Is the poem' Night Of The Scorpion ' about faith or superstitions? Justify your answer?
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Answer:
‘Night of the Scorpion’ is not a poem of a simple incident in the life of poet’s mother, rather a poem of Indian culture, belief, philosophy and superstition. In this short poem he has presented some Indian pictures with graphic truth. He presents vividly the inner relationship between individual families to the neighboring community. Superstitious they may be but their fellow feeling is noticeable – “More candles more lanterns, more neighbors”. The neighbors came forward for help nowhere one can find such strong social...
Indian culture is not without its superstition. The superstitions are static and they sent their root finding the ignorant fertile soil of the peasants. They prayed to God but thought of a doctor. Their philosophy is field with their superstitions. They wanted to paralyze the scorpion to stop the pain of the poet’s mother but at the same time they philosophically believed that the present pain is the outcome of past evil or this pain is a visa for entering into the life of happiness in next birth. What a contradictory philosophy this can be, where the pain is the symbol of happiness, the symbol of purgation. The poet’s father was skeptic and rationalist amidst the ignorant peasants he singlehandedly tried to soothe his wife by using his little knowledge of science – “Trying very curse and blessing/ power, mixture, herb and hylorid”. Side by side, an orthodox holy man is called to perform his sites “To tame the poison with an incantation”.
What is most sweet in the poem is the affectionate concern of a mother for her children. It is universally acknowledged that a mother is ready to suffer all types of pain and tortures with a smiling face, but she will not bear any pain imposed on her children.