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NCERT Solutions For Class 11 English Snapshots Chapter 8 The Tale of Melon City

Ncert solutions for class 11 English Snapshots Chapter 8 The Tale of Melon City are prepared by CBSE student eCARE expert to score good marks in class 11. Classes 11 English Snapshots Chapter 8 The Tale of Melon City contain many topics which are very important to score good in class 11. There are some important topic mentioned below:

The Tale of Melon City Summary in English

Vikram Seth through this poem, satire on people in power. He has amusingly presented the idea that it does not matter to people who king, ruler or head of state is with the understanding that he let them live in peace, liberty, and leniently.

Long ago, there was a city that people call Melon City. Where a peace-loving and just king rule. The king announces the construction of an arch across the street for the enlightenment of people. After the arch was complete the king pass below it and his crown fell down. Moreover, he became angry and wanted to punish the chief builder for making the arch so low by hanging them.

So, they set up the gallows and the soldiers bring in the builder for hanging. Builder fell on his keens and plead for mercy. Further, he said it was workmen’s fault. So, the kin pardons the builder and order hanging of workmen. The minute workmen to be hanged, they plead the king and said that it was masons fault because he supplies wrong size brick.

The mason said it was architects fault. In this way, everyone passes the blame to someone else. However, the architect said it was the king who made modifications in the plan.

As whom should be hanged become very tricky and the king was very confused. Hence, he calls the wisest man of the kingdom. Subsequently, a man who was on his death bed was taken to the king. The wise man advice the king to hang the arch as it was the criminal. Consequently, a huge gallows were set up to hang the arch. But, the councillor said that we cannot hang the arch as it has become pure by touching the kings head.

By this moment the crowd became restless and impatient for a hanging. By fear of rebellion, the king ordered the instant hanging of anyone to soothe the crowd. Hence, everyone who was present tries to fit the high set noose But only the king fitted it perfectly. And as per his order executioner hanged him.

In addition, the city had a bizarre custom of electing a new king. The custom was that anyone who passes through the streets the next day will choose the king. Hence, the next morning, when the guard asks a passer-by who must be the king, he replied, “Melon.” Because the pedestrian was an idiot whose answers all the questions with just one word “Melon.”

Therefore, they crown the melon as their king. And from that day onwards, they pronounce the city as “Melon City.” And the locals tell this story to anyone who asks them the reason behind the name of the city.

Conclusion of the Tale of Melon City Summary

Through this poem, the poet serves the message that the rule of the monarchy is effective or not.



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Some questions are asked by class 11 students related to English Snapshots

 

Question
Narrate ‘The Tale of Melon City’ in your own words.
Answer:
‘The Tale of Melon City’ runs like folk tale. The city is called Melon City because its ruler is a melon. There is a curious tale around it. Once a fair and gentle king ruled over a state. He got an arch built across the thoroughfare. As he passed under the low arch it struck his head and he lost his crown. He thought it a disgrace and ordered the chief of builders to be hanged. The chief lay the blame on the workmen. The workmen were surprised. They said that the bricks were made of wrong size. So the masons were thought guilty. The masons shifted the blame on the architect. The architect put the blame at the king’s door as he had amended his original plan.
The king sought a wise man’s counsel. He held the arch guilty and ordered it to be hanged. A councillor objected to it as it had touched the king’s head. The people became restless. They wanted to see someone hanging. Only the king’s head could fit. the noose. So he was hanged. It was now announced that the next man who passed the City Gate would choose the king. An idiot came. He suggested ‘A melon’. So melon was crowned the king. He was taken to the throne. He was called melon king.

Question
What impression would you form of a state where the king was just and placid*?
Answer:
The State where the king was just and placid’ seems to be a backward region full
of ignorant fools and ruled by a whimsical king. The king considers himself to be the custodian of people and gets an arch erected for their spiritual upliftment. The king’s word is a command and unwritten law. The whole process of changing judgement on the appeals of the victims appears as a mock-trial. The Ministers and Councillors seems to be selfish. They advise the king to serve their own ends, though they appear to flatter the king and seem dedicated to the state. The common people are uneducated and ignorant fools. They need mental as well as spiritual upliftment. They are fun loving. In their quest for fun, they can cross all limits. If deprived of fun, the unruly mob can rebel against the crown. They do not bother whether the king is a man or a melon. They want there personal freedom, free business and peaceful lives.

 

Question
How according to you, can peace and liberty be maintained in a state?
Answer:
Various people advocate various means of maintaining peace and liberty in a state.
Some are in favour of dictatorship while others favour democracy. I think the best course lies in good governance. Whatever is well-administered is most fruitful for the citizens as well as the rulers. It ensures peace and liberty to the common man. A strong state, in itself, is safe against any external threat. Dedicated rulers, enlightened citizens and proper law enforcing agencies can establish peace and harmony in the state. Narrow considerations based on region, religion, caste etc. should be discouraged because these are potent threat to internal security as they fuel dissensions among the people. Free expression of opinions must be allowed but respect for law and order be observed. People should be conscious of their privileges and rights as well as duties and responsibilities. This is the only way to maintain peace and liberty.

 

Question
Suggest a few instances in the poem which highlight humour and irony?
Answer:
‘The Tale of Melon City’ is full of instances of humour and irony. The just and placid
king got an arch built to ‘edify’ spectators. The king’s riding under low arch and losing his crown also creates humour. The way the accused appeal to the king and shift the blame on others is quite funny. The unstable behaviour of the king also creates humour. The self-defence of the architect is a masterpiece. He holds the king himself responsible for the disgrace as he had ‘made certain amendments’ to his original plan. The king’s anger and inability to act calmly create humour.
The criteria for selection of the wisest man is quite ironic. It is assumed that wisdom comes with age. Being blind he does not know that an arch cannot be hanged. Others have eyes, yet they follow his advice and take the arch to the gallows. How ironic it is! The king wants to keep the crowd in good humour and orders that someone be hanged. Only the king is tall enough to fit the noose. What an irony! The king is hanged by his own order. The custom of naming the next king seems equally ridiculous. The idiot who passes by the City Gate suggests “melon” to be the next king. People who think only of their own interests do not bother whether the king is a man or a melon.

Question
What sort of king ruled over the state? What did he proclaim?
Answer:
The king was fair and gentle. He seemed to be interested in the welfare of the masses. So he proclaimed that an arch should be constructed which should extend across the major thoroughfare. He hoped that it would improve people’s mind on looking at it.

Question
Why did the king ride down the thoroughfare and what was the result?
Answer:
The king rode down the thoroughfare to edify spectators there. Since the arch was built too low, he lost his crown under it. A frown appeared on his mild face and he called it a disgrace.

 

Question
Who was held responsible for the disgrace? How did he /they react to it? What do you learn about the king?
Answer:
The chief of builders was field responsible for the disgrace and ordered to be hanged. The chief called it the workmen’s fault. The king ordered to have all the workmen hanged. The workmen looked surprised but they blamed the wrong size of bricks for it. This shows the king’s fickle mindedness.

Question
What argument did the architect advance in self-defence? How did the king take it?
Answer:
The architect reminded the king that he had made certain amendments to the original
plans of the architect He suggested that it was the fault of the king himself. On hearing it, the king became so angry that he nearly lost his ability to act sensibly or calmly.

 

Question
Why did the king need some counsel and from whom? Do you think the man was really the wisest one? Give a reason for your answer.
Answer:
The king got confused by the architect’s clever self-defense. So, he needed the advice of the wisest man in the country. The man selected was so old that he could neither walk nor see. He was not really the wisest one as wisdom does not necessarily come with age. His advice proves his worthlessness.

Question
Comment upon the criteria of selection of the wisest man and the quality of counsel he offered.
Answer:
The criteria was that wisdom comes with grey hair. The old man they selected could not walk or see. He spoke in a trembling voice. The advice he offered was absurd. A lifeless object cannot be deprived of life by hanging it.

 

Question
What does the comment of the councillor about the arch reveal about himself and the king?
Answer:
It shows the councillor’s sycophancy and the King’s capriciousness. The councillor, an expert in the art of flattery, checked the king from an absurd action, through an argument that appeared logical. The thoughtless king mused over it.

Question
Why did the king succumb to public demand?
Answer:
The king noticed that the crowd of spectators had become restless and people were muttering aloud. He judged their mood. He trembled to think of the consequences if they were deprived of the fun of watching someone being hanged. So, in order to save his skin, he ordered that someone be hanged immediately.

Question
What was the result of the King’s thoughtless order?
Answer:
The king ordered that someone be hanged immediately. So the noose was set up somewhat high. Each man was measured one by one. Only one man was found tall enough to fit the noose. He was the king. He was hanged by the royal order. Thus the king paid with his life for his thoughtless order.

 

Question 
Why did the Ministers feel relieved? Do you think their elation was justified?
Answer:
The Ministers felt relieved that the public’s eagerness to watch a hanging had been
satisfied. They expressed their pleasure by saying that they found someone for hanging. They believed that if they had failed to do so, the unruly town might have turned against the king. Their elation is misplaced. The king had to lose his life to keep the public in good humour.

Question
What opinion do you form of the King’s Ministers on the basis of their actions after the King’s death?
Answer:
The Ministers believed in tradition and ceremonies. They shouted in one breath, ‘Long live the king! The king is dead’. They were practical-minded men. They knew that the throne could not be left unoccupied. The crown being a symbol of power, someone must be crowned as king.

Question
What ‘custom’ of the citizens is referred to in the tale? How did the Ministers decide to observe it?
Answer:
It is their custom to choose the new ruler of their state. Whoever passed the City Gate first of all the next day, would choose the ruler of the state. This method of random choice excluded dynastic rule as well as conspiracies. The Ministers decided to observe it with proper formality.

Question 
How was the new ruler of the state selected?
Answer:
The Ministers sent out messengers to declare that the next man to pass the City Gate would choose the ruler of their state. An idiot happened to pass the gate. When asked to decide who was to be the king, he replied, “A melon.” This was his standard answer to all questions. The Ministers declared that a melon would be their new ruler.

Question
What does the selection process of the new ruler of the state reveal about the ministers and the people?
OR
How did the people and ministers react to the selection of ‘a melon’ as the new ruler?
Answer:
The selection process seems quite ridiculous. It also shows how ignorant masses stick to traditions and clever ministers go on be fooling them. They are more worried about their own peace, freedom and business affairs than the ruler. This shows how selfish, self-centred and ego-centric they are.