun-baked walls / they searched for him: he was not found" (11-14). These lines start out in an even rhythm (with CAN -dles and with LAN -terns), which is broken by the colon, and the depressing revelation that the scorpion was not found. In this way, the careful variation of rhythm throughout "Night of the Scorpion" helps Ezekiel achieve different emotional effects.

Finally, this poem communicates a tension between urban living and the natural world that Ezekiel returns to again and again in this work. The speaker's community, which lives close together and keeps itself informed about its residents, rose up in this work to surround the mother as she burned. The antagonist of the poem is the scorpion, who is forgiven by the speaker very early on since he was indoors simply for survival: "Ten hours / of steady rain had driven him / to crawl beneath a sack of rice" (2-4). In this way, the true force of chaos and evil is the rain, which drove the scorpion indoors and beats down upon the speaker and his family throughout their ordeal: "More candles, more lanterns, more neighbours, / more insects, and the endless rain" (30-31). Like "Monsoon Madness," the natural world is a force of its own in "Night of the Scorpion" and is directly responsible for all of the characters' troubles.

The Poems of Nissim Ezekiel Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for The Poems of Nissim Ezekiel is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

This poem as mentioned earlier is a satire on indians speaking english. Can you highlight at least five errors in the poem

Can you please include the poem? I don't have access to it.

A poem of dedication

I'm not sure what your question is here.

What picture does the poet picturize in the beginning of the poem, "Poet, Lover and Birdwatcher"?

The speaker gives us the image of stillness, perhaps in nature:

To force the pace and never to be still Is not the way of those who study birds Or women.

Study Guide for The Poems of Nissim Ezekiel

The Poems of Nissim Ezekiel study guide contains a biography of Nissim Ezekiel, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About The Poems of Nissim Ezekiel
• The Poems of Nissim Ezekiel Summary
• Character List

Essays for The Poems of Nissim Ezekiel

The Poems of Nissim Ezekiel essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The Poems of Nissim Ezekiel.

• Striving Forward: Metaphorical Analysis of 'Enterprise' by Nizzim Ezekiel

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Night of the Scorpion

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. Parting with his poison - flash of diabolic tail in the dark room - he risked the rain again. The peasants came like swarms of flies and buzzed the name of God a hundred times to paralyse the Evil One. With candles and with lanterns throwing giant scorpion shadows on the mud-baked walls they searched for him: he was not found. They clicked their tongues. With every movement that the scorpion made his poison moved in Mother's blood, they said. May he sit still, they said May the sins of your previous birth be burned away tonight, they said. May your suffering decrease the misfortunes of your next birth, they said. May the sum of all evil balanced in this unreal world against the sum of good become diminished by your pain. 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. More candles, more lanterns, more neighbours, more insects, and the endless rain. My mother twisted through and through, groaning on a mat. My father, sceptic, rationalist, trying every curse and blessing, powder, mixture, herb and hybrid. He even poured a little paraffin upon the bitten toe and put a match to it. I watched the flame feeding on my mother. I watched the holy man perform his rites to tame the poison with an incantation. After twenty hours it lost its sting. My mother only said Thank God the scorpion picked on me And spared my children.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english/poemscult/ezekielrev2.shtml

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Night of the Scorpion

Introduction.

Nissim Ezekiel’s Night of the Scorpionis a solid yet straightforward explanation on the intensity of self-effacing love. Full to the overflow with Indianness, it catches a very much withdrew high contrast depiction of Indian town existing with all its superstitious straightforwardness. The writer sensationalizes a clash of thoughts battled during the evening in lamplight amongst great and insidiousness; amongst haziness and light; amongst realism and visually impaired confidence. What’s more, out of this disarray, there emerges a surprising champ – the magnanimous love of a mother.

Night of the Scorpion by Nissim Ezekiel Summary

Themes of the poem, main theme:, superstition:, night of the scorpion by nissim ezekiel literary analysis, more from nissim ezekiel.

Literary Yog

Night of the Scorpion [Easiest Summary & Theme]

Nissim Ezekiel’s “ Night of the Scorpion ” is about a horrible night of the poet’s childhood. In this blog post, I will discuss the following points:

Table of Contents

Night of the Scorpion Summary 

A scorpion enters the poet’s house on a rainy night and hides beneath a sack of rice. The scorpion stings his mother.

Soon, the villagers come forward to help her. The peasants come like swarms of flies. They look for the scorpion with candles and lanterns but to no avail. The poet’s mother groans out of sheer pain.

They click their tongues. Upon seeing the suffering of the woman, the villagers associate her pain with her previous birth. They pray that the sins of her last birth might burn away.

They add, “May your suffering decrease/the misfortunes of your next birth”. and “May the poison purify your flesh/ of desire, and your spirit of ambition.”

The number of footfalls increases, but the pain does not decrease. There appear more candles, more lanterns, more neighbors, more insects, and endless rain. His mother keeps rolling and groaning on a mat.

Apart from them, the poet’s father applies medicinal substances to her toe. A holy man also performs his rites to cure the woman. The poet’s mother gets relief after twenty hours. As the pain subsides, she wishers, “Thank God the scorpion picked on me/And spared my children.”

Night of the Scorpion  Explanation

The poet recalls a rainy night in his childhood. On that rainy night, it has been raining cats and dogs for ten hours. Consequently, the land gets wet, and a scorpion enters the poet’s house in search of a dry place. Therefore, it takes shelter beneath a sack of rice in the house. 

The setting of the Poem

The setting of the poem is a rural Indian village. Words such as ‘sack of rice, ‘dark room’, ‘candles’, ‘lanterns’, and ‘sun-baked walls’. show the rural setting of the poem. 

If we analyze the situation, we will notice the scorpion has not entered the house to sting the poet’s mother. The rain has been harsh on it. The word ‘risked’ in the line “ he risked the rain again .” (168) points out the downpour is not favorable to the scorpion. It goes into the poet’s house because of continuous rain. It enters to save itself from the relentless rain. 

Like any other animal, a scorpion usually uses its venom if it feels threatened or someone provokes it. During the encounter with the poet’s mother, it might have felt threatened, or she provoked it. 

So the woman’s encounter with the scorpion is a coincidence. Had there been no rain, the scorpion would neither hide beneath the sack of rice nor encountered the woman. 

Unfortunately, it stings the toe of the poet’s mother. After leaving its mark on the poor woman’s body, it leaves the house. Before leaving, its ‘diabolic tail’ flashes in the darkroom. 

The poet looks at the scorpion as an evil force. It is a harbinger of pain and misery. Therefore, he addresses it as ‘diabolic’. It suggests his anger as a son at it. From a son’s perspective, it is justifiable. 

After flashing the diabolic tail in the darkroom, it leaves the house silently. But the woman can’t remain silent. She cries out in pain. 

The concern of the neighboring peasants 

Soon the villagers hear about the mishap. They dash to the poet’s house like “ swarms of flies ” (168). The poet uses  a simile  to compare the movements of the peasants with the flies. 

They take the name of god in low tones to paralyze the evil scorpion’. They believe their prayer will immobilize the scorpion. Like the poet, the peasants also look at it as an evil being that has afflicted the woman. 

Therefore, to stop the evil scorpion, they search for it with candles and lanterns. While searching on the walls, their shadows look like giant scorpions on the walls. But they don’t find the real scorpion in the house. Thereafter, they click their tongues.

The neighbors want to capture the scorpion because the distance the scorpion covers is proportional to the pain in the woman’s body. When they find nothing, they pray again. The peasants believe that the more he moves, the worse the pain will be. Therefore, they wish the scorpion might sit still.

Some also wish that the poison might cleanse the sins of the poet’s mother. Not only the previous birth, but the poison might also decrease the misfortune of her next birth. They also say that the poison might help her in balancing the sum of all evil and good. 

They also wish the pain might purify the flesh of desire and her spirit of ambition. They seat around on the floor, keeping the suffering woman in the middle. 

They look content, and there is satisfaction in their eyes. On the other hand, the poet’s mother rolls her body in pain. 

It is an irony that reveals the ignorance of the peasants. According to their beliefs, suffering will benefit the poet’s mother. In reality, she moans. They fail to understand the groaning of the poet’s mother. 

At that time, more people throng the poet’s house. The lights bring more insects to the place and the rain keeps continuing. The poet says, 

“More candles, more lanterns, more neighbours,

more insects,” (169)

Nissim Ezekiel. Night of the Scorpion.

It is an example of another poetic device  of alliteration . The usage of ‘more’ stresses the repetition of the actions’.

Though the peasants are ignorant and superstitious concerning the situation, we must appreciate the efforts of the innocent villagers. They can’t help her, but they come forward to show support in her hour of need. This is a unique identity of Indian villages. When a family from the community faces a problem, everyone comes forward to help. 

Unlike the urban areas, we mostly see this in rural areas. As they come to know about the poet’s mother, they come forward to help. They come to the house in groups after learning about the scorpion. It is apparent from the poet’s comparison of their movements with the “ swarms of flies ” (168). 

The reaction of the Poet’s Father 

Unlike the innocent and superstitious villagers, the poet’s father is a rational being. He does not pay to heed to their words. 

The woman keeps groaning. Seeing his wife’s condition, the poet’s father uses “ power, mixture, herb and hybrid ” (169). He even pours a little paraffin upon the bitten toe and set fire to the toe with a match. 

He hopes it will ease the pain. As a young boy, seeing the fire at his mother’s toe, the poet feels frightened. To him, it looks as if his father is feeding the fire her bitten toe.

Though the father is a rational person, applying paraffin to the mother’s toe is not a rational approach. However, we can consider his attempt. He tries his best as a husband to save his wife in that dire situation. 

A holy man performs his rites simultaneously to tame the poison with an incantation. The peasants believe that the ritual can save her. 

Finally, somehow the woman gets recovery from the excruciating pain. 

The concern of the mother for her children

After twenty hours of acute pain, the poet’s mother gets finally relieved. Her only reaction just after the painful expression is,

“Thank God the scorpion picked on me/And spared my children.” (169)

She is thankful to God that the scorpion has picked her and has not harmed her children. Here lies the greatness of a mother. A mother will bear the pain and torture with a smiling face, but will not let her children suffer. 

Structure of the Poem 

The poem “Night of the Scorpion” has eight stanzas and is free verse. That means there is no definite rhyme scheme. 

Night of the Scorpion Theme

The theme of “Night of the Scorpion” is the theme of perspective. The poem recounts an incident that occurs on a miserable rainy night. We observe three perspectives on the situation. One is of the peasants, the other is the father and the last is the poet’s mother.

It has been raining severely for ten hours that night. A scorpion comes into the poet’s house to seek shelter from the continuous rain. It hides beneath a sack of rice.

Unfortunately, the scorpion comes into contact with the poet’s mother. As a result, it stings the poet’s mother for some unknown reason, and leaves the house.

As the villagers learn about the mishap, they rush to the poet’s house in groups. The poet compares their movements with that of swarms of flies. When they see the suffering woman, they murmur the name of God. 

Similar to religious people, they also continuously take the name of God many times in critical times. They pray to paralyze the evil scorpion.

They look for the scorpion in the ‘sun-baked walls’ house, but their search goes in vain. They search for the scorpion to capture or immobilize the scorpion.

When they don’t find it, they wish the scorpion wouldn’t go far. They believe that the more the scorpion moves, the more poison will flow into the blood. 

After the failed attempts, their views on the woman changes. They also say that the pain will help to burn the sins of the woman’s previous birth. It will also reduce the sins of her next birth. 

According to Hindu philosophy, a man goes through cycles of birth and death. There are births and deaths. Their statements reflect their views on previous and next birth.

They also think,

“May the sum of all evil/balanced in this unreal world/ against the sum of good/become diminished by your pain.” (Nissim Ezekiel. Night of the Scorpion.)

They wish that the poison might purify her flesh of desire, her spirit of ambition. Hindu philosophy also believes that worldly pleasures and desires contaminate the soul.

Therefore, abstaining away from them is one step closer to the atman. From this point of view, the woman has to pay for her sins through suffering. 

Their attempts show how cultural beliefs and taboos play a role in treating a medical condition in rural India. Some communities view medical conditions as a punishment from the gods or ancestors. We see such a similar behavior in the beliefs of the villagers. They rely on traditional and religious practices to cure such situations.

The lack of education on modern science and healthcare infrastructure, and shortage of doctors and medical facilities in rural areas also contribute to the problem. The villagers lack neither have knowledge nor facilities. Consequently, they including the holy man try the traditional and ineffective remedies.

Unlike them, there is another contradictory view of the same situation. It is the view of rationality. The poet’s father represents the voice of rationality in the poem. 

In the poem, the poet mentions his father as a “ sceptic, rationalist ”. He uses powder and herbs and also blends different ingredients. Out of desperation, he even pours a little paraffin upon the bitten toe. 

As a rationalist, he thinks believing in the peasants’ beliefs won’t help his wife. Those are mere beliefs that have no grounds to accept. Therefore, he puts his effort and improvises in that critical situation.

Their distinct actions express the contrast between both parties. When the husband is trying his best by using medication and various other herbs. A holy man comes into the house. He performs the rite to cure the toe with an incantation. 

The chanting of the holy man again suggests the lack of medical awareness and limited access to healthcare in rural areas of India. It was common for people in India to have no access to healthcare, for which they turned to superstition instead.

After twenty hours of pain, the poet’s mother gets relieved. We don’t know how she is relieved.

However, unlike the contrasting perspectives, the mother’s perspective on the same situation is interesting. 

Throughout the twenty hours, she suffers from unbearable pain. The poet tells, “ My mother twisted through and through,/groaning on a mat .”

After experiencing the pain, she only wishes her children might not feel the same pain. She says,

“ Thank God the scorpion picked on me/And spared my children .” Her statement reveals the universal motherly love. She feels gratitude for the scorpion has not harmed her children. She knows how painful it is, therefore she never wants her children to go through it. 

Nissim Ezekiel’s “Night of the Scorpion” is a poem about an incident in the poet’s life’s mother. It is also a poem from different perspectives concerning the same incident. The perspectives of the peasants express their beliefs regarding pain and sins.

Contrary to them, the perspective of the poet’s father expresses the view of a rationalist. Most interesting, the perspective of the poet’s mother reveals a mother’s unconditional love for her children. 

Summary Video

For summary video, watch the video below on our YouTube channel.

Works cited

• Mahanta, Pona, et al., editors. Poems Old and New . Macmillan, 2011, pp. 168-169, 406.
• Naik, M.K. A History of Indian English Liteature . Sahitya Akademi, pp. 202-203.

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Night of the Scorpion Poem Summary & stanza wise Explanation in English Class 10

Back to: Maharashtra Board Class 10th English Guide & Notes

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Introduction

The poem Night of the Scorpion by Nissim Ezekiel is about an incident that the poet has not forgotten in his life . It was a night when a scorpion bit his mother and all the superstitious villagers did irrational things rather than helping her.

The poem exposes the superstitions that dominate the minds of Indians and also the motherhood of a lady who just only of her children even in the worst condition. The poem has no rhyme scheme. It has eight stanzas with a different number of lines in each.

In stanza 1, the poet says that he remembers well that night when her mother was  stung by a scorpion . The poet is of the views that the heavy rain which lasted for 10 hours made the scorpion  crawl beneath a sack of rice . The last phrase shows the poet’s sympathy towards the scorpion.

Hearing about the incident, the villagers rush to the poet’s home. However, he is not happy with them and calls them  swarms of flies  who buzz  the name of God a hundred times to paralyse the Evil One .

The villagers begin searching for the scorpion because they believe that the poison spreads across the body with the movement of scorpion so if the latter is stopped and paralysed, the poison effect can also be controlled.

This is a superstition and Nissim knows that well. This is why he hates the coming of villagers to his home. The stanza also depicts the Indianess that prevails in a number of other poems as well.

The others assumed that she is going to die and said that the pain that she is suffering from will decrease the troubles in her next birth. Some others put forward that her good deeds will be balanced against her bad deeds because of the bite of the scorpion.

Some others said that the poison will purify and refresh her  flesh of desire  and her  spirit of ambition . All of them seemed to be in peace because of their thoughts.

He uses powder, mixture, herb and hybrid  to help her recover from the pain. He even poured a little paraffin upon the bitten to e and then fires it up. The poet watches the flames of fire burning on the skin of his mother.

He also watches  the holy man perform his rites to tame the poison with an incantation . The phrase again refers to superstitious people of his village who believe in irrational measures to cure a person. His mother ultimately recovers from the poison after 24 hours.

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Critical Analysis of the Poem Night of the Scorpion by Nissim Ezekiel

Nissim Ezekiel's subject in the poem has been drawn from the spectrum of Indian life. Night of the Scorpion deals with Indian customs, superstitious, blind faith and dogmatism juxtaposed with rational thinking. Ezekiel here shuns any comment on what he faithfully records and describes. The reader is free to draw his own conclusions.

The universally admired and acclaimed Night of the Scorpion (from The Exact Name , 1965) describes an Indian situation through forceful imagery, its ironic contrasts and the warmth of human love and affection. It is a brilliant narrative poem without any break or division into stanzas, except for the last three lines which stand apart:

“My mother only said  Thank God the scorpion picked on me  and spared my children.”

The speaker might be the poet himself or an imagined persona who speaks in the first person. We are told that his mother was stung by a scorpion one rainy night. It had been raining continuously for ten hours and, during this time, a scorpion had sought shelter beneath a bag of rice in the dark room. It stung the speaker's mother when she came to the room to fetch some rice. Having emptied its diabolic tail of all poison, it crawled out, risking its life in the rain again rather than being hunted and killed by the peasants with “lanterns and candles” who had come there on hearing the shrieks of the mother.

The peasants and neighbours gathered in a flash like a swarm of flies while the mother was lying in the centre of the room, crying with pain. They “buzzed” incantations and mantras in the name of God. Simple, well - meaning people, they were confident of the efficacy of prayer that could paralyse or render ineffective the harm caused by the scorpion, the symbol of evil. Ignorant and superstitious, they believed that if the scorpion moved, its poison would also move in the mother's blood. But if it remained still, the poison would not flow and spread. When they failed to locate the scorpion, they “clicked their tongues” in disappointment and started praying in order to exorcise evil.

“May the sins of your previous birth  be burned away tonight, they said.  May your suffering decrease  the misfortunes of your next birth, they said.  May the sum of evil  balanced in this unreal world  against the sum of good  become diminished by your pain. May the poison purify your flesh  of desire, and your spirit of ambitions,  they said …”

All this while, the mother was writhing in pain as “more candles, more lanterns, more neighbours, more insects, and the endless rain” poured in. The speaker thus juxtaposes the world of myth, magic and superstition with the world of science, rationalism and scepticism. The speaker's father tried “powder, mixture, herb and hybrid” to ease the pain of his wife. He even poured paraffin on the bitten toe to burn out the poison as the child watched the flames with interest amidst the chanting of incantations and prayers for the mother's recovery and well – being. She suffered intense agony for full twenty hours till the pain subsided automatically.

The poem evokes superstitious practices which we still haven't outgrown. It enacts an impressive ritual in which the mother's reaction, towards the end, to her own suffering cancels out earlier responses, both primitive and sophisticated. The inter-relationship between the domestic tragedy and the surrounding community is unobtrusively established. According to Paul Varghese, “The success of the poet lies in the careful variation of rhythm which helps him to achieve different effects.”

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Night of the Scorpion By Nissim Ezekiel: Summary, Paraphrase, Analysis and Questions

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Night of the Scorpion By Nissim Ezekiel

The famous poem “Night Of The Scorpion” was written by a well-known writer Nissim Ezekiel. It was first published in 1965 in his work “The Exact Name”. It is a narrative poem. The poem is a poignant and touching poetic portrayal of a rustic situation evocative of the Indian ethos. The poem written in free verse has a terse ending characteristic of the style of English writing of many modern Indian poets. This poem, it is believed, is an expression of his childhood experience when a scorpion stung his own mother. He witnessed the drama following the scorpion bite. The poem is only a reaction to the experience he had.

Paraphrase of the poem

The poem is written in a typical Indian Convention <strong>Convention</strong>: In general, an accepted way of doing things. " data-gt-translate-attributes='[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]' tabindex=0 role=link>convention that uses Indian English and Indian culture. It shows the reactions of a typical peasant family of the lower middle class to a scorpion bite. The poem highlights the superstitions and beliefs that the average Indian has.

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To recall the incident, the poet uses the Flashback Flashback: a scene, or an incident that happened before the beginning of a story, or at an earlier point in the narrative. " data-gt-translate-attributes='[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]' tabindex=0 role=link>flashback technique. He remembers the night when he saw the whole drama of scorpion bite as a child. We find a variety of responses from the family and the neighbours. Most of the reactions are irrational, but at the same time, they represent one’s concerns and one’s fellow-feeling. The poem highlights the helpful nature of the Indians.

The poet compares the scorpion to a devil with a diabolic or devilish tail. The scorpion comes out of his hiding place and in the darkness his devilish tale flashes. When he comes out, he risks the rain and bites his mother. The Scorpion moves out quickly in the rain. The peasants of the neighbourhood gather like swarms of flies in the poet’s hut at the very next moment. To relieve his mother from the torturous pain, the peasants chant prayers to God. They had a belief they could paralyse the scorpion poison by doing so. Together, they also try to find the evil scorpion in the dark. Lanterns and candles are held by the peasants and their giant scorpion shadows are cast on the sun-baked walls. Their efforts, unfortunately, are in vain. Their tongues were clicking in disappointment. They actually believed in the superstition that if the scorpion is found and killed, the poison in his mother’s body would be killed. But since it’s not found, they believe that as the scorpion is moving around alive, its poison is moving in his mother’s blood.

They pray that her pain should balance the sum of the balance of evil in this world with the sum of good. They firmly believe that the poison will purify their body and mind from all desires and ambitions. The peasants were sitting around the mother in pain, lying in the centre. With peace and understanding, their faces were serene. As the number of visitors increased, the number of candles, lanterns, insects and rains increased in torrents.

Summary of the Poem

The poem opens in a way that recommends reflection—the speaker remembers the night that his own mother was stung by a scorpion, which bit his mother as a result of his wild drive while stowing away under a sack of rice to escape the rain. In particular, the speaker remembers that night, because of this occasion, the mother gets nibbled. The manner in which the mother is chomped also appears in the ‘blaze of the fiendish tail;’ the speaker points out how to suggest that the scorpion is evil with its ‘diabolic’ tail and emphasises its speed with the word streak. The scorpion at that point escapes from the scene and in this way, once again threatens the rain.

A photo of a religious town is taken of what the neighbours are doing to kill the scorpion (“Buzz the Name of God”). Their purpose behind this is to believe that as the scorpion moves, his toxin moves in the blood of the mother. It is also suggested that they live in a thoughtful, affectionate city in the way that the neighbours feel welcome in any part of their imagination. The speaker was disappointed by their entry, contrasting them with flies (unwanted and annoying) as they were really humming around the mother. They tried to give reasons, and many depended on the superstition to think about what was going on. The villagers tried to discover the scorpion, but they proved unable to do so. By saying, “With candles and lanterns throwing giant scorpion shadows on the sun-baked walls.” The speaker is suggesting that the house is still fiendish, even after the scorpion had gone out. It could also be inferred that the shadows of different household utensils and things are changed over the brains of the searchers into the shadows of the scorpion-as that is what they are looking for. Numerous things have been tried to help calm the agony of the mother, but none have worked. The speaker watches, defenceless.

It originated from a religious foundation, and this lyrical effort was composed by Nissim to give the impression of outrage, but also, along with a trace of culture and superstition, a fundamental message of protective love.

Appreciation of the poem ‘The Night of the Scorpion’

Theme of the poem.

Throughout the poem, Ezekiel emphasises the hold of superstition on the Indian social psyche with a rare insight and sensitivity. The poem conveys the typical superstitious attitude of the Indian peasants to life through an ordinary event in which the scorpion stings the mother of the speaker and the neighbours react impulsively. Even in the dark, the neighbours are equipped with candles and lanterns to locate the guilty scorpion as they want to kill it. They believe that the death of the scorpion would nullify the effect of the poison on the victim’s body. At the same time, the villagers were continually chanting the name of God to paralyse the scorpion. They feel that the mother is suffering because of the sins of her previous birth, or that she is reducing the sufferings of her next birth. They also believe that their suffering will reduce the sum of evil and add to the sum of good in the world. It is believed that the poison will purify her soul from the material desires and her spirit of its ambitions. A sacred man is also called to perform various rites to tame the poison with his incantations. Thus the poem is a beautiful picture of a typical Indian scenario of a trivial incident like a scorpion bite and its post effects.

The poem portrays many beliefs prevalent in the philosophy of India. The ‘karma’ theory is one of the dominant ideologies of Indian philosophy, believing that rewards or punishments inflicted on an individual are the results of his own ‘karma’ or deeds. The villagers in the poem believe that the mother suffered because of the scorpion bite because of the sins of her past birth, or maybe the next birth reduced her suffering. They also feel that the sum of goodwill balance her suffering against that of the sum of evil.

In the poem, the Indian philosophy of purification in suffering is underlined. The villagers say that the victim’s suffering will purify her of her bodily desires and ambitions that are material. This will bring her soul close to that of the all-powerful God.

The scorpion is seen by some as an evil force, bringer of pain and hardship and even death. Note the use of the word diabolic as the desperate creature stings the woman and makes off out into the rain.

The peasants are being superstitious and old fashioned, even illiterate, not having moved on in their thinking and culture.

“Night of the scorpion” is ordinarily an Indian poem by an Indian writer whose enthusiasm for the Indian soil and its customary human occasions of everyday Indian life is sublime. A decent numerous Indians are ignorant and are indiscriminately superstitious. In any case, they are straightforward, adoring and adorable. They endeavour to spare the casualty by doing whatever they can. Be that as it may, they don’t succeed.

What does the fly simile suggest about Ezekiel’s attitude to the neighbours?

There is a contrast between the neighbours’ ‘peace of understanding’ (line 31) and the mother who ‘twisted… groaning on a mat’ (line 35). Ironically, they are at peace because of her discomfort.

There is Alliteration Alliteration: the repetition at close intervals of consonant sounds for a purpose. For example: <em>w</em>ailing in the <em>w</em>inter <em>w</em>ind. " data-gt-translate-attributes='[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]' tabindex=0 role=link>alliteration throughout the poem that helps to link or emphasize ideas: the scorpion is seen ‘Parting with his poison’ (line 5), Ezekiel’s father tries ‘herb and hybrid’ (line 38), Ezekiel sees ‘flame feeding’ (line 41) on his mother. Underline other examples of Alliteration Alliteration: the repetition at close intervals of consonant sounds for a purpose. For example: <em>w</em>ailing in the <em>w</em>inter <em>w</em>ind. " data-gt-translate-attributes='[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]' tabindex=0 role=link>alliteration and see if you can explain the effectiveness of their use? There is a lot of repetition so that we hear the villagers’ prayers and incantations. Ezekiel uses direct speech, ‘May…’ to dramatize the scene and the echoed ‘they said’ is like a chorus: A group of characters in classical Greek drama who comment on the action but don’t take part in it. In a song, the chorus is a section that is regularly repeated.

Questions and Answers

2. Who is the only rational person among the villagers?

Answer: The poet’s father is the only rational person among the villagers.

4. Where was the scorpion hiding before he stung the mother?

Answer: The scorpion was hiding beneath a sack of rice.

7. What is the poison going to purify?

Answer: The poison will purify the flesh of desire and the spirit of ambition.

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Nissim Ezekiel’s Night of the Scorpion: Summary & Analysis

Nissim Ezekiel’s Night of the Scorpion is a strong yet simple statement on the power of self-effacing love. Full to the brim with Indianness, it captures a well-detached black and white snapshot of Indian village life with all its superstitious simplicity. The poet dramatizes a battle of ideas fought at night in lamplight between good and evil; between darkness and light; between rationalism and blind faith. And out of this confusion, there arises an unexpected winner – the selfless love of a mother.

The poem opens with the poet’s reminiscence of a childhood experience. One night his mother was stung by a scorpion. Ten hours of steady rain had driven the scorpion to hiding beneath a sack of rice. After inflicting unbearable pain upon the mother with a flash of its diabolic tail, the scorpion risked the rain again.

The peasant-folk of the village came like swarms of flies and expressed their sympathy. They believed that with every movement the scorpion made, the poison would move in mother’s blood. So, with lighted candles and lanterns they began to search for him, but in vain.

To console the mother they opened the bundle of their superstitions. They told mother that the suffering and pain will burn away the sins of her previous birth. “May the suffering decrease the misfortunes of your next birth too”, they said.

Mother twisted and groaned in mortifying pain. Her husband, who was sceptic and rationalist, tried every curse and blessing; powder, herb and hybrid. As a last resort he even poured a little paraffin on the bitten part and put a match to it.

The painful night was long and the holy man came and played his part. He performed his rites and tried to tame the poison with an incantation. After twenty hours the poison lost its sting.

The ironic twist in the poem comes when in the end the mother who suffered in silence opens her mouth. She says, “Thank God the scorpion picked on me and spared my children.”

Night of the Scorpion creates a profound impact on the reader with an interplay of images relating to good and evil, light and darkness. Then the effect is heightened once again with the chanting of the people and its magical, incantatory effect. The beauty of the poem lies in that the mother’s comment lands the reader quite abruptly on simple, humane grounds with an ironic punch. It may even remind the reader of the simplistic prayer of Leo Tolstoy’s three hermits: “Three are ye, three are we, have mercy upon us.”

Indian Background:   Ezekiel is known to be a detached observer of the Indian scenario and this stance often has the power of a double-edged sword that cuts both ways. On the one side Night of the Scorpion presents an Indian village through the eyes of an outsider and finds the deep-rooted strains of superstition and blind faith which may seem foolish to the western eye. But on the other, the poem never fails to highlight the positive side of Indian village life. The poet does not turn a blind eye to the fellow-feeling, sympathy and cooperation shown by the villagers. And in a poem that deals with the all-conquering power of love, the reader too should be well aware of it.

Clash of Ideas:   There is a contrast between the world of irrationality represented by the villagers and the world of rationalism represented by the father who tries all rational means to save his wife from suffering. Religion too plays its role with the holy man saying his prayers. But all three become futile. Or do they? One cannot totally ignore the underlying current of love and fellow-feeling in their endeavours.

Theme:   Images of the dark forces of evil abound in  Night of the Scorpion ; the diabolic tail of the scorpion, giant scorpion shadows on the sun-baked walls and the night itself point to evil. In fact, the poem is about the pertinent question as to what can conquer evil. Where superstition, rationalism and religion proved futile, the self-effacing love of a mother had its say. Once again it is “Amor vincit omnia.” Love conquers all, and that is all you need to know.

About Nissim Ezekiel Read Three Hermits by Leo Tolstoy

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Summary and Analysis of the Night of the Scorpion by Nissim Ezekiel

About the poet – A Jewish-Indian poet, playwright, art critic ( The Names of India (1964–66)) and editor ( Poetry India (1966–67)) born on 14 th December 1924 in Mumbai, was regarded as the path finder of the post colonial Indian English writing. Known for his deft handling of the irony of the quintessential Indian milieu and its humorous treatment, he was a poet of the mind rather than the heart. Modernist and anti-romantic in his approach he ushered in a new era of English poetry in India. He is well known for his poems like The Night of the Scorpion , Poet, Lover, Bird Watcher, Enterprise , which were published in one of his many anthologies.   He got Padmashri award in 1988 and the Sahitya akademi cultural award in 1983. He passed away on 9 th January 2004.

About the poem – The poem was anthologized in Collected Poems (1952 – 1988). It is one of the first poems of Ezekiel and presents a scary picture of the superstition ridden India where an insect is given monstrous dimensions. It carries Ezekiel’s stringiest of satires against   the many maladies that affect the Indian society. Not to mention it also explores the ever benign love of a mother for her child, which in itself is a conspicuous feature of Indianness.

Analysis of the poem –

Apparently the theme of the poem is an experience of a scorpion bite that was inflicted on the poet’s mother. The poem is a first person narrative of the agony that a son had to undergo watching his mother suffer due to a scorpion sting. But subtly the theme of the poem is a stringent satire on the lack of medical and scientific knowledge that plagues the lives of so many people in India. The poem shows how the physical ailment is associated with the spiritual fallouts in a typical ignorant village.

Obviously the tone is satirical. Pungent yet Horatian; Subtle and biting, the tone is that of a wronged person who sees the futility of a protest in the face of an ignorant army.

The author recounts the night, a scorpion driven by continuous rain hidden beneath a rice sack stung the poet’s mother and ran off after the attack. The villagers tried to search for the insect in order to immobilize it so that the poison doesn’t spread since according to their belief the more the insect moves the more the poison spreads inside the body.  Unable to find the creature the villagers prayed that the scorpion be still and invoked the gods. According to the villagers the sting of the scorpion would purge the impurities of the flesh and would make the mother spiritually healthy. Nobody did anything for the benefit of the mother other than make these kinds of nonsensical remarks except the father who tried all his quack techniques to heal the lady but it took around 20 hours for the poison to lose its sting and until then the mother writhed in pain and thanked god for the punishment that was meted to her instead of her children being victimized.

The choice of words is so made as to suggest the simplicity of the emotion conveyed but the simple words do signify greater attitudes and that is what good poetry is all about. The words like ‘clicked their tongues’, ‘mud baked walls’ etc add an exotic Indian touch to the poem. The simplicity of the poem again is highlighted by the choice of simple words . In fact all the words are simple and any number of words will suffice as examples. Again the words do convey the double edgedness of the satire where the descriptive-narrative flavor of the poem is intensified. Building on that the poem’s diction is very well suited to the occasion of poem which seeks to describe a situation.

The theme of the poem is well reflected in the diction where it is dexterously used to describe a typical village with ‘sack of rice’ and ‘mud baked walls’ and of course ‘peasants’. Again, the mention of the names of the various quack items like – ‘powder, mixture, herb and hybrid’ used by the father of the poet to cure the mother are dipped in the colour of India. It is interesting to find that the poet uses numerical details to focus perhaps his sharp memory or to make the pretension of the sharpness of memory. The poet mentions ten hours and again twenty hours. Ezekiel perhaps also sets off his precise calculative approach against the vagueness of the villagers. As usual Ezekiel’s use of the Indian English is loaded with all the ironic insinuations that make the poem rich in its suggestive content.

The structure of the poem is quite modern since it doesn’t really have much of a regular structure to talk of. Stanzas do not follow any set type or format. The poem seems to be a remembrance as the word ‘remember’ suggests. The details mentioned are also vague (though the details of the duration and the names of the herbs are very precisely mentioned). The poem starts with the climax where the diabolic act is already done and the entire poem is a follow up of whatever goes on after the sting. In fact the sting of superstition seems to be more dangerous and harmful than the sting of the scorpion. The scorpion’s poison seems to run parallel with the poison of superstition. The scorpion is poisonous, so is the ignorance of the villagers. The mother is not the mother of the author but the body politic of the society. The poem seems to tell an age old story .

The story that how an ailment ails a society and how the people inside the society instead of working for the benefit of the society works against it bound by their  dark ignorance. It is the story of India where any problem is directly related to one’s earlier and latter life of the victim. The same happens with the mother whose getting stung is regarded as the litmus test of her bodily and spiritual sanctity. If instead of a scorpion it would have been a snake, the lady might have had died, yet the villagers who cast ‘scorpion shadows’ on the wall clicked their tongues and would have sat doing nothing with their ‘peace of understanding on their faces’.

The second part of the structure of the poem deals with the patriarch, the father and the healer, who appears to be as ineffectual as the villagers with his bogus charms and herbs. He even applies wax on the toe of the mother and burnt it. Therefore instead of doing any scientific and rational thing the patriarch prayed and yet he is ironically called a skeptic, rationalist. The irony is rather too apparent here. Finally the poem ends with the all accepting calmness of the mother who is ever ready to be picked on by any kind of calamity instead of her children.

The images are commensurate with the theme and tone of the poem. Every irony is supported by an image equally potent. We can start with something obvious as the night which is an archetypal symbol of ignorance.  An image that haunts us is the image of the scorpion shadows of the villagers being cast on the walls. An analogy seems to run between the swarms of insect and the swarms of the villagers. The clicking of the tongues is no different than the flash of the scorpion’s appendage. Another significant image of the poem is the image of the flame preying on the mother. The image invokes the several horrible incidents where the greedy husband often burns the hapless wife for dowry, in jealousy or in inebriation. The subtle horror and not so subtle anger in the poem is obviously conveyed by the blank verse which is a suitable vehicle for suggesting agony and anxiety. Thus we find the poem to be an excellent specimen of modernist poetry.

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17 comments

it was of a great help.. the critical analysis was apt and quiet compact…!!

Tnx bddy …it helps a lot

it is quite helpful.thanks a lot.raveendran.vm

Thanks… Standard of analysis is really good… Thanks!

But dude I am not getting the option to download this page…

Excellent summary of the poem. I would have liked the figures of speech found in the poem reviewed as well however.

Nice help to the students who really want to explore the world of poems !!!

i need critical analyses for the poetry “juliet after the masquarade” written by letita elizabeth maclean

contact me at [email protected]

Kudos. Highly impressive.

wonderful presentation and helpful to both teachers and students

Good. A lengthy description.

When and where was the poem “Night of scorpion” first published ?

it was there in the poem anthology “collected poems” (1989) but it could have been pub. earlier

do u have not an exact answer?

Could give me an exact question? mail me at [email protected]

This was awesome however i have some details that you could add to this to make this poem analysis even better.

The fact that the scorpion died may mirror her own fate.

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Night of the Scorpion by Nissim Ezekiel

“Night of the Scorpion” is written by Indian-English poet Nissim Ezekiel. The poem was originally published in Ezekiel’s 1965 collection, The Exact Name . This piece is regarded with high acclaim due to its simple diction, and yet its ability to explore complex Indian concepts. It centralizes the subject of a dialectical clash between the colossus presence of the west and its impact on the cultured orient. Also, it brings forth the essence of human nature and presents a real image of rural India in contrast to the urban, the position of women in society, and other important themes relevant to the pre-independence era.

• Read the full poem, “Night of the Scorpion” below:

“Night of the Scorpion” begins with a remembrance of the time the poet’s mother was stung by a scorpion and how the “diabolic” creature created a commotion and fear in his home. The superstitious villagers came to help his mother and were united to sympathize with her pain. They made attempts at finding the “Evil One” in hopes to kill it and ease the pain she was going through. They believed that along with each movement the scorpion made, the poison inside her blood would also move. Ultimately, they did not succeed in their endeavors and could only be there for her with their remedies.

The villagers tried to console her by striking another set of interpretations about how the pain would purge her of her sins from her previous life. The pain would help in making her next birth more fortunate. They said that the scorpion poison would purify her blood and make her free of worldly attachments. The next person who attempted at helping the distressed mother was her husband. He was a modern man with skeptical, as well as, rational opinions. He tried the ways known to him and even tried to burn her pain away with paraffin but with no instant success. The holy man used incantations to stop the poison from moving inside the mother’s blood. After twenty hours of suffering, her pain subsided on its own.

Once the speaker’s mother gained consciousness, she broke the silence with a prayer to God. She was grateful to the almighty for sparing her children from the excruciating sting. It appears as if the scorpion made a deliberate choice to sting the mother, not her children. Nonetheless, she remained unbothered by her suffering. This depicts how much she loved her children.

Structure & Form

Ezekiel’s “Night of the Scorpion” is written in the free-verse form. The poem follows no regular rhyme scheme or meter. It is a narrative poem prominently emphasizing details and discretion of characters. In this poem, Ezekiel breaks away from the conventions and norms of romanticism and uses straightforward modernist expressions. Free-verse was one of the sought-after forms employed by Indian modernist poets. Besides, the text consists of a total of 48 lines of varying lengths packed into a single stanza.

The poem makes use of simple diction and is laced with colloquialism. Ezekiel employs the first-person narration technique. His impersonal presence can be felt throughout the poem. He makes intended efforts to withhold his own emotions and sentiments. This type of narration gives the poem a factual feel. The narrator remains emotionally detached so that the text appears realistic to readers. One may get the true picture of 20th-century rural India and its traditions. Even while depicting the painful experience of his mother, the speaker refrains from sprinkling his emotions into the narrative. The poem is entirely built on irony and this very neutral and detached stance of Ezekiel gives the irony its intended sharpness.

Literary Devices & Figures of Speech

Ezekiel uses a number of poetic devices and figurative techniques in “Night of the Scorpion.” These include alliteration, onomatopoeia, metaphor, simile, symbolism, imagery, etc.

Alliteration

Alliteration is a literary device that occurs when an initial consonant sound is repeated in two or more nearby words. There are several alliterations employed in the poem adding to the overall rhythm. In some instances, this device adds sound effects similar to religious incantations. Readers can find alliteration in the following phrases:

• “ m y m other”
• “ s tung by a s corpion”
• “ P arting with his p oison”
• “ r isked the r ain”
• “ s corpion s hadows”
• “ s it s till”
• “ b irth/ b e b urned”
• “ p oison p urify”
• “ h erb and h ybrid”
• “ p oured a little p araffin”
• “ f lame f eeding”

Assonance occurs when a vowel sound is repeated in two or more nearby words. For instance, there is a recurrence of the “i” sound in “driven him” (line 3) and the “ei” (diphthong) sound in “rain again” (line 7). It also occurs in the following instances:

• “c a ndles and with l a nterns”
• “m o ther’s bl oo d”
• “h e s i t st i ll”
• “moth e r in the centr e ”

In “Night of the Scorpion,” Ezekiel makes use of symbols to represent different ideas and thoughts. The “rain” pouring steadily throughout adds to the gloomy atmosphere of the poem. The “rain” is symbolic of the constant pain of the mother.

The “shadows,” cast on sun-baked walls that took the form of a scorpion, indicate the hidden presence of an evil force. “Shadows,” as a motif, are often associated with a fear of the unknown that is in the backdrop of the poem.

The “peasants” represent the agrarian nature of rural India. They are also symbolic of a closely-knit community. The father’s use of every “curse and blessing” and different natural remedies like “powder, mixture, herb and hybrid” to cure the scorpion sting are symbolic of traditional healing techniques some of which still persist.

Imagery, as a literary device, helps readers form a mental image evoking the five senses. There are majorly four types of imagery present in the poem that include:

• Visual Imagery: This kind of imagery invokes the sense of vision. The poem is based entirely upon the retrospective visualization of a childhood incident. In order to paint the scenes, Ezekiel makes use of this type of imagery. For instance, he depicts how the scorpion stung his mother in the line, “flash/ of diabolic tail in the dark room.” He also uses visual images in “throwing giant scorpion shadows,” “I watched the flame feeding on my mother,” etc.
• Tactile Imagery: This kind of imagery invokes the sense of touch. It is used in “My mother twisted through and through,” “He even poured a little paraffin/ upon the bitten toe,” and “I watched the flame feeding on my mother.”
• Auditory Imagery: This kind of imagery is associated with the sense of hearing. For instance, the lines “buzzed the name of God a hundred times” and “They clicked their tongues” appeal to readers’ sense of hearing. Ezekiel uses the scheme of traditional chants in lines 18 through 29.
• Kinesthetic Imagery: This kind of imagery depicts movements. For instance, the stealthy movement of the scorpion is recorded in “to crawl beneath a sack of rice.” The way it stung the poet’s mother is depicted in “Parting with his poison—flash/ of diabolic tail in the dark room.”

Onomatopoeia

Onomatopoeia is characterized by the formation of a word from a sound. This device occurs in the following lines: “and buzzed the name of God a hundred times”; “They clicked their tongues.”; “more insects, and the endless rain .”; My mother twisted through and through/ groaning on a mat.”

A metaphor makes a reference to one thing by mentioning another. Throughout the poem, the scorpion is referred to by the words “diabolic” and “Evil One.” This creature is depicted in terms of human perception of evil, rather than as a creature ruled by primal instincts. The scorpion is literally demonized by the villagers.

A simile puts forth a comparison between two things using “like” or “as.” In “Night of the Scorpion,” this device is used in “The peasants came like swarms of flies.” The peasants are compared to swarms of files as they came in a large number. They came to help the stung mother. It seemed to the speaker that they formed a “swarm” around his mother as flies.

Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis

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.

Ezekiel’s poem “Night of the Scorpion” begins in a retrospective fashion. The poem is narrated in first-person and readers are introduced to the main characters, the poet-speaker and his mother in the very first lines. He remembers the incident of his mother getting stung by a scorpion on a rainy night. In these lines, he employs a matter-of-fact approach in order to recollect the tragic event. The incessant ten-hour-long rain drove the scorpion to look for shelter under the rice sack as an act of survival.

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

Eventually, the scorpion stung the poet’s mother. It happened so fast that the speaker describes the act by using the word “flash.” Afterward, the scorpion fled the scene. The term “diabolic” represents the hooked tail of the scorpion. It is analogous to the devil’s fork. In this way, the poet depicts the scorpion as an evil creature or an embodiment of the devil himself.

The setting of Ezekiel’s poem is an Indian village in the pre-independence era. Rural Indians are characterized by their traditional beliefs. The rural culture has been infamous for using dangerous animals as symbols of evil. Thus the scorpion has been demonized for centuries. The fact remains a presumption but becomes obvious in the words, “flash/ of diabolic tail.”

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

These lines of “Night of the Scorpion” depict the repercussions of the scorpion sting. Since the majority of the Indian rural population is agrarian, Ezekiel makes a collective mention of them as “peasants.” Most of them lacked scientific temper (or they were poorly educated) and were unaware, so their first instinct upon their arrival was to make a mass appeal to God or the almighty. The invocation of God was in the hope to paralyze the “Evil One,” which represents the scorpion. The initials of the “Evil One” are capitalized. This is to reinforce the earlier superstitious argument regarding the scorpion as an embodiment of evil. Nonetheless, the peasants showed up to help in whatever way they could. This points to a sense of togetherness among rural Indians and sympathy, one of the important values in Indian tradition.

Lines 11-17

With candles and with lanterns throwing giant scorpion shadows on the sun-baked walls they searched for him: he was not found. They clicked their tongues. With every movement that the scorpion made his poison moved in mother’s blood, they said.

After the instinctive action of praying to God, the peasants started their search for the scorpion with candles and lanterns. The “giant scorpion shadows” point to the scorpion’s evil presence. The shadows are analogous to the apprehension in villagers’ minds. In these lines, the backdrop conforms to pre-independence rural India. There was a lack of electricity as the villagers searched for the scorpion with the help of candles and lanterns. The “sun-baked walls” represent a traditional mud hut with a thatched roof (use of synecdoche). In contrast, the urban houses were made up of brick and mortar.

The search for the “diabolic” scorpion was in vain as it was nowhere to be found. The villagers’ disappointment is expressed through the expression, “They clicked their tongues.” Every single person present in the room was tensed. They believed that with every movement that the scorpion made, the poison would move inside the mother’s blood, worsening her suffering. These lines create a sense of unrest and suspense in readers’ minds as there seems to be no solution to ease the woman of her pain.

Lines 18-28

May he sit still, they said. May the sins of your previous birth be burned away tonight, they said. May your suffering decrease the misfortunes of your next birth, they said. May the sum of evil balanced in this unreal world against the sum of good become diminished by your pain. May the poison purify your flesh of desire, and your spirit of ambition,

The villagers could only hope for the scorpion to “sit still” so that the mother’s suffering would cease. After their attempts at finding and killing the “Evil One,” the defeated villagers finally resorted to consoling the mother. These consolations are related to the Indian concept of “Karma.” The villagers were of the view that with the excruciating pain the sins of her previous life would be “burned away” or nullified. They also emphasized that with this “suffering” of hers the “misfortunes” of her next life would also reduce.

In Hinduism, people believe in the concept of rebirth. They believe in the existence of a higher realm that goes beyond this life, which is just an illusion or “Maya.” This is why the villagers opined that the physical pain the mother was experiencing would balance out the evils of this “unreal world” and could diminish the “sum” totally. The poison of the scorpion would purge her soul as it would help her get rid of her bodily “desires” and spiritual “ambitions,” which are considered bad.

In “Night of the Scorpion,” the consolations offered by the peasants are extracted from age-old cultural beliefs. They remain prominent in the rural setting to date.

Lines 29-35

they said, and they sat around on the floor with my mother in the centre, the peace of understanding on each face. More candles, more lanterns, more neighbours, more insects, and the endless rain. My mother twisted through and through groaning on a mat.

The villagers then ultimately encircled the mother on the floor. All they could do was sympathize with her suffering as their suggestions had not yielded any relief. They were still there with her. In fact, there were “more candles, more lanterns, more neighbours.” The incessant rain added to the tense atmosphere inside the room. Besides, the increasing number of insects hints at humans’ curiosity about another person’s suffering and distress, similar to the insects that are drawn to the source of light for warmth.

In this section of “Night of the Scorpion,” the mother’s suffering is highlighted as the main cause of concern directly for the first time. She twisted through and through and groaned in pain on the floor. Up until this point, the poem seemed to be a report of the villagers’ activities, but in these lines, readers are finally introduced to the indisposed mother’s condition.

Lines 36-45

My father, sceptic, rationalist, trying every curse and blessing, powder, mixture, herb and hybrid. He even poured a little paraffin upon the bitten toe and put a match to it. I watched the flame feeding on my mother. I watched the holy man perform his rites to tame the poison with an incantation. After twenty hours it lost its sting.

In these lines, the character of the poet’s father is brought into play. He is addressed as a “sceptic,” as well as, a “rationalist.” The character of the father is in contrast with the superstitious villagers. He is the embodiment of the modern man. However, due to the suffering of his wife, he turned to his Indian roots and resorted to relying on “trying every curse and blessing,/ powder, mixture, herb and hybrid.” He also made use of some “paraffin” to literally burn away the effects of the sting.

The narrator watched the flame “feeding” (use of personification) on his mother. Interestingly, there is no mention of how he felt. He narrates the event in a detached and objective tone. Lastly, readers are introduced to another character. It is the “holy man,” who could possibly be a local healer. He performed holy rites and chanted an incantation. This was to stop the poison from spreading in the mother’s blood.

The effect of the sting lessened eventually. After suffering for twenty hours, the mother was finally relieved. These lines hint at the fact that nature always wins over humans. No matter how much the peasants, the neighbors, the father, and the holy man tried to cure the mother of the piercing scorpion sting, the cause lost its effect with the natural course of time.

Lines 46-48

My mother only said: Thank God the scorpion picked on me and spared my children.

Towards the end of the poem, “Night of the Scorpion,” the chaos and commotion finally came to an end as the mother was feeling a bit relieved after the long cycle of suffering. She was free from the excruciating sting. Up until this point, she had not uttered a single word, but as soon as she gained consciousness, her first words were for God. This reflects how devout she was. She was thankful to God that the scorpion picked on her as if it was intending to do so or it was its deliberate choice, not just an animal’s defensive response. She was also grateful because the scorpion spared her children. These concluding lines prove to be an exceptional example of a mother’s unconditional love for her children, and that mothers are not just loving and nurturing but also selfless and ever-watchful.

Faith and Superstition

“Night of the Scorpion” can be interpreted in the context of Indian culture, which often builds its foundation on faith and superstitions. There are various instances that bring out how superstition seeps into and is associated with rural people’s lives. Firstly, the very idea of the self-protective scorpion as “diabolic” or “Evil One” finds its origin in traditional legends. The peasants or the villagers, who came to extend their helping hands for the mother, started buzzing the name of God. They were in search of the scorpion in hopes of paralyzing the devilish creature. They also believed that with every movement of the scorpion, the poison would move in the mother’s blood causing her more pain.

When ultimately, they could not find the scorpion, they turned to seek answers from their spiritual beliefs. The villagers believed that the mother was only getting rid of her sins from her previous life. The suffering would lessen the misfortunes of her afterlife. They believed the poison would purify her flesh or body of all worldly desires and ambitions. She was, in simple words, spiritually purged in the process. Even when their intention was only to help, their approach found its basis not in logic, but in faith and superstitions.

Ezekiel is prominently known for addressing the issue of the identity of the modern individual. He often talks about city spaces and rural settings. What is also quite deep-rooted in his poems is the Indian culture or the theme of Indianness. His poem “Night of the Scorpion” also addresses this very Indianness. Readers are presented with a varied range of individuals who are reflective of the cultural milieu.

Firstly, there are the peasants, who are represented as a collective mass. They are believers of the Hindu concepts like “previous birth” and “afterlife” along with the spiritual purification process through suffering. They were of the view that the sting would purify the mother’s body and help her get rid of normal human instincts, such as “desires” and “ambitions.” Modern readers (even the Indian audience) feel at a distance from these peasants, but due to the poem’s cultural setting and Ezekiel’s skills of representation, readers are able to understand how they were feeling that night.

Secondly, Ezekiel introduces the father who was more rational in his ways. He employed both traditional and scientific methods in order to pacify his ailing wife. Readers may feel at one with his methods, but he seems to be an outsider amidst the traditional peasants. He represents someone, who could not get rid of his Indianness, and neither could he be entirely modern.

Lastly, there is the traditional “silent mother,” who only wishes the best for her children. She is situated in the Indian culture as a woman possessing divine qualities of selflessness, unconditional love, and pure devotion to her children. The character of the mother is somewhat deified in the poem. These divine attributes attached to motherhood are essential traits of Indianness. Besides, the mother’s character is also used as a representation of mother nature—another Indian belief.

In this way, a mother is created, perfected, silenced, and idealized in Indian culture. The very portrayal of the mother seems ironic in this poem. This is why “Night of the Scorpion” proves to be quite a realistic representation of Indian culture (or Indianness).

Motherly Love

The most overwhelming and radically dominant theme of “Night of the Scorpion” is the unconditional love a mother has for her children. In the concluding lines of the poem, Ezekiel marks the voice of the otherwise silent mother:

She only wished for her children’s interests. This attitude of hers proves to be quite sentimental and ironic for readers. She experienced a fatal scorpion sting, yet she was thankful that it got her, not her children. This is the characteristic trait of an Indian mother, idealized in Indian culture as a dutiful, selfless, and devout woman. Whatsoever, a mother continues to love, regardless of the cultural context. She loves in a way she would.

Historical Context

“Night of the Scorpion” was first published in Nissim Ezekiel’s collection of poetry entitled The Exact Name (1965). The poem is situated in an Indian rural backdrop, which points to the larger agrarian culture in India. Prior to independence, the rural Indian culture was in stark contrast to the emerging urban culture. Ezekiel was one of the most important Indian poets of the 20th century. He was a thoroughly modern poet evident in his stylistic form and use of themes. He moved away from the Indian poetic tradition that sought inspiration from legends and mythologies. His poetry appears fairly simple in the use of poetic techniques and diction.

Ezekiel wrote in free-verse and talked about culture, engaged in complexities of subject matter, and used fragmented language. There are some important elements of modernism evident in his poetry like the use of symbolism, wit, irony, and the stream-of-consciousness technique. He was moved by the emerging issues of his time. He talked about the themes of alienation, disillusionment, urbanity, rupture of tradition, and a movement away from social conventions, religion, and culture. Ezekiel often presents a conflicted, even detached self in his poems like the narrator in the poem, “Night of the Scorpion.”

Questions and Answers

The title of Nissim Ezekiel ’s poem, “Night of the Scorpion,” is a deceptive one as it does not talk about the scorpion at all. The scorpion proves to be a tool that steered the events of the night when the poet’s mother was stung by a scorpion. Readers are presented with the actions of the superstitious villagers, the rational father, the pious man, and, last but not least, the mother. After recovering from the sting, the mother thanked God for sparing her children and picking on her. The title still remains suitable and relevant as the narrative poem is highly descriptive and dwells on details that exist because of the scorpion. The emotionally detached narrator appears to be no more than a reporter of the event and its repercussions. His lack of emotions not only brings out the irony but also helps readers understand how the scorpion is, in a way, central to the poem’s subject.

Nissim Ezekiel is well known for his representation of Indian culture and situation in his poetry. He makes keen observations that are both descriptive and ironic. His poem “Night of the Scorpion” is one such typical example. This poem is particularly laced with Indianness in its depiction of the events that unfold traditions and superstitious beliefs and the mindset of the characters. The setting of the poem is an early 20th-century Indian village. Rural people are often regarded for their direct involvement in agricultural activities. Thus, Ezekiel collectively mentions the villagers as “peasants” in his poem. This is significant as most of the Indians live in rural areas and in closely-knit communities. Furthermore, Indian culture is packed with feelings of unity and collective good. This is very well documented in the poem. All the villagers came to the rescue of the mother when she was in great pain. Ezekiel also refers to two important aspects of Indian culture: faith and superstition. He also points out the popular beliefs revolving around “Karma,” which includes the concepts of previous life and the afterlife. Through this poem, Ezekiel not only comments on the positive aspects of Indian culture but also satirizes its peculiarities.

“Night of the scorpion” revolves around the clash between two opposites. This poem brings forth a divide between the emerging urban rationalism and rural traditionalism. The movement toward modernity was one of the popular motifs in the post-independence era. Ezekiel also puts forth the contrast between western and oriental beliefs. These dialectical ideas are illustrated through the actions of the villagers (also, the holy man) and that of the rational father. Both parties tried to cure the mother through their own sets of beliefs and methods, but in the end, it was only with time that the sting healed. So, in any sort of binaries ever created by humans, nature and time remain the superior forces. Interestingly, the qualities of mother nature are fused into the character of the mother, who only desired her children’s welfare.

The “Indian mother” holds a high and prominent position in Indian culture. In “Night of the Scorpion,” the mother somehow felt relieved knowing that her children were safe. It seems as if she was unbothered by her own sufferings so long as her children were unharmed. These virtues of selflessness and devotedness are associated with mothers. Motherhood is not looked at like a human idea but something that is divine. Even though readers are overwhelmed by the amount of love the mother had for her children, it is almost as if it was an expected end. In this way, Ezekiel idealizes motherhood in his poem.

The character of the father is introduced near the end of the poem “Night of the Scorpion.” That rainy night when the mother was stung by a scorpion, the villagers first reached out to help. Then the father implemented his remedies (both traditional and scientific) to heal his wife. The speaker describes him as a “sceptic” and “rationalist.” He is someone who has been influenced by western philosophy, which is characterized by the appeal to logic and reason, rather than to superstition often associated with the orient. He made use of all the methods known to him: “every curse and blessing” along with “power, mixture, herb and hybrid.” These methods may at first appear to be reasonable, but then he went on to burn the sting with the help of “paraffin” in hopes of relieving her of the pain. All his methods were of little or no avail. In a way, Ezekiel tries to highlight the superiority of reason and logic over superstitions through this character.

The use of irony is one of the characteristic features of Ezekiel’s poetry. Ezekiel, being one of the pioneer modern Indian poets, uses irony in a vivid manner in “Night of the Scorpion.” The first irony that becomes prominent in the poem finds its basis in the faith and superstitious beliefs of the villagers. After the mother was stung by a scorpion, the villagers swarmed to help. The first thing they did was buzz the name of God. Then they made claims about how the painful sting would help the mother get rid of her sins from her previous life and make her next life more fortunate. They opined that the poison would purify her body. While they were busy making such claims, the mother battled with the sting. The scorpion’s poison caused her enough pain to ignore their deeds or their piercing remarks. The next irony surfaces when the skeptical and rational father is introduced. He tried both the traditional, as well as, the modern ways known to him to cure his wife. Ultimately, he also failed in relieving her of her pain. Therefore, the traditional and modern methods failed to heal what could only be healed with time. This enhances the irony of the piece. Ironically, the mother remained silent throughout even though she was at the center of everybody’s attention. Readers are only made aware of her situation through these two lines of this 48-line-long poem: “My mother twisted through and through/ groaning on a mat.” Yet when she finally broke her silence, she only thanked God for sparing her children, even after suffering from such a deadly experience. In this way, Ezekiel brings out the devotedness of a mother to her children in an ironic way.

The poem “Night of the Scorpion” is about both. In this poem, Ezekiel depicts how the villagers reacted or acted upon their already existing belief system, which is predominantly Hindu. They tried every curse, blessing, or talk in order to relieve the mother of her misery. Similarly, they were superstitious enough to address the simple “scorpion,” as an “Evil” or “diabolic” one.

The poem was first published in 1965 in the collection, The Exact Name . In this poem, Ezekiel talks about an incident with his mother that occurred in his childhood.

In “Night of the Scorpion,” Ezekiel incorporates a number of themes that are integral to the overall subject matter. The main theme of the poem is the faith and superstitious beliefs of Indians. There are some other themes like Indianness, motherly love, good vs. evil, and rationalism vs. traditionalism.

The narrator of the poem is one who reports one subjective incident in an objective manner. It could be the poet Nissim Ezekiel himself. He uses a detached persona in order to describe the events of that night.

“Night of the Scorpion” is a free-verse narrative poem that describes the events of a night when the narrator’s mother was stung by a scorpion. Ezekiel does not use a set rhyme scheme or meter in the poem. There are a total of 48 lines that are grouped into a single stanza.

The concluding message of Ezekiel’s poem is that a mother always looks out for her children’s welfare even if she has been suffering herself. Another important message that Ezekiel tries to communicate through this poem is how traditional methods heighten the suffering of an individual in spite of decreasing it. Sympathy fails to comfort one, who is in a life-or-death situation.

Some of the important literary devices used in Ezekiel’s “Night of the Scorpion” are symbolism, alliteration, onomatopoeia, metaphor, irony, and imagery.

In the poem, the “scorpion” symbolizes humankind’s fear of the unknown. Alternatively, it is also representative of any living creature trying to protect itself from danger. It is the superstitious people who think the creature is an “Evil One” having a “diabolic tail.”

The “scorpion” is neither a villain nor an antagonist in the poem. It is just a simple animal that stung the mother as a defensive mechanism. The creature was more fearful of humans than the villagers were of it. Therefore, it could be said that it is the villagers who demonized the scorpion for stinging the mother.

The tone of “Night of the Scorpion” is objective, impersonal, and ironic. It is interesting to note that even though the narrator describes one of his childhood events revolving around his mother, he remains detached and objective throughout the narrative. He depicts the events as they actually occurred that night in a sarcastic and satirical tone.

Similar Poems about Indianness & Motherhood

• “ Sita ” by Toru Dutt — In this poem, Dutt talks about the emotional story of Sita’s second exile.
• “ My Mother at Sixty-Six ” by Kamala Das — This poem is about the poet’s aging mother and how she felt sad for her while leaving her behind.
• “ The Ballad of the Harp-Weaver ” by Edna St. Vincent Millay — This poem is about a poor mother who could not provide for her son.
• “ Palanquin Bearers ” by Sarojini Naidu — This is a poetic version of Indian folk songs sung by palanquin bearers while carrying a newlywed bride.

Useful Resources

• Check Out The Oxford India Anthology of Twelve Modern Indian Poets — This collection includes some of the finest Indian-English verses by Nissim Ezekiel, Jayanta Mahapatra, A. K. Ramanujan, Arun Kolatkar, Keki N. Daruwalla, etc.
• Check Out A History of Indian English Literature — This book traces the course of Indian English literature from its beginning to recent times, dividing it into convenient periods in an engaging style.
• Nissim Ezekiel: A Modern Poet — Learn how Ezekiel broke attachment with the romantic past and established himself as the Indian representative of western modernism.
• About Nissim Ezekiel — Read about the life and works of Ezekiel.

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Amisha Dubey is pursuing a master's degree in English literature. She has always been a literature enthusiast. Her main forte is American and modern Indian poetry.

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A Linguistic Analysis of Nissim Ezekiel's Night of the Scorpion

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Night Of The Scorpion Summary By Nissim Ezekiel

• 1 Introduction
• 2 English Summary – “Night Of The Scorpion”
• 3 Night Of The Scorpion important MCQ
• 4 About The Author
• 5 Night Of The Scorpion MCQs
• 6 Conclusion – “Night Of The Scorpion”
• 7.1 What is “Night of the Scorpion” about?
• 7.2 Who is the author of “Night of the Scorpion”?
• 7.3 What type of poem is “Night of the Scorpion”?
• 7.4 What is the writing style of Nissim Ezekiel in “Night of the Scorpion”?
• 7.5 What themes does “Night of the Scorpion” explore?
• 7.6 Is “Night of the Scorpion” part of a larger collection of poems?
• 7.7 What is the summary of “Night of the Scorpion” like?

Understand the themes and events of Nissim Ezekiel’s “Night of the Scorpion” poem with our concise and engaging summary. Explore the imagery, symbolism, and cultural context in this classic work of Indian literature.

Introduction

“Night of the Scorpion” is a poem by Indian poet Nissim Ezekiel that tells the story of a family’s experience with a scorpion sting. The speaker, the poet himself, recounts a night when a scorpion stung his mother, and the family’s efforts to cure her using traditional rural beliefs and customs. The poem reflects on the mother’s strength, faith, and resilience, as well as the power of the scorpion’s sting. The poem highlights the importance of perseverance and the human spirit in the face of hardship, and serves as a tribute to the wisdom and customs of rural communities.

English Summary – “Night Of The Scorpion”

“Night of the Scorpion” is a poem by Indian poet Nissim Ezekiel that describes a family’s experience with a scorpion sting. The poem is written in first person, allowing the reader to experience the event as if they are there.

The poem opens with the speaker, the poet, describing a night in which a scorpion has stung his mother. The family is poor and lives in a rural area. Despite the pain, the mother is more concerned about her family than her own well-being. She tells them to gather all the cow dung they can find and make a fire, which she believes will cure the venom.

Throughout the poem, the speaker reflects on the beliefs and customs of the rural community, as well as the power of the scorpion’s sting. The family and neighbours gather around the fire, and the mother continues to suffer from the pain of the venom. The speaker reflects on the power of the scorpion, both in the physical sense of its sting and the spiritual sense of its supposed powers.

The speaker then recalls a wise man who says that the scorpion’s sting is not only a physical wound, but a spiritual wound as well. The wise man says that the scorpion has been sent by God as a test of the mother’s faith. The speaker reflects on this and realises that the mother’s faith and strength are what is truly important in the face of hardship.

In the end, the speaker reflects on the enduring power of the mother’s faith, even in the face of the scorpion’s sting. The poem ends with the line “And the people said, it was a miracle,” indicating that the mother’s faith and strength in the face of hardship has been a source of inspiration for the community.

Night Of The Scorpion important MCQ

Your answer:

Correct answer:

Your Answers

About The Author

Nissim Ezekiel (1924-2004) was an Indian poet, playwright, and literary critic. He was born in Mumbai, India, and educated in England, where he received a degree in Philosophy, Political Science and Economics from University College London. Ezekiel was one of the pioneers of modern Indian English poetry and is considered one of the most important Indian poets of the 20th century. He was a recipient of numerous awards and honours, including the Sahitya Akademi Award, the Padma Shri, and the Padma Vibhushan. In addition to his poetry, Ezekiel was also known for his plays and critical essays, which often dealt with themes of Indian identity and the complexities of contemporary Indian society.

Night Of The Scorpion MCQs

Conclusion – “night of the scorpion”.

Night of the Scorpion is a powerful poem that reflects on the power of faith and the strength of the human spirit in the face of hardship. Through the speaker’s reflections, the poem highlights the importance of resilience and perseverance in the face of adversity. The poem also serves as a reminder of the wisdom and customs of rural communities, and the power of traditional beliefs and practices in times of need.

What is “Night of the Scorpion” about?

“Night of the Scorpion” is a poem about a mother’s suffering and a scorpion’s sting in rural India.

Who is the author of “Night of the Scorpion”?

The author of “Night of the Scorpion” is Nissim Ezekiel.

What type of poem is “Night of the Scorpion”?

“Night of the Scorpion” is a narrative poem.

What is the writing style of Nissim Ezekiel in “Night of the Scorpion”?

Ezekiel’s writing style is simple and evocative, with a focus on vivid imagery and cultural context.

What themes does “Night of the Scorpion” explore?

The poem explores themes of suffering, endurance, and the human spirit.

Is “Night of the Scorpion” part of a larger collection of poems?

“Night of the Scorpion” is part of Nissim Ezekiel’s larger body of work, which includes numerous collections of poetry.

What is the summary of “Night of the Scorpion” like?

The summary provides a brief overview of the key themes and events in the poem, but does not delve into the full depth and complexity of the original work.

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Night of the Scorpion by Nissim Ezekiel | Night of the Scorpion | Explanation | Summary | Key Points | Word Meaning | Questions Answers | Free PDF Download – Easy Literary Lessons

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• Post published: May 7, 2024
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Table of Contents

Night of the Scorpion

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.

Parting with his poison – flash

of diabolic tail in the dark room –

he risked the rain again.

The peasants came like swarms of flies

and buzzed the name of God a hundred times

to paralyse the Evil One.

With candles and with lanterns

throwing giant scorpion shadows

on the mud-baked walls

they searched for him: he was not found.

They clicked their tongues.

With every movement that the scorpion made his poison moved in Mother’s blood, they said.

May he sit still, they said

May the sins of your previous birth

be burned away tonight, they said.

May your suffering decrease

the misfortunes of your next birth, they said.

May the sum of all evil

balanced in this unreal world

against the sum of good

become diminished by your pain.

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.

More candles, more lanterns, more neighbours,

more insects, and the endless rain.

My mother twisted through and through,

groaning on a mat.

My father, sceptic, rationalist,

trying every curse and blessing,

powder, mixture, herb and hybrid.

He even poured a little paraffin

upon the bitten toe and put a match to it.

I watched the flame feeding on my mother.

I watched the holy man perform his rites to tame the poison with an incantation.

After twenty hours

it lost its sting.

My mother only said

Thank God the scorpion picked on me

And spared my children.

line-by-line explanation of the poem

Explanation

This paragraph sets the scene for the poem, introducing the central event: the mother being stung by a scorpion. The diction is simple yet evocative, using words like “night,” “scorpion,” and “stung” to create a sense of tension and fear.

Poetic devices

Metaphor: “Night” can be seen as a metaphor for danger or hardship.

This paragraph explains the scorpion’s motive for seeking shelter. The heavy rain for ten hours has driven it to crawl beneath a sack of rice, illustrating the interconnectedness of nature and the vulnerability of creatures in its face.

Poetic Device

Imagery: The phrase “steady rain” and “sack of rice” create a vivid picture of the setting.

Personification: Attributing human motivations like seeking shelter to the scorpion adds depth and intrigue.

This paragraph describes the scorpion’s attack, highlighting its swiftness and lethality. The “flash of diabolic tail” and “risked the rain again” paint a dramatic image of the scorpion’s defiance even after stinging the mother.

Imagery: Vivid descriptions like “flash of diabolic tail” and “dark room” create a sense of danger and tension.

Personification: Attributing human qualities like risk-taking to the scorpion adds to the tension.

The arrival of the villagers is compared to a swarm of flies, suggesting their eagerness and perhaps their superstition. The repetition of “a hundred times” emphasizes their fervent prayer to ward off evil.

Simile: Comparing the villagers to flies highlights their numbers and buzzing activity.

The search for the scorpion is futile, yet it serves to further amplify the fear and helplessness surrounding the situation. The “giant scorpion shadows” cast by the flickering light add a layer of psychological terror.

Symbolism: The giant scorpion shadows symbolize the unseen danger and the villagers’ fear.

This paragraph delves into the villagers’ beliefs about karma and suffering. They see the mother’s pain as a way to balance out past sins and misfortunes, hoping it will lead to a better future for her.

Juxtaposition: The ideas of suffering and purification are placed side by side, highlighting the villagers’ complex understanding of pain.

Anaphora: Repeating “May” emphasizes their wishes and prayers.

The villagers believe that the scorpion’s venom can purify the mother’s spirit. This shows their faith in the transformative power of even negative experiences. The image of them sitting around the mother with “peace of understanding” suggests their acceptance and support.

Symbolism: The scorpion’s venom can be seen as a symbol of both pain and purification.

Metaphor: “Peace of understanding” is a metaphor for the villagers’ acceptance of the situation.

This paragraph emphasizes the increasing chaos and desperation surrounding the situation. The arrival of more people and insects adds to the sense of claustrophobia and tension. The mother’s continued suffering reinforces the gravity of the situation.

Repetition: The repetition of “more” emphasizes the escalation and overwhelming nature of the situation.

This paragraph introduces the father’s contrasting approach. He is a “sceptic, rationalist” who tries various remedies, even resorting to unorthodox methods like burning the wound. This highlights the tension between faith and reason in the face of suffering.

Alliteration: herb, hybrid.

Imagery: The burning paraffin and the mother’s “groaning” create a vivid and disturbing scene.

Personification: personification of the flame enhance the mystical atmosphere.

Juxtaposition: The father’s “curse and blessing” attempts contrast with the holy man’s “incantation,” highlighting different approaches to coping with suffering.

The poem ends with the mother’s words, expressing her gratitude that the scorpion chose her over her children. This final line is both touching and heartbreaking, highlighting the selfless love of a mother and the lingering fear for the children’s safety.

Irony: The mother’s gratitude (“Thank God”) is ironic in the face of her suffering.

“Night of the Scorpion” is a poem written by the Indian poet Nissim Ezekiel. The poem vividly describes an incident in the speaker’s life when his mother was stung by a scorpion during a rainy night. The poem explores themes of superstition, religious beliefs, and the communal response to a crisis.

The poem opens with a recollection of the night when the scorpion, seeking refuge from the rain, stung the speaker’s mother. The scorpion’s presence in the house prompts the villagers to gather and invoke the name of God repeatedly to ward off evil. The use of imagery, such as the “flash of diabolic tail” and the giant scorpion shadows on the mud-baked walls, creates a sense of tension and fear.

The villagers engage in various rituals, clicking their tongues and praying for the mother’s well-being. The poem portrays the contrast between the mystical beliefs of the peasants and the skepticism of the speaker’s father, who tries various methods, including curses, blessings, powders, and even burning the bitten toe with paraffin, to counteract the effects of the scorpion’s venom.

The holy man performs rituals to neutralize the poison, and the poem conveys the communal spirit as neighbors join in with candles and lanterns during the seemingly endless rain. The mother experiences intense pain and suffering, twisting and groaning on a mat, while the community attempts to alleviate her agony through their collective efforts.

In the end, after twenty hours, the poison loses its potency, and the mother survives. Her response, “Thank God the scorpion picked on me and spared my children,” reflects a sense of selflessness and relief. The poem thus explores the complexities of human beliefs, the clash between superstition and rationalism, and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

Nissim Ezekiel was an Indian Jewish poet, actor, and art critic. He is one of the most important figures in India’s postcolonial literary history.

The poem is free verse, meaning it does not contain a rhyme scheme.

The speaker of the poem is the poet himself, recounting a night when a scorpion stung his mother.

The poem presents a rural Indian village and its people.

The poem explores themes of superstition, rural beliefs and customs, and common humanity.

The poem tells the story of one night when the speaker’s mother is stung by a poisonous scorpion. She suffers for twenty hours while peasants, holy men, and her husband attempt to heal her using traditional rural beliefs and customs.

The tone of the poem is serious, reflecting the deadly nature of the scorpion’s sting and the gravity of the situation.

Ezekiel’s style in this poem is straightforward and direct. He does not use unnecessary phrasing or extra words.

The poem conveys a message of motherly love, the power of ancient beliefs and practices, and the common humanity that unites all of us. The mother’s suffering is seen as a purification process, and in the end, she is grateful that the scorpion picked her and spared her children.

Word Meaning

Very Short Answer Questions

Who is the author of the poem “Night of the Scorpion”?

The author of the poem is Nissim Ezekiel.

What did the scorpion do in the poem?

The scorpion concealed itself under a rice-bag as it was raining heavily outside for 10 hours. It then injected its venomous poison into the blood of the poet’s mother.

What attitude of the peasants is portrayed in Ezekiel’s poem?

The peasants are portrayed as superstitious and religious-minded. They believe that faith in God can overcome such troubles.

How does the poet’s father differ from the peasants?

The poet’s father is a believer in science and does not adhere to the sacred rites of the peasants.

What was the mother’s reaction after her recovery?

After her recovery, the mother expressed her holy wishes to God because it was her fortune that not her children but the scorpion stung her.

How are the peasants described in the poem?

The peasants are described as superstitious, unselfish, and cordial to their neighbors.

Where did the scorpion hide?

The scorpion hid beneath a sack of rice.

Why does the poet refer to the scorpion’s tail as diabolic?

The scorpion is seen as an evil force, bringer of pain and hardship.

How did the poison enter the mother’s body?

The mother was stung by a scorpion.

What is the setting of the poem?

The setting of the poem is a remote Indian village.

What themes does the poem explore?

The poem explores themes such as human faith, birth and afterlife, sin and redemption, motherly instinct, compassion, solidarity, and superstition.

What is the conflict in the poem?

The conflict in the poem is between traditional beliefs and rationality.

What is the form of the poem?

The poem is written in free verse.

Who is the speaker of the poem?

The speaker of the poem is the poet himself.

What is the tone of the poem?

The tone of the poem is serious.

What style does Ezekiel use in this poem?

Ezekiel’s style in this poem is straightforward and direct.

What message does the poem convey?

The poem conveys a message of motherly love, the power of ancient beliefs and practices, and the common humanity that unites all of us.

What is the plot of the poem?

The poem tells the story of one night when the speaker’s mother is stung by a poisonous scorpion.

How long does the mother suffer in the poem?

The mother suffers for twenty hours in the poem.

What is the reaction of the villagers to the scorpion’s sting?

The villagers gather and extend their help in every way possible, including performing traditional rituals and chanting prayers.

Short Answer Questions

What is the significance of the title “Night of the Scorpion”?

The title signifies the eventful night when the poet’s mother was stung by a scorpion. It was a night of pain, suffering, and superstitious beliefs.

How does the poem depict the rural life in India?

The poem vividly portrays the rural life in India, where people are deeply rooted in their traditional beliefs and customs. The villagers’ reaction to the scorpion’s sting, their prayers, and rituals reflect their faith and superstition.

What role does the poet’s father play in the poem?

The poet’s father represents rationality and science. Unlike the villagers, he does not resort to superstitious beliefs but tries to alleviate his wife’s pain through scientific methods.

How does the poem explore the theme of motherly love?

The theme of motherly love is explored through the mother’s reaction after her recovery. She expresses gratitude that the scorpion stung her and not her children, highlighting her selfless love for her children.

What is the conflict presented in the poem?

The poem presents a conflict between traditional beliefs and rationality. While the villagers resort to prayers and rituals, the poet’s father relies on scientific methods.

How does the poem reflect the poet’s attitude towards superstition?

The poet, through his narrative, subtly criticizes the superstitious beliefs of the villagers. He presents these beliefs as irrational and contrasts them with his father’s scientific approach.

What is the significance of the scorpion in the poem?

The scorpion is a symbol of evil and pain. Its sting sets the events of the poem in motion, leading to the mother’s suffering and the display of superstitious beliefs.

How does the poem depict the unity of the villagers?

The poem depicts the unity of the villagers through their collective response to the mother’s suffering. They gather at the poet’s house, pray for the mother, and try to help in whatever way they can.

The tone of the poem is serious and reflective. It reflects the gravity of the situation and the poet’s contemplation of the events.

What message does the poet convey through the poem?

The poet conveys the message of universal human values such as compassion, solidarity, and motherly love. He also highlights the conflict between traditional beliefs and rationality.

Essay Type Questions

1. write the critical appreciation of the poem..

Overview “Night of the Scorpion” is a highly commended poem for its simple poetic theme and well-conceived technique. It is a verse narrative that tells a plain narrative about the poet’s own experience of a night when his mother was stung by a scorpion.

Authentic Representation of Indian Rural Life The poem provides an authentic representation of Indian rural life. It distinctly marks certain characteristic features of this life – good neighborliness, intimate family relationship, faith with spiritual power, and dedicated idealism of motherhood. The poem is full to the brim with Indianness, capturing a well-detached black and white snapshot of Indian village life with all its superstitious simplicity.

Narrative Skill and Portrait-Making Power Ezekiel has demonstrated his narrative skill with ease and perfection, imitating the great English masters in verse narratives. He also demonstrates his portrait-making power, presenting the peasants who rushed like a ‘swarm of flies’ to see the stung mother with perfect realism. His presentation of his own father, though very precise, deserves close attention.

Juxtaposition of Superstition and Rationality The poem juxtaposes the world of myth, magic, and superstition with the world of science, rationalism, and skepticism. The peasants and neighbors are portrayed as superstitious and religious-minded, while the poet’s father is depicted as a believer in science.

Poetic Style Ezekiel’s poetic style is patent in the poem. The uses of similes in ‘swarms of flies’, onomatopoeia in ‘buzzed’ and asyndeton in ‘More candles, more lanterns, more neighbors,’ are well executed. The poem has no characteristic rhyme scheme and as such, this may be taken as written in blank verse.

Powerful Conclusion The conclusion of the poem has an epigrammatic vigor in the mother’s feeling because when she recovered, she ignored her own acute pain and was thankful and grateful to God for sparing her children.

In conclusion, “Night of the Scorpion” is a powerful and moving poem that explores the human experience of suffering, faith, and community. Its vivid imagery, use of repetition, and exploration of these themes make it a memorable and thought-provoking work of poetry.

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The Cup by Swami Vivekananda | The Cup | Swami Vivekananda | Explanation | Summary | Word Meaning | Questions Answers | Critical Appreciation | Free PDF Download – Easy Literary Lessons

Where The Mind is Without Fear by Rabindranath Tagore | Where The Mind is Without Fear I Rabindranath Tagore | Explanation | Summary | Key Points | Critical Appreciation | Questions Answers | Free PDF Download – Easy Literary Lessons

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