Nissim Ezekiel’s ‘Night of the Scorpion’: Faith, Fear and a Mother’s Love
Nissim Ezekiel’s “Night of the Scorpion” recounts a family’s response after the speaker’s mother is stung by a scorpion. The poem observes villagers, religious explanations, practical efforts and a mother’s final words. Its strength comes from allowing different responses to suffering to appear side by side without turning the scene into a simple contest between ignorance and knowledge. The night…