Summary of the Tale of Melon City
In this poem by Vikram Seth, the poet makes fun of how governments work and how people are proud of old customs and traditions. The story is about a city where the rules are based on superstitions and old beliefs. The king seems to be peaceful, but soon we see how that isn't true. The king tries to bring peace by punishing even small mistakes, and his actions lead to innocent people being punished. The poem shows how some people escape the law, while others take advantage of unfair rules. Through The Tale of Melon City, Seth points out the problems in some government systems. Read ahead in the article to get the Tale of Melon City Summary.
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The Tale of Melon City Short Summary
The Tale of Melon City is a poem by Vikram Seth that tells the story of a king who wants to establish peace in his city. However, his rule becomes unfair as he punishes people for even the smallest mistakes. The king orders the execution of innocent people, and the poem shows how the law can be misused. It highlights the flaws in government systems, where policies are based on old beliefs and superstitions, and how people sometimes benefit from unfair rules.
The Tale of Melon City Summary Stanza Wise
Stanza 1: The king of a city decides to build an archway in the middle of the city. He gives instructions for it to be built, but when the arch is completed, he is not happy with the height. He blames the architect for the mistake and orders the architect to be punished.
Stanza 2: The architect, however, claims that the mistake was not his. He says that the builder made the error and should be held responsible. The king then orders the builder to be punished instead.
Stanza 3: The builder also defends himself, saying that the mistake was made by the mason. The king orders the mason to be punished, but the mason claims that the error was made by the workers who mixed the materials.
Stanza 4: The workers, in turn, blame the stone supplier for providing bad stones, which led to the mistake. The stone supplier, however, says that the mistake was due to the city's ruler's orders and that the king himself is responsible for the problem.
Stanza 5: The king, not knowing what to do, asks his advisors to find someone to blame. They suggest that the fault lies with the people, who should be punished. But the king soon realises that punishing anyone won't fix the situation.
Stanza 6: In a final attempt to find justice, the king decides to hold a public trial and let the people decide. To everyone's surprise, they vote to blame the king himself for the entire issue. As a result, the king decides to take responsibility for the mistake and orders his execution.
Stanza 7: In the end, the king’s decision to take the blame and accept his fate shows the absurdity of the situation. The people of the city, instead of focusing on the real issue, point to the king’s mistake, which reflects the ridiculousness of the entire process and the unjust nature of the law.
Literary Devices in The Tale of Melon City
Alliteration – This is the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words. Examples from the poem include "The Workmen Went" and "Tricky Thing."
Repetition – Certain words and phrases are repeated throughout the poem for emphasis, such as "The Chief of Builders."
Inversion – This is when the usual word order is changed to create a more poetic effect. In The Tale of The Melon City, Vikram Seth uses this device to give the poem a more lyrical quality.
Conclusion
The story shows how ignorance and wrong use of power can lead to trouble. It teaches us a lesson about making decisions without thinking. The king tries to punish the person who made the arch too low, but in the end, he ends up causing his downfall. After a lot of blaming, it turns out that the king himself changed the design of the arch, and this led to his execution. The story reminds us that when people don’t care about right or wrong, they can end up choosing a foolish leader. It shows how bad decisions and pride can cause problems.
FAQs on The Tale of Melon City Summary: Class 11 English Snapshots
1. Give the Summary of the Tale of Melon City in 100 words.
The Tale of Melon City is a funny poem by Vikram Seth that makes fun of bad government and human mistakes. The king orders the building of an arch but is unhappy with its height. He blames the architect, and the blame keeps moving from person to person, including the builder, mason, and workers. Finally, the king orders the chief of builders to be hanged. In the end, a melon is made by the king, showing how silly the whole situation is. The poem shows how people often make bad decisions, shift blame, and refuse to take responsibility.
2. Narrate The Tale of Melon City in your own words.
The Tale of Melon City is a funny poem about a king who is unhappy with the height of an arch in his city. He blames the architect, but the blame keeps shifting from one person to another—first to the builder, then to the mason, and so on. In the end, the king orders the chief of builders to be hanged. However, it turns out that the king himself had changed the design of the arch. Eventually, a melon is made the new king, and no one questions it. The poem shows how people avoid responsibility and follow decisions without thinking.
3. What is the irony in The Tale of Melon City?
The irony in The Tale of Melon City is that the king, who is supposed to be wise, makes a series of foolish decisions that cause his downfall. He punishes people for a mistake he made himself, and the blame keeps going from one person to another. In the end, the king's attempt to fix the problem leads to the silly decision of making a melon the new king. The irony is that the king's actions, meant to solve the issue, only make things worse and end up ridiculously.
4. What is the laissez faire Tale of Melon City?
The concept of laissez-faire refers to the idea of letting things happen without interference or control. In the poem, after a series of blame games and foolish decisions, the people of the city end up accepting the absurd choice of making a melon the new king without questioning it. This reflects a laissez-faire attitude, where the people don’t challenge the situation and simply go along with whatever happens, even though it’s unreasonable. The king's failure to properly govern and the people's acceptance of ridiculous decisions show a lack of responsibility and critical thinking.
5. What does melon symbolise in The Tale of Melon City?
The melon symbolises foolishness, absurdity, and the failure of leadership. After a series of poor decisions and blame-shifting, the melon is chosen as the new king, highlighting the ridiculousness of the situation. It represents the idea that when leadership is based on irrational decisions and a lack of responsibility, the outcome can be completely illogical and meaningless. The melon also reflects the people’s blind acceptance of whatever happens, no matter how foolish it may be.
6. What does The Tale of Melon City criticize?
The poem makes fun of leaders who make poor decisions and the way people blindly follow those decisions without questioning them.
7. What lesson can we learn from The Tale of Melon City?
The poem teaches us that we should think carefully, take responsibility for our actions, and question silly decisions, instead of blindly accepting them.
8. Why is The Tale of Melon City considered a satire?
The poem is a satire because it makes fun of how leaders can make foolish decisions, and how people follow them without thinking. It uses humour to point out serious problems.
9. Why does the king make the Melon the new ruler in The Tale of Melon City?
The king makes the melon the ruler because of his foolishness and the confusion caused by shifting blame. In the end, the king’s poor decisions lead to the ridiculous idea of crowning a melon, showing how leaders can make unreasonable choices.
10. How does the poem end?
The poem ends with the strange decision to make a melon the king, showing how silly the whole situation is. The people just accept it without question, showing their blind obedience.
