The poet, Vikram Seth, very cleverly gives us a message of the importance of self-confidence

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1 THE FROG AND THE NIGHTINGALE - Vikram Seth Summary The poet, Vikram Seth, very cleverly gives us a message of the importance of self-confidence and moral courage in his poem - The 'Frog and the Nightingale'. Once in a bog, a frog sat under a Sumac tree and croaked all night in a loud and unpleasant voice. The other creatures loathed his voice but their complaints, insults and brickbats couldn't stop him from croaking stubbornly and pompously, insensitive to the disturbance he was causing. Then, one night a nightingale appears at the bog. Her melodious voice captures the admiring attention of the creatures of the Bingle Bog. Ducks and herons swim towards the Sumac tree to hear the nightingale serenade. Some lonely creature even weeps hearing her song. When she stops, there is thunderous applause with the creatures demanding a repeat performance (encore). The jealous frog disturbed by the intrusion of a challenging rival listens to the nightingale dumbstruck. Next night, when the modest bird prepares to sing, the plotting frog interrupts and posing as a music critic, says that the technique was fine, of course, but it lacks a certain force. Unassuming and not used to any kind of criticism, she defends herself by saying, "At least its mine". The heartless frog convinces the nightingale that she was in need of training that only he could provide. The nightingale, lacking in confidence and extremely gullible agrees and flatters him, saying that he was Mozart in disguise. The frog capitalized on the nightingale's servile attitude and said that he would charge a modest fee, which would not harm her. The nightingale soon became famous and the frog grew richer, earning money from her concerts. Eminent personalities like the Owl (Earl) of Sandwich and Duck (Duke) of Kent attend the concerts. The frog sat and watched with mixed feelings of happiness and bitterness. He was happy because he was earning money, and jealous because the bird was receiving so much

2 attention. Meanwhile, the frog makes the nightingale rehearse hard even when it rained and constantly criticized and abused her, ensuring that she became broken in spirit. Fired and spent, her voice lost its beauty and the creatures stopped coming to hear her sing. Morose and depressed, she refused to sing, but the frog goaded her to practice. Scared and unhappy, the nightingale tried, burst a vein, and died. The frog, unsympathetic, dismissed her off - calling her 'stupid'. A shrewd judge of character, he summed her up saying that the nightingale was too nervous and prone to influence, hence bringing her own downfall. Now, the frog once more sings at night in his bog - unrivalled. Extra notes (The Frog and the Nightingale) Important General Questions: 1. Why does the frog persist in singing, though no one in the bog wishes to hear him? 2. Do you think the nightingale was responsible for her own downfall? Why? Why not? 3. What does the poet wish to convey in the poem The Frog and the Nightingale? 4. Artists thrive and flourish due to the admiration of their fans. Do you think this statement proves true in case of the Nightingale? Explain. 5. How did the Frog break the nightingale s spirit and destroy her? Text book Questions: 1. How does the frog make use of the nightingale s talent for his own gains? 2. What happened to the nightingale at the end and why? Do you think the end is justified? 3. In spite of having a melodious voice and being a crowd puller, the nightingale

3 turns out to be a loser and dies. How far is she responsible for her own downfall? 4. Do you agree with the Frog's inference of the Nightingale's character? Give reasons for your answer. 5. Bring out the irony in the frog's statement - 'Your song must be your own'. Answer: The creature which doesn t even know anything about music tries to comment on a bird like nightingale that possesses a melodious voice and always produces original tunes. Frog s comments are totally baseless as he tried to put down Nightingale s self-esteem and confidence. Exercise:3 Answer the following questions briefly. a. How did the creatures of Bingle bog react to the nightingale's singing? Answer: The creatures of Bingle Bog were fed up and irritated with the loud and unpleasant voice of the frog. They wanted to beat and insult him but the frog was too sensitive and he continued singing. Extra notes (The Frog and the Nightingale) b. Which are the different ways in which the frog asserts his importance? Answer: The frog pretended to be a great singer and he also said that he was the reporter of Bog Trumpet. He boasted that he was a music critic and musician like Mozart and ready to train her. c. Why is the frog's joy both sweet and bitter? Answer: Frog was happy to charge money for Nightingale s song was unhappy at the popularity of the nightingale in the Bog. Though financially he was happy, he couldn t actually relish the nightingale being praised by everyone. d. Why was the frog angry? Answer: The nightingale s songs became very dull, listless and monotonous due to

4 exertion and stress. The crowds dwindled and stopped attending nightingale s performances. Frog was not able to make the expected money and he was angry. e. How did the frog become the unrivalled king of the bog again? Answer: The frog humiliated and insulted the nightingale. He made her practice continuously in the rain and thunder. He instructed her to sing to sing at very high notes. So out of sheer fatigue and stress, Nightingale s voice burst out and she died. So the bog had to tolerate the frog s singing once again. Reference to Context: 1. And the whole admiring bog Stared towards the sumac, rapt, And, when she had ended, clapped, Ducks had swum and herons waded To her as she serenaded a. What was the reaction of the nightingale s song? b. Explain serenaded and rapt c. How did the nightingale sing and make a difference to the frog s songs?. Extra notes 2. Not too bad but far too long. The technique was fine of course, But it lacked a certain force. a. Why is the frog making above comments? b. What defects does he point out in the nightingale s songs? c. What was the reaction of the nightingale to the above comments? 3. For six hours, till she was shivering and her voice was hoarse and quivering.

5 Though subdued and sleep deprived, In the night her throat revived a. Why had the nightingale come to this state? b. How did she revive? c. What would be the future of this kind of exertion? 4. Well, poor bird she should have known That your song must be your own. That's why I sing with panache a. How does the frog express his sympathy? b. What character traits are reflected by the frog s comments? c. Explain panache Give explanation for the following expressions: 1. Croaked in the Bingle Bog. 2. He croaked awn and awn and awn. 3. And the crass cacophony. 4. To display his heart s elation. 5. Stared toward the Sumac, rapt 6. For my splendid baritone 7. The technique was fine of course. 8. Journeyed up and down the scale 9. We must aim for better billings You still owe me sixty shillings 10. Use your wits and follow fashion Puff your lungs out with passion Ms Kalyani T. Extra notes for Gr: 10 ENGLISH (The Frog and the Nightingale) 5 Literary Devices used in the poem:

6 METAPHORS: SYMBOLS: for their own benefits. y talented artists who fail to achieve fame due to their innocence. ALLITERATION: Glossary 1. blared - to make a loud unpleasant noise 2. sumac - a tree of the cashew family grown in the temperate zone 3. minstrel - a musician or a singer in the Middle Ages 4. elation - feeling a great happiness and excitement 5. rapt - so interested in something that you are not aware of anything else 6. serenade - gentle music to his lover by a man standing under her window 7. loon an American bird that eats fish and has a cry like a laugh 8. enraptured - in a state of deep pleasure 9. encore - (here) once more! repeat

7 10.applause - the noise made by a group of people clapping their hands and sometimes shouting to show their approval 11. twitched - pulled up with a sudden movement 12. fluffed - to do something badly/to fail at something 13. splendid - excellent 14. baritone - a man's singing voice with a certain type of rangems Kalyani T. Extra notes for Gr: 10 ENGLISH (The Frog and the Nightingale) wield - to have and use power/authority 16. confessed admitted / agreed 17. flattered - felt happy at false praise 18. impressed - deeply influenced 19. to boast about - to speak high of 20. Mozart - a classical Austrian musician & composer of century 21. in disguise - in a concealed form 22. adoration - a feeling of great love or worship 23. precision - carefully and accurately 24. charged admission - allowed to come in at a fee 25. subdued - (here) tired 26. sleep deprived - kept away from sleep (feeling lethargic) 27. titled crowd - throngs of people with titles 28. tiaras - pieces of jewellery, studded with precious stones. 29. glitter - shine 30. twittering - a series of short high sounds that birds make 31. trills - repeated short high sounds (like a bird) 32. zipped - moved quickly 33. uninspired - rude and unpleasant behaviour as at a ticket-window

8 34. morose - sad 35. addicted - habitual of 36. follow fashion - to go after current trend 37. with panache - with a confident and elegant way to impress others 38. foghorn - (originally) an instrument that makes a loud noise to warn ships of a danger. (here) croaking or unmusical. 39. unrivalled - having none to match Summary 11-TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA - A.J.Cronin The author and his companion had been driving near the city of Verona, when they were stopped by twosmall boys who were shabbily dressed, selling strawberries. The author s driver cautioned the author against purchasing the fruits. The boys were very skinny but their eyes were sincere and attracted attention. The author took an instant liking for these boys and ended up buying their biggest basket of strawberries.next morning, the author noticed those two boys polishing people s shoes. The boys smiled and told theauthor that they performed many other kinds of jobs, like escorting tourists around the city. Impressed,the author had the boys immediately. Due to close interaction, the author discovered that the boys werevery friendly and innocent. Beneath their cheerful smiles, however, he could discern seriousness, a hint ofsadness that defied their age. The author didn t regret his decision since the boys proved to beresourceful. The author found their eagerness to do work really remarkable. The author was struck bytheir desperation to do more and more work, but he was surprised to know that they still wore tornclothes and hardly ate anything. The author s trip was coming to an end. Before leaving, he asked if he could do something for them. Nikola, the elder one refused, but the younger one requested the author to drive them to Poleta, 30 kms away, next day. As a last gesture of goodwill, he volunteered to drive the boys himself. The following afternoon, they all drove to the tiny village, near a hill. The author was surprised to halt beside a villa. Before he could question, the boys leapt out and asked the author to pick them up from the same place, after an hour. The author couldn t restrain his curiosity. He went in and was greeted by a nurse, and through a glass partition, the author saw that the boys were seated beside a hospital bed,

9 with a girl aged 20, who appeared to be their sister. The author refused to be ushered inside, as he didn t wish to interrupt a happy family reunion. On being asked, the nurse told the author that the children s father had been killed in a war, and a bomb had destroyed their house and rendered them homeless. Since thegermans ruled the city for many years, the children had to undergo a lot of suffering, and their sister,lucia, who wanted to be a singer, couldn t bear the cold and starvation, and contracted tuberculosis ofthe spine. The boys brought Lucia there, and every week, they brought enough money for her treatment.the author was rejoined by the boys and they drove back to the city. The boys remained tight-lipped, andthe author also decided to remain quiet, because he respected their privacy. The author left, filled withadmiration, at the courage and relentless effort of two young boys who remained determined despite thesetbacks of the war. Important General Questions: 1. Nicola said to the narrator, waiting for the last bus from Padua. We shall sell all our newspapers, when it comes in. Why were the boys waiting for the last bus? 2. Why does the narrator make an offer for help to the two boys? What does itentail? 3. Why did the two boys survive only on black bread and figs, despite making a decent earning? 4. What scene does the narrator see through the glass partition? 5. The nurse said regarding the two boys, I don t know what they do, I don t ask. Work is scarce in Verona. What does this remark reflect upon the speaker? Text book Questions: 1. Appearances are deceptive. Discuss with reference to the two boys. Answer: At the surface level, the boys appeared to be friendly, fun-loving and childish. But, gradually the author discovered that they were too mature to keep their private griefs safe. Moreover, they never showed their suffering in any way. Behind their smiles, there was a hint of sadness that could be seen once in a while. 2. Do you think the boys looked after Lucia willingly? Give reasons for your answer. Answer: The ultimate mission of the boys life centered on the welfare of their sister Lucia. Day and night, they slogged and starved only to provide for medical expenses for Lucia. This couldn t have been done without their will and desire. 3. How does the story 'Two Gentlemen of Verona' promise hope for society?

10 Answer: Both Nicola and Jacopo show selflessness and reflect great dignity in their behaviour. They are deeply devoted to save their sister. In their earnest endeavour they become role models, epitomes of sacrifice who can enlighten the path for rest of the humanity to follow. Answer the following questions briefly. a. "We do many things, sir," Nicola answered seriously. He glanced at us hopefully. Answer: The author was surprised to see Nicola and Jacopo polishing shoes instead of selling wild berries. Nicola said that, they do many other jobs like working as tourist guides, because he wanted the author to engage him as a guide to earn more money. b. He coloured deeply under his sunburn then grew pale. Answer: The author is taken aback to see both the boys working so hard, but still wearing torn clothes and hardly ate anything. When he asked Nicola, what he did with so much money, he couldn t reveal the fact that the money was for his ailing sister. So, his face bore an embarrassed look. c. He smiled uncomfortably. "Just plans, sir," he answered in a low voice. Answer: When Nicola didn t wish to answer that they were saving the money for their ailing sister, he just smiled uncomfortably and did not wish to comment any further. d. Yet in both these boyish faces there was a seriousness which was far beyond their years. Answer: Both Nicola and Jacopo appeared to be friendly, innocent, and carried out each job with great fun and zest. Yet, there was a hint of lingering sadness in their eyes which is generally not seen in a boy of their age group. Brief Synopsis of the Story This story is about the indomitable courage and perseverance of two young boys, whom the destruction and ravages of war has not been able to crush. Their adversity becomes their strength and they are spurred on to take up extraordinary loads of work to fend for their ailing sister. Reference to Context: 1. Nicola, the way you and Jacopo work, you must earn quite a bit. You spend nothing on clothes. You eat little enough a. Who said the above lines? b. Why did the speaker get the feeling that the boys were not spending any money? c. What do these lines reflect about the two boys? 2. When the war was over and we had peace at last, they came back to their beloved sister. And they found her

11 a. Identify they. b. Which war is the speaker talking about? c. In what condition did they find their sister? 3. They couldn t do it better, I agreed. a. Who is I and who are they? b. What great thing had the above mentioned people done? c. Do you think the speaker is earnest in his saying? WRITING EXERCISES: 1. As the narrator, write an article on the lesson of love, faith and trust that you have learnt from the two young boys of Verona. Answer: IT DOESN T TAKE YEARS TO GAIN MATURITY Tragedies and adversities either bring out the best, or the worst, among people. They prove to be great testing times which end up in glory or disaster. The bitter and indomitable struggle of Nicola and Jacopo, amidst the ravages of war, takes on epic proportions. The two young boys depict great maturity, wisdom and faith in the invincibility of human spirit. The die-hard nature of two boys changes the nature of people around them, with their vibrant spark of humanity. The two boys not only create a home to survive from the rubble, but pitch in their best efforts to sustain their sister Lucia. Their intrinsic vitality encourages them to take up any work that is available i.e. shining shoes, selling newspapers and fruits or escorting the tourists for sightseeing. ************************************************************************************ 1. An inspirational and touching story of Jacopo and Nicola, two brothers aged 12 and 13 who do odd jobs and live a hard life in the city of Verona, Italy. 2. A J Cronin uses the title of William Shakespeare s famous play, The Two Gentlemen of Verona in an ironic manner

12 3. His portrayal of these modern gentlemen of Verona re-defines the concept of what it means to be a gentleman 4. The two brothers wage a daily fight against extreme poverty, and deprivation, to sustain and treat their elder sister Lucia who is suffering from tuberculosis of the spine. 5. Cronin shows us that one may polish boots or sell newspapers, but it is the magnanimity of the heart, and the nobleness of purpose, that actually determines whether one is a true gentleman. 6. Written in the first person it presents a humanist point of view where; the strength and nobility of the human spirit, the effervescence and innocence of youth are symbolised through the characters of Nicola and Jacopo. 7. Unperturbed by the ragged nature of their appearance; impressed by their sincerity and willingness to work hard, the man engages the two boys to run errands for him. 8. Once, he chances upon them at night, sitting on a pavement, waiting to board a bus to sell the last lot of their newspapers. 9. Seeing their distraught appearance he offers his help, and the younger one asks him if they could be dropped to a village in the countryside. 10. On visiting the village he witnesses a poignant scene between the two brothers and their ailing sister Lucia. 11. He is amazed by their unfazed childish faith in themselves and their hope of securing a happy future for their family. SETTING : 1. Verona, Italy 2. Poleta 30 KMs from Verona where Lucia s hospital is situated. TITLE: 1. Nicola and Jacopo are children of 13 & 12 years of age respectively. 2. They have gentlemen-like qualities.

13 3. They consider no work to be menial. 4. They do all sorts of odd jobs to meet the expenses of their sister s treatment. 5. They do all jobs with great sense of integrity. 6. It is the magnanimity of heart and the nobleness of purpose that actually determines whether one is a true gentleman. 7. Title matches one of Shakespeare s early plays which makes this story sounds all the more important.