Extract Based Question
Q1. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
And immediately I regretted it.
I thought how paltry, how vulgar, what a mean act!
I despised myself and the voices of my accursed human education.
(a) What does the poet regret?
(b) Why does the poet curse his human education?
(c) What is meant by the word, ‘despised’?
Ans: (a) The poet regrets his act of thrpwing a log at the snake.
(b) The poet curses his human education because it prompted him to kill the snake.
(c) The word, ‘despised’ means hated.
Q2. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
And immediately I regretted it.
I thought how paltry, how vulgar, what a mean act!
I despised myself and the voices of my accursed human education
(a) What was the mean act?
(b) Why did the poet despise himself?
(c) What does the word ‘accursed’ mean in the above context?
Ans: (a) The poet’s attempt to harm the innocent snake using a clumsy log was the mean act.
(b) He felt himself guilty of being cruel towards a creature made by God.
(c) The word ‘accursed’ means here ‘unfortunate’ or ‘bad’.
Q3. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
For he seemed to me again like a king,
Like a king in exile, uncrowned in the underworld,
Now due to be crowned again.
And so, I missed my chance with one of the lords Of life.
And I have something to expiate:
A pettiness.
(a) Why is the snake called a king in exile?
(b) What is the pettiness referred to in these lines?
(c) What does the word ‘underworld’ mean?
Ans: (a) This beautiful creature of God is compelled by the poet to go back into its underground hole which has been compared to exile.
(b) ‘The pettiness’ is referred to the inability of the poet to get the advantage of the situation and his wrong decision guided by his accursed human education.
(c) The word ‘underworld’ means ‘the mythical abode of the dead under the earth’ or ‘the shelter of the antipodes’.
Q4. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Was it humility, to feel so honoured?I felt so honoured.
And yet those voices:
(a) Why did the poet feel honoured?
(b) Which ‘voices’ are referred to in these lines?
(c) What does ‘humility’ in the first line mean?
Ans: (a) The humility and the civility of the poet made him feel so honoured.
(b) In these lines the voices of accursed human education are referred to.
(c) In the first line the word ‘humility’ means modesty.
Q5. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
And truly I was afraid, I was most afraid, But even so, honoured still more That he should seek my hospitality From out the dark door of the secret earth.
(a) Who was the speaker afraid of? Why?
(b) What do we come to know about the speaker’s character from these lines?
(c) Why did he feel honoured?
Ans: (a) The speaker was afraid of the snake. From the colour of the snake it was obvious to the poet that the snake was poisonous.
(b) These lines tell us that the poet is apprehensive and timid.
(c) The poet felt honoured because the snake chose his water trough to quench his thirst.
Q6. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
In the deep, strange-scented shade of the great dark carob-tree I came down the steps with my pitcher And must wait, must stand and wait, for there he was at the trough before me.
(a) Why had the poet come down?
(b) Why did he decide to wait?
(c) Who was at the trough before him? Why?
Ans: (a) The poet had come down to fetch water from his water trough.
(b) Being the second comer, it was his moral duty to allow the first comer to quench his thirst first. Moreover, the snake was his guest and he was the host.
(c) The snake was at the water trough before the poet. The snake had come here to quench his thirst.
Short Answer Type Questions
Q7. Why did the narrator allow the snake to quench his thirst first?
Ans: The poet was a gentleman. He allowed the snake to quench his thirst first becausethe snake had come to the trough before him and moreover, he was a guest at the poet’s place. The poet thought that he should wait for his turn to come.’
Q8. Who did the poet throw the log at the snake?
Ans: The poet liked the snake a lot but the voices of education in his head told him to kill the snake as the snake in Sicily are considered to be poisonous. The voice of education overpowered the voices of his conscience and he decided to kill it.
Q9. What does the poet compare the snake’s drinking habits to ? Why ?
Ans: The poet compares the snake’s drinking habits to cattle. As cattle lift their heads after drinking water in the same way the snake lifted his head after drinking some water from the trough. He waited for some time and again drank some more water.
Q10. What is the poet’s dual attitude towards the snake ?
Ans: The poet was full of admiration for the snake. He found it to be a beautiful and majestic creature. He called it the ‘Lord of the Earth’. But at the same time he was full of disgust as the voice of education had told him that the snake was a dangerous creature and should be killed.
Q11. Why does the poet experience conflicting emotions for the snake ?
Ans: The poet liked the snake a lot. He was full of appreciation for the creature. His heart was full of admiration for the majestic creature but his education had taught him that the snakes in Sicily were poisonous and they should be killed immediately when seen.
Q12. What did the voice of education teach the poet ?
Ans: The voices of education taught the poet to kill the snake, for golden brown snakes in Sicily were considered to be poisonous. The poet in an unmindful way did what the voices of education had told him to do. His rational mind and social belief ultimately overpowered his conscience.
Q13. In the poem, ‘Snake’, why does the poet think of the albatross?
Ans: The poet in the poem ‘Snake’ threw a log of wood at the snake without any provocation. He then repented his action and wished that he could see that ‘Lord’ of the earth once again. Similarly, in ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ the Mariner killed the albatross without any fault of its. The Mariner also repented his evil doings.
Q14. Why did the poet have to wait near the water trough?
Ans: The snake was the first comer and the poet was the second one. So the poet thought that the snake had the first right to quench his thirst. Being the second comer, he was supposed to wait. Moreover, the poet was the host and the snake was the guest. So the poet thought that he must wait until his guest had quenched his thirst.
Q15. Why did the poet have to wait near the water trough?
Ans: The snake was the first comer and the poet was the second one. So the poet thought that the snake had the first right to quench his thirst. Being the second comer, he was supposed to wait. Moreover, the poet was the host and the snake was the guest. So the poet thought that he must wait until his guest had quenched his thirst.
Q16. Why did the poet try to harm the snake?
Ans: As long as the snake was busy quenching his thirst, struggle between the two contradictory thoughts was going on in the poet’s mind. The poet tried to resist the negative thought. But the negative thought suppressed his positive one and he heard the voice of his accursed human education. Being guided by his selfish motive he tried to harm the innocent snake.
Q17. What were the conflicting thoughts in the poet’s mind on seeing the snake?
Ans: The poet saw the snake at his water through. Firstly, he regarded him as his guest and allowed him to drink water. Later, he drew the conclusion from the colour of the snake that he (the snake) was poisonous. The first thought was guided by his human instinct that he should appreciate the snake and love animals. The second thought came from the voice of his accursed human education. It was rational thought which inspired him that a poisonous snake must be killed. So the conflict continued between his human instinct and his rational thought.
Q18. Why did the poet feel that he had done a petty act?
Ans: The poet felt a conflict of two contrasting thoughts. Ultimately, the voice of his accursed human education prevailed and he threw a clumsy log on the snake without any provocation. So he had to repent for his action. Being a creature of God the snake had every right on water which is a natural resource. The poet felt that his rational thought i.e. the voice of his education prevailed over his human instinct and made him do a petty act of making an attempt to harm an innocent creature.
Q19. What contradictory thoughts did the poet have on seeing the snake?
Ans: The poet saw the snake at his water through. Firstly, he regarded him as his guest and allowed him to drink water. Later, he drew the conclusion from the colour of the snake that he (the snake) was poisonous. The first thought was guided by his human instinct that he should appreciate the snake and love animals. The second thought came from the voice of his accursed human education. It was rational thought which inspired him that a poisonous snake must be killed. So the conflict continued between his human instinct and his rational thought.
Q20. How does the poet describe the snake while he was drinking water?
Ans: The poet says that the snake reached at his water trough from a crack in the darkness of the earth. The snake carried his yellow-brown loose soft-bellied body over the edge of the trough. He rested his throat on the stone bottom of the water trough. He sipped the water with his straight mouth. Like cattle the snake lifted his head from his drinking and looked vaguely in the direction of the poet.
Q21. What is the dilemma that the poet faces when he sees the snake?
Ans: The poet saw the snake at his water through. Firstly, he regarded him as his guest and allowed him to drink water. Later, he drew the conclusion from the colour of the snake that he (the snake) was poisonous. The first thought was guided by his human instinct that he should appreciate the snake and love animals. The second thought came from the voice of his accursed human education. It was rational thought which inspired him that a poisonous snake must be killed. So the conflict continued between his human instinct and his rational thought.
Q22. What were the poet’s thoughts after the snake had gone?
Ans: The poet confessed that he had committed a heinous crime. He attempted to harm a creature of God without any provocation. As the snake was his guest, he must have set an example of hospitality. He was repenting for what he had done. He compared himself to the Ancient Mariner who had killed an albatross without any provocation. He also said that the snake was one of the lords of life. He was like a king in exile due to be crowned again. Actually, the poet wanted to amend his pettiness.
Q23. Why did the poet throw the log at the snake?
Ans: On seeing a snake at his water trough, two contradictory thoughts came in his mind.His human instinct said that he should wait for taking water and should be proud that the snake chose his water trough to quench his thirst. But the voice of his accursed human education prevailed. It told him that the snake was poisonous and must be killed. The poet could not resist the voice and threw a log at the snake.
Q24. Why does the poet regret following the Voice of education in the poem, “snake”?
Ans: The poet saw the snake at his water through. Firstly, he regarded him as his guest and allowed him to drink water. Later, he drew the conclusion from the colour of the snake that he (the snake) was poisonous. The first thought was guided by his human instinct that he should appreciate the snake and love animals. The second thought came from the voice of his accursed human education. It was rational thought which inspired him that a poisonous snake must be killed. So the conflict continued between his human instinct and his rational thought.
Q25. Why does the narrator in the poem, ‘Snake’ consider himself a coward?
Ans: The poet was sure that the snake was venomous. His voice of human education was instigating him to kill the snake for saving the life of a human being. But his human instinct was not allowing him to do so. His selfish human motive misinterpreted his human instinct and told him that he was hesitant to kill the snake as he was afraid of him. Hence, he was a coward.
Q26. How does D.H. Lawrence describe the snake as it drank from the water-trough?
Ans: The poet says that the snake reached at his water trough from a crack in the darkness of the earth. The snake carried his yellow-brown loose soft-bellied body over the edge of the trough. He rested his throat on the stone bottom of the water trough. He sipped the water with his straight mouth. Like cattle the snake lifted his head from his drinking and looked vaguely in the direction of the poet.
Q27.Which mean act is the poet referring to in the poem, ‘Snake’?
Ans: The poet felt a conflict of two contrasting thoughts. Ultimately, the voice of his accursed human education prevailed and he threw a clumsy log on the snake without any provocation. So he had to repent for his action. Being a creature of God the snake had every right on water which is a natural resource. The poet felt that his rational thought i.e. the voice of his education prevailed over his human instinct and made him do a petty act of making an attempt to harm an innocent creature.
Q28. What does his ‘voice of education’ tell the poet?
Ans: The voice of education of the poet is fully guided by the selfish motive of mankind.It tells the poet to finish the snake as soon as possible as the snake is poisonous and it can take away the life of any human being any time. The voice advocates the principle of self-defense at any rate. When the poet begins to listen to his human instinct, the voice of his education tells him that he is delaying the killing of the snake as he is a coward. Ultimately, the voice of education makes the poet do whatever it likes.
Q29. How did the snake react when the poet tried to harm it?
Ans: Using his sixth sense, the snake realised the danger at once. Without losing a fractionof a second, the snake made a violent movement with the part of his bo’dy which was outside the hole. He twisted and turned like lightning and went inside the black hole without losing any moment. The poet went on staring at the earth-lipped fissure in the front wall. As the snake was the creature made by God, he had the intuition that he must get inside his dark hole without losing even a fraction of a second.
Q30. What sight did the poet see at the water-trough?
Ans: The poet says that the snake reached at his water trough from a crack in the darkness of the earth. The snake carried his yellow-brown loose soft-bellied body over the edge of the trough. He rested his throat on the stone bottom of the water trough. He sipped the water with his straight mouth. Like cattle the snake lifted his head from his drinking and looked vaguely in the direction of the poet.
Q31. What were the poet’s contradictory feelings on seeing the snake?
Ans: The poet saw the snake at his water through. Firstly, he regarded him as his guest and allowed him to drink water. Later, he drew the conclusion from the colour of the snake that he (the snake) was poisonous. The first thought was guided by his human instinct that he should appreciate the snake and love animals. The second thought came from the voice of his accursed human education. It was rational thought which inspired him that a poisonous snake must be killed. So the conflict continued between his human instinct and his rational thought.
Q32. How does the poet feel after throwing a log at the snake?
Ans: The poet confessed that he had committed a heinous crime. He attempted to harm a creature of God without any provocation. As the snake was his guest, he must have set an example of hospitality. He was repenting for what he had done. He compared himself to the Ancient Mariner who had killed an albatross without any provocation. He also said that the snake was one of the lords of life. He was like a king in exile due to be crowned again. Actually, the poet wanted to amend his pettiness.
Q33. The poet has a dual attitude towards the snake. Why does he experience contrasting emotions on seeing the snake?
Ans: On seeing a snake, the poet contemplates what he should do. Then two contrasting emotions start in his mind. Being an educated and experienced man, he begins to think over the situation from many different angles. Being a man, he is also a bundle of emotions. His emotions are guided by his human education and human instinct. Under the situation, the commencement of conflict between contrasting emotions in the poet’s mind is quite natural.
