The Frog and The Nightingale - Vikram Seth | BOSEM Class 10 English Literature Reader
Board of Secondary Education Manipur (BOSEM)Class - XEnglish Literature Reader (Poetry)Chapter - 6
The Frog and The Nightingale
Vikram Seth
Summary and Analysis of the Poem
Vikram Seth's "The Frog and the Nightingale" can be described as a poem that takes the form of a short story while conveying a moral lesson through allegory. The two main characters, the frog and the nightingale, symbolise human traits and behaviours. The nightingale represents talent and modesty, while the frog embodies cunning and manipulation. Through this comparison, Seth emphasises the detrimental effects of vanity, ultimately leading to the nightingale's demise.
The poem imparts important lessons for humanity, highlighting the consequences of being talented but lacking self-reliance and falling victim to manipulation. Despite the nightingale's beautiful singing voice, her lack of confidence and self-reliance makes her vulnerable to the frog's deceitful tactics. The frog exploits her for his own benefit until her tragic death, allowing him to reclaim his dominion.
In summary, Seth's poem serves as a cautionary tale, reminding readers of the dangers of naivety, the importance of self-reliance, and the harmful impact of allowing oneself to be manipulated by others.
Seth's poem commences with the tale of a frog residing in a bog, persistently emitting unpleasant sounds from dawn to dusk. The other creatures in the bog endured this harsh noise, as the frog remained resolute in his singing, despite it being more of a raucous cacophony than actual singing. However, their plight was soon alleviated when a nightingale arrived in the bog and began to sing melodiously from a tree. The toad and the other creatures were mesmerised by the nightingale's enchanting song. They gathered around the tree, admiring her voice and the beauty of her melody. The nightingale, unaccustomed to such fervent praise, was flattered and continued to sing until daybreak.
On the following night, as the Nightingale prepared to sing once more, she was interrupted by a croak. Upon inquiring, she discovered that it was the frog approaching her. The frog, adopting an air of importance, claimed ownership of the tree and boasted about his renowned baritone. He also declared that he wrote occasionally for the Bog Trumpet magazine. He proceeded to engage the nightingale in a conversation, offering critique on her song, suggesting that it was too lengthy and lacked certain essential elements. Exploiting her innocence, the manipulative frog skilfully flattered the nightingale, who readily believed his words, feeling honoured that such a reputed critic appreciated her work. Modestly, she acknowledged that while she did not consider her song to be divine, it was undeniably original and her own.
The frog asserted that the nightingale was a good singer, but implied that she could only reach her full potential with the exclusive training that only a select few, like himself, could provide. Without his guidance, he suggested that she was merely a novice, but with it, she could become the best of all. This excessive praise was overwhelming for the nightingale, who, being innocent and susceptible to flattery, struggled to discern the frog's true intentions. Modestly, she likened the frog to a disguised Mozart and humbly requested his guidance, to which the frog responded by indicating that he would charge a modest fee.
Enthralled and inspired, the nightingale sang with such fervour that animals from far and wide came to listen to her. The frog then charged these animals for attending her concert. The following morning, amidst the rain, her training commenced and lasted for six exhaustive hours, leaving the nightingale utterly drained of energy and sleep by its conclusion. Despite this, she sang again that night as crowds gathered to listen, bringing a sense of joy to the frog tinged with jealousy. Formerly the ruler of the bog, the frog began to feel threatened by the nightingale's growing fame. He adopted the role of a strict coach, intermittently scolding the nightingale and delivering disparaging criticism designed to undermine her morale.
As time passed, the nightingale grew increasingly weary and feeble, but she found herself trapped in the frog's scheme, unable to extricate herself or refuse. The frog had essentially commercialised her once-melodious voice and song, diminishing its allure upon being commodified, leading to a decline in her sales and, ultimately, the collapse of the ticket office. Despite this, the frog urged her to summon her passion and sing at her best, resulting in the poor creature straining her lungs and bursting a vein in her futile attempt to sing louder, only to be overshadowed once again by the frog's unpleasant voice echoing through the bog.
The nightingale exhibits traits that render her susceptible to flattery and cunning manipulation, traits that can also be observed in humans who, when accustomed to flattery, may lose sight of their own affairs. The nightingale's lack of self-reliance caused her to lose control; had she been confident and self-reliant, her song would have remained her own, and she would have been free. The repulsive frog continued to manipulate her, exploiting her for his own gain until the poor creature perished. This serves as a cautionary tale, reminding even stars to be mindful of their vulnerabilities and to prevent others from taking undue advantage. Seth's poem conveys an important lesson and makes for compelling reading.
Solved Textual Exercises
I. Answer the following questions in a sentence each.
1. Did the animals in the bog enjoy the frog's croaking?
Ans.: - No, the animals in the bog loathed the frog's croaking.
2. What did the solitary loon do after she had heard the nightingale's song?
Ans.: - The solitary loon wept after she had heard the nightingale's song.
3. How did the nightingale feel when the frog praised her after her first song in the bog?
Ans.: - After singing her first song in the bog, the nightingale felt deeply flattered and impressed when the frog praised her.
4. The frog offered to train in the nightingale. Why did he do so?
Ans.: - The frog envied the nightingale and devised a plan to eliminate her, which motivated his actions.
5. "Though next morning it was raining" Did the frog give the nightingale rest because it was raining?
Ans.: - The frog didn't allow the nightingale to rest; rather, he compelled her to practice incessantly in the rain.
6. Why did the frog advise the nightingale to add some trills to her song?
Ans.: - The frog suggested to the nightingale that incorporating some trills into her song would bring joy to the audience.
7. What happened to the nightingale at the end?
Ans.: - At the end, the nightingale burst her vein and died.
II. Answer the following questions briefly.
1. What did the frog do every night at the Bingle Bog?
Ans.: - Every evening, as the sun set and darkness fell, the frog emitted a loud and disagreeable sound that echoed through the Bingle bog until the break of dawn. The other residents of the bog despised the frog's voice, yet they had no choice but to endure it.
Quite unused to such applause.
Sang till dawn without a pause."
Write why the nightingale behaves so.
Ans.: - One night, under the moonlight, the nightingale sang in the Bingle Bog. The other inhabitants of the bog were enchanted by its beautiful melody, astonished as they had never experienced such a melodious song before. As the song concluded, there was a great applause. The nightingale, who had never received such admiration, felt thrilled and continued to sing throughout the night.
3. How did the frog introduce himself?
Ans.: - The frog identified himself as the owner of the sumac tree and boasted about his exceptional singing abilities with a splendid baritone. He also informed the nightingale that he was an experienced music critic and occasionally contributed to Bog Trumpet magazine.
How did the frog react to the nightingale's question?
Ans.: - The frog displayed great cunning and shrewdness. He criticised the nightingale, telling her that her song was too long. Furthermore, he acknowledged her technique as excellent, but suggested that it lacked vigour, and thus did not deserve much praise.
5. How did the nightingale feel flattered and impressed?
Ans.: - The nightingale was deeply flattered and awed by the praise she received for her singing from a renowned critic who was actually disguised as Mozart. She was truly moved to learn that her voice was considered sweet and melodious.
6. How did the frog manipulate the nightingale to bring the nightingale under his control?
Ans.: - The cunning and crafty frog skilfully influenced the unsuspecting nightingale by disparaging her song. He insinuated that without careful instruction, she would only ever be a novice. Subsequently, he proposed that the nightingale undergo training with him in order to achieve stardom and triumph. (disparage - express a negative opinion of; insinuate - give to understand)
And you are Mozart in disguise
Come to earth before my eyes."
Explain why nightingale said so.
Ans.: - The trusting nightingale expressed that her initial encounter with the frog felt like a fairy tale. She was deeply honoured and grateful that a renowned music composer like Mozart was willing to mentor her. She believed that with his guidance, she would shine as a star.
8. How did the frog commercially exploit the nightingale?
Ans.: - The greedy frog demanded payment for the nightingale's performance, selling tickets to those who had come to enjoy her song. He charged a significant sum for admission, keeping all the money as his fee for teaching the nightingale. Additionally, he claimed that she still owed him sixty shillings for her training, and he compelled her to sing until she was exhausted.
9. The frog did not allow the nightingale to rest even in rain. What does it tell about his character?
Ans.: - The frog harboured intense hatred and jealousy towards the nightingale, with a strong determination to ruin her. He subjected the nightingale to humiliation and exploitation, forcing her to sing in harsh weather for extended periods and confiscating all the earnings from ticket sales. Even in adverse conditions such as rain or illness, he denied her any respite, revealing his unsympathetic and callous nature. (respite - rest, break)
Songs for silver tried to scold her:"
How did the frog scold her?
Ans.: - The frog, who had gained riches from the nightingale's singing abilities, constantly reprimanded her. He urged her to practice even more until her voice became as powerful as his. Additionally, he pointed out that she had made an error in the previous night's performance and frequently reminded her that she still owed him. (reprimand - scold)
11. Why did the birds and beast grow tired?
Ans.: - The nightingale's popularity waned as her song was deemed lacking in spontaneity and originality. Furthermore, her melody became stale, antiquated, and mechanical, no longer bringing joy to those who listened, causing the creatures of the bog to grow weary of it. (wane - a gradual decline)
12. Why was the frog who'd sold her angry?
Ans.: - The frog, known for its cold-hearted nature, became furious as the nightingale's once captivating song failed to attract the large audience it once did. The nightingale's melodies had become dull and lacked the freshness they once possessed, causing a significant decline in her singing income.
13. How did the nightingale die?
Ans.: - The nightingale's demise was a result of excessive singing and humiliation. Despite practicing diligently in the rain, her voice became hoarse and lost its beauty, causing the animals to cease attending her performances. The constant scolding from the heartless frog left her feeling despondent and dejected. Ultimately, the frog's insistence on her practicing in her weakened state led to her bursting a vein, resulting in her death.
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