Character Sketch of Peddler, Ironmaster and Edla

Give a Character Sketch of Peddler, Ironmaster and Edla from Class 12 English Chapter 4 The Rattrap

Character Sketch of Peddler

The peddler was a beggar who led a nomadic way of life. He was quite imaginative. He wore rags, had sunken cheeks, and his eyes gleamed from hunger. He roamed around the town selling wire rattraps that he made himself. He obtained this wire either through begging or by stealing. He possessed certain human flaws, such as the need to steal and beg to meet his basic necessities. He spent his evenings wherever he could find shelter because he had nowhere to stay during the day. He believes that the entire universe resembles a giant rat trap. It merely exists in order to attract others with bait. He believes that all wealth, happiness, food, clothing, and shelter are merely traps. The rattrap shuts on the person who touches the bait if and when he does.

The Rattrap Overview – The potential of kindness and human connection to change even the most hardened and distrustful people is the central topic in Selma Lagerlof’s “The Rattrap.” The narrative chronicles the travels of an elderly vagrant who sells little rattraps. The tramp encounters several individuals along the way who, in spite of their own challenging situations, are kind and generous to him. The tramp reflects on his own life and actions as a result of this encounter, which finally inspires him to make amends and improve himself. The underlying message is that everyone is capable of change and that even the smallest act of kindness can have a big impact on someone else’s life.

Some Questions on Character Sketch of Peddler

Q1. How would you describe the appearance of the Peddler in “The Rattrap”?
Q2. What is the Peddler’s personality like in the story?
Q3. What motivates the Peddler’s actions in the story?
Q4. How does the Peddler’s interaction with Elda impact him?
Q5. What is the significance of the Peddler’s transformation in the story?

Character Sketch of Ironmaster

The Ironmaster was the owner of Ramsjo Ironworks. He thought the man selling rattraps was an old friend from the army. He lacked the ability to make accurate conclusions about others. He was a kind and gentle man. He welcomed the street vendor to his home to look after him. He gets furious when he realizes that he had mistaken the stranger to be an old friend. He not only invited the peddler to spend the night at his house, but also provided him with a dinner of porridge. It was on his daughter’s insistence that he let the stranger remain at their house for Christmas festivities. He was a loving caring father who could see things from his daughter’s perspective.

Some Questions on Character Sketch of Ironmaster

Q1. Who is Ironmaster in the short story “The Rattrap”?
Q2. How is Ironmaster’s personality described in the story?
Q3. What is Ironmaster’s profession?
Q4. How does Ironmaster treat the tramp when he comes to his mansion?
Q5. What is the significance of Ironmaster’s encounter with the tramp in the story?

Related: The Rattrap Question Answers

Character Sketch of Edla

Edla, the ironmaster’s daughter, is characterised as being “not at all attractive, but humble and extremely shy. Even after it is established that the peddler is not Captain von Stahle, she is incredibly kind, convincing him to come to her house and then persuading her father to let him stay for Christmas Eve. Edla is more smart and observant than her father, as seen by the fact that she can identify the peddler’s fear and the likelihood that he has done a crime that he is evading right away. She is the most admirable character in the story and her kindness and charity bring about a change in the peddler’s heart.

Some Questions on Character Sketch of Edla

Q1. How would you describe Edla’s personality in “The Rattrap”?
Q2. How does Edla demonstrate her generosity in the story?
Q3. What does Edla symbolize in “The Rattrap”?
Q4. Why is Edla so willing to help the tramp?
Q5. How does Edla’s character contrast with the image of the rattrap that is described in the story?

Related: The Rattrap MCQs

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Character Sketch of Peddler, Ironmaster and Edla | The Rattrap

Give a Character Sketch of Peddler, Ironmaster and Edla from Class 12 English Chapter 4 The Rattrap