INDEX1. Name And Title2. Submitted to3. Index4. About the poet5. Summary6. Critical analysis7. Literary devices8. Character Sketch – Frog9. Character Sketch – Nightingale10. Important Words11. Values 12. Character explanation13. The End

The Frog

The Nightingale

AN

D

Submitted TO –IX, Trinity CBSE

Project By –J. Rajendra Cholan

THE POET

Vikram Seth was born in Calcutta in 1952. He left India to study at Oxford

His first novel, The Golden Gate, is written entirely in tetrameter sonnets,

He won the Commonwealth Poetry Prize in 1986and the Sahitya Academy award in 1988.

Summary• A Frog croaked all night in a bog, in an unpleasant voice• One night a nightingale begin to sing in a melodious voice• All the creatures in the bog cheered and clapped at her

beautiful song• Soon the nightingale become famous, and creatures from

miles around came to hear her song.• The next night the frog introduced himself • He offered to train the nightingale so she could sing even

more beautifully• The frog charge an admission fee, and earned a lot of money

from this concerts. • But the frog made the nightingale rehearse continuously in

the rain• As a result, her voice lost its beauty, and the other creatures

stop coming to hear her sing.• Finally, the nightingale burst away and died.• So the frog could sing unrivalled in the bog once more.

Critical Analysis The poem is a fable in which subjects of human interest are

projected through animal characters and in a wild setting. it is written in the ballad form and its ryming sceme is aa, bb, cc.............. 

The literary devices like metaphors are few but very effectively used.'Mozart' is an effective metaphor that shows higly the nightingale thought of frog. 

The poem interweaves various messages for the readers. One of The important themes projected is the social criticism- the modern is so prone to get influenced by the public opinion that sometimes he is ready to lose his originality in the wake of social criticism. 

The allegorically depicts the corrupt face of the industrialised, developed world where greed, fame and competiton reigns while values and ethics take a bach seat. 

Literary devices

Alliteration: Repetition of initial consonant sounds in a group of words close together.  "Bingle bog," "dusk to dawn," "crass cacophony"  The alliteration mimics the repeating sounds of frog's continual croaking.  This poem is full of alliteration with the poet using it on practically every line. 

Onomatopoeia: The use of words which imitate sounds. "awn and awn and awn"  The sound of the word mimics the sound of the frog's croaking.  Also the word, "croak" sounds like the sound that a frog makes when it croaks as well.  Later in the poem, "ko-ash, ko-ash" replicates the sound in real life.

Literary devices

Imagery:  Words that appeal to the senses. "Moonlight cold and pale" creates a vivid picture and sensory feeling in the reader's mind.

Metaphor:  A comparison between two things without using like or as. "This is a fairy tale and you're Mozart in disguise" The nightingale compares the frog to Mozart, indicating her belief in his musical talent. 

Personification:  Giving human like qualities to objects or animals. The poet personifies both the frog and the nightingale to create two relatable characters in the poem.

Rhyme: Most of the poem rhymes in paired couplets.

THE FROGTerritorial and boastful – I’m the frog who

owns the tree. Technique was fine, But it lacked certain

force

Dismissive, inventive – Not to bad – but far too long. The technique is fine…..

Patronizing, Haughty, Boastful – Without proper training …You’ll remain a

beginner.

Polite, hypocrite - Come , my dear…

Possessive, greedy, selfish, crafty – “We must aim for better billings…..”

Commanding, Pitiless, overbearing, authoritative, commanding – Brainless

bird you are….

Arrogant and condescending, deceitful, clever – “I tried to teach her… a stupid

creature”

The NightingalePolite, soft, timorous. – “sorry was

that you who spoke”

Nervous and shy- “Did you, did you like my song”

Timid, Meek, Nervous, Polite , Gentle - But I can’t sing in this weather…

Timid and polite – “This is a fairy tale. And you are Mozart in

disguise..”

Important Words1. Cacophony   2. Minstrelled 3. Elation4. Horse5. Subdued6. Morse7. Panache

1. A harsh, discordant mixture of sounds 2. Sang3. Great pride or joy4. Rough and unclear5. Quiet6. Miserable7. Confident and elegant style

The Lesson of the poem is that being inspired and influenced by someone much unknown and strange is indeed a foolish work. The nightingale could have very well judged that how could the frog with such a harsh voice be music maestro and she had to suffer for her misjudgment. 

Many people in the human society also try to take advantage of the innocence or ignorance of the people. 

Character’s Territorial - of or

pertaining to territory or land.

Boastful - To glorify oneself in speech; talk in a self-admiring way.

Dismissive - Showing indifference or disregard

Inventive - Adept or skillful at inventing; creative.

Patronizing - To act as a patron to; support or sponsor.

Haughty - having or showing arrogance

Hypocrite - someone who leads you to believe something that is not true

Possessive - having or showing an excessive desire to possess, control, or dominate

Greedy - Extremely eager or desirous

Crafty - skillful in underhand or evil schemes

Pitiless - Having no pity; merciless.

Overbearing - Domineering in manner; arrogant:

Authoritative - Wielding authority; commanding

Arrogant - Marked by or arising from a feeling or assumption of one's superiority toward others

Condescending - Displaying a patronizingly superior attitude

Deceitful - Deliberately misleading

Timorous - indicating fear 

Timid -  Lacking self-confidence; shy.

Meek - Showing patience and humility; gentle

Character’s