Advertisements
Advertisements
Question
For he seemed to me again like a king.
Like a king in exile, uncrowned in the underworld,
Now due to be crowned again.
And so, I missed my chance with one of the lords
Of life.
And I have something to expiate:
A pettiness.
(a) Why is the snake called a king in exile?
(b) What is the pettiness referred to in these lines?
(c) What does the word ‘underworld’ mean?
Advertisements
Solution
(a) The snake is driven out from its natural habitat by human beings just like a king exiled from his kingdom; therefore, it is likened to a king in exile.
(b) The speaker’s attempt at driving away the snake using a stick is the pettiness referred to in these lines.
(c) The word ‘underworld’ refers to the space under the Earth where the snake is forced to live as he is driven out of his natural habitat.
APPEARS IN
RELATED QUESTIONS
Why did the poet throw the log at the snake?
What does the poet compare the snake's drinking habits to? Why?
What is the dilemma that the poet faces when he sees the snake?
Based on your reading of the poem, answer the following question by ticking the correct option:
- He seemed to me like a king in exile…' The poet refers to the snake as such to emphasize that the snake
Answer the following question briefly:
How does the poet describe the day and the atmosphere when he had seen the snake?
Answer the following question briefly:
What is the difference between the snake's movement at the beginning of the poem and later when the poet strikes it with a log of wood? You may use relevant vocabulary from the poem to highlight the difference.
Answer the following question briefly:
The poet experiences feelings of self-derision, guilt and regret after hitting the snake. Pick out expressions that suggest this. Why does he feel like this?
Answer the following question briefly:
You have already read Coleridge's poem The Ancient Mariner in which an albatross is killed by the mariner. Why does the poet make an allusion to the albatross?
Answer the following question briefly :
'I have something to expiate'-Explain.
Answer the following question:
In the poem "Snake", why does the poet say "I have something to expatiate."?
