THE SNAKE

WORD-MEANING OF THE POEM

 

(1) Narrow-fellow: thin creature

(2) Rides: moves about

(3) Spotted shaft: a stick with spots on it

(4) Closes: disappears

(5) Opens: reappears

(6) Boggy-acre: marshy land

(7) Unbraiding: untwisting

(8) Secure it: catch it

(9) Transport: strong feeling

(10) Cordiality: friendship/ warmth

(11) Slithers away: moves away

(12) Apt: fit, proper, suitable.

(13) Thong: a narrow strip of leather or other material.

(14) Basking: to sit or lie in a place where you can enjoy the warmth.

(15) Benumb: to make inactive, deaden.

OBJECTIVE - TYPE QUESTIONS

 

(1) What is the name of the poet of poem 'The Snake'?

Ans:-Emily Dickinson

(2) Where did the poet see the snake?

Ans: - The poet saw the snake in the grass.

(3) How does the snake look like in the grass?

Ans: - It looks like a spotted shaft.

(4) What type of body does a snake have?

Ans. A snake have a thin body.

(5) How does the snake moves through the grass?

Ans. While it moves, it divides the grass as with a comb.

(6) The snake likes to live in...... land. (The boggy/dry).

Ans. the boggy.

 

About the Poetess

 

EMILY DICKINSON Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) was an American poetess. Her full name was Emily Elizabeth Dickinson. She was not married and was devoted to writing poetry. She wrote more than 1000 lyrics. During her life only six of her poems were published. Most of her poems were published after her death. Some of her famous poems are:

(1) Success is Counted Sweetest

(2) This is My Letter to the World (3) I Never Saw A Moor, etc.

This poem 'The Snake', describes the behaviour of the snake.

 

INTRODUCTION OF THE POEM

In this poem the poetess describes the behaviour of the snake. Snake is considered the enemy of the man. There is something strangely attractive and yet frightening about this creeping creature. Both man and snake avoid each other. Although the snake is beautiful yet it is terrifying.

 

EXPLANATION OF THE POEM

 

A narrow fellow in the grass

Occasionally rides -

You may have met him? Did you not

His notice instant is

The grass divides as with a comb,

A spotted shaft is seen,

And then it closes at your feet

And opens further on

Reference to the Context: - These lines have been taken from the poem, ' The Snake' written by Emily Dickinson. In these lines the poetess describes the behaviour of the snake.

Explanation: - In these lines 'A narrow fellow in the grass' is a snake. It is seen moving in the grass. It appears and disappears suddenly. The snake moving through the grass divides it as with a comb. It looks like a stick with spots on it. It vanishes in the grass if it happens to come close at our feet. And then it reappears again. These lines describe the behaviour of the snake.

 

EXPLANATION OF THE POEM

 

He likes a boggy acre -

A floor too cool for corn -

But when a boy and barefoot

I more than once at noon

Have passed I thought a whip lash

Unbraiding in the sun

When stooping to secure it

It wrinkled and was gone

Reference to the Context: - These lines have been taken from the poem, ' The Snake' written by Emily Dickinson. In these lines the poetess describes the behaviour of the snake.

Explanation:-The snake prefers to live in marshy area. It likes to live in cool place. The poetess saw this creature many a time when she was a child. Sometimes she saw them during her morning walks. She used to walk barefooted on the grass. She also saw the snake basking in the sun. She mistook it for a leather thong of whip and tried to catch it. But the snake zig-zagged away in the grass. Behaviour of the snake is described in these lines.

 

EXPLANATION OF THE POEM

 

Several of nature’s people

I know, and they know me

I feel for them a transport

Of cordiality

But never met this fellow

Attended or alone

Without a tighter breathing

And zero at the bone.

Reference to the Context: - These lines have been taken from the poem, ' The Snake' written by Emily Dickinson. In these lines the poetess describes the behaviour of the snake.

Explanation: - The speaker of these lines is familiar with many creatures in the natural world. She calls them creatures of nature. Both the poetess and these creatures know each other. She has friendship with many of these birds, insects and animals. But whenever she sees a snake, she trembles with fear. The very sight of snake benumbs her. Thus the poetess shows how frightening this creeping creature is.

SUMMARY OF THE POEM

 

In this poem, the ' narrow fellow in the grass ' is a snake. The snake is seen from a child's eye view. The snake appears and disappears suddenly and is apt to be mistaken for other things (e.g. a whip). The snake moving through the grass divides it as with a comb. It slithers away as soon as the speaker notices it.

The poet saw this many a time when she was a child. She saw the snake during her morning walks. It was basking in the sun. She mistook it for a whip and tried to catch it. But the snake zig-zagged away in the grass.

Now the speaker of the poem is grown up. She is familiar with many creatures of the nature. Both the poetess and these creatures know each other. But whenever she sees a snake, she trembles with fear. She can then hardly breathe. Blood freezes within her. The snake is strangely attractive and yet it is frightening.

 

CENTRAL IDEA OF THE POEM

 

This poem describes the behaviour of the snake. The snake's body is thin and glossy. It looks like a spotted shaft. Although the snake is strangely attractive yet it is frightening. The very sight of the snake benumbs us. Both man and snake avoid each other.