THE FROG AND THE NIGHTINGALE
TITLE
The story of “The Frog and the Nightingale” is based on two main characters- the Nightingale and the Frog. Hence, the poet has rightly included both of them in the title of the poem. However, though the Nightingale is a pivotal character, the poet has chosen to call the poem “The Frog and the Nightingale” rather than “The Nightingale and the Frog”. Thus, he cleverly hints at the dominating nature of the Frog. Hence, the poem has a well-chosen and a well-worded title.
THEME
The poem highlights the plight of those gullible people whose simplicity and credulous nature makes them complete misfits in the world of manipulation. The go-getters elbow their way to the forefront pushing the deserving to the background. The shy and the timid fail to put their foot down and the dominating and the domineering go about exploiting them without any sense of remorse or guilt.
MESSAGE
In order to survive in the manipulative world today, it is important to have worldly wisdom. It is only one‟s individuality and reasoning that can save one from getting duped and exploited. One must know one‟s limitations and capabilities to be able to decide the course of one‟s life.
I Read the following extracts and answer the given questions.
1. “And you’re a Mozart in disguise
Come to Earth before my eyes.
“Well I charge a modest fee.
Oh! But it won’t hurt, you’ll see.”
i) How was the frog a „Mozart‟ in disguise?
ii) What did the frog say to entice the Nightingale?
iii) What trait of the frog‟s personality is revealed here?
2. “Trembling, terrified to fail,
Blind with tears, the nightingale
Heard him out in silence, tried,
Puffed up, burst a vein, and died.”
i) Why did the Nightingale tremble?
ii) Why was she terrified?
iii) How did the Nightingale die?
3. “I don’t think the song’s divine.
But-oh, well- at least it’s mine.”
“That’s not much the boast about,”
Said the heartless frog.
i) Why does the Nightingale feel her song is not divine?
ii) What quality does the Nightingale attribute to her song?
iii) Why is the frog called „heartless‟?
II Short Answer Questions:
1. What gave relief to the Bingle Bog creatures from the jarring croaking of the frog?
2. Do you think the nightingale was responsible for her own exploitation? Why/ Why not?
3. What does the poet wish to convey in the poem „The Frog and the Nightingale‟?
4. Why was the Frog‟s joy both sweet and bitter on seeing the titled crowd?
III Long Answer Question:
The frog remains unrepentant even at the death of the nightingale. He makes a diary entry blaming the brainless bird for her own death. Reproduce that entry in 120 words.
IV Value based Question (100-150 words)
Bring out the element of irony in the poem “The Frog and the Nightingale”. How is the irony a dig at the viciousness and selfishness prevalent in the society?
Please click on below link to download CBSE Class 10 English The Frog And The Nightingale Worksheet Set B
