The Frog and The Nightingale- by Vikram Seth

1. Support the view that the creatures of Bingle bog liked the nightingale’s singing.
Ans: Undoubtedly the creatures of Bingle bog liked the nightingale’s singing. They appreciated and adore her singing.
They cheered and clapped at her songs. Creatures from long distances gathered to enjoy the melodious song. They
listened to her with rapt attention and were totally enchanted.
2. Which are the different ways in which the frog asserts his importance?
Ans: The frog presents himself in a superior manner at the nightingale. He tells to her that he is a great singer and the
owner of the sumac tree. He declares that he is an expert singer. He also informs her that he can give her training to sing
better. He tries to prove that she is a mere beginner.
3. Why is the frog’s joy both sweet and bitter?
Ans: The frog’s joy is sweet because he is earning money as he charges fees for hearing the nightingale. His joy is bitter
because the nightingale has broken his-self proclaimed supremacy in the bog.
4. What was the frog’s ulterior motive in making the nightingale add fills and trills to her songs?
Ans: The frog’s ulterior motive was to earn more money by manipulating the innocent nightingale. He expressed his anger
and frustration because the nightingale didn’t sing sweetly and the audience felt bored. Secondly, her voice was
becoming ‘uninspired’ as her song now zipped, trilled and bounced along.
5. Contradict the fact that the nightingale did not deserve the frog’s wrath.
Ans: In my view the nightingale deserved the frog’s wrath. It was she who caused her own downfall and tragic end. She
should be blamed as she blindly trusted the frog. Inspite of having a huge audience who was praising her, she lacked
confidence in her natural ability. She was just a stupid bird who was cleverly tricked and manipulated by the frog.
Long Answers:
1. Bring out the irony in the frog’s statement- ‘Your song must be your own’.
Ans: The very fact that the frog, a creature having a cacophony of a voice, is advising a melodious singer like the nightingale is in itself
ironical. After the death of the nightingale, the frog is rather dismissive of her and calls her stupid and brainless. He attributes the
nightingale’s downfall to lack of originality. He says that the nightingale was “far too prone to influence”, and that resulted in her
failure.
Initially, the nightingale’s singing was melodious and original as well. She even defended herself against the frog’s criticism, saying
that her songs were her own. But the jealous frog very cunningly convinced her that originality did not make much of a difference.
The frog tried every possible way so that the nightingale should emulate his style, as that was the fashion of the times. Thus, the
frog’s remark on maintaining the originality of art is quite ironic.
2. What was the purpose of the poet to end the poem in this manner? Can you suggest a different ending?
Ans: The ending of the poem portrays the victory of evil over good, which is not justified. A poem intended to give moral instruction
usually ends with the moral victory of good over evil- the good and the just are rewarded, while the evil or wicked are punished.
However, in the poem we see that the nightingale, a naturally gifted artiste, who is willing to practice hard to improve her talent,
meets a tragic end.
On the other hand, the wicked and heartless frog, who fools the innocent bird and conspires to destroy and regains his position as the
unrivalled singer of the bog. It is actually the frog who deserves to be punished, and not the poor nightingale. The tragic end of the
innocent nightingale may not seem justified. It is the clever and manipulative who win. Those who are meek and docile often fail as
they fail to understand the cunning people. The end, though not justified, conveys a strong message.
3. Do you think the nightingale is ‘brainless’? Give reasons for your answer.
Ans: Yes, the nightingale was truly ‘brainless’. Firstly, she couldn’t see through the initial talk of the frog, when he impressed her with
his knowledge and talent in singing.
Secondly, she couldn’t make out why the frog had been making her sing non-stop. Thirdly, couldn’t understand the hint of the frog,
when he talked of ‘sixty shillings’ that she owed to him. In a way, she did not realize that the frog was slowly destroying her.
4. Inspite of having a melodious voice and being a crowd puller, the nightingale turns out to be a loser and dies. How far is
she responsible for her own downfall?
Ans: One cannot deny that the evil and sly frog is very much responsible for the innocent nightingale’s miserable demise. But one also
has to agree that the nightingale is also to be blamed for her tragic end.
The nightingale is too simple to get manipulated. She is easily persuaded by the frog to believe what he says. That’s why she is easily
deceived by the sinister and cunning frog. Inspite of possessing huge natural qualities, she doubted her confidence and own abilities.
However, the greatest weakness of her personality is that she is unable to understand the evil intention of the cruel frog. She is really
responsible for her own downfall, as she neither ignores nor opposes the cunning frog.
5. Do you agree with the Frog’s inference of the Nightingale’s character? Give reasons for your answer.
Ans: The frog’s inference of the nightingale’s character is absolutely right. He calls her timid and foolish. He also says that she was far
too prone to influence. The sly and cunning frog easily manipulated her, which finally led to her demise. The nightingale had no
confidence. She easily believed whatever the frog told her. Being flattered and submissive and timid, she invited her own death upon
herself. She should have been see through the frog’s plot and responded accordingly. Hence, his inference was correct.