Chapter 4

The Rattrap
Salema Lagerlof • The story "The Rattrap' has
been written by a Swedish
writer called Selma Lagerlof.
It is full of interesting
incidents and dialogues.
• This story gives
the message that the
essential goodness of man
can be awakened through
love and understanding.
 Justification of Title

“The Rattrap” is a very well – chosen title. It

being the story of a rattrap paddler, obviously
the title “The Rattrap” is an appropriate one.

The author has used the metaphor of a Rattrap

to highlight the human predicament (an
unpleasant and difficult situation that is hard
to get out of).

Just as a rat is fooled by bait and gets trapped,

most human beings area also prone to falling
into trap of material benefits. The story
revolves round the incident of a man getting
trapped due to his avarice (extreme desire for
money). Hence the title is an apt one.
Characters
Ironmaster's Daughter Edla Willmansson :

• Kind, compassionate, shy, modest, humble and a great

host.
• With a keen perception and an extremely sharp
observation, she zeroes down on the fact that the
peddler had robbed someone or was on the run. She
could even judge that he did not seem to be lettered.
• In a subtle way she brings out the hidden but inherent
goodness of the peddler by liberating him from the
'philosophical' trap; of his own raking.
• Persuasive
• Truly/aptly deserves the titles: Honourable and Noble.
v Character traits of the Rattrap Seller :

• Poverty stricken life, difficult

circumstances.
• Begging, petty thievery and selling rattraps
occasionally were his means of livelihood.
• Morally not upright
• Spares not even his host the old crofter-
cheats him of his 30 kronors.
• Takes advantage of situations and
opportunities. Philosophical and thoughtful
(ponderous)
• Basic/inherent goodness in man is brought
out in him through the kindness of Edla.
The ironmaster :

• Successful Businessman famous for supplying good

quality iron products.
• Was an army officer earlier
• Dedicated businessman
• Hasty and haughty in temperament.
• Not a good judge of characters
Monotonous : boring

Vagabond : wanderer

Plods : walks heavily

Bait : Food placed on a hook

to trap a rat, here it is
referred to the comforts of
life, which is offered to trap
someone

Tempted : convinced
Cherished: to love, protect

Dreary: dull

Plodding: walk heavily

Snare: trap

Trudging: walking slowly

Carved off: to divide something

into parts

Mjolis : a game played with

playing cards
Generous: liberal

Confidences: Secrets

Prosperity: riches

Crofter: A person who

works on a rented farm

Creamery : A factory that

produces cheese and cream

Kronor: Currency of Sweden

Complete Chapter’s Summary
The Rattrap Seller and his
thoughts about the Work :

Once upon a time, there was a man

who used to sell rattraps made from
the material he got from begging.

As his business was not profitable, he

also had to beg and even steal to
survive. Even then, the rattrap seller
wore rags, his checks were sunken and
hunger gleamed in his eyes.

One day, while the man was engrossed

in his thoughts of his rattrap, a very
amusing idea came to his mind.
The Rattrap Seller and his
thoughts about the Work :

He thought that the world was a big

rattrap which existed to set baits for
people. It offered comforts, joys,
food and shelter, heat and clothing
just like a rattrap that offers cheese
and pork.

As soon as anyone touches the bait,

the rattrap traps him and everything
comes to an end.

Such a thought entertained the

vagabond as the world was never
kind to him.
The Crofter Treats the Peddler Nicely :

One evening, the rattrap peddler was

walking along the road when he came
across a little gray cottage. He went to the
cottage to seek shelter for the night. Much
to his surprise, the owner of the cottage
invited him in and treated him kindly.

The owner was an old man without any

family. He lived alone and so was happy to
get someone to talk to. The old man not
only offered him porridge as supper but
also gave him tobacco roll for his pipe. He
also entertained the peddler with a game
of cards and his talks.
The Crofter Treats the Peddler
Nicely :

He informed the peddler that he is a

crofter. But now he couldn’t do much
labour and he earned his livelihood by
selling cow’s milk.

The old man trusted the peddler so

much that he told the guest that he had
recently earned thirty kronor.
To make the peddler believe him, he also
showed him the money, also revealing
that he kept it in a leather pouch which
hung on a nail near the window frame.
The Peddler Cheats the Crofter :

The next day, both the old man and

the peddler got up early. The old man
had to milk his cow. So, both of them
left the cottage at same time.

The peddler thanked the crofter for

his kindness and went on his own way.
But half an hour later, the peddler
returned to the cottage. He went to
the window, smashed a pane and
stuck in his hand to get hold of the
leather pouch.

He, then, took out the money and kept

it in his pocket. He kept the pouch in
its place and went away.
The Vagabond Gets Lost in the Woods :

The vagabond was quite pleased with his

smartness. As he had just committed a
theft, he decided to avoid the public
highway and entered the forest. He felt that
he would be safe as no one would be able to
catch him there.

In the first half of the day, he encountered

no problems but later, he got lost in the big
and confusing forest.
He tried to walk in a definite direction, but
the paths confused him. Suddenly, he
realised that he had let himself be fooled by
the bait and had been caught in a rattrap
himself. The entire forest, seemed to him
like a prison that offered no escape.
The Vagabond Gets Lost in the Woods :

It was the month of December and

darkness was covering the forest which
increased the danger, gloom and despair
the peddler was facing.

He could see no way out. He was so

overwhelmed with exhaustion that he sank
down to the ground, thinking that his last
moment had come. Just then, he heard the
sound of the regular thumping of a hammer.

He realised that the sound was coming

from an iron mill. He summoned all his
strength and walked in the direction of the
sound.
The Peddler Declines the
Invitation of the Ironmaster :

He reached the Ramsjö Ironworks,

which used to be a large plant
with smelter, rolling mill and forge.
Inside the ironmill, the master smith
and his helper were working.

So, there was a lot of noise due to

which the blacksmith did not notice
that the peddler had entered. As it
was usual was vagabonds to seek
shelter in the warm mill, the
peddler got the permission to stay.
The Peddler Declines the
Invitation of the Ironmaster :

As was custom, the ironmaster came

into the forge for his inspection and
noticed the peddler. In the dim light he
mistook the peddler for an old
regimental comrade and addressed him
as Nils Olof. The peddler didn’t try to
clear his doubt, as he thought the
ironmaster might give him some money.
But, the ironmaster invited him home.

The peddler thought that going to his

house would be like ‘throwing himself
voluntarily into the lion’s den’. So, he
declined the invitation.
Ironmaster’s Daughter
Persuades the Peddler :

The ironmaster assumed that

the peddler had declined the
invitation as he felt embarrassed
because of his miserable
clothing.

He tried to comfort the peddler

to convince him but the tramp
constantly refused to go with
him.
Ironmaster’s Daughter Persuades
the Peddler :

The ironmaster went away, but he was not

deterred by the peddler’s persistent refusal.
He sent his oldest daughter to persuade the
peddler.

When Edla came to the ironworks, she

found the man alarmed and frightened.

She sensed that the peddler was either a

thief on the run or an escaped prisoner.
Still, she was very friendly and kind to him.
The peddler felt confidence in her and
accepted the invitation.
Edla Expresses her Doubts About the Peddler :

The next day was Christmas Eve. The ironmaster

was happy that he would be spending his time
with an old friend.

He told Edla that they needed to feed him well

and provide him with a better business than
selling rattraps. Edla told her father that she was
doubtful about the man, as he didn’t display the
slightest sign of being educated.

However, the ironmaster told her that once the

man is properly groomed, she would see
something completely different. Just then the
stranger entered the room.

He was now well groomed and was wearing

clothes which belonged to the ironmaster.
The Ironmaster Gets Angry;
the Peddler Retaliates :

Seeing the peddler the ironmaster

realised that the tramp was not his friend
and that he was mistaken.

The peddler made no attempt to delude

them any longer. He explained that he
never said to the ironmaster that he was
Nils Olof.

He had even pleaded and begged to stay

in the mill. He added that, if asked, he
would wear his rags and leave. But the
iron master stated that he was not honest
and thus needs to go to the sheriff.
The Ironmaster Gets Angry;
the Peddler Retaliates :

This agitates the peddler who

informs the ironmaster about how
the world is a rattrap and that the
ironmaster would also be caught
in the bait somebody.

The idea amused the ironmaster

who decides not to call the sheriff
and asks the peddler to leave.
Edla Stops the Peddler :

As the peddler was leaving, Edla stopped

him. She was happy to think that she was
going to make things good for a poor
man.

Thus, she did not want him to go. She

reasoned with her father that they had
promised Christmas cheer to the peddler.
She also added that the peddler has a
very hard time throughout the year.

He is always chased away or is in a fear

of being arrested and cross examined.
But for this day she wanted him to enjoy.
Edla Stops the Peddler :

The ironmaster gave in and the peddler

was allowed to stay for Christmas, but the
only thing he did was to sleep soundly
after that.

Once or twice he was woken up to

have food. It seemed as though he had
never slept as quietly and safely.

The ironmaster and Edla gifted him the

suit that he was wearing as a Christmas
present.

Edla also told him that he was welcome to

spend even the next Christmas with them.
The Peddler Becomes a Changed
Man :

The next morning the ironmaster and

his daughter went to the church for
Christmas service, leaving the peddler
at home.

They returned home and Edla was

very sad. At the church, they had
learned that a rattrap peddler robbed
an old crofter who once worked at
their Ramsjö Ironworks.

The ironmaster was furious.

The Peddler Becomes a Changed
Man :

He thought that by the time they

would reach home, the peddler would
have escaped with all their silver and
other valuables. However when they got
home, the valet informed him that the
fellow had left but he had not taken
anything with him.

Instead, he had left something for Edla.

Edla opened the package and found a
rattrap. In the rattrap were three
wrinkled ten kronor notes and a letter.
The Peddler Becomes a Changed
Man :

The peddler had written that since Edla

had treated him like a real captain, he
also wanted to be nice to her. He
wanted the money to be returned to the
crofter. He further wrote that he would
not have been able to escape the
rattrap, if he had not been raised to the
status of a captain.

He even signed the letter as ‘Captain

von Stahle’ as he was a changed man.
Previous Year Questions
 Previous Year Questions
2020

Q. In what sense was the world a big

rattrap according to the peddler?

Answer :
According to the peddler the whole world
with its lands, seas, cities and villages
was nothing but a big rattrap. It only
existed to set baits for people. If offered
riches and joys, shelter, food and clothing
as the rattrap offered cheese and pork
and as soon as anyone let himself be
tempted to touch the bait, it closed on
him and then everything came to an end.
 Previous Year Questions
2018

Q. What sort of terror seized Douglas as he

went down the water with a yellow glow?
How could he feel that he was still alive?

Answer:
When Douglas went down the water with a
yellow glow it was a nightmarish
experience for him. His legs were almost
paralyzed, his lungs were aching and his
head was throbbing. He felt the thumping
of his heart and the pounding in his head
and these made him realize that he was
still alive.
Q1.Why did the peddler sign himself
as Captain von Stahle?

Answer:
Edla Willmansson had been rather
nice to the peddler and had treated
him with the honor that was due to
a Captain. The peddler, through this
mistaken identity, got an
opportunity to raise himself and get
above the petty temptations of the
world. So he signed himself as
Captain von Stahle.
Q.2. Why did the peddler think that
the world was a rattrap? (All India
2019)

Answer:
The peddler considered the whole
world as a big rattrap, its sole
purpose being to set baits for
people. The joys and riches of this
world are nothing but tempting baits
and anyone who is tempted by them
was captured by the rattrap which
completely closed in on him.
Q.3 Why did the stranger not tell
the ironmaster that he was not Nils
Olof ? [CBSE 2012]

Ans. The stranger did not tell the

ironmaster that he was not Nils
Olof because he thought that if the
gentleman believed that he was an
old friend or acquaintance of
his, then he might take pity on him
and help him by giving him some
money.
Sample Paper Question

Q. How does the story,

'Rattrap' highlight the
importance of community
over isolation? Support your
rationale with textual
evidence.

[5 Marks]
 Sample Paper Question
Ans.
• The rattrap seller undergoes change in
his personality as he experiences the
shift from isolation to community.

• Rattrap seller is devoid of family and

friends, he is depicted as a loner

• Instances that depict his engagement

with community- hospitality of the old
man, the Christmas episode

• His experience of friendship leading to

a change in his persona.
 Sample Paper Question

Q. Explain the metaphor

of the rattrap in context
of the story by Selma
Lagerlöf.

[2 Marks]
 Sample Paper Question

Ans. The metaphor of the

rattrap highlights the theory
of crime and punishment.

"The Rattrap" is a metaphor

for how humanity is beguiled
(Attracted) by the "traps" of
life, "all the good things that
are offered."
SPQ - 2022

Q. A mistaken identity led to a discovery of a new one

for the rattrap peddler. How did this impact him?