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Syllabus

Choose the correct alternative. The poem is titled ‘Night of the Scorpion’, for, the major part of the poem _______________. - English

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Question

Choose the correct alternative.

The poem is titled ‘Night of the Scorpion’, for, the major part of the poem _______________.

Options

  • the mother remains triumphant at the end.

  • the scorpion is the victor.

  • the father succeeds in curing the mother.

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Solution

The poem is titled ‘Night of the Scorpion’, for, the major part of the poem the scorpion is the victor.

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Night of the Scorpion
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Q 3. (8)
Chapter 3.1: Night of the Scorpion - English Workshop [Page 104]

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Balbharati English Kumarbharati [English] Standard 10 Maharashtra State Board
Chapter 3.1 Night of the Scorpion
English Workshop | Q 3. (8) | Page 104

RELATED QUESTIONS

Get into pairs and discuss the following with your partners and complete the table.

Many people are superstitious. This means that they have a belief for which they have no logical reason.

An example of superstition is that - walking under a ladder brings bad luck. In pairs, list any superstitions that you know of.

Superstition What it implies
(1) Smashing a mirror Brings seven years of bad luck.
(2)  
(3)  
(4)  
(5)  

Complete the following table.

Scorpion
Many images of the scorpion contrast in the opening lines of the poem. Find examples of each and add them to the columns below.
Timid Dangerous

(1) hides _________

(2) ___________ back

(i) Diabolic ____________

(ii) ____________

Choose the correct alternative.

This is a _____________ poem as it tells a story.


Choose the correct alternative.

The poem does not have a rhyme scheme, which means the poem is a perfect example of a ___________.


From the poem provide evidence for the following:

Stages Evidence (lines from the poem)
(a) the attempts by the peasants to help alleviate the mother’s pain.  
(b) the action of these same peasants to kill the scorpion  
(c) the reaction of the rational father.  
(d) the various superstitions versus the ‘scientific’  
(e) evil versus good.  

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

Qualities
Father Mother
   

Expand the flow-chart in writing a paragraph in your own words.


Prepare a Presentation (on paper or on a PC) as a piece of reference to other students. Make use of the following points.


Read the following extract and complete the given activities:

A1. From the following extract of the poem provide evidence that it set in a rural background:

Evidence: 

  1. ______
  2. ______

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.

A2. How did the peasants console the poet’s mother? (02)

A3. Pick out an example of Antithesis from the extract: (01)


Read the following poem and write an appreciation of it with the help of the given points in a paragraph format:

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 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.

Points:

  • The title and the poet of the poem
  • Rhyme scheme
  • Figures of speech
  • Central Idea/Theme

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