4.THE RATTRAP (Selma Lagerlof)

THE RATTRAP

About the author:

Selma Lagerlof (1858-1940) was Swedish writer whose stories have been translated into many languages. A Universal theme runs throgh all of them - a belief that the essential goodness in a human being can be awakened through understanding and love.This story is set amidst the mines of Sweden, rich in iron ore, which figure large in the history and legends of that country. The story is told somewhat in the manner of a fairy tale.

MAIN POINTS OF THE STORY :-

1.  A man went round selling small rattraps of wire. His business was not profitable. He had to take to begging or small thieving somethings.
2.  His life was very sad. During his wanderings, he often thought of the rattraps. One day, he began to think that the whole was just a big rattrap . Some people were already caught in the trap while others were still circling round the bait.
3. One dark evening, this tramp took shelter with a lonely old man who lived in a little cottage by the roadside. The man served him generously the whole night. But while leaving in the morning, the tramp stole the old man’s thirty kronor placed in a leather pouch.
4. In order to escape being caught, the tramp took his way through a forest. But it was a confusing forest. By evening , he found that he had been roaming about the same place from where he had started. He was feeling dead tired.
5. The tramp recalled the thirsty kronor in his pocket. He thought about the world as a rattrap . Now he thought that his own turn had come.
6. It was the time of late December evening. It was getting dark and he was afraid. Suddenly, he heard the hard regular thumping of a hammer . He got up and walked in the direction of the sound.
7. It was a forgery of the Ramsjo Ironworks. The master smith allowed him to stay there and warm himself. He was in wet rags and had a long beard. But suddenly, the ironmaster came on his nightly inspection. When he looked at the stranger closely, he took him for him hard to go with him to his house. But the tramp felt embarrassed and he refused firmly. At last the ironmaster went away.
8. Before half an hour had passed, a carriage stopped at the forgery door. It was the ironmaster’s  daughter who had been sent by her father to fetch the peddler. She had come with a valet.  The valet was holding a long fur coat on his arm.
9. The young girl spoke to the peddler very softly. She was not pretty but she was very humble. She was able to win the peddler’s confidence. She wanted him to give them company on the Christmas Eve. She assured him that he would be free to leave the place whenever he liked. 
10.  The peddler agreed to go with the young girl. He accepted the fur coat and threw it over his rags. The young girl was very happy to think that she would be able to feed a poor hungry man on Christmas Eve.
11.  The paddler spent the night at the manor house. In the morning the valet washed him, cut his hair and also shaved him. He was also dressed well in the ironmater's  clothes. 
12. But when the iron master looked at him in the broad daylight. he realised his mistake. The man was none of his old acquaintances. He at once ordered him to get out of the house. 
13.  But the young girl at once pleaded on the peddler's behalf. She said that it was none of the paddler's fault. It was just a mistake .Moreover, she didn't want to lose the joy of entertaining a poor hungry person on Christmas Eve. Looking at his daughter's sentiments, the father gave in at last. But he said, "I only hope you won't have to regret this."
14.  Both the ironmaster and his daughter served the peddler as best as they could. They made him participate in each of the festivities. But the peddler spent most of his time sleeping on a sofa. It seemed that he had not been able to sleep for years.
15. Next morning, both the father and the daughter went to church for early morning service. The peddler was still asleep  and they didn't think it proper to disturb him.
16. At the church, they heard that a man who went about selling rattraps had robbed a poor old man of his thirsty kronor. On hearing  this, the young girl was badly upset.
17.  But when they reached home, they learnt that the peddler had already left and had not taken anything at all with him. Instead, he had left a small packet for the young girl as a Christmas present.
18.  It filled the young girl with great joy. She at once opened the packet. It contained a little rattrap, three wrinkled ten-krona notes and also a letter. The letter said, "Since you have been so nice to me all day long, I want to be nice to you. You can give back the money to the old man on the roadside. The rattrap is a Christmas present from a rat who would have seen caught in the world's rattrap if he had not been thought to be a captain."

Long Answer type Question :- 

Q 1- How does the peddler interpret the acts of kindness and hospitality shown by the crofter, the  iron master and his daughter ? 

Ans- The peddler interprets the acts of kindness and hospitality shown by the crofter, the iron master          and his daughter in different ways: 

1.  The crofter : The acts of kindness and hospitality shown by the crofter was to set baits for poor people like him who  wonder around. The kroners of the crofter were the actual bait. He had let himself be fooled by the bait and had been caught in the trap. The trap was the whole forest where he had been walking around in the same part . 
2.  The ironmaster : The kindness shown by the ironmaster was rattraps as his old regimental        comrade.
3.  The Daughter of the ironmaster : The peddler was astonished by by the behaviour of the young girl who knowingly let him in her house and honoured him like a real captain. Her kindness and  hospitality won over the evil in his heart and aweakened the essential goodness in his heart. He only presented her with a Christmas gift but also returned the thirty kroners of the crofter.

  Q 2- What are the instances in the story that show that the character of the ironmaster is different from that of his daughter in many ways?
Ans- The following instances in the story show that the character of the ironmaster is different from   that of his daughter in many ways:

1.  The ironmaster is impulsive : In uncertain light of forge he mistakes  the peddler as his old  regiment comrade. His daughter Edla is cool and logical. She is more observant. She notices the fear of the peddler  and thinks that he is either a thief or a run away prisoner.
2.  Girl more persuasive than father : The young girl is more persuasive than her own father. She  succeeds in bringing the peddler home while her father fails to bring his own friend home.
3. Judgement : The young girl says that she did not think there was anything about the peddler to show that he had once been an educated man. The ironmaster says that the tramp manners will  fall away from him with the tramp clothes.
4. Daughter cooptive to situation :  When the ironmaster sees the peddler in broad day light, he   calls him dishonest and wanted to chase the peddler away, the young girl does not want to chase away a human being whom they have asked to come here, and to whom they have promised Christmas cheer.

Q 3- The story has many instances of unexpected reactions from the characters to other's behaviour.
Pick out instances of these surprises ?
Ans- following are instances of these surprises :

1.  The kindness and hospitality of the crofter to the peddler. The poor peddler received such a worm welcome which was quite unexpected in his mind.
2.  The lost crofter is robbed by his guest, the rattrap peddler, in return of his hospitality.
3. The ironmaster addresses the peddler as Captain Von Stahle. The peddler is surprised when he is called asa 'Nils Olof ' by the ironmaster.
4.  Although his guest was now so well groomed, the ironmaster did not seem pleased. He looked at him with puckered brow. He calls the peddler dishonest and wants to chase away from his house.
5. The most unexpected behaviour of the young girl for the peddler even after knowing the reality.  She does not let the peddler leave their house. She treets the peddler as the esteemed guest at the Christmas .
6. When the valet informs the ironmaster that the stranger had not taken anything with him from  their house.
7.  The last unexpected behaviour of the peddler that he left a rattrap as Christmas gift for the young girl and thirty kroners of the corfter to be returned to him.

Q 4- What made the peddler finally change his ways ?

Ans- The peddler used to steal for his survival. Later on he robbed the gentle old farmer of his thirty          kroner in return of his kindness and hospitality. But at the end , he comes out as a fine gentleman.The behaviour of the young girl made the peddler finally change his ways. The ironmaster gave up the idea of calling the Sheriff and asked the peddler to get out of the  house as fast as he could. But The young girl didn't want him to go and closed the door. She took the stranger by the hand and led him up to the dining table. The man with the rattrap said not a word . Time after time he looked at the young girl who had interceded for him.
The young girl gave him the suit which he wore as a  Christmas present. She invited him if he wanted to spend next Christmas Eve.The peddler did not say anything. He only stared at her in boundless amazement .
When the peddler left the house of the ironmaster he left a rattrap as a Christmas present. He returned the thirty kroners to be given to the crofter.

     Thus the peddler finally changed his ways. 

Q 5- How does the metaphor of the rattrap serve to highlight the human predicament ?
Ans- The metaphor : The World is a Rattrap.

1. How it serves as a rattrap : The whole world about human being - the whole world with its lands and seas, the cities and villages - was nothing but a big rattrap.
2.  The world had never existed for any other purpose then to set baits for people .The words offered riches and joys , shelter and food, heat and clothing. exactly as the rattrap offered cheese and pork, and as soon as anyone let himself be tempted to touch the bait, it closed in on him, and then everything came to an end. 
3. The peddler was tempted by thirty kroners of the crofter. This act of temptation made him hide    himself. He walked through the wood. He was afraid to go to the Manor House. He got peace only after returning the thirty kroner.
4.  Thus we see the metaphor of the rattrap serves to highlight the human predicament.