essay on watchman for class 1

Though Moore’s Watchmen is a graphic novel, its depth and sophistication is such that it made Time ‘s All-Time 100 Novels list (more specifically, the 100 best English-language novels published since 1923). Most fundamentally, it’s a superhero story that deconstructs the romanticization of superheroes, presenting them as deeply flawed human beings, but its ambitions go much further than that. Among other things, it’s also a dystopian novel presenting an alternate history of the United States. Read it as you would read the best literature, because that’s what it is—it will reward your time and attention.

Given the complexity of the novel, it can be helpful to have lists of names, special terms, and vocabulary as you read, so I’ve collected several lists compiled by Quizlet users here . In addition, some fans of  Watchmen  have compiled extensive notes on the novel, analyzing it frame by frame. I’ve included several links to various versions of these notes, which can be used as reading companions and reference sources.

I’ve linked two special editions of the graphic novel here: the Deluxe Edition , a hardcover edition with a new introduction and extra material, and the Annotated Edition , a black-and-white version with copious notes explaining important details and elements of the complex story that even a careful reader may not pick up on.

The 2009 film version of the novel, largely faithful to the novel down to very specific details, was met with generally positive reviews, though some critics feel that it undermines Moore’s criticism of superheroes by glorifying the characters and the acts of violence they commit. As of this writing, the version linked here is probably the best version to get. It contains both the 186-minute Director’s Cut, which includes important scenes deleted from the theatrical version, and the 215-minute Ultimate Cut, which includes an animated version of “Tales of the Black Freighter,” the graphic novel’s “comic within the comic,” cut into the movie.

Related Resources

Watchmen Study Questions (PDF)

Watchmen Names, Terms, and Vocabulary (Quizlet)

Notes on the Text: The Annotated Watchmen (Doug Atkinson) The Annotated Watchmen v 2.0  – non-spoiler version (Doug Atkinson and Jamie Andrews) The Annotated Watchmen v 2.0 – spoilers included (Doug Atkinson and Jamie Andrews) Reading Watchmen (Chris Beckett) Watchmen Bestiary (Paul O’Brian)

Amazon | Parnassus | Powell’s

Watchmen Deluxe Edition

Watchmen : The Annotated Edition

Watchmen Blu-ray

All-Time 100 Novels: Watchmen

Watchmen Study Questions

I met a traveller from an antique land Who said: “Two vast and trunkless legs of stone Stand in the desert . . . Near them, on the sand, Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, Tell that its sculptor well those passions read Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed: And on the pedestal these words appear: ‘My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!’ Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away.”

– “Ozymandias,” Percy Bysshe Shelley, 1792-1822

General Questions

Keep track of these questions as you read, and be prepared to discuss them. Your answers may evolve as you read through the text.

1. Discuss each of the following characters’ personalities and values. How would you describe each character’s philosophy of life? As you read, find quotes like those below that express fundamental insights into these characters’ motivations. Three examples have been provided.

Rorschach : “Soon there will be war. Millions will burn. Millions will perish in sickness and misery. Why does one death matter against so many? Because there is good and there is evil, and evil must be punished. Even in the face of Armageddon I shall not compromise in this. But there are so many deserving of retribution…and there is so little time.”

Nite Owl (Hollis Mason) : “I suppose that the simple fact of spending the first twelve years of my life living in my grandfather’s proximity had indelibly stamped a certain set of moral values and conditions upon me. I was never so extreme in my beliefs concerning God, the family, and the flag as my father’s father was, but if I look at myself today I can see basic notions of decency that were passed down direct from him to me.”

“I like the idea of adventure, and I feel bad unless I’m doing good…what it comes down to for me is that I dressed up like an owl and fought crime because it was fun and because it needed doing and because I goddam felt like it.”

Dr. Manhattan (Jon Osterman) : “A live body and a dead body contain the same number of particles. Structurally, there’s no discernible difference. Life and death are unquantifiable abstracts. Why should I be concerned?”

The Comedian (Edward Blake)

Nite Owl (Dan Dreiberg)

Ozymandias (Adrian Veidt)

2. How are the Comedian’s name and smiley face badge ironic?

3. Discuss the meaning of Rorschach’s constantly shifting mask.

4. What is the Keene Act, and how has it affected the lives of costumed vigilantes like the Minutemen?

Chapter I: “At Midnight, All the Agents…”

5. What is the main plot point in Chapter 1? What is Rorschach’s theory about what happened?

6. What basic information do we learn about the following characters in this chapter?

• Dan Dreiberg (the second Nite Owl)
• The Comedian
• Adrian Veidt (Ozymandias)
• Dr. Manhattan (Jon Osterman)

7. What do these characters seem to think of each other?

8. What is the status of these and other living “superheroes” at this point in the story? Why?

9. What narrative purposes are served by the excerpt from Hollis Mason’s autobiography, Under the Hood ? Discuss the multiple meanings of the title.

Chapter II: “Absent Friends”

10. What do we learn in this chapter about Sally’s personality and values? What is her relationship with Laurie like?

11. What happened many years ago between Sally (Laurie’s mother, the Silk Spectre) and Edward Blake (the Comedian) that Laurie still holds a grudge about? How does Sally herself feel?

12. At the first meeting of the Crimebusters, what disagreement do the Comedian and Ozymandias have?

13. In the story, the United States wins the Vietnam War because of the presence of Dr. Manhattan. What further insight does the conversation between the Comedian and Dr. Manhattan at the end of the Vietnam War provide about the Comedian’s values? How did the Comedian get the scar on his face?

14. What does the Vietnam flashback show us about Dr. Manhattan’s values? Do you think he was always this way, and if not, why has he changed? Why does the Comedian say “God help us all” as he walks away from Dr. Manhattan?

15. In the riot scene, someone has spraypainted “Who watches the Watchmen?” on a wall. What is the reason for the riots, and what does that sentence mean?

16. The former supervillain Moloch tells Rorschach about the Comedian’s recent visit to him. What do you think is the significance of the Comedian’s words and actions? Does it have anything to do with his death?

17. Discuss the meaning of Rorschach’s joke about Pagliacci.

18. What psychological insights does the next excerpt from Under the Hood provide about costumed vigilantes? Why were the Minutemen unable to stay together?

Chapter III: “The Judge of All the Earth”

19. What purpose(s) do you think the story about the newsvendor and the kid reading the comic book serves? How does the line “I could not love her as she had loved me” serve as a transition into the next section?

20. Why do you think Laurie decides to leave Jon?

21. What happens during Jon’s interview, and what is its significance for the story? Why do you think Jon goes to Mars, and what can you infer about his thoughts and feelings from his behavior during this chapter? What is Rorschach’s reaction to the situation?

22. What political event happens in the wake of Jon’s departure from Earth, and what is its significance? What does the newsvendor’s reaction tell us about how the public perceives the situation? What reaction do you think the author intends us to have to the ensuing discussion about military strategy? What effect does the author achieve by juxtaposing images of Mars with this discussion?

23. According to this chapter’s excerpt from Under the Hood , how did Dr. Manhattan’s arrival affect the world?

Chapter IV: “Watchmaker”

24. How does Jon become Dr. Manhattan?

25. What else does this chapter tell us about Jon’s impact on the world as Dr. Manhattan? (Include Milton Glass’s analysis at the end of the chapter in your discussion.)

26. Describe the narrative structure of the chapter. Why do you think Moore chose to tell this part of the story this way?

27. Why does Jon do nothing to prevent disastrous events that he knows are going to happen? What does this suggest about the story’s view of time and causality? How does the metaphor of a watchmaker fit into this view of the world?

28. What effect does Jon’s immense power seem to have on him over time? Why do you think he decides to build the clockwork structure at the end of the chapter?

29. Do you agree with Jon’s assessment of the Comedian?

Blake is interesting. I have never met anyone so deliberately amoral. He suits the climate here: the madness, the pointless butchery…As I come to understand Vietnam and what it implies about the human condition, I also realize that few humans will permit themselves such an understanding. Blake’s different. He understands perfectly…and he doesn’t care.

Chapter V: “Fearful Symmetry”

30. What is Rorschach’s reaction to seeing Dan and Laurie together, and what does this show about him?

31. What do you think the silhouette graffiti painted by the gang members is intended to suggest?

32. What do these quotes suggest about how Rorschach thinks of himself?

First, peeled off face, folded it, hid inside jacket. Without my face, nobody knows. Nobody knows who I am.

Putting [my things] on, I abandoned my disguise and became myself.

This relentless world: There is only one sane response to it.

What do you think this “sane response” is, according to Rorschach?

33. What seems to be happening to the narrator of the “comic within a comic” story?

34. What examples of “fearful symmetry” do you see in this chapter?

Chapter VI: “The Abyss Gazes Also”

35. What initial impression of Rorschach does Dr. Long have, and what signs suggest that this impression is deeply mistaken?

36. What is Rorschach’s opinion of Dr. Long, and what does he base his judgment on?

37. Who was Kitty Genovese, and what significance do her rape and murder have for Rorschach? What additional insights does the chapter give us into the evolution of Rorschach’s identity? Consider the flashbacks to his earlier life, as well as these quotes:

Once a man has seen, he can never turn his back on it. Never pretend it doesn’t exist.

We do not do this thing because it is permitted. We do it because we have to. We do it because we are compelled.

In Rorschach’s own estimation, when and why did he truly become Rorschach—what discovery did he make on that day?

38. Based on the information in this chapter, how would you interpret the meaning of Rorschach’s blot test mask?

39. How is the looming threat of a nuclear holocaust connected to the developments and themes of this chapter?

40. Interpret the quote from the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche at the end of the chapter and discuss its connection to this chapter.

Battle not with monsters, lest ye become a monster, and if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.

Chapter VII: “A Brother to Dragons”

41. Discuss the important developments that take place in this chapter.

42. What more is revealed about Dan’s character and his motivations in this chapter? What do we learn about Nite Owl’s equipment and abilities?

43. Throughout the novel, things going on in the background of the scene are often important to the development of plot or theme. What examples of this authorial technique can you find in this chapter?

Chapter VIII: “Old Ghosts”

44. How does the way Rorschach deals with Big Figure and his henchmen demonstrate the qualities that make him so formidable?

45. How does Detective Steven Fine figure out Nite Owl’s identity?

46. Why does Dan want to break Rorschach out of prison?

47. What significance does the phrase “the spirit of ‘77” have in this chapter?

48. Why do the gang members kill Hollis? What is ironic about the weapon used to kill him?

49. Interpret the meaning of this chapter’s title. In what ways is the chapter connected to the concept of ghosts? Discuss some specific references (direct and indirect) to ghosts in the chapter.

Chapter IX: “The Darkness of Mere Being”

50. What happens to Laurie when Jon teleports her to Mars, and what does this emphasize about Jon?

51. What does Jon mean when he says, “We’re all puppets, Laurie. I’m just a puppet who can see the strings”?

52. Discuss the significance of Laurie’s earliest memory—along with other memories presented in this chapter, what realization does it lead Laurie to? What meaning do you think that realization has for her? What symbolic significance does the snow globe have?

53. Why does Jon no longer care about Earth and the fate of humanity? What arguments does he make in his debate with Laurie, and how does she respond?

54. What changes Jon’s mind about saving humanity? Explain the realization he has about the significance of human life. Discuss the symbolic meaning of Laurie’s destruction of his clockwork structure.

55. Discuss the symbolic significance of the special crater seen near the end of the chapter (which is based on an actual crater photographed on Mars).

56. Discuss your interpretation of C.G. Jung’s quote at the end of the chapter and explain how it relates to the events in the chapter.

As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light of meaning in the darkness of mere being.

Chapter X: “Two Riders Were Approaching…”

57. What do we learn from the scene with President Nixon at the beginning of the chapter?

58. What different approaches and theories do Daniel and Rorschach have? What evidence are they working with? What clues point to Adrian’s role in the events of the story? (Some are discussed by Daniel and Rorschach; others are clues that readers can identify, including visual clues.)

59. Why do you think Rorschach decides to leave without punishing his landlord, who told lies about him to the press?

60. What happens to the artists, writers, and other people leaving the island, and why?

61. What is the significance of Rorschach’s journal? Why does he mail it to the offices of The New Frontiersman?

62. What does the shipwreck survivor do in this chapter, and why? How is it significant that he mistakes a scarecrow for a pirate sentry?

63. Based on the scene in Karnak early in the chapter and the documents at the end of the chapter, what kind of future does Adrian seem to be preparing for?

Chapter XI: “Look on My Works, Ye Mighty…”

64. According to Adrian, what does the Antarctic landscape symbolize in connection with Daniel and Rorschach’s current situation? What does Adrian do before their arrival at Karnak, and why? What does he suggest in this chapter are the driving forces and desires behind his life? What is the goal of his secret plan, and how will his plan achieve that goal?

65. Interpret the meaning of the pirate story’s ending. How does it relate to the larger story? How do the subplots involving minor characters in New York City relate to the larger story?

66. Discuss the meaning of Shelley’s poem in connection with the story.

Chapter XII: “A Stronger Loving World”

67. In what ways does Adrian try to neutralize the threat to his plans posed by Jon? What is effective, and what isn’t?

68. In what ways do Adrian’s actions appear to have created the possibility of a better world?

69. Discuss the reactions of the various other characters to Adrian’s actions. How would you try to handle the situation?

70. What point is Jon making when he tells Adrian that “nothing ever ends”? How might this be related to Shelley’s poem?

71. Why do you think Laurie chooses to forgive her mother?

72. Discuss the significance of this quote from the Outer Limits episode “The Architects of Fear,” as well as the quote from John Cale at the end of the chapter:

Scarecrows and magic and other fatal fears do not bring people closer together. There is no magic substitute for soft caring and hard work, for self-respect and mutual love. If we can learn this from the mistake these frightened men made, then their mistake will not have been merely grotesque, it would at least have been a lesson. A lesson, at last, to be learned.

It would be a stronger world, a stronger loving world, to die in.

73. What clues about the changes that have taken place in the world do the last few pages contain (e.g., the name of the restaurant where Seymour buys lunch)? What final threat to Adrian’s plan does the ending suggest?

PDF version

Questions © 2016 C. Brantley Collins, Jr.

50 pages • 1 hour read

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-2

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Chapters 5-6

Chapters 7-8

Chapters 9-10

Chapters 11-12

Character Analysis

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Discussion Questions

Chapters 1-2 Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapter 1 summary: “at midnight, all the agents…”.

Content Warning : This section of the guide contains depictions of graphic violence, violence against animals, suicide, alcohol addiction, and attempted rape. The source text also contains outdated, racist, and misogynistic language, which is reproduced in this guide only through quotations.

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Novel — Realism In The Graphic Novel Watchmen

Realism in The Graphic Novel Watchmen

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The Greater Good: Analyzing Morality in Watchmen

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In 1986, Alan Moore’s revolutionary graphic novel, Watchmen , redefined the superhero genre and pushed the bounds of what is considered great literature. At the center of its plot sits the classic heroic notion of the greater good, the sacrifice of the few for the many. Set in an alternate version of the 1980s, Watchmen follows several heroes as they uncover their comrade Ozymandias’s plan to unite the world by sacrificing millions of innocent lives and blaming it on a fake alien invasion. However, when they discover his plot, it has already been carried out and he is able to convince all but one of them, Rorschach, not to reveal the truth to the world. Throughout its story, Watchmen presents several takes on the morality of murder, the ultimate judgment of death, and its implications in the grand scheme of the world. However, no verdict is passed on the world’s fate. Rorschach’s journal, containing an account of events leading up to the mass slaughter, is left in the hands of a young, unkempt newspaper assistant. Most current analyses of the graphic novel disregard the collective ideals represented in Watchmen, choosing instead to focus on a single outlook that allies with their own ideologies. While it is important to recognize the different ideas and perspectives represented through the graphic novel, the ramifications of the work as a whole cannot be ignored. By understanding and piecing together the unique positions collected in Watchmen , taking into account the recurring motifs and symbols as well, a completely new perspective is born: there is no moral justification for killing, only the justifications that individuals place upon it.

Unlike other classic comic books, Watchmen does not have a clear protagonist or antagonist. The characters are eerily human for the genre, struggling through life’s various moral and personal obstacles including bullying, child abuse, and adultery. Most do not have any sort of superpowers. What sets them apart is their morality, their minds: each feels a deep need to be a hero and that is what ultimately pushes him or her to become one. S. Evan Kreider takes a look at the moralities of these characters in his article “Who Watches the Watchmen?” In it he explores the characterizations of Rorschach, Manhattan, and Ozymandias, three “superheroes,” and how they would handle the fundamental question: “Is it ever morally acceptable to sacrifice the interests of a few for the greater good of the many?” (97) After detailing the various philosophical and moral ideals each character represents, Kreider concludes that Watchmen does not offer a “correct” answer to the question of whether millions of lives should be sacrificed to save billions through its characters. However, if he were to choose a “true hero of the piece, it may be Dr. Manhattan” due to the moral middle ground that he represents and his final actions in preserving peace by preventing Rorscach from revealing the truth to the world (Kreider). Yet, this statement raises more questions: If Manhattan is the true hero, why does he allow so much senseless violence to occur and why does he ultimately desert humankind for another universe? Kreider’s technique of looking at the story in parts, solely focusing on single characters’ journeys throughout the course of the graphic novel, makes it impossible to see Watchmen ’s true themes. Instead, by taking into account all that Watchmen has to offer, its unique characters, recurring symbols, and powerful imagery, a new theme within the graphic novel is revealed.

The true sense of morality in Watchmen lies in its lack of a “true hero,” of a “right and wrong,” of a “correct” answer. The world the Watchmen inhabit is dark, gloomy, and above all, vicious. Around every corner, behind every door, violence lurks. The art throughout the comics is graphic, and the colors are dreary, with menacing black and blood red used wherever possible. In a single word, Watchmen is gothic. In his article, “‘Nothing ever ends’: facing the apocalypse in Watchmen ,” Christian W. Schneider looks at how Moore uses gothic elements and traits to enhance the story telling in Watchmen. Schneider argues that the extensive use of dark and blood red colors, vivid crimes, and violent scenes provides a gothic atmosphere, showing that Watchmen ’s world is “bleak, with its glaringly negative sides exposed… ultimately, it is not worth saving” (Schneider 89). With a world so gloomy and the air so ominous, lines become blurred. Criminals are not the only ones killing; the murders committed by the heroes, who are supposed to prevent crime, may be even crueler.

Rorschach, a main character in the comic book, embraces this surrounding cruelty in every moment of every day. He sees all the evil around him and has made it his life’s purpose to extinguish it from the world at any cost. The progeny of an abusive prostitute, his psychopathic personality is the focus of an entire chapter. Thus, when it is revealed that he witnessed his mother at work, readers may understand why he sees the world as “stand[ing] on the brink, staring down into bloody hell” (Moore 1). Schneider expands on Rorscach’s views, deciding that the world drives “Rorschach over the brink, into insanity and extreme nihilism” (89). However, Rorschach is not without morals. He has an idea of right and wrong; it is just not the same idea of right and wrong as everybody else. After fighting crime while abiding by the law for some time, he decides that he was “soft on scum. Too young to know any better. Molly-coddled them. Let them live” (Moore 192). After this revelation, Rorschach attacks without restraint those he perceives as evil, going as far as chaining a man to a water pipe, handing him a hacksaw, lighting his house on fire, and harshly telling him, “Shouldn’t bother trying to saw through handcuffs … Never make it in time” (Moore 203). He takes an uncompromising approach to fighting crime, punishing all no matter the severity of the offense. However, what makes him truly terrifying is that he is the judge, jury, and executioner of his own morality. He wholly relies on his own judgment to determine who lives and who dies.

Although this seems like a rather unique point of view, ultimately demonstrated when he is the only one who rebels against Ozymandias’s plan, the source of his ideology is not uncommon. In the numerous glimpses into Rorschach’s mind and judgment, one thing is clear: Life is inherently meaningless and there is no greater purpose beyond the principles individuals impart to it. In his own words, “Existence is random, Has no pattern save what we imagine after staring at it too long. No meaning save what we choose to impose” (Moore 201). Rorschach sees the world as a blank slate, without an inherent set of moral standards, just the set of morals each individual places upon themselves. This theme is common throughout the narrative: each character has their own view on their role in the “picture of empty meaningless blackness,” one that serves their own interests (Moore 206). In Rorschach’s case, he fills his slate with the anguish of his past, the bullying and torment of his childhood. His existence is for the sole purpose of punishing the guilty in ways he sees fit, discarding the laws that society has already put in place in favor of his own distinct moral code.

Still, it’s possible to read even further into Rorschach’s mind, the reasons behind his intense need to serve his brand of justice to any criminal he comes across. The narration in the comic book switches between several characters. It begins with Rorschach’s consciousness, expressed through his personal journal, as he documents his investigation into the death of a fellow hero, the Comedian, who was killed after he discovered Ozymandias’s plan. Rorschach’s short, concise train of thought, hardly legible and without pronouns, provides deep insight into the true motives behind his actions. As the comic moves through the Comedian’s brutal thrashing, he writes: “The future is bearing down like an express train” (Moore 68). Yet, what’s most striking about the scene is not the text, but the scene unfolding in the background. Along with the foreboding words is a map of the United States burning up in flames, as if to say that even greatest country in the world cannot escape its eventual destruction. So as the world is saved from impending doom, Rorschach sticks to his ideals, to “never compromise” and deliver justice to Ozymandias even if doing so would return the world to chaos. He chooses to die before giving up what he believes. Rorschach has turned the meaningless blackness that he was given, his blank moral slate, into the only thing that means anything.

No character showcases this idea of meaninglessness more than Dr. Manhattan, the only hero in Watchmen with superpowers. Born of a nuclear accident, Manhattan exhibits a variety of abilities, from replication to telekinesis to disintegration. He is essentially a god, save a single debilitating flaw, his indeterminate moral compass. Despite having the capability of changing the world for the better with a single thought, he works mindlessly for the U.S. government as its plaything, doing its bidding without purpose. His reasoning? “We’re all puppets … I’m just a puppet who can see the strings” (Moore 285). Manhattan pushes the idea of fate being set in stone. Since he experiences the past, present, and future all at the same time, he cannot see the world as anything except immutable, unyielding to any outside forces. In an essay describing the characters’ relationships to the political sphere and the various political messages in Watchmen , Michael J. Prince concludes that Manhattan’s “knowledge and perspective disqualify the possibility of individual agency categorically” (Prince 821). Similarly, Schneider calls Manhattan Watchmen ’s “most ineffectual character” (90). Manhattan is given godlike power but, at the same time, sees himself as powerless against the flow of time. As a result, Manhattan, much like Rorschach, sees life as a morally blank slate.

However, where they differ is their views of this blank ethical slate. Comic book analyst Bryan D. Dietrich examines the many motifs throughout Watchmen and their roles in how readers interpret the graphic novel and its characters. In his essay, “The Human Stain: Chaos and the Rage for Order in Watchmen ,” he notes that Manhattan “cannot see a self, because he is all selves and all truths, all possibility and all reason, he too acts on what must be… a singular (if infinite) vision of right and wrong” (Dietrich 122). That is to say, Manhattan does not make moral decisions based simply on an uncompromising set of guidelines like Rorschach. There is no one rule in his mind that dictates when killing is justified and when it is not. This is shown throughout the story when he does not stop countless murders, something he is very capable of doing, yet he kills off a fellow hero, Rorschach, in order to stop exactly that, the countless murders that would ensue if the world returned to its former tumultuous state. While Rorschach is single-minded in pursuing his form of justice, Manhattan sees a more complicated world, without a fixed right and wrong, where a single decision can ripple far beyond current circumstances.

Nevertheless, even though he does not have a singular idea of morality, he is not, as Schneider puts, a nihilist who views life as meaningless; rather, he just does not conceive of a fixed right or wrong. He knows what the future holds, so there is no moral deterrent from killing. Since all possible choices are ultimately trivial, Manhattan’s “views rest on a deontological principle concerning the value of human life” (Kreider 107). More plainly, Manhattan acts upon an obligation to preserve human life. Instead of making moral decisions based on a right or wrong, he weighs his options according to whether the outcome of the event is important or trivial, ignoring simple homicides while keeping the world from nuclear apocalypse. He takes into account all the information he has, all the potential outcomes, “all selves and all truths, all possibility and all reason” (Dietrich 122), and makes a decision based on the gravity of the situation. The numerous instances where he does not prevent what society would deem a crime can be justified by these crimes having no overall effect on the survival of humanity. They will not change the course of the human race, so Manhattan does not care about them.

Again, as with Rorschach, Manhattan’s morality in informed by a distinct view of the world that only he can see. His unique perspective that bears the burden of countless deaths is based on the fundamental premise that the future is circular and unchangeable. However, this is not just Manhattan’s view. Moore also displays the concept of time as an inflexible construct. When the story begins, the art opens to a peculiar image of a blood splattered smiley face lying on the sidewalk. Although it may not hold any significance at the moment, as with all reappearing imagery in the revolutionary comic book, it is there for a reason. The blood splatter on the face bears a striking resemblance to an arrow, one that appears on the cover page of Chapter 1 pointing to 12 minutes before midnight. As representing the 12 chapters of the book before Ozymandias’s plan comes to fruition. However, as the clock strikes midnight and humanity is seemingly saved from the nuclear apocalypse, the smiley face reappears in the last panels of the comic, once again stained with an arrow pointing to 12 until midnight, counting down to the next catastrophic disaster. Moore displays the future as relentless and recursive. What is destined to happen will happen: the only variable is when.

By displaying the future as immutable, along with the endlessly violent and gloomy backdrop in which the story takes place, Moore emphasizes the single variable: the distinct morals of the unique characters. In particular, for Rorschach and Manhattan, Moore displays that “for [Rorschach] law is definable, for [Manhattan], infinitely recursive and indeterminate” (Dietrich 122). Rorschach and Manhattan essentially see the world in similar ways, even though they seem diametrically opposed: for Rorschach, a “meaningless blackness”, and for Manhattan, “the darkness of mere being” (Moore 281). Despite this, Manhattan decides to base his morals on preserving human life, which always seems to find a way to reset itself after great tragedy or a period of peace. Since he also sees that time is fixed and enduring, he determines that the laws society enacts to protect life are both necessary in the short term and useless in the long term.

Similarly, Adrian Veidt, or Ozymandias, holds a consequentialist view of morality, basing his actions solely on their final results, choosing to ignore short-term harm in service of long-term benefit. Albeit he has taken it to the extreme in his decision to kill millions of New Yorkers and blame it on aliens in order to bring about world peace. Ozymandias provides the epitome of the idea that “right and wrong are determined by the consequences of our actions” (Kreider 102). Moore thus seems to provide three distinct views of morality to show the extremes of all variations. Ozymandias represents the epitome of long-term, consequentialist thought, Rorschach, the simple self-righteous mentality, while Manhattan displays deontological ethics, basing his judgment on what is better, worse, or insignificant for humanity. Of all these characters, Ozymandias displays the most desire to make a difference, acknowledging his horrific actions: “I know I’ve struggled across the back of murdered innocents to save humanity… but someone had to take the weight of that awful, necessary crime” (Moore 409).

However, despite how it may seem like his morality is based on the good of others, it is ultimately derived from a selfish need for fulfillment, a need to feel like he is making a difference. As Prince puts it, Ozymandias is  “ tainted by a lack of compassion, and an ends-justify-the-means mentality” (826). In her essay “Radical Coterie and the Idea of Sole Survival in St. Leon , Frankenstein and Watchmen ,” Claire Sheridan compares how the need to survive factors into the motivations of the main characters in the aforementioned books. Her exploration provides an interesting insight into the mind of Ozymandias. According to Sheridan, in order to feel like he is making a difference, “Veidt interprets those who might challenge his belief system in a productive way as threats to his sovereignty” (Sheridan 189). As the “smartest man in the world,” Ozymandias cannot see himself doing any wrong. This is appropriate when considering his namesakes: Ramses II, whose Greek name was Ozymandias, and Alexander the Great. Though they built great kingdoms, their impressive empires were no exception to the ravages of time. By naming his main protagonist as he does, Moore hints that Ozymandias’s utopia will be no different.

Additionally, Moore seems to use Ozymandias as a foil for Rorschach, a point of comparison to highlight the distinguishing features of both characters. While Ozymandias is wealthy, powerful, and handsome, Rorschach is filthy, despised, and unattractive. Ozymandias focuses only on the consequences of his actions, an ideal displayed in his monologue describing his ultimate goal of building a “unity that would survive him” (Moore 358). His ideology obviously contradicts Rorschach’s self-focused, shortsighted moral absolutism of extinguishing evil. Still, in the end, even Ozymandias, with the purest of intentions, is only doing “good” for himself, for his own self-importance, deciding that he will do whatever it takes to feel like he is making a difference, even at the cost of millions of lives. Ozymandias struggles to justify his actions, even to himself, and is left wondering how long his newly created peace will last, with Dr. Manhattan cryptically telling him “Nothing ends, Adrian. Nothing ever ends” (Moore 409).

Yet, somehow, that is the beauty of the story: that nothing is certain, that each individual’s morality is of his or her own making. No matter what the circumstances are, they can always change, hopefully for the better. More importantly, Watchmen exhibits the best part of being human: our ability to choose our own ideas for right and wrong and act upon them. Despite being deemed superheroes, the characters in Watchmen , including Dr. Manhattan, are all fundamentally human. As Schneider puts, in their capacity to change the world “they are in no better position than the rest of humanity, neither on a moral nor on an authoritative level” (90). Perhaps the point is not that superheroes can be human, but that humans can be superheroes. Moore suggests that because of our ability to choose our own ethics, our own limitations and the fate of the world are ultimately in our hands, which aligns perfectly with Watchmen’s enigmatic ending.

Works Cited

Dietrich, Bryan D. “The human stain: chaos and the rage for order in Watchmen.” Extrapolation 50.1 (2009): 120+. Academic OneFile . Web.

Kreider, S. Evan, and Margaret Weis. “Who Watches the Watchmen?: Kant, Mill, and Political Morality in the Shadow of Manhattan.”   Homer Simpson Ponders Politics: Popular Culture as Political Theory . Ed. Joseph J. Foy and Timothy M. Dale. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2013. 97–112. Web.

Moore, Alan, and Dave Gibbons.  Watchmen . New York: Warner Books, 1987. Print.

Prince, Michael J. “Alan Moore’s America: The Liberal Individual And American Identities In Watchmen.”   Journal Of Popular Culture 44.4 (2011): 815-830.   Humanities Full Text (H.W. Wilson) . Web.

Schneider, Christian W. “‘Nothing Ever Ends’: Facing the Apocalypse in Watchmen.”   Alan Moore and the Gothic Tradition . Ed. Matthew J. A. Green. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2013. 84–102. Web.

Sheridan, Claire. “Radical Coterie and the Idea of Sole Survival in St Leon, Frankenstein and Watchmen.”   Alan Moore and the Gothic Tradition . Ed. Matthew J. A. Green. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2013. 179–194. Web.

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1st PUC English Textbook Answers Reflections Chapter 8 Watchman of the Lake

You can Download Chapter 8 Watchman of the Lake Questions and Answers Pdf, Notes, Summary, 1st PUC English Textbook Answers , Karnataka State Board Solutions help you to revise complete Syllabus and score more marks in your examinations.

Karnataka 1st PUC English Textbook Answers Reflections Chapter 8 Watchman of the Lake

Watchman of the lake questions and answers, notes, summary.

Watchman of the Lake Comprehension I

Question 1. Why was the headman in a hurry to complete the road work? Answer: The king of the land was to pass by that way the next day and the road had to be ready for use.

Question 2. The village headman asked Mara to keep away from the road workers because of ______ Answer: He did not want the king to know that the village had such fools as Mara.

Question 3. How did Mara manage to draw the attention of the king? Why? Answer: Mara hid among the branches of a tree and jumped down from the tree in front of the king when the king passed that way. Mara did it as he was desperate to tell the king about his dream and what the Goddess had revealed to him in the dream.

Question 4. The Goddess’ command to Mara was to ______ Answer: build a tank for Veda so that Veda found a home.

Question 5. How does the king respond to Mara’s information about the tank? Answer: The king does not doubt Mara. He asks Mara to go with him to the palace the next day as he wanted to discuss further the tank to be built.

Question 6. What does Mara advise his son in saving the lake and the creatures? Answer: Mara reminded his son that he had to be the watchman of the lake after him (Mara). Mara also shared with his son what the Goddess had instructed Mara to do. She had commanded that nothing that flew, swam or walked those parts, where the lake existed, be killed as the place was scared. So Mara told his son that no killers should be allowed there whether they came with arrows for the gulls which skimmed over the water or with the rod for the fish.

Question 7. Why did the visitor approach Mara? OR Why did the visitor request Mara for water? OR In ‘Watchman of the Lake’, one day a visitor approached Mara to (a) get water to his village (b) stop fishing in the lake (c) work as watchman of the lake. OR Why did the visitor from the farthest village come to Mara? Answer: The visitor approached Mara for some water from the tank as his village was the farthest from the king’s domain and crops parched up and cattle were dying of drought.

Question 8. Mara rushed to the king because he wanted to save (a) his own life (b) the king (c) the lake. Answer: (b) the king.

Question 9. Mara was trembling at the king’s palace because (a) he was afraid of the king (b) he was drenched in the rain, (c) he was worried about the lake. Answer: (c) he was worried about the lake.

Question 10. On what condition did Mara make the Goddess wait for him? Answer: Mara requested the Goddess not to carry out her act of devastation until he returned from the capital after informing the king about the danger.

Watchman of the Lake Comprehension II

Question 1. What was the significance of Mara’s dream? OR Write about Mara’s dream in ‘Watchman of the Lake’. OR Describe the sacrifices made by Mara to build and to save the lake. Answer: Mara gets two dreams in the course of the play. The first time, it is the dream of the Goddess who urges Mara to get a bank built for river Veda so that she could find a home for herself. The second time, it is the same Goddess, furious that her plaything Veda has been imprisoned in the man-made bank. When Mara reminds her that it was at her behest that the bank was built, the Goddess, who is in the mood of destruction, retorts that she is now ready for devastation.

After the vision, both the times, Mara works for the general welfare. After the first dream, he wants the bank to be built because he knows that the preserved water would be of great use to the subjects of the king. He undergoes a lot of harassment at the hands of the village headman before he gets to speak to the king. The second time, after the dream, when he realises that nothing can stop the Goddess from the act of destruction, he sacrifices himself in order to save the king and his kingdom.

Thus, we see that Mara is a true saviour of the people. If this is one significant aspect of the dream, there is one more point full of wrath. Maybe she is displeased by selfish people who try to exploit the water in the bank for their own good and wants to teach all a lesson. Even here, it is Mara’s sacrifice that comes to the forefront.

The significance of the dreams is that we have no control over divine design. Yet, if we have the nobility of Mara, we can escape the destructive edge of even divine plans.

Question 2. What instructions did Mara give his son about the lake and the creatures? What light do these instructions throw on Mara’s character? OR What instructions did Mara give his son, Ganga, about the duties of the watchman of the lake? Answer: Mara reminded his son that he had to be the watchman of the lake after his death. Mara also shared with his son what the Goddess had instructed Mara to do. She had commanded that nothing that flew, swam or walked those parts, where the lake existed, be killed as the place was scared. So Mara told his son that no killers should be allowed there, whether they came with arrows for the gulls which skimmed over the water or with the rod for the fish. These instructions are given by Mara to his son, first of all, show that Mara was obedient to the Goddess.

Secondly, it shows that he was a great lover of nature. Thirdly, it shows his sense of responsibility. He wanted the lake and the bank to be taken care of in an exemplary way. At the same time, he was authoritative too. He did not allow anyone to exploit the bank. Yet, he did not deny anyone the just use of the water of the bank. Thus, we see that Mara was a noble watchman of the lake.

Question 3. Bring out the significance of the sacred spot that Mara describes to the king. OR Describe the myth regarding the sacred spot from where the sacred river Veda was born, as narrated by Mara to the king. OR What mythological story did Mara narrate about the sacred spot to the King? Answer: According to Mara’s narration, the spot was sacred because Hanuman stood there on the day Lakshmana lay in a dead faint in the battle-field at Lanka. Hanuman was guided by divine omens and came to the spot where the king stood, and went up the mountain to find sanjeevini, with which he revived Lakshmana. In the place of the sanjeevini a stream arose and it flowed past the spot where the king stood. Thus, the place was sacred for two reasons. First of all, the great Hanuman came there; secondly, river Veda, originating from the spot where sanjeevini grew, flowed there.

Question 4. How did Mara react to the Goddess when she appeared before him (a) the first time? (b) the second time? Answer: (a) The first time, when the Goddess appeared before Mara, he recognised her immediately as the divine mother and fell at her feet. He was struck by her grandeur, and this is evident from the graphic description he gives to the king of the tresses, the stars in her coronet and the ruby on the forehead of the Goddess.

(b) The second time, Mara sees the Goddess in her destructive mood. Her tresses are wild, her eyes gleam with a strange light, her forehead is splashed with vermilion and she carries a sword. This time too Mara falls at her feet, but this time he is frightened and pleads for mercy.

Watchman of the Lake Comprehension III

Question 1. Was the headman.justified in calling Mara a lunatic? Give reasons. OR Why did the headman call Mara a lunatic? Give reasons. Answer: No, he was not. First of all, he gives Mara no hearing at all. Right from the beginning, he has been very insulting towards not only Mara but also the other labourers. Even if he doesn’t believe Mara’s stories, it is not necessary to be so harsh towards Mara. He even goes to the extent of imprisoning Mara. Moreover, we see that the king has no doubts about the story of Mara. Thus, it is clear that the headman is not justified in calling Mara a lunatic.

Question 2. “Nature is both protective and destructive.” How does the play bring out this idea? OR The Goddess says “Veda is my plaything” indicating that nature can be constructive as well as destructive. How is this true in the play ‘Watchman of the Lake’? OR How does the play ‘Watchman .of the Lake’ bring out both the protective and destructive faces of nature? Answer: The play makes it very clear that nature is both protective and destructive and that we are at the mercy of nature. We see the same river Veda as the life-giver, life maintainer and life destroyer. The play shows it as the whim and fancy of the Goddess, for whom River Veda is a plaything. But, what the author tries to show is that nature can impact us in different ways at different times and we are not in a position to understand why it acts as it does. But, what is important is that we should protect nature and not exploit it.

Question 3. How differently did Mara treat the fisherman and the visitor? OR Why did Mara treat the fisherman and the visitor differently? Answer: Mara is a devoted watchman of the lake and he follows all the commands ordained by the Goddess. That is why he does not harm the tiger that comes to the lake to quench its thirst. For the same reason, he threatens the fisherman with dire consequences if he tries to fish at the lake again. Mara’s duty is to ensure that no living creature got harmed at the lake. At the same time, he does not misuse his power. He is very courteous with the visitor and offers him all the assistance, according to the rules put down by the king. Mara knows that the water of the lake is for consumption and does not deny anyone the rightful use of it.

Question 4. Why do you think Mara asked the king make his son, son’s son, and soon, the watchman of the lake? Answer: Mara’s attachment to the lake is such that he cannot trust anyone else with the welfare of it. He has seen selfish people like the fisherman, misusing their power. Moreover, he has guided his son at every point as to how to look after the lake and knows that his son can look after the lake very well. So, when Mara knows that his end is near, he requests the king to grant him his last wish, and that is to appoint his son and his grandsons after his son as the watchmen of the lake. Thus, Mara’s selfless attitude is evident even when he makes a request that might seem to others as a selfish one.

Question 5. In what way do you think Mara’s sacrifice saved the lake? What ‘sacrifices’ need to be made to save the lakes today? Answer: Since the Goddess couldn’t make Veda overflow her banks till the return of Mara, with Mara’s death, Mara ensured that the river would never overflow its banks. His selflessness in making the king kill him saved the life of the king and all his subjects. In the present time, we have no watchmen to guard our rivers and other sources of water. We have been exploiting the water resources selfishly. We throw rubbish, including factory effluence, into the water; we wastewater; we don’t try to preserve water through watershed management, rainwater harvesting etc.

We have polluted our most sacred river – Ganga – beyond measure. It is high time we realised that water is the elixir of life and unless we treat water respectfully, there is no future for us. The year 2013-14 has been declared by the UN as the Year of Water Cooperatives. Let us, at least now, start celebrating the importance of the life¬giving water.

Watchman of the Lake Additional Questions and Answers

I. Answer the following questions in a word, a phrase or a sentence each:

Question 1. What had the Goddess instructed Mara in his dream in ‘Watchman of the Lake’? OR What was the command of the Goddess to Mara in ‘Watchman of the Lake’? Answer: The Goddess instructed Mara to build a tank for Veda so that Veda found a home.

Question 2. Name the river mentioned in the play ‘Watchman of the Lake’. Answer: River Veda.

Question 3. What is the name of Mara’s son? Answer: Ganga.

Question 4. Bhima frees Mara from the cellar because of he (a) is bribed by Mara (b) learns about the command of the Goddess to Mara (c) hates the village headman. Answer: (b) learns about the command of the Goddess to Mara.

Question 5. What did Bhima’s mother give him to become strong? Answer: Iron decoction.

Question 6. Where was Mara waiting for the king? Answer: On the branch of a tree.

Question 7. Who had come in Mara’s dream to talk about the tank? Answer: The Goddess.

Question 8. Who had given Mara the greatest gift that any man could give? Answer: His father-in-law.

Question 9. What does the Goddess regard as her own plaything? Answer: River Veda.

Question 10. Whom did the village headman ask to put Mara in the cellar? Answer: Bhima.

Question 11. Why did Mara want to meet the king? OR Why was Mara waiting for the king in a tree? Answer: Mara wanted to report to the king about his dream in which the Goddess had asked him to speak to the king about a tank to be built to preserve the water of river Veda.

Question 12. Who was initially appointed as the watchman of the lake by the king in ‘Watchman of the Lake’? Answer: Mara.

Question 13. Who informed Ganga that his father was no more? Answer: The King.

Question 14. Who was appointed as the watchman of the lake after Mara? Answer: His son Ganga.

Question 15. Why did the king install Mara’s statue in the temple along with the Goddess’s statue? Answer: Just as the Goddess was the guardian Goddess of the lake, Mara was also the guard who sacrificed himself for the sake of the kingdom.

Question 16. Where, according to Mara, did Hanuman find ‘sanjeevini’? Answer: On the crest of a mountain.

Question 17. Why were the roads being repaired in Mara’s village in ‘Watchman of the Lake’? Answer: In ‘Watchman of the Lake’, the roads in Mara’s village were in a bad shape and unfit for the king of the land to pass through. As the king was to pass by that way the next day, the roads were being repaired.

Question 18. Who did the village headman consider as a ‘lunatic’ in ‘Watchman of the Lake’? Answer: In ‘Watchman of the Lake’, the headman of the village considered Mara a lunatic.

Question 19. The village headman was angry with Mara because of _______ (a) he wanted to marry his daughter (b) he disturbed the good work (c) none of the above. Answer: (b) he disturbed the good work.

Question 20. The village headman asked Mara to keep away from the road workers because of ______ (a) he was disturbing them by talking about his dream (b) he was destroying the road (c) he has snatched away the implements of the workers. Answer: (a) he was disturbing them by talking about his dream.

Question 21. According to Mara, why was the village headman jealous of him? Answer: According to Mara, the village headman was jealous of him because the Goddess came to Mara in his dream rather than to the village headman.

Question 22. Who threatened to lock up Mara if he did not go out of sight for two days? Answer: The village headman threatened to lock up Mara if he did not go out of sight for two days.

Question 23. Who commanded Mara to tell the king to build a tank to the river Veda? Answer: The Goddess commanded Mara to tell the king to build a tank to the river Veda in that village.

Question 24. Who helped Mara to escape from the cellar? Answer: Bhima, one of the village headman’s workers, helped Mara to escape from the cellar.

Question 25. When the king was passing through Mara’s village, there was a sudden confusion as _____ (a) the king fell down on an unrepaired road (b) Mara jumped down from the branches of a tree before the king (c) someone tried to attack the king. Answer: (b) Mara jumped down from the branches of a tree before the king.

Question 26. Who had given Bhima iron decoction when he was a baby? Answer: Bhima’s mother had given him iron decoction when he was a baby.

Question 27. Who was Mara’s jailor in watchman of the Lake’? Answer: Bhima, one of the headman’s workers, was Mara’s jailor in Watchman of the Lake’.

Question 28. Where was Mara held as a prisoner in ‘Watchman of the Lake’? Answer: Mara was held as a prisoner in the cellar behind the old temple in Mara’s village.

Question 29. _____ was bound and thrown into the cellar in ‘Watchman of the Lake’. (a) Mara (b) Racha (c) Bhima. Answer: (a) Mara.

Question 30. The command of the Goddess to Mara was to ______ (a) wait for the king in the tree (b) tell the king to build a tank for the river Veda (c) drink iron decoction to become strong like Bhima. Answer: (b) tell the king to build a tank for the river Veda.

Question 31. _______ believed that Mara had the grace of the gods upon him. (a) The village headman (b) The fisherman (c) The king. Answer: (c) The king.

Question 32. According to Mara, the command of the Goddess about the creatures of the lake was ______ (a) one can catch fish occasionally (b) only gulls (birds) should be caught (c) nothing that flies, swims or walks should ever be killed. Answer: (c) nothing that flies, swims or walks should ever be killed.

Question 33. According to Mara, ________ comes down the mountain to slake its thirst in the dead of the night. Answer: a tiger.

Question 34. Who was Mara waiting for, hiding in the tree? Answer: Mara, hiding in the tree, was waiting for the king.

Question 35. What is described as the ‘life-blood of the King’s subjects’? Answer: The water of the Veda River is the very life-blood of the king’s humble subjects.

Question 36. Who summoned the king on a torrential night? Answer: Mara, the watchman of the lake, summoned the king on a torrential night.

Question 37. The Goddess considered river Veda as her (a) daughter (b) own plaything (c) life-blood. Answer: (b) own plaything.

Question 38. What did Mara convey to the king late at night? Answer: On a torrential night, Mara told the king that the Goddess had appeared before him that evening. She had asked him to clear out of his hut immediately as she was going to destroy the tank in which Veda had been imprisoned.

Question 39. What was the command of the Goddess when she appeared in Mara’s dream for the first time. Answer: When the Goddess appeared in Mara’s dream for the first time, she commanded him to tell the king that he should build a tank, give Veda a home and not to let her leave that village.

Question 40. ____ was the mood of the Goddess when she appeared in Mara’s dream for the first time? (a) Protective, motherly, and divine (b) Fierce, unkind and threatening (c) Disagreeing, demanding and commanding. Answer: (a) Protective, motherly, and divine.

Question 41. What was the mood of the Goddess when she appeared in front of Mara on a stormy night? Answer: When the Goddess appeared in front of Mara on a stormy night, a most terrible and reckless mood of destruction seemed to have come upon the Goddess.

Question 42. What was the suggestion given by Mara to save the lake? OR What did Mara offer to do in order to save the lake? Answer: Mara suggested to the king that he should get him executed and make it impossible for him to return to his place.

Question 43. What was Mara’s last request to the king before he sacrificed his life? Answer: Mara’s last request to the king was to make his son and the sons of his future generations only as of the watchman of the lake.

Question 44. Who ordered Ganga to perform his father’s duties after the death of Mara? Answer: The king ordered Ganga to perform his father’s duties after the death of Mara.

Question 45. Whose idol is installed on the top pedestal in the shrine? Answer: The idol of the Guardian Goddess of the lake is installed on the top pedestal in the shrine.

Question 46. Whose idol is installed on the lower pedestal in the shrine? Answer: The idol of Mara, the watchman of the lake, is installed on the lower pedestal in the shrine.

II. Answer the following questions in 80 – 100 words each:

Question 1. What instructions does the Headman give Bhima? Why? OR How does the Headman try to frighten Mara? OR How does the village Headman try to prevent Mara from approaching the king? Answer: Initially, the Headman tries to control Mara with his harsh words. He calls him a lunatic and orders him to keep away from the path. When this fails, he even tries to cajole Mara by offering him a gift on condition that he kept away. After failing to persuade Mara to leave the spot with either threat or reward, the Headman decides to use force on Mara. He decides to make use of Bhima, a giant-sized man, to restrict Mara from coming to the spot. He instructs Bhima to bind Mara hand and foot and throw him into the cellar behind the old temple and keep him there till the king passed by that way. He also cautions Mara that if he tried any trick, Bhima would crush him between his thumb and forefinger.

Question 2. Why does Mara rush to the King? What request has he made to the Goddess? OR How does Mara save the village and the kingdom from the threat of the flood? OR How does Mara attempt to save the kingdom from the wrath of the Goddess? OR How does Mara sacrifice his life for the people in ‘Watchman of the Lake’? Answer: Mara rushes to the king after witnessing the dangerously rising levels of river Veda. In his vision, he sees the Goddess in her destructive mood and no amount of pleading on Mara’s part makes her change her decision of overflowing the bank. It is then that Mara pleads with the Goddess to contain her wrath and ensure that the water didn’t overflow the banks submerging the whole kingdom until he informed the king and returned. The Goddess agrees and Mara rushes to the kingdom to let the king know what has happened.

Just as the king gets ready to face the inevitable deluge and the destruction of his whole kingdom, Mara points out to him that if he (Mara) didn’t return, the Goddess would keep her word of the water not overflowing the bank. He then urges the king to put an end to his life so that he wouldn’t be able to return. The king, though reluctant, is helpless, and fulfils the request of Mara. Thus, Mara saves the king and his kingdom by sacrificing himself.

Question 3. What instructions does Ganga give his son? Answer: Ganga carries on the legacy of his father and keeps the trust of his father. Just as Mara wanted his son to continue his duty as the watchman, Ganga wants his son to continue after him as the watchman of the lake. Ganga has another instruction for his son. He wants his son not to miss the worship at the shrine. Even as he reminds his son that after his death he should watch over the lake, he also tells him that he would be annoyed if his son missed the worship at the shrine. Thus, we see that Mara’s wish that the lake should be taken care of by his son and later by his son’s son has been fulfilled.

Question 4. Sketch the character of Mara, the watchman. OR Mara can be called ‘a common man with uncommon determination’. Elucidate. Answer: The title of the play ‘Watchman of the Lake’ by R.K. Narayan refers to a watchman, a common man, who is instrumental in a lake coming into being. The one-act play unfolds before us the saga of Mara who against stiff opposition ensures that the lake comes into being, and sacrifices himself to ensure that the lake does not overflow its banks, destroying the whole capital of the king who has constructed the lake. The play revolves around the vision of Mara who has been told by the Goddess that a tank must be built for river Veda.

Though the Headman tries his best to prevent Mara from meeting the King, a lake comes into being after Mara convinces the king. Mara supervises the building of the tank, taking into consideration every stone that is placed and after the tank is built, protects the lake and all the creatures near the lake from trespassers. He also gives water to the needy according to the rules of the king and trains his son to be the future watchman of the lake. Thus, we see that Mara is: god-fearing; loyal to the king; hard-working as the watchman of the lake; fair and impartial in his dealings with the people who come to the lake; a common man with uncommon determination, and above all, is selfless in sacrificing his life for the sake of the kingdom. He is fearless too. When the Headman is insulting towards him, he makes fun of him. He is an admirable mixture of dedication, vision and hard work.

Question 5. What does Mara, the watchman, reveal to the king on the night of the storm? Answer: The night of the storm is a dark night for Mara, the watchman of the lake, who realises that the lake which until then had been the life-giver is on the verge of turning into the life-destroyer. After we see that Mara is worried about the rising levels of the water, we see him at the palace seeking permission to speak to the king late at night. Mara, who is drenched in water and has mud splashed all over him, confides with the king that the Goddess had appeared in his dream again and had warned him about Veda overflowing the banks of the lake. She hadn’t relented even when Mara had reminded her that it was at her behest that the bank had been built. Mara adds that the Goddess seemed to be in a destructive mood. Mara tells the king that if the water overflowed, then the whole kingdom would be destroyed.

Even as the king gets ready to inform his subjects about the impending deluge and doom, Mara tells him that there is one way of saving the kingdom. He says that the Goddess had promised not to overflow the bank until Mara returned and the king could ensure that Mara didn’t return by killing him. Thus, we see that Mara sacrifices himself for the welfare of the king and his subjects. His only request is to make his son the next watchman and his grandson and great-grandsons after his son to be subsequent watchmen of the lake.

Question 6. Contrast the different moods of the Goddess that are portrayed in “Watchman of the Lake”. Answer: The constructive and destructive appearances of the Goddess are symbolic of the constructive and destructive aspects of nature. They are also symbolic of God himself being both the preserver and the destroyer. The two facets of the Goddess also make one more point clear. Human beings cannot follow the design of the supreme being. He has to only accept the divine will unquestioningly.

First time when the Goddess appears before Mara, he recognises her immediately as the divine mother and falls at her feet. He is struck by her grandeur, and this is evident from the graphic description he gives to the king of the tresses, the stars in her coronet and the ruby on the forehead of the Goddess.

The second time Mara sees the Goddess in her destructive mood. Her tresses are wild, her eyes gleam with a strange light, her forehead is splashed with vermilion and she carries a sword. This time too Mara falls at her feet, but this time he is frightened and pleads for mercy. The Goddess offers no explanation for her fury. However, she shows mercy and asks Mara to leave the hut. She also agrees to contain herself until he returned.

Question 7. Give an account of Mara’s second meeting with the king. Answer: If the first meeting of Mara with the king is adventurous, the second meeting is very disturbing. In Scene Four we see Mara at the palace seeking permission to speak to the king late at night. Mara, who is drenched in water and has mud splashed all over him, confides with the king that the Goddess had appeared in his dream again and had warned him about Veda overflowing the banks of the lake. She hadn’t relented even when Mara had reminded her that it was at her behest that the tank had been built. Mara adds that the Goddess seemed to be in a destructive mood. Mara tells the king that if the water overflowed, then the whole kingdom would be destroyed. Even as the king gets ready to inform his subjects about the impending deluge and doom, Mara tells him that there is one way of saving the kingdom.

He says that the Goddess had promised not to overflow until Mara returned and the king could ensure that Mara didn’t return by killing him. Thus we see that Mara sacrifices himself for the welfare of the king and his subjects. His only request is to make his son the next watchman and his grandson and great-grandsons after his son to be subsequent watchmen of the lake.

Question 8. Narrate the story ofSanjeevini as told by Mara in the play ‘Watchman of the Lake’. Answer: According to Mara’s narration, the spot was sacred because Hanuman stood there on the day Lakshmana lay in a dead faint in the battlefield at Lanka. Hanuman was guided by divine omens and came to the spot where the king stood, and went up the mountain to find Sanjeevini, with which he revived Lakshmana. In the place of the Sanjeevini, a stream arose and it flowed past the spot where the king stood. Thus, the place was sacred for two reasons. First of all, the great Hanuman came there; secondly, river Veda, originating from the spot where Sanjeevini grew, flowed there.

Question 9. What did Mara tell the king about the tank on a stormy night? Answer: Mara told the king that until that evening there was no sign of the coming rain, but at dusk, the sky darkened all of a sudden. Raindrops started battering his roof and at midnight the wind rocked his hut. He came out of his hut and saw a terrifying sight. Veda was thundering down the mountain, and the wind shook the earth. When he went to the edge of the water, the waves rose to a man’s height and hammered at the bank; the water level was just a hair’s breadth below the shore. It appeared as though it might heave and flow over.

Question 10. Give an account of Mara’s vision of the Goddess on the night of the storm. Answer: Until that evening there was no sign of the coming rain, but at dusk, the sky darkened all of a sudden. Raindrops started battering Mara’s roof and at midnight the wind rocked his hut. He came out of his hut and saw a terrifying sight. Veda was thundering down the mountain, and the wind shook the earth. When he went to the edge of the water, the waves rose to a man’s height and hammered at the bank; the water level was just a hair’s breadth below the shore. It appeared as though it might heave and flow over. On seeing the turbulent Veda, Mara fell down and prayed. He had a vision of the Goddess of the lake. He saw the Goddess standing before him. Her tresses were wild, and her eyes gleamed with a strange light; she carried a sword in her hand and she had splashed her forehead with vermilion.

Question 11. How did Mara save the lake? Answer: When Mara fell at her feet, the Goddess asked him to rise up and hear her intently. She told him that she was the Goddess of the Lake and that river Veda was her plaything. She asked him to leave the hut at once and save his life. Mara asked her what was going to happen. She told him that she was going to destroy the tank that imprisoned Veda. When Mara told her that they had built the tank at her command, the Goddess replied that she was in a different mood and wanted to splash away the waters of Veda. Mara told the Goddess that the waters of Veda would wash away hundreds of villages and towns and the king’s capital beyond if the bank was removed.

Mara prostrated before her and begged her to stay her hand and not to carry out the devastation until he came back after informing the king about it. After meeting the king he requested the king to get him executed and prevent him from returning to the Goddess. Though the king disliked the suggestion, finally he granted Mara’s wish and got him executed. The Goddess stayed her hand, did not destroy the tank and waited for Mara’s return. Thus, Mara saved the lake.

Question 12. Why did Mara meet the king the first time? Answer: Mara met the king the first time in order to tell him about the conversation he had with the Goddess in his dream. The Goddess of the river appeared in Mara’s dream several times and told him to ask his king to build a tank for river Veda and to not let river Veda leave their village. The Goddess appeared in Mara’s dream and told him that the king was passing through their village the next day and he should tell the king to build a tank for Veda and give her a home.

Question 13. How did Mara manage to meet the king the first time? Answer: After having been told by the Goddess of the river that the king was passing through their village the next day, Mara went to see the road the king would pass through. The workers told the headman of the village that Mara had peeped at them from behind a rock and had run away.

The village headman considered Mara a lunatic. Therefore, he wanted to prevent Mara from meeting the king. He called Bhima, a worker, who was well-built and strong, to bind Mara hand and foot and throw him into a cellar behind the old temple and keep him there for two days. Mara went along with Bhima without showing any resistance. On the way, Mara told him about what the Goddess had asked him to tell the king. Bhima was convinced that Mara was telling the truth and so set him free.

Mara hid on a tree near the road on which the king was passing through. Later, that day, while the king was going through that road, Mara jumped down from the tree and was brought before the king by his servants. When the king asked him why he was hiding there, he told the king what the Goddess had asked him to do.

Question 14. Describe the circumstances that prompted Mara to meet the king on a stormy night. Answer: One evening, when daylight was gradually fading and the sky was darkening, Mara sensed that it was going to rain very heavily. He called his son in and shut the door of his hut. Raindrops started battering his roof and at midnight the wind rocked his hut. Mara became anxious and came out of his hut. He saw Veda thundering down the mountain and also felt the wind shaking the earth. He went to the edge of the water in the tank and watched the waves rising to a man’s height and hammering at the bank. The water level had risen to just a hair’s breadth below the shore. He thought it might heave and flow over the banks any moment.

Mara went on his knees and prayed to the Goddess of the river. She appeared before him in an angry mood. Her tresses were wild, her eyes gleamed with a strange light; there was a sword in her hand and her forehead was splashed with vermilion. When he cowered at her sight she asked him to stand up and listen to what she was going to say. Then she told him to clear out of his hut at once as she desired to destroy the tank built around her. Mara pleaded with her to spare them and have pity on them. But the Goddess did not change her mood. Then Mara requested her to grant his one wish. He begged her to promise him that she would stay her hand and not carry out the devastation until he returned from the king’s palace after informing him about what was going to happen to the tank.

The Goddess gracefully granted his wish and agreed to wait until he came back. Thus having stayed the decision of the river Goddess, Mara had to somehow save the tank and his people. That is why Mara met the King on a stormy night.

Question 15. How did the king respond to Mara’s information about the command of the Goddess? Answer: Mara met the king in order to tell him about the conversation he had with the Goddess in his dream. The Goddess of the river appeared in Mara’s dream several times and told him to ask his king to build a tank for river Veda and to not let river Veda leave their village. The Goddess told him that the king was passing through their village the next day and he should tell the king to build a tank for Veda and give her a home. As soon as he heard what Mara told him, the king was very happy to learn about the command of the Goddess. He was also happy that Mara had been lucky enough to have spoken to the Goddess. That is why Mara asked the king that he might get him trampled down by his royal elephant if he did not believe his words. The king, on the contrary, expressed his appreciation for Mara for having been graced by the Goddess. The king said that Mara’s words were valuable and needed due consideration.

Question 16. Describe Mara’s reaction to the Goddess on a stormy night. Answer: On that stormy night, when the raindrops started battering the roof of his hut and the wind rocked his hut, Mara was disturbed by the change in the weather. He came out of the hut and saw the huge waves rising to a man’s height and hammering at the banks of the tank. The tank was almost full and it looked as if it might heave and flow over the land any moment.

Mara was shocked to see the tank in such a state. He prostrated and prayed to the Goddess of the river. The Goddess appeared before him. Her tresses were wild, her eyes gleamed with a strange light; she carried a sword in her hand and she had splashed her forehead with vermilion. He cowered at the sight of her. The Goddess asked him to get up and hear her intently.

The Goddess told him that she was the Goddess of the lake and that river Veda was her plaything. She ordered him to clear out of his hut at once. Mara begged the Goddess to spare them. He asked the Goddess what was going to happen. She told him that she was going to kick away the stones that bound the tank as she wanted to destroy the tank. Mara then told the Goddess that they had built the tank at her command. The Goddess told him that she was in a destructive mood, Veda was her plaything and she liked to splash away its waters.

Then Mara pleaded with her and requested her to stay her hand until he returned to the village after informing the king about it. The Goddess granted his wish.

Question 17. What did Mara request the Goddess and the king to save the lake? Answer: The Goddess of the river told Mara that she intended to destroy the lake and splash the waters of the river Veda. She asked him to clear out of the hut at once. Mara pleaded with her to spare them. He then told her that they had built the tank aj her command. The Goddess told him that Veda was her plaything and she was now in a destructive mood and wished to destroy the tank. Mara requested the Goddess to stay her hand until he returned to his village after informing the king about it. The Goddess granted his wish.

Then Mara met the king at midnight and told him the whole story. He then asked the king to execute him and make it impossible for him to return to his village. That way, he would be able to save the tank, since the Goddess had agreed to not destroy the tank until he came back. Mara then requested the king to make his son the watchman of the lake, and after him, his son, and then his son’s son to the last generation of his family. Though the king was disturbed by his request, he finally agreed and got Mara executed.

Question 18. Give an account of Mara’s meeting with the king on a stormy night in ‘Watchman of the Lake’. Answer: When Mara fell at her feet, the Goddess asked him to rise up and hear her intently. She told him that she was the Goddess of the Lake and that river Veda was her plaything. She asked him to leave the hut at once and save his life. Mara asked her what was going to happen. She told him that she was going to destroy the tank that imprisoned Veda. When Mara told her that they had built the tank at her command, the Goddess replied that she was in a different mood and wanted to splash away the waters of Veda.

Mara told the Goddess that the waters of Veda would wash away hundreds of villages and towns and the king’s capital beyond if the bank was removed. Mara prostrated before her and begged her to stay her hand and not to carry out the devastation until he came back after informing the king about it. After meeting the king he requested the king to get him executed and prevent him from returning to the Goddess. Though the king disliked the suggestion, finally he granted Mara’s wish and got him executed. The Goddess stayed her hand, did not destroy the tank and waited for Mara’s return. Thus, Mara saved the lake.

Question 19. Why was the shrine dedicated to Mara by the king in ‘Watchman of the Lake’? Answer: ‘Watchman of the Lake’ by R.K. Narayan enacts the legendary story of the martyrdom of Mara, an innocent villager of Sakkarepatna situated in the eastern base of Baba Sudan Hills, in Karnataka. It was once the capital of a king called Rukmangada.

One night Mara saw in his dream, the Goddess of the River Veda which flows down the hills throughout the year. The Goddess told Mara to meet the king and ask him to build a tank and to give her a home. Though no one believed Mara’s story and made fun of him, Mara managed to meet the king one day and narrate his story. The king, unlike the others, believed Mara’s account and eventually got a tank built and stored the waters of the river Veda. The king made Mara the watchman of the lake and saw to it that the water of the lake was properly utilized for agricultural and other useful purposes.

Many years later, one evening Mara noticed that there was going to be a thunderstorm and owing to strong winds, there were waves in the tank rising very high and hammering at the bank. Mara at once realized that it was a dangerous situation and the waters of the lake might overflow the banks and destroy his village. He feared for the lives of the people and their property in the village. Mara, at once, went down on his knees and prayed earnestly to the Goddess of the river. The Goddess appeared before him carrying a sword in her hand and her forehead was splashed with vermilion. She told Mara to move out of his hut at once and save himself. She told him that she was going to break out of the tank and flow over the villages and the towns and the king’s capital beyond it.

Mara immediately prostrated before her and begged her to give him enough time to go and inform the king about it. He requested her to wait and not do anything until he returned.

Later Mara met the king, narrated the whole story and also gave him a suggestion as to how he could save the tank and his people. He requested the king to get him executed so that he would never return to his place and the Goddess would continue to wait for Mara.

Though the king was not ready to accept Mara’s suggestion, Mara persuaded the king to get him executed so that the tank and the people of his kingdom could be saved. The king agreed and as per his wish, got Mara executed. Next, he got a shrine built for Mara in which the top pedestal had the idol of the Guardian Goddess of the village and just below it was the idol of Mara. The king ordered that the villagers should worship those idols every Tuesday and Friday to commemorate the martyrdom of Mara.

III. Answer the following in about 200 words:

Question 1. Do you think Mara took his responsibilities seriously in ‘Watchman of the Lake’? Illustrate. Answer: Yes. As watchman of the lake, Mara discharged his responsibilities very sincerely. He obeyed the command of the Goddess in letter and spirit. The Goddess had instructed that nothing that flew over the lake or swam in the lake or walked in those parts should be killed. She had also warned not to hurt even a tiger if it came down from the mountain to slake its thirst in the lake at night.

Soon after the tank had been constructed, Mara lived in a hut near the lake and watched over the lake day and night. If ever Mara saw anyone walking near the lake with a fishing rod or arrows, he would warn them not to fish in the lake or hunt the gulls that skimmed over the lake. Secondly, Mara tended the lake with great care so as to see that no one polluted the lake. If anyone wanted to take water from the lake he had to seek Mara’s permission.

Mara also managed to provide water to all the farmers in and around the village so that the crops and cattle did not die of drought. He did so by opening the gates that let the water into the fields at the right time and supervised the flow of water wisely.

Finally, when the Goddess told him that she wanted to destroy the tank, Mara prayed to her not to do so. When she refused to grant his request he obtained from her an assurance that she would wait until he came back after informing the king about it. After meeting the king, he requested the king to get him executed and prevent him from going back to the village so that the Goddess would never destroy the lake. He did so because he wanted to ensure that the lake was not destroyed and the king’s subjects and the whole village would not be washed away by the waters of the lake. He also got the king to promise him that his son, and after him, his son and then his son’s son to the last generation of Mara’s family would be made the watchman of the lake. Thus Mara, as watchman of the lake, took his responsibilities seriously.

Question 2. How did Mara prepare his son to become the watchman of the lake? Answer: One late afternoon, Mara came out of his hut looking for his son. As he did not see Ganga anywhere nearby, he called out to him. When Ganga came back running, Mara asked him where he had gone. Ganga told him that he was watching a man fishing in the lake. Mara immediately ran to the spot where the man was fishing and asked him what he was doing there. The man told him that he was doing nothing. Mara then asked him why he was carrying a fishing rod in his hand and how did all the fish in his basket come to him. Mara then ordered him to put all the fish back into the lake and threatened to push him into the lake if ever he saw him there again with the hook and the rod.

It was at this moment that Mara told his son that, after his death, he would be the watchman of the lake. Mara informed his son about the sanctity of the lake. He told his son Ganga that the lake was sacred and it belonged to the Goddess. She had commanded him that nothing that flew or swam or walked in those parts should ever be killed. Even if it was a tiger that came at the dead of night to slake its thirst at a distant corner of the lake, it should go untouched. The king had also given similar instructions to Mara.

Later, when the man who was fishing at the lake tried to treat Mara’s words as trivial and insignificant, Mara told him how the king had got the tank built for the river Veda and had given him the responsibility of taking care of the lake. Then he told him and his son how the river water nourished the cornfields of thousands of the king’s subjects. He also told him how he controlled the flow of water from the lake wisely and watched over the lake day and night vigilantly so that the water remained pure and unpolluted by man or beast. Then he told him that he had complete authority over the lake and no one could touch the water without his permission.

Mara next taught his son how to treat villagers who came to the lake for using the water for their needs. When Mara saw a man taking his cow to the water’s edge, Mara asked his son to warn that man that it was very deep at that spot and hence to move a little further off to a safer spot.

Later, when a villager came to see Mara asking for water for his fields at the farthest part of the king’s domain, Mara treated him hospitably and assured to guide him where to lay the channels. He also promised to let water into the channels as per the laws laid down by the king. Thus, Mara taught his son how he should take care of the lake after his death.

Question 3. How was Mara treated differently by the king and the village headman in ‘Watchman of the Lake’? Answer: The village headman did not have a good opinion about Mara. He called him a worthless dog and a lunatic. When the workers told him that Mara had come there and stood behind a rock he had peeped at them, he got furious and asked his workers to catch him and bring him there.

Then, he admonished Mara for distracting and disturbing his workers. Next, he threatened to get Mara locked up in the cellar behind the old temple, until the king had passed through their village. Mara innocently told him that the Goddess of the river had appeared in his dream, and had informed him that the king was coming through his village and so he should go and ask the king to build a tank for Veda. The village headman got angry again and told him to be off, but when Mara gave him a jovial reply he ordered Bhima to bind Mara hand and foot and keep him in a cellar. Thus the village headman treated Mara with a lot of contempt.

On the contrary, the king treated him courteously and gave him a sympathetic hearing. When Mara told the king that he had been waiting for him since daybreak, the king suggested that he should have asked for an audience. Later, after listening to Mara’s account of how he had slipped out of the cellar and waited for the king to arrive, the king asked him what he wanted. Mara told the king about the spiritual significance of that place and the need to utilize the water of the river Veda. Then he conveyed the message of the Goddess to the king. When Mara told the king that he could get him punished if he did not believe him, the king told him that he believed him and was pleased that he had been blessed by the Goddess. Then he asked Mara to accompany him to the capital.

Though Mara humbly submitted that he had no good clothes to wear and he was only Mara the mad, the king told him that he should obey his command without fail. After the tank had been built, the king made him the watchman of the lake.

Question 4. Compare and contrast the different circumstances that prompted Mara to meet the king. Answer: In the story ‘Watchman of the Lake’, Mara meets the king on two occasions – once, to get a tank constructed for the river Veda and the second time to save the tank from being destroyed.

One night the Goddess of the river appeared in his dream and instructed him to tell his king that he should build a tank for the river Veda and give her a home in that village.

A few days later the Goddess appeared again in his dream to inform him that the king was passing through their village and Mara should tell him about the tank.

Mara went to the spot where workers were making a road fit enough for the king to pass through. Mara hid behind a rock and peeped at the workers, which made the workers laugh and make fun of him. When the village headman came to know that Mara had come there, he sent his workers and got him caught and locked up in a cellar under the watchful eyes of Bhima. Later, when Mara narrated his meeting with the Goddess, Bhima let him escape and hide in a tree.

When Mara saw the king passing that way, he jumped down the tree and was brought before the king. The king gave him a patient hearing and later asked him to accompany him to the palace. Later, the king got a tank constructed for the waters of the river Veda and made Mara the watchman of the lake.

Several years later, one afternoon, Mara looking at the clouds gathering in the sky, realized that it was going to rain very heavily that evening and called his son back into the hut and both of them stayed indoors. Soon after that, there was a torrential downpour and a shrieking storm.

Late in the night, when the winds rocked his hut, Mara came out of the hut and saw the river water flooding the tank and the water level was a hair’s breadth below the shore. He concluded that the river might heave and flow over the tank any moment. Immediately, Mara knelt on the ground and prayed to the Goddess. The Goddess stood before him, wielding a sword in her hand. She asked him to move out of the hut at once, as she intended to destroy the tank. Mara pleaded with her earnestly to save the people, but she refused to grant his wish. Then Mara requested her to give him an assurance that she would stay her hand until he returned from the king’s palace after informing him about it. She granted his wish and Mara hurried to the king’s palace.

When Mara gave the king the message of the Goddess, the king was shocked and got ready to warn his subjects. Then Mara told the king that he had a plan to save the tank and the kingdom. He requested the king to get him executed and make it impossible for him to return. If he did not return, the Goddess would stay her hand and the tank would not be destroyed. Though the king was reluctant to do so, Mara persuaded the king to get him executed for the sake of his people.

Question 5. What were the incidents that led the king to build the shrine in ‘Watchman of the Lake’? Answer: One afternoon, Mara, looking at the clouds gathering in the sky, realized that it was going to rain very heavily that evening and called his son back into the hut and both of them stayed indoors. Soon after that, there was a torrential downpour and a shrieking storm.

Late in the night, when the winds rocked his hut, Mara came out of the hut and saw the river water flooding the tank and the water level was a hair’s breadth below the shore. He concluded that the river might heave and flow over the tank any moment. Immediately, Mara knelt on the ground and prayed to the Goddess. The Goddess stood before him, wielding a sword in her hand. She asked him to move out of the hut at once, as she intended to destroy the tank. Mara pleaded with her earnestly to save the people, but she refused to grant his wish. Then Mara requested her to give him an assurance that she would stay her hand until he returned from the king’s palace after informing him about it. She granted his wish and Mara hurried to the king’s palace.

When Mara gave the king the message of the Goddess, the king was shocked. Then Mara told the king that he had a plan to save the tank and the kingdom. He requested the king to get him executed and make it impossible for him to return. If he did not return, the Goddess would stay her hand and the tank would not be destroyed. Though the king was reluctant to do so, Mara persuaded the king to get him executed for the sake of his people. Soon after that, the king got a shrine for the Goddess and one for Mara built. The king gave orders that worship is performed at both the shrines.

Watchman of the Lake Vocabulary

Idioms and Phrases: Idioms and phrases are a group of words with a fixed word order which give a particular meaning. This meaning is different from the meanings of individual words. Here are some of the idioms and phrases.

praise something to the sky, to take somebody/something seriously, play the fool, all and sundry, quite a bit, keep out of one’s view, to behave oneself, have care, try tricks on somebody, rise to one’s feet, keep an eye.

All these expressions (idioms and phrases) have a specific meaning. Refer a good dictionary for their meaning.

Praise something to the sky – to overpraise something.

To take someone/something seriously -to think that someone/something is important and should be given careful attention

• Play the fool – to behave in a foolish or comical manner All and sundry – everyone; one and all
• Quite a bit – a considerable amount
• Keep out of one’s view (sight) – stay where you cannot be seen
• To behave oneself – not to misbehave
• Have care – to be more careful
• Try tricks on somebody – play a prank on someone
• Rise to one’s feet – to stand up
• Keep an eye – to watch someone or something; to monitor someone or something closely.

Watchman of the Lake by R.K.Narayan A Note on the Author:

R.K. Narayan (1906 – 2001) was an Indian author whose works of fiction include a series of books about people and their interactions in an imagined town in India called Malgudi. He is one of three leading figures of early Indian literature in English, along with Mulk Raj Anand and Raja Rao. He is credited with bringing Indian literature in English to the rest of the world and is regarded as one of India’s greatest English novelists. Narayan rarely wrote plays, and the present one is said to be a dramatised version of his short story,’The Watchman’.

Watchman of the Lake Summary in English

The title of the play ‘Watchman of the Lake’ by R.K. Narayan refers to a watchman who was instrumental in the lake coming into being. The one-act play which has five scenes unfolds before us the saga of Mara who, against stiff opposition, ensured that the lake came into being, and sacrificed himself to ensure that the lake did not overflow its banks destroying the whole capital of the king who had constructed the lake.

In scene one, we see road makers working under the instructions of the village headman. The village headman, who is rude to all the workers, repeatedly reminds them that the road should be ready within a day before the arrival of the king. When he catches some workmen laughing, he asks for the reason. He is furious to know that the reason behind their laughter is Mara hiding behind a rock. The headman orders his workers to go and catch Mara. When Mara is brought to him, he admonishes (scolds) Mara for distracting the workers and reminds him that he had repeatedly asked Mara to keep away from the workers for the present and the king when he passed that way.

When Mara shows his disobedience, he orders one of his workers – Bhima, who is as huge as a giant, to tie up Mara and lock him up in a cellar. Even when Mara tells him that he wants to inform the king about a dream in which he had seen the Goddess, the headman doesn’t relent. The headman cautions Bhima not to listen to the prattle of Mara.

In scene two, we see the king passing by that way. But suddenly Mara jumps down from a tree and places before the king the vision of the Goddess of his dream and her words. Mara says that the plate where the king stood was a sacred spot as Hanuman had come there in search of the sanjeevini to revive Lakshmana, fatally wounded in the war. The stream that arose from where the sanjeevini grew was Veda and she was a plaything for the Goddess. The Goddess kept her in the shelter in summer and made her flow past the kingdom of the king at other times. So, if a bank was built for her, even during summer, the king’s subjects could make use of the water. The king is impressed by the idea that Mara has had the vision of the Goddess and he asks Mara to follow him to the kingdom.

In scene three, we see that a huge tank has already been built for river Veda, and Mara loyally takes care of the lake. He is watchful of people who come there to fish but is ready to let the water for the use of all subjects, according to the law laid down by the king. He ensures that no one is harmed at the lake, not even the tiger that comes there to slake its thirst. We see Mara taking the help of his son – Ganga to maintain the lake. When the scene ends, we see that Mara is worried about the rising levels of the water in the lake.

In scene four, we see Mara at the palace seeking permission to speak to the king late at night. Mara, who is drenched in water and has mud splashed all over him, confides to the king that the Goddess had appeared in his dream again and had warned him about Veda overflowing the banks of the lake. She hadn’t relented even when Mara had reminded her that it was at her behest that the bank had been built. Mara adds that the Goddess seemed to be in a destructive mood. Mara tells the king that if the water overflowed, then the whole kingdom would be destroyed.

Even as the king gets ready to inform his subjects about the impending deluge and doom, Mara tells him that there is one way of saving the kingdom. He says that the Goddess had promised not to overflow until Mara returned and the king could ensure that Mara didn’t return by killing him. Thus we see that Mara sacrifices himself for the welfare of the king and his subjects. His only request is to make his son the next watchman and his grandson and great-grandsons after his son to be subsequent watchmen of the lake.

In scene five, we see that Ganga is the watchman of the lake and he narrates to his son when he took over his father’s duty. From his narration, we come to know that the king had come personally to inform Ganga that his father was more. The king had also asked Ganga to start doing his father’s duty immediately. The king had also built a shrine with two figures – one of the Guardian Goddess on the top pedestal and one immediately below it – of Mara. By the king’s order, worship was to be performed every Tuesday and Friday. Ganga remarks that scores of people since then had come from far and near to worship. Thus, we see that Mara, who was called a lunatic by the village headman, was worshipped by thousands of villagers.

Watchman of the Lake Summary in Kannada

• buck (n): a male deer
• crowbar (n): a straight Iron bar usually with a curved end
• prattle (n): a silly/foolish talk
• coronet (n): a small crown
• crest (n): the topmost ridge of a mountain
• dissipate (v): to gradually disappear
• slake (v): to drink so that you no longer feel thirsty
• sapphire (n): a precious stone of transparent bright blue colour
• torrential (adj): (of rain) falling in a large amount
• torrent (n): a large amount of water moving quickly
• crouch (v): to lower your body close to the ground by bending your legs under you
• executioner (n): a public official whose job is to execute criminals

Additional Glossary:

• rustic: (here) a simple villager
• lunatic: one who does crazy, stupid things
• cellar: an underground room
• prattle: meanIngless talk
• decoction: liquid obtained by boiling something for a long time in the water
• tresses: a woman’s long hair
• weighty: important
• halloing: shouting
• skim: rapidly move close to the surface or touching it
• gasping: breathing with difficulty
• bounds: (here) boundary walls
• cowered: bent low from fear
• deluge: heavy rain and flood
• pedestal: the base on which a statue stands
• scores: (here) large numbers

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Watchman of the Lake – Summary, Theme and Questions Answers

Table of Contents

Watchman of the Lake – Summary

“Watchman of the Lake” is a stunning dramatic adaptation of R.K. Narayan’s storey, which recounts the legend of a great rustic Mara making a supreme sacrifice for the conservation of a lake and the lives that depended on it for survival. Additionally, this drama emphasises the priceless gift of folk wisdom to humanity.

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The king is seen passing that way in scene two. However, Mara suddenly leaps from a tree and presents the king with the vision and words of the Goddess from his dream. According to Mara, the plate on which the king stood was a hallowed location since Hanuman had come there in quest of the sanjeevini in order to resurrect Lakshmana, who had been mortally wounded during the Conflict <strong>Conflict</strong>: the struggle between two opposing forces that is the basis of the plot.1) internal conflict character struggling with him/her self,2) external conflicts – character struggling with forces outside of him/her self. For example. Nature, god, society, another person, technology, etc. " data-gt-translate-attributes='[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]' tabindex=0 role=link>conflict . Veda was the stream from which the sanjeevini grew, and she was the Goddess’s plaything. The Goddess sheltered her during the summer and directed her to flow through the king’s territory during the rest of the year. Thus, if a bank were constructed for her, even throughout the summer, the king’s subjects would be able to use the water. The king is taken aback by Mara’s vision of the Goddess and invites her to join him in the kingdom.

In scene three, we find that a massive tank has already been constructed for the river Veda, and Mara has been entrusted with the responsibility of looking after the lake. He is vigilant for those who come to fish but is willing to open the water to all subjects in accordance with the king’s legislation. He makes certain that nobody is injured at the lake, not even the tiger that comes to quench its thirst. Mara enlists the assistance of his son – Ganga – in order to keep the lake in good condition. At the conclusion of the sequence, we observe Mara concerned about the lake’s growing water levels.

Mara arrives at the palace in scene four, requesting permission to talk with the king late at night. Mara, drenched in water and covered in dirt, informs the king that the Goddess reappeared in his dream and warned him about Veda overflowing the lake’s banks. She had refused to back down even after Mara reminded her that the bank had been constructed at her direction. Mara continues, “It appeared as though the Goddess was in a destructive mood.” Mara informs the king that if the water level rises too high, the entire kingdom would perish. While the king prepares to inform his subjects of the impending downpour and impending doom, Mara informs him that there is one chance to save the country. He claims that the Goddess pledged not to overflow until Mara returned, and that the king could assure Mara’s absence by murdering him. As thus, we witness Mara making a self-sacrifice for the king’s and his subjects’ welfare. His sole desire is that his son be appointed as the lake’s next watchman, and that his grandson and great-grandsons after him.

Questions and Answers

1) Why was the headman in a hurry to complete the road work?

Ans: The king should not know that fools like Mara were stayed in the village.

5) How does the king respond to Mara’s information about the tank?

Ans: Mara advised his son that he must be guardian of the lake after him. He explained whatever the Goddess instructed him and told that nothing that flew, swam or strolled those parts, where the lake existed, be murdered as the spot was terrified.

9) Mara was trembling at the king’s palace because (a) he was afraid of the king (b) he was drenched in the rain,(c) he was worried about the lake.

Ans: (c) he was worried about the lake.

Comprehension II

Ans: Mara dreamed twice. The first time, it was the Goddess’s dream that prompted Mara to secure a bank job for Veda in order to acquire a home for herself. It was a similar Goddess the following time, enraged that her toy Veda had been imprisoned in the man-made bank. When Mara informs her that the bank was built at her order, the Goddess, who was in a condition of decimation, responds that she was currently preparing for pulverisation. Following the vision, Mara worked for total government help on both occasions. Following the primary dream, he required the bank’s construction on the grounds that he recognised the protected water’s enormous utility to the ruler’s subjects. He was subjected to considerable badgering by the town headman before he was given the opportunity to address the ruler. Following the dream, when he saw that nothing could stop the Goddess from demonstrating obliteration, he sacrificed himself to save the ruler and his land. Indeed, it was Mara’s penance that brought this to a head. However, if we possessed the honour of Mara, they might be able to avoid the ruinous edge of even divine plans. The centrality of the illusions was their lack of control over the divine plan.

3) Bring out the significance of the sacred spot that Mara describes to the king.

Ans: a) the first time: the Goddess showed up before Mara, he perceived her quickly as the perfect mother and fell at her feet. He was struck by her magnificence, and this is apparent from the realistic depiction he provides for the ruler of the braids, the stars in her coronet and the ruby on the temple of the Goddess.

Ans: No, the headman was incorrect in labelling Mara a crazy. Above all, he avoids meeting Mara in any way. From the outset, he has been quite offensive to Mara and other coworkers. Whether or not he believes Mara’s accounts, it is irrelevant to be so nasty to Mara. He even goes so far as to detain Mara. Additionally, we observe that the monarch seems unconcerned about Mara’s storey. As a result, it is clear that the headman is not justified in considering Mara insane.

2) “Nature is both protective and destructive.” How does the play bring out this idea?

3) How differently did Mara treat the fisherman and the visitor?

Ans: Mara’s bond to the lake is intended to make him incapable of confiding in anybody else with the support of the government. He has witnessed folks with narrow minds, such as the angler, abuse their capacity. Additionally, he has guided his child at each phase <table width="100%"><tbody><tr><td><strong style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;">to phase sth in / to phase sth out / a phase</strong><strong> </strong><strong style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;">A phase is a period</strong><strong style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;"> of time, especially a period in which one part of a process takes place. So a company may go through ‘a growth phase’ or ‘a difficult phase’, for instance. It’s also common to use it as a verb – especially for changes in organisations or society. So, when a new system is phased in, it means it’s </strong><strong style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;">introduced</strong><strong style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;"> gradually, step by step. For instance, in many countries, digital television is being phased in. This means that, for the moment, the older televisions still work, but they are slowly being </strong><strong style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;">replaced. You could also say that these older televisions are being phased out. Another example is the phasing out of old coin-operated parking meters and their gradual replacement with the new ones which you can charge from your mobile phone or credit card.</strong><strong> </strong><strong>The new regulations will be </strong><strong>phased in</strong><strong> over two years to allow companies to revise their practices.</strong><strong>The manufacture of CFC’s has been effectively </strong><strong>phased out</strong><strong> since their effects on the Ozone Layer became widely known.</strong></td></tr></tbody></table> " data-gt-translate-attributes='[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]' tabindex=0 role=link>phase in terms of how to properly care for the lake and recognises that his child is capable of doing so in the long run. Along similar lines, when Mara senses that his time has come, he insists that the monarch grant him his final wish: to name his child and grandsons after his child as the lake’s gatekeepers. As a result, Mara’s caring attitude is evident in any case, even when he makes a solicitation that may sound juvenile to others.

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Watchman Of The Lake Summary By R.K. Narayan

• 1 Introduction
• 2 Characters of Watchman Of The Lake
• 3 Watch “Watchman Of The Lake Summary By R.K. Narayan” on Youtube
• 4.1 In Scene 1
• 4.2 In Scene 2
• 4.3 In Scene 3
• 4.4 In Scene 4
• 4.5 In Scene 5
• 5 About The Author
• 6 Conclusion

Introduction

“Watchman of the Lake” is a play by R.K. Narayan, a famous Indian writer. The play is set in a village near the Baba Budan Hills in Karnataka, India. The story revolves around a man named Mara, who is a watchman of the lake. He has been given the responsibility of guarding the lake by the goddess who appears in his dreams. Mara’s duty is to ensure that no harm comes to the lake or its inhabitants. The play explores the theme of duty, faith, and devotion towards the divine, and how the actions of one individual can impact the lives of many.

Characters of Watchman Of The Lake

The main character of R.K. Narayan’s “Watchman of the Lake” is Mara, a simple and innocent rustic who serves as the watchman of the lake. He is a devoted and loyal person who takes his duty seriously and follows the commands of the goddess. The village headman is another character in the play, who is harsh and cruel to the laborers and treats Mara with contempt. The king is a third character who appears in the play briefly. Ganga, Mara’s son, is also a character who appears in the final scene and continues his father’s legacy as the watchman of the lake. The goddess, who appears in Mara’s dream, is a mythical character who commands Mara to build a tank to keep the river Veda from leaving the village.

Watch “Watchman Of The Lake Summary By R.K. Narayan” on Youtube

Watchman Of The Lake-Summary

“Watchman of the Lake” by R.K. Narayan is a play set in a village near BabaBudan Hills in Karnataka.

Mara, the protagonist, approaches the village headman and his workmen who are mending the road for the King’s arrival. Mara wishes to inform the King about the tank, but the headman calls him a fool and orders his man Bhima to carry him to the cellar.

The King arrives, and Mara jumps down from a tree to tell him about a dream he had. Mara describes the sacred spot where he stands and how the Goddess appeared in his dream, commanding him to tell the King to build a tank and not let the river Veda leave the village.

A tank is built, and Mara is on strict watch to ensure that no creature is killed around the area. Mara notices thick clouds at the mountain top, followed by heavy rain.

Mara visits the King’s palace at night and informs him that the lake is about to burst due to torrential rain. Mara tells the King about the Goddess’s appearance in his dream and suggests that the King avoid the catastrophe by cutting off his head and placing his son as the next watchman of the lake and then his son’s son to be the successor.

Ganga, Mara’s son, is seen with his son at the shrine built for his father. Ganga explains the significance of the shrine and the story behind it, reminding his son that the duties of watching the lake pass on from Ganga to his son and future generations.

About The Author

Rasipuram Krishnaswami Iyer Narayanaswami, better known by his pen name R.K. Narayan, was an Indian writer and one of the most celebrated authors of Indian literature. He was born on October 10, 1906 in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India and died on May 13, 2001 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. He was best known for his works set in the fictional South Indian town of Malgudi, which includes novels and short stories.

The play concludes with Mara’s son, Ganga, and his grandson at the shrine built for Mara. Ganga explains the significance of the shrine and the story behind it to his grandson, reminding him of the responsibility that will pass down to him and the future generations of watching over the lake. The play’s central message is about the importance of protecting nature and the consequences of disobeying divine commands. It highlights the significance of ancient beliefs and traditions and the need to preserve them for future generations. The play also emphasizes the value of responsibility and the impact of an individual’s actions on the community and the environment.

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1st PUC ENGLISH NOTES - WATCHMAN OF THE LAKE

Chapter – 08

WATCHMAN OF THE LAKE

R.K. Narayan

Comprehension

b) The second time: Mara sees the Goddess in her dangerous mind-set. Her braids are wild, her eyes sparkle with a weird light, her brow is sprinkled with vermilion and she conveys a blade. This time too Mara falls at her feet, yet this time he is scared and argues for kindness.

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Write a Short Essay (250-300 Words) on the Following: How Were Urban Centres Transformed During the Eighteenth Century? - History

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Write a Short Essay (250-300 Words) on the Following:

How Were Urban Centres Transformed During the Eighteenth Century?

Solution Show Solution

 (i)The disintegration of the mughal empire after the death of Aurangzab paved the way of emergence of paverful regional powers. The capital cities of these regional kingdom likes Lucknow, Poona, Nagpur and Barda now become important. Taking the advantage of this opportunity many nobles and officials created new urban settlements such as the qasbah and ganj.

 (ii)The European companies too had set up their bases in different parts of India during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. For example the Portugues (in Panaji in 1570) and the British in Madras in 1639. With the expansion in commercial activity, towns began to emerge as trading centres.

 (iii)From the mid-eighteenth century trading. Centres like Surat and Dhakha which had grown in the seventeenth century now began to decline as trade shifted to other places. When the British acquired Bengal and the east Indian’s Company’s trade hereafter expanded the colonial port cities likes Madras and Calcutta. These new part cities began to emerge as the new economic capitals.

 (iv)In these newly developed cities many new buildings were built and new occupations developed. People flocked to these cities in large numbers. By the nineteenth century these newly developed cities become the biggest cities in India.

RELATED QUESTIONS

Answer in 100-150 Words

What Do the Terms “White” and “Black” Town Signify?

What was the importance of Delhi, Agra, and Lahore during the Mughal period?

Which of the following is not a justified reason for the increase in the population of Bombay, Calcutta, and Madras during the colonial period?

Bombay was given to the company in ______.

Assertion (1): The beginning of Indian codified common law is traced back to 1726 when a Mayor's Court in Madras, Bombay and Calcutta was established by the East India Company.

Reason (R): This was the first sign of Company's transformation from a trading company to a ruling power with the added flavor of new elements of the Judiciary.

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