Question

The poet has a dual attitude towards the snake. Why does he experience conflicting emotions on seeing the snake?

Answer 1

The poet has a dual attitude towards the snake, as the snake comes to drink water at his water trough so for him he is his guest but at the same time he thinks that it is a deadly animal too so he thinks of killing it. 

Answer 2

The poet's dual attitude actually represents mankind's conflicting thoughts about each and everything around him. Man is always indecisive about most of the things. Man still is the slave of his animalistic instincts and emotions. Fear is still the predominant emotion in his pseudo-educated heart. So the poet when saw the snake first appreciated its presence, however, the savage instincts eclipsed the civilized instincts; and he felt his survival threatened and thus in spite of himself, threw a log at him.