‘The Eagle and the Beetle’ Poem Notes-Summary, Poetic Devices, Meanings

Dive into our latest insights with the poem “The Eagle and the Beetle” 🦅🐞 by Vikram Seth. Here we explore the poem ‘The Eagle and the Beetle’ with its summary (English and Hindi), meanings, central idea, value points and poetic devices used in the poem etc.

Notes on the Poem “The Eagle and the Beetle’

Summary of ‘The Eagle and the Beetle’

The poem ‘The Eagle and the Beetle‘ by Vikram Seth is a fable that tells the story of an unlikely friendship between a small beetle and a hare. They enjoy each other’s company and live happily together. However, one day, a proud and powerful eagle swoops down and grabs the hare. Despite the beetle’s pleas, the eagle kills and eats the hare, mocking the beetle for being weak and insignificant.

Heartbroken and filled with rage, the beetle vows to take revenge. She follows the eagle’s nest and, when the eagle is away, pushes her eggs out, destroying them. The eagle, realizing the danger, moves her nest far away, but the beetle continues her mission. This cycle repeats until the eagle, desperate and defeated, seeks the protection of Zeus, the king of gods. Zeus allows the eagle to lay her eggs in his lap, thinking they will be safe. However, the clever beetle manages to disturb Zeus, making him unknowingly drop the eggs.

In the end, the eagle, broken by grief, dies. The poem highlights how intelligence, persistence, and determination can defeat even the strongest of enemies. It also teaches that cruelty and arrogance can lead to downfall, while justice can come in unexpected ways.

“The Eagle and the Beetle” कविता का सारांश

विक्रम सेठ की कविता “The Eagle and the Beetle” एक छोटे से भृंग (beetle) और एक खरगोश (hare) की दोस्ती की कहानी बताती है। वे हमेशा साथ रहते थे और खुशी से अपना जीवन बिता रहे थे। लेकिन एक दिन, एक शक्तिशाली और घमंडी गरुड़ (eagle) अचानक उड़ती हुई आई और खरगोश को अपने पंजों में पकड़ लिया। भृंग ने विनती की कि वह उसके मित्र को छोड़ दे, लेकिन गरुड़ ने उसकी बात को अनसुना कर दिया और खरगोश को मारकर खा गई।

इस क्रूर घटना से दुखी और क्रोधित होकर, भृंग ने बदला लेने की कसम खाई। उसने गरुड़ के घोंसले का पता लगाया और जब भी गरुड़ अपने अंडे देती, वह उन्हें घोंसले से गिरा देती। गरुड़ ने कई बार अपना घोंसला बदला, लेकिन भृंग अपनी चालाकी से उसे हर बार मात देती रही। अंततः, परेशान होकर, गरुड़ ने देवताओं के राजा ज़ीउस से मदद मांगी। ज़ीउस ने गरुड़ को अपने गोद में अंडे देने की अनुमति दी, ताकि वे सुरक्षित रहें। लेकिन चतुर भृंग ने ज़ीउस को परेशान कर दिया, जिससे उन्होंने अनजाने में अंडे गिरा दिए।

इस सदमे से गरुड़ बहुत दुखी हो गई और अंततः उसकी मृत्यु हो गई। यह कविता दिखाती है कि बुद्धि और दृढ़ संकल्प (determination) के आगे सबसे ताकतवर शत्रु भी हार सकता है। यह हमें यह भी सिखाती है कि अहंकार और निर्दयता अंततः विनाश का कारण बनते हैं, जबकि न्याय किसी भी रूप में आ सकता है।

Meanings in English and Hindi

Central Idea (English):

The poem conveys that arrogance and abuse of power lead to downfall, while persistence and cleverness can empower even the weakest. It highlights:

This poem teaches us that even the smallest and weakest can stand up to the strongest if they are determined and clever.

In the poem, a small beetle and a hare are best friends. But one day, a powerful eagle attacks and kills the hare, ignoring the beetle’s plea to spare him. The beetle is very sad and decides to take revenge. Even though the beetle is tiny, she does not give up. She keeps destroying the eagle’s eggs, making the eagle suffer just as she had suffered.

In the end, the beetle defeats the mighty eagle, proving that strength alone does not always win—intelligence and determination are just as powerful.

The poem also teaches us that those who are cruel to others may one day face the same pain themselves. The eagle was proud and arrogant, but in the end, she lost everything.

The main Highlights of the Central Idea of “The Eagle and the Beetle’

1. Revenge of the Underdog: The beetle, though small and dismissed, defeats the mighty eagle through relentless determination.
2. Hubris vs. Humility: The eagle’s pride blinds her to the beetle’s potential, causing her ruin.
3. Fate’s Unpredictability: Even divine protection (Zeus) cannot guarantee safety when injustice is met with cunning.
4. Moral Justice: The poem warns that oppressors who exploit the weak will face consequences, as the oppressed refuse to “turn the other cheek.”

केंद्रीय भाव (हिंदी):

यह कविता सिखाती है कि अहंकार और शक्ति का दुरुपयोग विनाश लाते हैं, जबकि लगन और चतुराई से कोई भी कमजोर जीत सकता है। मुख्य संदेश:

1. कमजोर का बदला: छोटा सा बीटल, अपनी जिद और बुद्धिमत्ता से, शक्तिशाली चील को हरा देता है।
2. अहंकार बनाम विनम्रता: चील का घमंड उसे बीटल की ताकत नहीं देखने देता, जिससे उसका पतन होता है।
3. भाग्य की मनमानी: देवता (ज़ीउस) की सुरक्षा भी अन्याय के खिलाफ चालाकी को नहीं रोक सकती।
4. नैतिक न्याय: कविता चेतावनी देती है कि जो शक्तिशाली कमजोरों को कुचलते हैं, उन्हें माफी नहीं मिलेगी।

Key Points of the Poem – The Eagle and the Beetle

“Never underestimate the weak, for even the smallest can topple the mighty through resilience and wit.”
“कमजोर को कभी कम मत आंकों, क्योंकि लगन और बुद्धि से छोटा भी बड़े को हरा सकता है।”

1. Friendship Between the Beetle and the Hare – The poem begins with a strong bond between a beetle and a hare, who spend all their time together.
2. The Eagle’s Attack – A powerful eagle suddenly swoops down and catches the hare, ignoring the beetle’s plea to spare his friend.
3. The Eagle’s Pride and Cruelty – The eagle insults the beetle, boasting that she is Zeus’s bird and cannot be harmed. She then kills and eats the hare.
4. The Beetle’s Grief and Vow for Revenge – The beetle is heartbroken but determined to take revenge on the eagle for her cruel act.
5. The Beetle’s Clever Plan – The beetle tracks the eagle’s nest and destroys her eggs by rolling them out of the nest.
6. The Eagle’s Struggle – The eagle keeps shifting her nest to protect her eggs, but the beetle follows and destroys every batch.
7. The Eagle’s Fear and Suffering – The eagle becomes restless, unable to sleep, and terrified whenever she sees a hare or hears the beetle’s buzzing.
8. The Eagle Seeks Zeus’s Help – In desperation, the eagle asks Zeus, the king of gods, for protection. Zeus allows her to lay eggs in his lap.
9. The Beetle Outsmarts Zeus – The clever beetle drops a small ball of dirt on Zeus. When Zeus shakes it off, the eagle’s eggs fall and break.
10. The Eagle’s Tragic End – The eagle loses hope, dies of grief, and even today, it is said that eagles do not nest during the time when beetles are most active.
11. Moral of the Story – The poem teaches that intelligence and determination can defeat even the strongest opponent and that cruelty and arrogance will eventually be punished.

Moral / Message of the Poem

The poem teaches that intelligence, determination, and patience can defeat even the strongest opponent. Don’t underestimate anyone based on size or power.

This timeless lesson is beautifully illustrated in “The Eagle and the Beetle” through the beetle’s relentless pursuit of justice against the arrogant eagle.

The beetle, though small and weak, outsmarts the powerful eagle by using cleverness and persistence. It also warns against pride and cruelty, as the arrogant eagle faces a tragic end for her heartless actions.

The poem reminds us that the strong should not oppress the weak because justice will always find a way.

It also reminds us to respect everyone, regardless of their appearance or perceived weakness, because underestimating others can lead to unexpected consequences.

A proverb that best suits the poem The Eagle and the Beetle is:

“Pride comes before a fall.”

This fits the poem well because the eagle, full of arrogance and power, believes she is invincible. However, her cruelty towards the beetle leads to her downfall. The beetle, though small, proves that intelligence and persistence can defeat even the mightiest opponent.

Points of Moral Message:

1. Even the weakest can defeat the strongest through determination and cleverness.
   • The beetle, though small and seemingly powerless, used her intelligence and persistence to take revenge on the mighty eagle. This shows that size or strength does not guarantee victory; wit and perseverance can overcome even the most powerful adversaries.
2. Do not underestimate anyone based on their appearance or status.
   • The eagle mocked the beetle for being small and insignificant, but she underestimated the beetle’s resolve and ingenuity. This teaches us not to judge others by their outward appearance or perceived weakness.
3. Arrogance and cruelty have consequences.
   • The eagle’s pride and cruelty toward the hare and the beetle led to her downfall. Her actions caused a chain reaction of revenge, showing that harming others can lead to one’s own destruction.
4. Fate is unpredictable, and karma is real.
   • The poem suggests that those who harm the weak may eventually face justice, whether through fate or the actions of others. It reinforces the idea that what goes around comes around.

Values Associated with the Poem – The Eagle and the Beetle

The poem The Eagle and the Beetle highlights important values such as justice, intelligence, and perseverance. It teaches that cleverness can triumph over brute strength, as seen in how the small beetle outsmarts the mighty eagle. The story also warns against pride and cruelty, showing that arrogance leads to downfall. Through the beetle’s actions, we learn the importance of friendship, loyalty, and standing up against injustice. The poem reinforces the idea of karma—what goes around comes around, reminding us that every action has consequences.

Main Values:

1. Justice and Revenge – The poem highlights the idea that wrongdoers will face consequences for their actions. The beetle ensures that the eagle pays for her cruelty.
2. Intelligence Over Strength – The story emphasizes that cleverness and persistence can defeat brute power. The small beetle outwits the mighty eagle through patience and strategy.
3. Determination and Perseverance – The beetle does not give up despite the eagle’s strength. This shows the value of staying determined to achieve one’s goal.
4. Pride Leads to Downfall – The eagle’s arrogance and belief in her invincibility lead to her tragic end, teaching that pride and cruelty can destroy even the strongest.
5. Compassion and Friendship – The beetle deeply loves her friend, the hare, and avenges his death, showing the value of true friendship and loyalty.
6. Fairness and Karma – The poem suggests that actions have consequences. The eagle’s cruel actions result in her suffering, reinforcing the idea of what goes around comes around.
7. Courage and Resilience – Despite being small, the beetle bravely challenges the powerful eagle, teaching that one should stand up against injustice, no matter how weak they seem.

Poetic Devices in the ‘The Eagle and the Beetle’

The poem “The Eagle and the Beetle” uses a rich variety of poetic devices to create vivid imagery, emphasize themes, and engage the reader emotionally. These devices include personification, imagery, simile, metaphor, alliteration, irony, symbolism, and more. Together, they make the story memorable and impactful, reinforcing its moral lessons about justice, humility, and the consequences of arrogance.

1. Rhyme Scheme

The poem follows a rhyming couplet pattern (AA, BB, CC…).

Example:
“A beetle loved a certain hare
And wandered with him everywhere.”
The words hare and everywhere rhyme, creating a musical flow.

2. Personification

Definition: Giving human-like qualities or emotions to non-human things.

Examples:

• “The eagle sneered with pride.”
  (The eagle is given the human emotion of pride and the action of sneering.)
• “The eagle… would turn back, screeching.”
  (The eagle is made to seem human, as if it has feelings of fear and rage.)
• “Zeus spewed divine abuse.”
  (Zeus, a god, is portrayed as having human anger and speaking abusive words.)
• “The far drone of the beetle’s flight
  Shattered her calm by day or night.”
  (The beetle’s flight “shattering calm” gives it human-like power to disturb emotions.)

3. Imagery

Definition: Vivid descriptions that appeal to the senses (sight, sound, touch, etc.).

Examples:

• “His bleeding torso to her nest,
  Ripped off his tail, and ate the rest.”
  (The words “bleeding torso” and “ripped off his tail” create a strong visual impact of the eagle’s brutality.)
• “She mixed her tears with his dark blood.”
  (Creates a vivid visual image of sadness and grief.)
• “The broken eggshells on the ground.”
  (A clear visual of destruction and loss.)
• “The far drone of the beetle’s flight.”
  (Appeals to the sense of hearing, creating an auditory image.)

4. Simile

Definition: Comparing two things using “like” or “as.”

Example:

• “Nothing can harm me, least of all
  A slow, pathetic, droning ball.”
  (The beetle is compared to a “droning ball,” emphasizing its smallness and insignificance.)

5. Metaphor

Definition: Directly comparing two unlike things without using “like” or “as.”

Examples:

• “You puny, servile, cloddish bug.”
  (The eagle compares the beetle to an insignificant insect, showing her arrogance.)
• “A microscopic ball of dung.”
  (The dung is metaphorically described as “microscopic,” highlighting its tiny size.)
• “That small, evil clot of mud.”
  (The beetle is metaphorically called a “clot of mud,” to show how it is seen as insignificant to the eagle.)

6. Alliteration

Definition: Repetition of the same initial consonant sounds in a sequence of words.

Examples:

• “Past hope, the eagle pined away.”
  (Repetition of the “p” sound.)
• “She swore that till her dying breath.”
  (Repetition of the “s” sound.)
• “From drop of blood to tuft of tail.”
  (Repetition of the “t” sound in “tuft” and “tail.”)

7. Onomatopoeia

Definition: Words that imitate the sound they describe.

Examples:

• “The far drone of the beetle’s flight.”
  (The word “drone” mimics the buzzing sound of the beetle flying.)
• “Spewed divine abuse.”
  (The word “spewed” mimics the sound of something being forcefully ejected.)

8. Irony

Definition: A contrast between expectations and reality.

Examples:

• The eagle boasts about being Zeus’s bird and being invincible, but she is ultimately defeated by a tiny beetle.
  (Situational irony – the mighty eagle is brought down by someone considered weak and insignificant.)
• Zeus, the king of gods, promises protection to the eagle, but he accidentally destroys her eggs.
  (Ironic because the protector becomes the destroyer.)

9. Symbolism

Definition: Using objects, characters, or actions to represent larger ideas or themes.

Examples:

• The beetle: Symbolizes determination, justice, intelligence, and the power of the underdog.
• The eagle: Represents arrogance, cruelty, and the misuse of power.
• The eggs: Symbolize consequences of cruelty, hope, future generations, and vulnerability.

10. Hyperbole

Definition: Exaggeration for emphasis or dramatic effect.

Examples:

• “Nothing can harm me, least of all
  A slow, pathetic, droning ball.”
  (The eagle exaggerates her invincibility to mock the beetle.)
• “She stared at her friend’s head,
  And wished that she herself was dead.”
  (The beetle’s grief is exaggerated to emphasize her deep sorrow.)

11. Repetition

Definition: Repeating words or phrases for emphasis.

Examples:

• “She swore that till her dying breath
  She would avenge his cruel death.”
  (Repetition of “she” emphasizes the beetle’s determination.)
• “Where may I safely build my nest?
  Where lay my eggs without mishap?”
  (The repeated “where” emphasizes the eagle’s desperation.)

12. Juxtaposition

Definition: Placing two contrasting ideas or images side by side.

Examples:

• The mighty eagle vs. the tiny beetle.
  (Their sizes and powers are contrasted to highlight the theme of strength vs. wit.)
• The eagle’s arrogance vs. the beetle’s humility.
  (Their personalities are contrasted to show the moral lesson.)

13. Foreshadowing

Definition: Hints or clues about what will happen later in the story.

Examples:

• The beetle’s vow to avenge the hare’s death foreshadows her relentless pursuit of revenge against the eagle.
• The eagle’s boastful words (“Nothing can harm me”) foreshadow her eventual downfall.

14. Anthropomorphism

Definition: Attributing human characteristics to animals or objects.

Examples:

• The beetle “cried” and “swore” to take revenge.
  (These are human emotions and actions given to the beetle.)
• The eagle “sneered” and “screeched.”
  (These are human-like expressions attributed to the eagle.)

15. Oxymoron

Definition: Combining contradictory terms for effect.

Example:

• “Mighty eagle’s eggs.”
  (The word “mighty” contrasts with the fragility of eggs, creating an oxymoron.)

16. Pun

Definition: A play on words with multiple meanings or similar sounds.

Examples:

• “Go off and hide your ugly mug.”
  (The word “mug” humorously refers to both the beetle’s face and the idea of an unworthy appearance.)
• “What in the universe could be
  More safe than Zeus’s custody?”
  (The eagle believes her eggs are safe with Zeus, but ironically, they are destroyed because of Zeus’s carelessness.)

These poetic devices make the poem engaging, emotional, and impactful. They enhance the theme of justice and revenge, making it more memorable for readers.
The interplay between the eagle’s hubris and the beetle’s resilience underscores the timeless lesson that even the smallest can triumph through wit and persistence. 🐞