The Rattrap The Rattrap

- Selma Lagerlof - Selma Lagerlof

(1858-1940) (1858-1940)

About the Author :

INDEX
Selma Lagerlof was a Swedish writer
1. About the Author
whose stories have been translated into
2. Introduction
many languages. A universal theme runs
3. Theme, Sub-theme, Plot
through all of them — a belief that the
4. Characters
essential goodness in a human being can
5. Summary
be awakened through understanding and
6. Sequence & Key-Points
love. This story is set amidst the mines of
7. Vocabulary
Sweden, rich in iron ore, which figure
8. Points to Ponder
large in the history and legends of that
9. Character Sketch
country. The story is told somewhat in the
10. Assignment
manner of a fairy tale.

Sweden
 The Rattrap
Introduction :
The story is about an old disheartened peddler who is shown
generosity by a young woman. Her generosity and kindness change
his bitter attitude towards life. The peddler is a man who has fallen
upon misfortune and now resorts to selling rattraps, begging, and
thievery. He is very pessimistic about the world around him and sees
the world as merely a ‘rattrap’. He believes that the world tempts us
with riches and fine things, and when we accept, we are caught in
the trap and are left with nothing. The story conveys a universal
message that the essential goodness in a human being can be
awakened through love, respect, kindness and understanding. The
story also highlights human predicament. Material benefits are the
traps that most human beings are prone to fall into. Human beings do
have a tendency to redeem themselves from dishonest ways as does
the peddler at the end of the story.

The Rattrap The Rattrap

Theme : The trap of material benefit that most human beings are prone - Selma Lagerlof
to fall into.

CHARACTERS :
Sub-Theme : The human tendency to redeem oneself from
dishonest ways. The Peddler - The protagonist

Plot : Life of the protagonist (a peddler) – his philosophy about the Crofter – A lonely old man
world - at the crofter’s house – trapped in the forest - at the
iron mill – at the Ironmaster’s house – the redemption Ironmaster – Owner of Ramjo ironworks
Edla Williamson – Daughter of the Ironmaster
The story emphasises the consequences of
loneliness and the need for companionship Master Smith – A worker at the iron mill
 The Rattrap
SUMMARY
The Rattrap is a story about a rattrap seller who leads a very poor life as his
earnings are very low. He resort to thievery and begging to make his living.
He is alone in this whole world and leads a miserable life. So he starts
knitting up various thoughts. One of these thoughts is of the whole world
being a big rattrap. His believes that the world offers us various types of
baits in the form of comforts of life. This in return traps us in the rattrap of
the world and leads us to our miseries. Every night, the peddler had to
search for shelter as he had no home. One evening he was offered shelter
by an old crofter. The next morning he stole the crofter’s money which he
had earned by selling his cow’s milk. To safeguard himself, the peddler
chose the path through the forest which was secluded, but soon found
himself trapped in the forest as he wasn’t able to find the way out of the
dense forest. Later on, he finds a way to a forge and takes shelter there.
Then something unusual happens. The ironmaster who comes to his mill for
a nightly round of inspection, sees the peddler and mistakes him as an old
regimental comrade Captain Von Stahle and invites him to his house.
The Rattrap : Sequence & Key Points
1 2
The Rattrap
SUMMARY
The poor peddler rejects the offer due to the fear of being caught. Soon he
is invited by the ironmaster‘s daughter. The next morning his real identity is
revealed and the ironmaster threatens him saying that he would report the
matter to sheriff. The peddler tries to defend himself and leave the house at
once. But he is somehow stopped by the ironmaster’s daughter for
Christmas Eve. The next day after Christmas, when the iron master and his
daughter visit the church, they come to know that the man is a thief who
had stolen money from an old crofter. The iron master and his daughter
repent for sheltering a thief and wonder at what all things he would have
stolen by that time. Here comes a twist as instead of stealing, the peddler
gifts the ironmaster’s daughter a rattrap. She finds a letter of thanks and the
stolen money inside a rattrap left by the peddler. The peddler thanks Edla
for her kindness and requests her to return the stolen money to the
crofter. This story gives us the message that goodness in a human being
can be awakened at any time with your own good deeds.
The Rattrap : Sequence & Key Points
3 4
The Rattrap : Sequence & Key Points The Rattrap : Sequence & Key Points
5 7

6 8

The Rattrap : Sequence & Key Points The Rattrap : Sequence & Key Points
10
9

Vocabulary
Vocabulary Vocabulary

Vocabulary Vocabulary
 The Rattrap The Rattrap
POINTS TO PONDER
Character Portrayal
Life of the peddler
The metaphor of the world being a rattrap Peddler /Vagabond/Tramp/Rattrap seller/ signed himself as
Meeting with the crofter Captain Von Stahle:
Life of the crofter The peddler was a poor vagabond.
Hospitality of the crofter & his confidence in the peddler He sold rattraps to earn his living or keep his body and soul together.
Stealing by the peddler He also resorted to thievery when required.
The predicament of the peddler in deep forest He was struck with a dark realisation that the world is itself a rattrap
Shelter at the iron mill and all men and women are just like rats that are vulnerable to trap
Mistaken identity of the peddler by the ironmaster at night Initially, the peddler was cynical, a victim of loneliness
Life of the ironmaster & his daughter He was inherently not a bad person. He had some goodness in him
The peddler’s deception that was awakened by Edla, the iron master’s elder daughter.
Edla’s love and understanding, persuasion In the end, he transformed himself
Drama at the ironmaster’s house His subtle sense of humour – e.g. to be cited
Argument between the ironmaster and his daughter
Redemption of the peddler
The deep realisation

The Rattrap
The Rattrap Character Portrayal
Character Portrayal The Ironmaster (Ironworks owner):
The Ironmaster was the owner of the large iron factory i.e. Ramsjo Ironwork.
Edla Willmannsson: His greatest ambition was to ship out good iron to the market.
She was the eldest daughter of the Ironmaster Hard-working and conscious of his duties as he used to go to the forge for
nightly inspection.
She was not that pretty but seemed modest and quite shy
He mistakes the rattrap seller as his old acquaintance and his basic instinct
Kind-hearted was to help him irrespective of his condition, which shows that just like his
Compassionate daughter even he was kind-hearted and helpful. He took him to his own
Full of understanding house and cared for him.
Intuitive, smart enough to understand rightly from the peddler’s The Crofter:
eyes that he might have escaped from jail or stolen something He was lonely and had nobody to talk to.
By being a good host she actually elevated peddler’s nature to that He was happy to see the peddler and gave him shelter. This gesture
of a Captain. made the peddler feel welcomed and comfortable because he was used
She was a great human being to seeing sour and unwelcomed faces.
He was generous.
Trusted the stranger easily/ took him into confidence.
 The Rattrap
ASSIGNMENT : QUESTIONS TO TEST COMPREHENSION
Short Answer Questions (30-40 words) The Rattrap
1. Why was the peddler amused by his idea of the rattrap?
2. How did the peddler get the idea of the world? ASSIGNMENT : QUESTIONS TO TEST COMPREHENSION
3. Why was the crofter so talkative?
4. Why did the peddler sign himself as Captain Von Stahle? Long Answer Questions (100-125 words) :
5. Why was Edla happy to see the gift left by the peddler?
1. Bring out the differences between the iron master and his daughter.
6. Why did Edla still entertain the peddler even after she knew the truth?
7. Why did the peddler decline the invitation made by the ironmaster?
8. Why did the peddler accept the invitation of Edla Willmansson? 2. The story exemplifies the truth that essential goodness of human
9. What doubts did Edla have about the peddler? beings can be awakened through understanding and love. Discuss.
10. Why did the ironmaster mistake the peddler as his old comrade?
11. Why didn’t the peddler reveal the truth when he was mistaken by the 3. The story focuses on human loneliness and the need to bond with
ironmaster as his old regimental comrade? others. Elucidate.
12. Why did the crofter show the thirty cronor to the peddler?
13. What did the peddler say in his defence when his real identity was revealed to 4. Interpret the acts of kindness and hospitality shown by the crofter, the
the ironmaster? ironmaster and his daughter.
14. Why did the peddler finally change himself?
15. How does the metaphor of the rattrap serve to highlight human predicament?
16. Justify the title of the story.
- Next slide for long answer questions