Question

what is the poet's dilemma? why does he strike the snake with a log of wood

Answer 1

The poem, ‘The Snake’, depicts a conflict of natural human values and acquired values. 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, though after it he regretted his act.