a Claws: 1442) Me P chaltey 1 251) Describe the interaction between the Spider and the Fly in th © Poem ‘The Spider and the Fly’. Ans) The poem The Spider and the Fly by Mary Howitt has the Se ofa fable. It tells a tale which has a moral. The poem has = written to caution children about the dangers of vanity and of eing Susceptible to flattery. It can also be interpreted as a warning to women to be aware of men who exploit and manipulate them through flattery, The poem progresses through the conversation between a spider ~ anda fly. Interestingly, the spider is male and the fly female. The fly is aware of the dangers of entering the spider’s web. It knows that those who enter the spider’s parlour never come out. The spider uses Several temptations to attract the fly. It first talks about its Comfortable bed which will help the fly to rest. He paints an attractive picture of his room which has Pretty curtains and fine sheets on the bed. However, initially the fly is on her guard. She is aware that those who sleep in the spider’s bed never wake up again. Undettered, the Spider addresses the fly as dear friend for whom he has great love and affection. He tempts her with all the delicacies that he has in his store. She can step into her Parlour and have a slice of anything that she likes, However, the fly can resist this temptation too. She firmly declares that she knows what he has in his pantry and that she has no desire to see what he has, The fly now moves to flattery from material temptations. He compliments the fly calling her “witty creature” and Pretty and wise. He praises her gauzy wings and her Shining eyes. He asks her to step into his parlour to have a glimpse of her beauty ina little looking glass on his parlour shelf, The fly still refuses to be enticed. She thanks the spider for his compliments and declares that she will come another day. As she goes away the cunning spider knows that his words will have an effect on her and she would return. To Scanned with CamScannerbin one corner of his omes out to the door ie invites the fly to her green and Prepare for this he weaves an intricate We den. He sets his table in readiness. Then he ¢ again and begins to sing in a cheerful tone. & come, flattering her on the beauty of her wings, Purple robe a crest on her head. He compares her eyes to bright diamonds and his own to dull lead. His flattery is such that ene my loses her good sense, forgets all the danger and walks into this = spider’s trap. The speaker in the poem goes on to express his grie! at the folly of the fly. He describes how the fly abandones all cautions and flies nearer and nearer to the dangerous web. She thinks only of the pretty words used by this spider. The spider who has been lying in wait catches her and drags her to his cell from which she never comes out. The poem ends with a reminder to all those who are innocent, gullible and unwary. The speaker cautions them against paying attention to the words of false praise of dangerous people around them. Scanned with CamScannerScanned with CamScannerScanned with CamScannerScanned with CamScannerScanned with CamScanner