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English | Class 11th | Snapshots | NCERT
The Tale of Melon City | Lesson 5 |
Poem | Summary | Questions and Answers |
The Tale of Melon City
In the city of which I sing
There was a just and placid King.
The King proclaimed an arch should be
Constructed, that triumphally
Would span the major thoroughfare
To edify spectators there.
The workmen went and built the thing.
They did so since he was the King.
The King rode down the thoroughfare
To edify spectators there.
Under the arch he lost his crown.
The arch was built too low. A frown
Appeared upon his placid face.
The King said, ‘This is a disgrace.
The chief of builders will be hanged.’
The rope and gallows were arranged.
The chief of builders was led out.
He passed the King. He gave a shout,
‘O King, it was the workmen’s fault’
‘Oh!’ said the King, and called a halt
To the proceedings. Being just
(And placider now) he said, ‘I must
Have all the workmen hanged instead.’
The workmen looked surprised, and said,
‘O King, you do not realise
The bricks were made of the wrong size.’
‘Summon the masons!’ said the King.
The masons stood there quivering.
‘It was the architect...’, they said,
The architect was summoned.
‘Well, architect,’ said His Majesty.
‘I do ordain that you shall be
Hanged.’ Said the architect, ‘O King,
You have forgotten one small thing.
You made certain amendments to
The plans when I showed them to you.’
The King heard this. The King saw red.
In fact he nearly lost his head;
But being a just and placid King
He said, ‘This is a tricky thing.
I need some counsel. Bring to me
The wisest man in this country.’
The wisest man was found and brought,
Nay, carried, to the Royal Court.
He could not walk and could not see,
So old (and therefore wise) was he —
But in a quavering1 voice he said,
‘The culprit must be punished.
Truly, the arch it was that banged
The crown off, and it must be hanged’.
To the scaffold2 the arch was led
When suddenly a Councillor said —
‘How can we hang so shamefully
What touched your head, Your Majesty?’
‘True,’ mused the King. By now the crowd,
Restless, was muttering aloud.
The King perceived their mood and trembled
And said to all who were assembled —
‘Let us postpone consideration
Of finer points like guilt. The nation
Wants a hanging. Hanged must be
Someone, and that immediately.’
The noose was set up somewhat high.
Each man was measured by and by.
But only one man was so tall
He fitted. One man. That was all.
He was the King. His Majesty
Was therefore hanged by Royal Decree.
Thank Goodness we found someone,’ said
The Ministers, ‘for if instead
We had not, the unruly town
Might well have turned against the Crown.’
‘Long live the King!’ the Ministers said.
‘Long live the King! The King is dead.’
They pondered the dilemma; then,
Being practical-minded men,
Sent out the heralds to proclaim
(In His [former] Majesty’s name):
‘The next to pass the City Gate
Will choose the ruler of our state,
As is our custom. This will be
Enforced with due ceremony.’
A man passed by the City Gate.
An idiot. The guards cried, ‘Wait!
Who is to be the King? Decide!’
‘A melon,’ the idiot replied.
This was his standard answer to
All questions. (He liked melons.) ‘You
Are now our King,’ the Ministers said,
Crowning a melon. Then they led
(Carried) the Melon to the throne
And reverently set it down.
This happened years and years ago.
When now you ask the people, ‘So —
Your King appears to be a melon.
How did this happen?’, they say, ‘Well, on
Account of customary choice.
If His Majesty rejoice
In being a melon, that’s OK
With us, for who are we to say
What he should be as long as he
Leaves us in Peace and Liberty?’
The principles of laissez faire
Seem to be well-established there.
(Vikram
Seth)
Short
Summary
“The Tale of
Melon City” by Vikram Seth is a humorous and satirical poem that
critiques the absurdities of governance and the passive acceptance of the
public. The story is set in a city ruled by a just and placid king, who
believes in strict adherence to justice. One day, the king orders an arch to be
constructed to inspire awe and reverence among his people.
After the arch is completed, the king finds it unsatisfactory and
calls for the chief of builders to be executed. However, the blame is shifted
from one person to another—architects, masons, and even the king himself. In a
twist of events, the king declares that the arch is to blame. Ultimately, the
king is sentenced to be hanged for his poor decision-making. As the king
insists on justice being served, the people, out of loyalty to their
traditions, allow him to be executed.
Following the king’s death, the ministers decide to let the next
ruler be chosen by a random method, leading to the selection of a melon, as per
the wish of a passerby. The city continues to be ruled by a melon, as the
people are indifferent as long as they are left in peace. The poem satirizes
blind adherence to tradition, the folly of bureaucratic procedures, and the
indifference of the masses to governance.
Reading
With Insight
Question 1. Narrate ‘The Tale of Melon City’ in your own words.
Answer: In The Tale of Melon City, a
king who prides himself on being just and fair orders the construction of an
arch to inspire awe. When the arch is completed, he is dissatisfied and blames
the chief of builders, leading to a series of comical finger-pointing. Each
participant, from the chief of builders to the masons, to the architect, shifts
blame until the king himself is deemed guilty. Insisting on upholding justice,
the king is sentenced to death. After his execution, the ministers decide to
choose the next ruler by consulting a passerby, who whimsically suggests a melon.
The people, content with their symbolic ruler as long as they are left in
peace, continue to live under the rule of the "Melon King." The story
humorously critiques blind adherence to tradition and bureaucratic absurdity.
Question 2. What impression would you form of a state
where the King was ‘just and placid’?
Answer: A state with a "just and
placid" king might initially seem ideal, as it suggests fairness and
tranquillity. However, the story shows that such an attitude, when coupled with
rigid formalism and lack of critical thinking, can lead to impractical and
absurd governance. The king’s extreme adherence to justice without
consideration of its practical implications results in irrational decisions,
highlighting how blind commitment to principles can undermine effective
leadership.
Question 3. How, according to you, can peace and liberty
be maintained in a state?
Answer: Peace and liberty in a state can be
maintained through a balance of fair and flexible governance, where laws are
upheld with justice but also with pragmatism. Leaders must be empathetic,
adaptable, and willing to consider the well-being of the populace.
Transparency, accountability, and active citizen participation in governance
ensure that power is not abused and that societal needs are met. Additionally,
fostering a culture of mutual respect, dialogue, and understanding among
different groups contributes to long-term peace and liberty.
Question 4. Suggest a few instances in the poem which highlight
humour and irony.
Answer: 1.
Blame-Shifting: The humorous chain of blame-shifting, where each person
implicated shifts responsibility onto someone else, highlights the irony of
bureaucratic inefficiency.
2. Execution of the King: The ultimate
irony is when the king, in his quest for absolute justice, sentences himself to
death, showing the absurdity of rigid adherence to rules.
3. Choosing the Melon: The random selection of a melon
as the ruler by a passerby is a satirical take on arbitrary decision-making and
the people's indifference to who governs them as long as they are left in
peace.
Question 5. ‘The Tale of Melon City’ has been narrated in
a verse form. This is a unique style which lends extra charm to an ancient
tale. Find similar examples in your language. Share them in the class.
Answer: Similar examples of verse-based
storytelling include The Ramayana and The Mahabharata in
Sanskrit, which use poetic forms to narrate epic tales. In English literature,
Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales is a classic example of
storytelling in verse. In regional languages, examples like Kabir's Dohe
in Hindi or Kumarasambhavam in classical Sanskrit highlight the charm
and rhythm of conveying narratives through poetry. Sharing such stories helps
appreciate the richness of literary traditions and their unique stylistic
elements.
Question 6. What message does Vikram
Seth convey through The Tale of Melon City?
Answer: Vikram Seth conveys a satirical message
about the absurdity of bureaucratic procedures, blind adherence to tradition,
and the indifference of the populace toward governance. The story highlights
how rigid systems and superficial justice can lead to irrational outcomes, like
a melon becoming the ruler. It critiques the idea that people often prefer a
symbolic or non-intrusive ruler as long as their personal lives are
undisturbed, reflecting the passive acceptance of authority without questioning
its logic or effectiveness.
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