Night of the Scorpion by Nissim Ezekiel

 

"Night of the Scorpion"

by Nissim Ezekiel

Historical Background:

Nissim Ezekiel (1924–2004), a prominent Indian poet, wrote "Night of the Scorpion" in a post-colonial Indian setting where traditional beliefs and modern science often clashed. Ezekiel, a modernist and skeptic himself, delves into the tension between superstition and rationalism in rural India. The poem reflects how deeply ingrained cultural, religious, and superstitious beliefs influence people’s responses to life events, even when faced with tragedy or suffering.

Literary Devices:

1. Imagery: The poem uses vivid and often unsettling imagery to depict the incident, like the "flash of diabolic tail" and "giant scorpion shadows."
2. Symbolism: The scorpion symbolizes evil, danger, and unpredictability, while the rain and the "swarms of flies" represent natural forces and helplessness.
3. Irony: The mother's simple gratitude at the end is deeply ironic. Despite all the rituals and remedies, the event passes naturally, yet her thankfulness contrasts with the chaotic responses around her.
4. Repetition: The use of repetition, especially with the villagers’ chants ("May he sit still," "May your suffering decrease..."), amplifies the sense of superstition and ritualistic hope.
5. Contrast: The rationalistic attempts of the father versus the superstitious practices of the villagers set up a tension between science and belief.
6. Tone: The tone shifts from tense and frantic during the scorpion’s sting to ironic and contemplative towards the end.

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Line-by-Line Explanation:

Lines 1–3: The Introduction

"I remember the night my mother
was stung by a scorpion. Ten hours
of steady rain had driven him"

• The poem begins with a personal recollection, setting the tone of an autobiographical account. The scorpion, driven by the rain, seeks refuge inside the house, highlighting the inevitability of natural forces.

Lines 4–6: The Scorpion's Sting

"to crawl beneath a sack of rice.
Parting with his poison - flash
of diabolic tail in the dark room -"

• The scorpion stings the poet’s mother, and the image of the "diabolic tail" emphasizes the malevolent and sudden nature of the act. The dark room adds a sense of foreboding.

Lines 7–9: The Scorpion Escapes

"he risked the rain again.
The peasants came like swarms of flies
and buzzed the name of God a hundred times"

• After stinging the mother, the scorpion escapes. The peasants arrive in large numbers, their action likened to "swarms of flies." This simile emphasizes their chaotic, uncontrollable nature and how they rely on religious chants to handle the situation.

Lines 10–14: The Search for the Scorpion

"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."

• The villagers attempt to find the scorpion with "candles and lanterns," symbolizing their futile efforts to combat evil. The "giant scorpion shadows" reflect their exaggerated fear, but the scorpion is never found.

Lines 15–18: Villagers’ Beliefs

"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."

• The villagers, unable to help practically, instead focus on superstition, believing that the scorpion’s movement affects the spread of poison in the mother’s body. They hope the scorpion stays still, reflecting their powerless yet hopeful state.

Lines 19–23: Karma and Suffering

"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"

• The villagers begin attributing the mother’s suffering to karma from previous births, suggesting that enduring this pain will reduce future misfortunes. This reflects deep-rooted beliefs in reincarnation and the concept of balancing good and evil.

Lines 24–27: Pain as Purification

"balanced in this unreal world
against the sum of good
become diminished by your pain.
May the poison purify your flesh"

• Here, the villagers rationalize the suffering by suggesting that pain will purify the mother’s flesh and spirit, linking physical suffering to spiritual purification. The idea of balance between good and evil, and suffering as a means of redemption, is emphasized.

Lines 28–30: The Circle of Faith

"of desire, and your spirit of ambition,
they said, and they sat around
on the floor with my mother in the centre,"

• The villagers continue their prayers and chants, reinforcing their belief that suffering brings spiritual cleansing. They surround the mother, creating a circle of faith, with her at the center of this ritualistic act.

Lines 31–34: The Father’s Rationalism

"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,"

• Despite their peaceful appearances, the mother continues to suffer, twisting in pain. The relentless rain and the growing number of people highlight the futile and chaotic atmosphere. The father, a rationalist, takes a different approach.

Lines 35–38: The Father's Actions

"groaning on a mat.
My father, sceptic, rationalist,
trying every curse and blessing,
powder, mixture, herb and hybrid."

• The father, despite being a rationalist, resorts to every possible method, combining traditional remedies with modern skepticism. His desperation is shown by his willingness to try anything to relieve the mother’s pain.

Lines 39–42: Extreme Measures

"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"

• In his desperation, the father tries burning the poison out with paraffin, a shocking and extreme measure. The narrator (the poet as a child) watches helplessly as both traditional and modern approaches seem to fail.

Lines 43–46: The Mother’s Gratitude

"to tame the poison with an incantation.
After twenty hours
it lost its sting.
My mother only said"

• After 20 hours, the poison naturally wears off. The incident comes to an end not because of any of the remedies or rituals, but simply with time. This reveals the powerlessness of both superstition and rationalism against nature.

Lines 47–48: The Mother’s Final Words

"Thank God the scorpion picked on me
And spared my children."

• The mother’s final words express her relief, not for herself, but for her children. This reflects her selflessness, maternal love, and simple faith, which contrasts with the intense fear and efforts of the others around her.