The poem Night of the Scorpion by Nissim Ezekiel is drenched in rural background reflecting high rural superstitious beliefs and ritualistic practices; here for a specific, vital and concern worthy purpose of scorpion bite. The poem in general appears to be a simple narrative of a tragic incident of scorpion bite. But the in-depth analysis of the poem reveals deeper meanings and themes that the poem operates upon. There are a number of themes and sub-themes prospering within the poem in a terse and inter-woven manner which makes the judgement of the main theme quiet complicated. Various themes that simultaneously operates within the poem are superstitions, pauper village conditions, motherly love, helplessness etc. Of these themes motherly love is amongst a significant theme; but helplessness seems to be a more prospering one, throughout the poem.
Right from the beginning of the poem one can clearly witness the helplessness prevailing at various levels which continues to go on till the end of the mother's suffering along with the poem. Poet's mother after being stung by the scorpion was in immense pain. The scorpion who was helpless of the out-pour of the rain was forced to in-shelter itself in poet's house where it got mother's foot and then had to risk the rain again. Meanwhile the bite drew several houses of the village consisting of a large number of helpless peasants. Helpless because in-order to stop the mother's suffering they were all enchanting and murmuring God's name thousand of time to paralyze the scorpion so that it's movement wouldn't move the poison in mother's body. Although they were wishing well on their part in concern of the mother but were yet helpless in curing mother;s trauma owing to their superstitious and orthodoxical beliefs and methods that they put in use which was amply insufficient for the purpose. Then the villagers for the very same purpose carried out the search for thee scorpion to kill it and subdue its movement and consequently mother's pain; but alike the scorpion, they too were helpless before drastically out-pour of rain. Thus they helplessly fail in their attempt, as stated in the poem itself.
"...he was not found.
They clicked their tongues.",
showing their despair.
They are further shown helpless by, although meaningful, but futile words of past, present and future; through this they try to console the mother by stating that the pain she was undergoing would not just balance the sins of the previous birth and decrease the misfortunes of the next life, but would also balance the good and bad deeds of the present. Although these words were an attempt to pacify mother's pain but practically were entirely futile. Peasants after this sat helplessly around her, being done with whatever they were capable of, because it only satisfied them an not the purpose they said and did all this for, as stated in the poem,
"My mother twisted through and through
groaning on the mat."
It also shows how helpless the mother herself was, surrounded by a troop of other helpless people, that, neither they nor she herself was able to help herself.
Even poet's father too has been presented as helpless. Being amongst those who loved mother the most, he himself tries curing the mother through the rational means being a skeptic and rationalist. Thus he used all the herbs, powders and mixtures over mother's toe; trying not just the boons and curses but also rational means and yet he too couldn't subdue her pain and tame the poison. The kids too couldn't do anything but watch the mother helplessly, groaning in pain, without having any means and way to help her. At last mother, the embodiment of love is shown expressing her love but helplessness too. She thanks God of being fortunate enough to have faced such pain instead of her children because she knew that had it been to any of her children she was completely helpless to have suffered this voluntarily in lieu of her children.
Hence it can be fairly concluded that a widespread helplessness prevailed throughout the poetic narration. Be it peasants or villagers, father or mother, they were all helpless in one way or the other. Despite their best possible efforts they could only see the mother suffering and despite their best effort they had no choice but to watch her pathetic condition until she was fully cured. Henceforth, the poem truly represents the theme of helplessness throughout it.
Right from the beginning of the poem one can clearly witness the helplessness prevailing at various levels which continues to go on till the end of the mother's suffering along with the poem. Poet's mother after being stung by the scorpion was in immense pain. The scorpion who was helpless of the out-pour of the rain was forced to in-shelter itself in poet's house where it got mother's foot and then had to risk the rain again. Meanwhile the bite drew several houses of the village consisting of a large number of helpless peasants. Helpless because in-order to stop the mother's suffering they were all enchanting and murmuring God's name thousand of time to paralyze the scorpion so that it's movement wouldn't move the poison in mother's body. Although they were wishing well on their part in concern of the mother but were yet helpless in curing mother;s trauma owing to their superstitious and orthodoxical beliefs and methods that they put in use which was amply insufficient for the purpose. Then the villagers for the very same purpose carried out the search for thee scorpion to kill it and subdue its movement and consequently mother's pain; but alike the scorpion, they too were helpless before drastically out-pour of rain. Thus they helplessly fail in their attempt, as stated in the poem itself.
"...he was not found.
They clicked their tongues.",
showing their despair.
They are further shown helpless by, although meaningful, but futile words of past, present and future; through this they try to console the mother by stating that the pain she was undergoing would not just balance the sins of the previous birth and decrease the misfortunes of the next life, but would also balance the good and bad deeds of the present. Although these words were an attempt to pacify mother's pain but practically were entirely futile. Peasants after this sat helplessly around her, being done with whatever they were capable of, because it only satisfied them an not the purpose they said and did all this for, as stated in the poem,
"My mother twisted through and through
groaning on the mat."
It also shows how helpless the mother herself was, surrounded by a troop of other helpless people, that, neither they nor she herself was able to help herself.
Even poet's father too has been presented as helpless. Being amongst those who loved mother the most, he himself tries curing the mother through the rational means being a skeptic and rationalist. Thus he used all the herbs, powders and mixtures over mother's toe; trying not just the boons and curses but also rational means and yet he too couldn't subdue her pain and tame the poison. The kids too couldn't do anything but watch the mother helplessly, groaning in pain, without having any means and way to help her. At last mother, the embodiment of love is shown expressing her love but helplessness too. She thanks God of being fortunate enough to have faced such pain instead of her children because she knew that had it been to any of her children she was completely helpless to have suffered this voluntarily in lieu of her children.
Hence it can be fairly concluded that a widespread helplessness prevailed throughout the poetic narration. Be it peasants or villagers, father or mother, they were all helpless in one way or the other. Despite their best possible efforts they could only see the mother suffering and despite their best effort they had no choice but to watch her pathetic condition until she was fully cured. Henceforth, the poem truly represents the theme of helplessness throughout it.
Thank you so much
ReplyDeleteGreat content.
ReplyDeleteBeautifully written
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