NCERT Solution for Class 11 English Chapter 5 The Tale of Melon City
Chapter 5 The Tale of Melon City
By Vikram Seth
Summary
The poem begins with a description about the king who ordered an arch to be built. When he rode down that arch, it hit his head and his crown fell down. It was because it was built too low. The king thought it was dishonorable and thus commanded the chief of builders to be hanged. The chief of builders put the blame on the workmen who in turn blamed the bricks. The king orders for the execution of the mason who put the blame on the architect. The architect is brought to the Royal Court and indirectly blames the king for the wrongly constructed arch. The placid king now grows angry and demand for the wisest man in the country to be brought to the Royal Court.
NCERT Solution for Class 11 English Chapter 5 The Tale of Melon City
They brought the wisest man, who was so old that he could neither see nor walk. According to him, the arch must be hanged. When the arch is supposed to be executed, one of the ministers argue that it would be a shame to punish something that had touched their mighty king’s head. Everyone, along with the king, agreed. The crowd grew restless and the king promised them a hanging. Therefore, a noose was set-up and the one to fit it would be hanged. All were measured one by one but the only one to fit was the king. The ministers took a sigh of relief upon finding someone to execute.
NCERT Solution for Class 11 English Chapter 5 The Tale of Melon City
Thus, as a result of the customary choice, the next to pass the City gate would choose the new King. The next to pass it was an idiot who wanted a melon to be their king. The melon was given the throne with due ceremony and the town lived happily ever after without any interruption or interference.
NCERT Solution for Class 11 English Chapter 5 The Tale of Melon City
Question-Answers
Question 1: Narrate ‘The Tale of Melon City’ in your own words.
Answer:
The poem ‘The Tale of Melon City’ is the story of a moody and crazy King. he ordered an arch to be constructed. The arch was built too low when the king came under it, his crown fell down. The king became angry. He ordered that the chief of the builders be hanged for it. The chief of builders told that it was the workmen’s fault. But the workman blamed the wrong size of the bricks for this mishap. Mason requested that it was the fault of the architect. The architect said that the king himself had made some changes in the plan of the arch.
Then, the wise man is the city consulted that the arch itself was guilty. It must be hanged. The people also wanted to someone to be hanged. The noose was set up. Everyone was measured by and by. Only one man was so tall whose neck was fitted in the noose. He was the King himself. After the death of the king, they decided to make the king to melon by the decision of the next to bars the city gate. He declared that a melon would be the next King of the city. The melon was crowned as the next King.
NCERT Solution for Class 11 English Chapter 5 The Tale of Melon City
Question 2: What impression would you form of a state where the King was ‘just and placid’?
Answer:
Being ‘just’ means to treat everyone equally and to be fair in one’s dealings whereas being placid means portraying a calm and composed behaviour or not losing one’s cool easily. A state of monarch ruled by a ‘just and placid’ King must offer a safe space to its people. The people would have complete confidence in the King. There would be equality and no one would be looked at with the sense of inferiority. People of the state would be happy and no one would go to bed empty-stomach. Therefore, a ‘just and placid’ King would ensure quality of living for all.
NCERT Solution for Class 11 English Chapter 5 The Tale of Melon City
Question 3: How, according to you, can peace and liberty be maintained in a state?
Answer:
A state needs peace and liberty to be prosperous. The man who rules the state must understand the problems and needs of the people. Only a judicious, powerful and honest ruler can establish peace and liberty. For this purpose, the citizens also need to be honest, peace-loving and patriotic.
Question 4: Suggest a few instances in the poem which highlight humour and irony.
Answer:
Humour-
- Who is to be the King? Decide! ‘A melon’, the idiot replied.
- ‘You Are now our King,’ the Minister said, Crowning a melon.
Irony
- A frown Appeared upon his placid face.
- ‘Long live the King!’ the Ministers said. ‘Long live the King! The King is dead.’
NCERT Solution for Class 11 English Chapter 5 The Tale of Melon City
Very helpful 🙏
Easy to understand👍
Very helpful and it helped me a lot in my exams thank you sir for posting such a nice blog