Summary of Snake by D.H. Lawrence
Answers
Poem Snake by D.H. Lawrence deals with the theme of ill treatment of animals by man. It also deals with the theme that man under the influence of fear is compelled to act unwisely and illogically on account of which he has to repent later. Here is the line wise explanation of the poem:
ON A HOT AFTERNOON, A SNAKE VISITED HIS WATER TROUGH, TO QUENCH HIS THIRST.
THE POET SAW THE SNAKE AT THE TROUGH WHEN HE WENT THERE WITH HIS PITCHER TO HAVE SOME WATER FOR HIMSELF. THE POET DECIDED TO WAIT UNTIL THE SNAKE HAD FINISHED DRINKING WATER.
THE SNAKE MAJESTICALLY CRAWLED DOWN THE WALL SLITHERING OUT FROM THE CRACK WHERE IT WAS RESTING. IT REACHED THE WATER TROUGH TO QUENCH ITS THIRST
IT LOWERED ITS HEAD UNTIL IT COULD EASILY SIP THE WATER WITH ITS FORKED TONGUE. THE POET COULD SEE THE WATER ENTERING THE SNAKE’S BODY. IT WAS IN NO RUSH AT ALL.
THE POET HAD NO OTHER CHOICE, BUT TO WAIT UNTIL THE SNAKE WAS THROUGH WITH ITS DRINKING.
WHILE DRINKING, IT WOULD FREQUENTLY TAKE PAUSES AND LIFT ITS HEAD TO LOOK AROUND; IT WOULD ALSO FLICKER ITS FORKED TONGUE TO SENSE ANY POSSIBLE DANGER AROUND.
FINDING ITSELF SAFE, IT WOULD AGAIN LOWER ITS HEAD FOR ANOTHER DRINK FROM THE POOL. IT MUST HAVE BEEN VERY THIRSTY AS IT WAS VERY HOT
THE VOICE OF FEAR WHICH EVEN HIS EDUCATION COULD NOT STILL, SUGGESTED THE POET TO KILL THE SNAKE BECAUSE IT APPEARED TO BE QUITE POISONOUS
THE MORE THE POET HEEDED THE VOICE THE MORE IT INCITED HIM TO KILL IT.
BUT THE POET WAS PLEASED AND GLAD ALSO THAT THE SNAKE HAD VISITED HIS WATER TROUGH. THE POET DID NOT WANT THE SNAKE TO RETURN SO THANKLESSLY TO ITS HIDING PLACE SO EARLY
THE POET FOUND HIMSELF TO BE IN A DILEMMA AS TO WHAT HE SHOULD DO WITH THE SNAKE. SHOULD HE KILL IT OR JUST TREAT IT AS A GUEST?
THE VOICE OF FEAR INSIDE HIM WAS URGING HIM TO KILL IT.
THE POET FELT BOTH SCARED AND HONORED THAT THE SNAKE HAD VISITED HIS WATER-TROUGH. THE FEAR WAS HIS REFLEXIVE REACTION, WHEREAS FEELING OF HONOUR WAS HIS REFINED REACTION TO THE SNAKE’S UNIQUENESS.
AFTER QUENCHING ITS THIRST TO THE FULL, IT ROSE ITS HEAD AND FLICKERED ITS DARK TONGUE IN SATISFACTION.
THE SNAKE HAD GODLIKE DIGNITY AND COMPOSURE. IT APPEARED TO BE IN NO HURRY, WORRY OR ANXIETY. IT APPEARED TO BE IN A DREAMY STATE.
AFTER DRINKING WATER IT BEGAN MOVING SLOWLY TOWARDS THE FISSURE IT HAD COME FROM.
AS THE SNAKE ENTERED ITS HOLE, THE VOICE OF FEAR BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE IN HIM AND THE POET UNDR ITS INFLUENCE ACTED QUITE UNWISELY AND UNTHINKINGLY.
THE SNAKE’S BODY WAS ENTERING INTO THE HOLE. THE POET COULD SEE ITS BACK ONLY. HE FELT TEMPTED TO DO SOMETHING WICKED TO THE RETREATING BODY OF THE SNAKE.
IN A STATE OF HYSTERIA, THE POET PUT DOWN ITS PITCHER, PICKED UP A LOG AND THREW IT AT THE SNAKE, NOT KNOWING EXACTLY WHAT HE WAS DOING.
FORTUNATELY THE LOG DID NOT HIT THE SNAKE, BUT ITS NOISY FALL NEAR IT, FRIGHTENED THE SNAKE AND THE REST OF ITS BODY WRIGGLED INTO THE HOLE WITH THE LIGHTNING SPEED.
SOON THE SNAKE VANISHED INTO THE HOLE AND WAS GONE. THE POET JUST KEPT STANDING AND LOOKING AT THE HOLE IN UTTER AMAZEMENT AND CONFUSION.
SINCE THE POET HAD ACTED UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF FEAR, HE WAS BOUND TO REGRET IT. HE FELT ASHAMED OF HIMSELF FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO CONTROL HIS FEARFUL THOUGHTS.
HE FELT REGRETFUL EXACTLY LIKE THE ANCIENT MARINER IN THE RIME OF ANCIENT MARINER AFTER HE HAD KILLED THE ALBATROSS. HE WISHED THE SNAKE TO COME BACK SO THAT HE COULD TREAT IT MORE RESPECTFULLY.
THE POET FELT, AFTER THE SNAKE HAD GONE, HE HAD MISSED THE CHANCE TO TREAT, HONOUR AND RESPECT THE SNAKE ROYALLY.
THE POET CONTINUED FEELING SORRY FOR LOSING THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE MORE DEFERENTIAL AND HOSPITABLE TO THE LORD-LIKE SNAKE. HE ADMITTED AT THE END HE WOULD WRITE ABOUT HIS MISTAKE FOR OTHERS TO LEARN.
This a poem that talks about a peaceful co – existence between man and the other creatures in the world. This poem also talks about the sins done by man and the guilt which a man has when he is unsuccessful to perform his duty of respecting all these other creatures which are God’s creations. The day being an extremely hot day, the poet comes to his water trough to satisfy his thirst. There he sees a golden-brown snake already drinking water. He is afraid and at the same time, welcomes his guest. He considers himself next in turn and waits very patiently for his turn. He is fascinated by this creation of God which seems to be harmless and whose only aim is to quench its thirst and retreat. The poet’s inner voice asks him to kill it as it being golden brown in color, is considered to be poisonous. The snake is unaware of the presence of the poet and in its natural way, quenches its thirst and goes back into the hole in the wall. When the snake is on its way into the hole, the poet is terrorized at the thought of the snake withdrawing into a world of darkness. The poet picks up a log of wood, hurls it at the snake. He misses it but the snake senses danger and disappears into the hole in a haste. The poet is still fascinated by the snake, but a sense of guilt held him. He felt sad at his act of trying to hit the snake. He finds a similarity between this feeling of reproach to that of the ancient mariner who had killed the Albatross. He considers his act to be false, to hit his ‘guest’. He wishes that the snake comes back so that he can apologize and make amends for insulting the uncrowned king in his exile in the underworld due to be crowned again.
Thanks