NEB Grade XI Compulsory English Note | Literary Studies | Unit 2 | Lesson 1 Corona Says | Vishnu S. Rai

Unit:2

Lesson:1

Corona Says

About the Poem

The poem 'Corona Says' is composed by Vishnu S. Rai. It is written on the theme of the present world crisis Corona and its devastating impact on human life, is a subtle satire on man's conduct and attitude. It views Covid 19 as the byproduct of man's treatment to nature.

Summary

The speaker asks human beings not to cry and curse it for damage. It claims that irrational human behaviours have invited it and it has no choice except letting people suffer and die. For the speaker, the number of deaths caused by wars is higher than the pandemic has done. The so- called human superiority over other creatures is criticized in the poem.

The pandemic questions us for our indifferent nature to the living organisms flying in the sky, living in the ocean and crawling on land, and trees which are the sources of oxygen. These organisms are considered to be slaves. According to our will, we either kill or sell them.

In the poem, the positive impact of the disease is also mentioned. During the pandemic the sky has been clean without dust and smoke since no human activities took place. People have felt like caged animals do in a zoo. The pandemic has allowed the earth to have a little rest.

The speaker wishes to make human beings know themselves first though they claim that they have mastery over everything and realize the earth is common home for all the creatures. The disease relieves us saying that the disease can be eradicated, and at the same time warns us that there are many other diseases from which we may suffer. It cautions us that if we continue our immoral activities, we may encounter the irreparable loss and our civilization may be in danger.

Understanding the text

Answer the following questions.

a. Who is the speaker in the poem?

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Answer:
Corona is the speaker in the poem.

b. Who claim that they are superior to all?

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Answer:
Human beings claim that they are superior to all.

c. Why has the speaker come to the Earth?

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Answer:
The speaker has come to the Earth becasue of humans' ill-treatment of nature.

d. What positive changes have occurred on Earth after the speaker's visit?

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Answer:
During the pandemic the sky has been clean without dust and smoke. People have felt like caged animals do in a zoo. The disease has allowed the earth to have a little rest.

Reference to the context

a. What does the speaker mean when he says:

But have you ever counted

How many have died so far

Because of you and your wars?

In the given lines, the speaker claims that human beings themselves are responsible for wars and loss of their lives. The devastation caused by wars is more terrible than the pandemic has done.

Wars are the result of disputes over resources and land, or of a government's desire to increase its influence and power. The governments and any groups involving in wars never think of the consequences people have to face. Millions of people have lost their lives and properties because of wars. Aftereffects of wars cause them to suffer physically and psychologically.

b. Explain the following:

I will depart one day.

But remember

There’re many others like me.

They’ll come too.

If you don’t get rid of your inflated ego,

You’ll be back to your cave time

That you endured

Long, long, long ago ......

In the given extract, the speaker warns mankind that the pandemic can be controlled but they may suffer from other fatal diseases due to their own behaviours, and finally they can be the cause of the extinction of human civilization.

No country has remained untouched by the pandemic. However, no pandemic can be beyond human control. This happens because of human wisdom and the same wisdom is the origin of fatal diseases. The way humans treat the nature is gradually leading human civilization to its decline. When we go beyond the bearing capacity of nature, we will go to our primitive age.

c. What does the speaker mean in the following lines? Explain.

The earth is not your property alone-

It’s as much ours as yours.

In the given lines, the speaker argues that the earth is the common habitat of all the living creatures. They have an equal right to use the resources available on earth, to sustain their lives, but human beings deprive them of using resources.

The speaker is worried about growing human pressure on natural world. Human beings are thought to be superior to all the living creatures. They have controlled all the natural resources for their own benefits though the earth is the common home for all the living organisms. In the name of development and progress, humans are destroying the sources of food and habitats of other creatures. To fulfill the demands of growing population, human beings are disturbing the entire ecosystem. The loss of ecosystem causes the extinction of other living creatures.