SUMMARY

The poem “The Frog and the Nightingale” revolves around the two main characters- the nightingale and the frog. The poet Vikram Seth very cleverly gives us a message of importance of self-confidence and moral courage in his poem.
The poem highlights the plight of those gullible people whose simplicity and credulous nature make them complete misfits in the world, it is thus important to have worldly wisdom.

In the poem, the frog represents cunning and shrewd people who, even if, not talented make their way to the top. The frog is a cunning, hard-hearted creature. He lacked skills but ultimately triumphed because of his self-confidence. On the other hand, the nightingale is a talented bird having a melodious voice but lacks self-confidence that causes a great harm to her. She cannot see through the frog’s plotting and scheming. She is easily influenced. The poem teaches us not to be gullible and to realize our self worth.

POETIC DEVICES USED IN THE POEM
Alliteration: Occurrence of the same letter/sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words
Toads and teals and tiddlers.
Neither stone nor prayer nor sticks.
Bingle Bog.

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Metaphor: A figure of speech in which a word/phrase is applied to an object/action to which it is not literally applicable

a solitary loon
Mozart in disguise

Personification: The attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to something non- human or the representation of an abstract quality in human form

Animals are attributed to human qualities.

Rhyming couplets:
Frog, bog
Dawn, own
Voice choice
Stick, brick etc.

Symbols:
The frog
The nightingale

 

SOLUTIONS

A. Based on your understanding of the poem tick the correct answer:
a) The frog’s intention was to
i. make the nightingale famous.
ii. show that he was a superior singer.
iii. make a fool of the nightingale.
iv. exploit the nightingale to make money.

b) The animals in the bog
i. did not like the nightingale’s song.
ii. were indifferent to the nightingale’s song
iii. admired and loved the nightingale’s song.
iv. were curious about the nightingale’s song.

c) The Nightingale
i. was aware of her own talent.
ii. knew she needed the frog’s help.
iii. lacked self-confidence.
iv. was over-confident.

d) Towards the end the nightingale no longer enjoyed her own singing because
i. the frog did not praise her anymore.
ii. she was tired.
iii. she had earned enough money.
iv. she was used to appreciation and praise.
Ans: ii) she was tired.

B. Answer the following questions in a sentence each:

I. Did the animals in the bog enjoy the frog’s croaking?
Ans: No, they did not enjoy the frog’s croaking.

II. 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.

III. How did the nightingale feel when the frog praised her after her first song in the bog?
Ans: The Nightingale felt greatly flattered and impressed.

IV. The frog offered to train the nightingale. Why did he do so?
Ans: The frog was jealous of the nightingale and hatched a plot to get rid of her. That is why he did so.

V. “Though next morning it was raining” Did the frog give the nightingale rest because it was raining?
Ans: No, he did not give her rest instead, he made her rehearse continuously in the rain.

VI. Why did the frog advise the nightingale to add some trills to her song?
Ans: The frog advised the nightingale to add some trills in her song because it would make the audience happy.

VII. What happened to the nightingale at the end?
Ans: At the end the nightingale burst her vein and died.

C. Answer the following questions briefly:

I. What did the frog do every night at the Bingle Bog?
Ans: Every night from dusk to dawn the frog evoked with loud and unpleasant voice. The other inhabitants of the Bingle bog hated his voice, but the only option they had was to bear it.

II. ‘So the nightingale once more. Quite unused to such applause. Sang till dawn without a pause.’ Write why the nightingale behaved so.
Ans: One moonlit night the nightingale sang in the Bingle Bog. The other creatures of the bog were mesmerized by its exquisite melody and surprised as they had never heard such a melodious song before. At the end there was a huge applause. The nightingale had never earned such appreciation, was excited and sang continuously throughout the night.

III. How did the frog introduce himself?
Ans: The frog introduced himself as he was the owner of the sumac tree and was an exceptional singer with a splendid baritone. He also told the nightingale that being an experienced critic in the field of music, he was a columnist in “Bog Trumpet”.

IV. “Did you…..did you like my song?” How did the frog react to the nightingale’s question?
Ans: The frog was very cunning and shrewd. He told the nightingale that her song was too long. He also told that the technique was excellent, but it lacked vigour. It was good, but not excellent.

V. How did the nightingale feel flattered and impressed?
Ans: The nightingale felt flattered and impressed by the opinion given in her song by a great critic who was Mozart in disguise. She was greatly impressed in hearing that she had a sweet and melodious voice.

VI. How did the frog manipulate the nightingale to bring the nightingale under his control?
Ans: The sly and wily frog easily manipulated the innocent nightingale by criticizing her song. He said that without meticulous training, she would remain as a mere beginner. So, he asked the nightingale to take training under him to become a star.

VII. ………“This is a fairy-tale And you are Mozart in disguise Come to earth before my eyes.” Explain why nightingale said so.
Ans: The gullible nightingale said that her first meeting with the frog was a fairy tale. She felt greatly flattered and blessed that a great music composer with the calibre of Mozart was ready to train her. She also felt that under his guidance, she would become a star.

VIII. How did the frog commercially exploit the nightingale?
Ans: The money minded frog was charged an entrance fee for the nightingale’s concert, so he was busy selling tickets to each one of them and collecting money from them. He charged a hefty amount from them and kept all the money as his fee to train the nightingale. He also told that she still owed him sixty shillings for training her.

IX. The frog did not allow the nightingale to rest even in rain. What does it tell about his character?
Ans: The frog was full of hatred and jealously for the nightingale and was determined to destroy her. He humiliated and exploited the nightingale. He made her sing in harsh weather for long hours and kept all the money gathered from the
concerts with him only. He did not give her any rest even when she was sick. It was obvious that how unsympathetic and stone hearted he was.

X. “Every day the frog who’d sold her Songs for silver tried to scold her:” How did the frog scold her?
Ans: The frog, who had once accumulated wealth through the nightingale’s singing talent scolded her continuously. He asked her to practice even more till her voice become forceful like him. He also added that she had made mistake in the previous night’s concert. He always reminded her that she had some dues still to pay to him.

XI. Why did the birds and beasts grow tired?
Ans: The nightingale lost her appeal for the masses because her song lacked spontaneity and originality. Moreover, her songs became stale, old and mechanical listening to her song gave no more joy and grew tired to the creatures of the bog.

XII. Why was the frog who’d sold her angry?
Ans: The stony hearted frog was angry because the nightingale’s song no longer drew the huge audience because her song had become monotonous and there was no life in them. As a result, the income from the nightingale’s concerts had fallen sharply.

XIII. How did the nightingale die?
Ans: The nightingale died because of excessive singing and humiliation. She practised hard in the rain. Her voice grew hoarse and lost its beauty. The animals stopped coming to hear her song. She grew sad and depressed because of constant scolding by the heartless frog. Finally, one day, the frog forced her to practice in her ill state. By doing so, she burst a vein and died.