Chapter 8 The Tale of Melon City | class 11th | Chapterwise Important Question  for Snapshot English

Important Short Answer Type Questions

Q1. What did the king order to be built? What happened when it was built?
 
Ans. The king ordered to build an arch across the major thoroughfare of the city as a symbol of triumph—a kind of victory monument.  The workmen built it but it was too low. When the king rode under it, his crown struck against it and fell down.

Q2. Why did the King order the chief of builders to be hanged?
 
Ans. One day the King was riding down the thoroughfare. The arch was so low that it struck against the crown. The crown fell off. The King was angry at this disgrace. He held the chief of builders responsible for this and ordered him to be hanged?

Q3. What did the chief builder say when the king ordered him to be hanged?
 
Ans. The chief builder said that it was not his fault that the arch had been made low. He said it was the fault of the workmen.

Q4. What did the workmen say in their defence when the king ordered them to be hanged?
 
Ans. The workmen said that the bricks had been made of the wrong size. Thus it was the fault of the masons and it was they who should be hanged.

Q5. How did the masons save themselves from being hanged?
 
Ans. They put the blame on the architect and thus saved themselves from being hanged.

Q6. How did the architect plead his case before the king?
 
Ans. The architect said that the king himself had made some changes in the planning of the arch. Thus it was not his fault that the arch was low.

Q7. What was the King’s reaction when the architect blamed him for the incident?
 
Ans. When the architect blamed the King for the incident he was confused and nearly lost control over himself. However, being a just and placid King, he said that it was an intricate matter and he need someone’s advice. He ordered to bring to him the wisest man in the country.

Q8. What suggestion did the wise man give to the king?
 
Ans. At the King’s command the wisest man was found and brought, rather carried, to the Royal Court. In fact, he was so old that he could neither walk nor see. He said that the culprit must be punished. He held the arch responsible for hitting the crown violently and causing it fall. So, according to him, the arch was the real culprit.

Q9. How did the arch escape punishment?
 
Ans. As advised by the wisest man, the arch was held responsible for hitting the crown and led to the scaffold. Suddenly a councillor said that it would be a shameful act to hang the arch that touched His Majesty’s head. The king thought it was true and spared the arch.

Q10. Describe the circumstances which led to the hanging of His Majesty?
 
Ans. The crowd was getting restless as the hanging was being delayed. Sensing their mood, the king said that someone must be hanged immediately, as the nation wanted it. A noose was set up. It was somewhat high. Each man was measured turn by turn. There was only one man who was tall enough to fit in the noose, and it was the King. So His Majesty was hanged.

Q11. What was the problem confronted by the Ministers? How did they solve it?
 
Ans. After hanging of His Majesty the Ministers were confronted with the problem of finding a ruler for their state. To solve this problem they followed their old custom. The heralds were sent out to proclaim that the next person who passes the City Gate would choose the ruler of their state.

Q12. How was a melon crowned as the king of the country?
 
Ans. The ministers decided that the first man to pass the city gate would choose the ruler of the state. This man happened to be an idiot. When he was asked, he said, “A melon.” Thus a melon was crowned as the king of the country.

Q13. What are the principles of ‘Laissez- faire’?
 
Ans. ‘Laissez-faire is French for leave alone. It also means the doctrine of avoiding government interference in business. So these principles worked well in the melon city “when a melon’ was made the king and that did not interfere the lives of his subjects. They were happy till the king let them live in peace and liberty.

Q14. What is the significance of phrase just and placid used for the king?
 
Ans. The phrase ‘just and placid’ is significant because the king in the course of the story turns out to be the opposite of this phrase which means who does justice and can’t be easily excited but the king is quite opposite, whimsical and easily influenced. His exaggerated sense of justice caused even his own death. He used to lose his temper even over a small incident. He was too good to be of any use.

Q15. How according to you, can peace and liberty be maintained in a state?
 
Ans. It is the duty of the rulers to maintain peace and liberty in the state. There should be rule of the law. Everybody should be equal before the law. The rulers should be wise and just. There should be no exploitation of one class by the other.

Q16. Give examples of humour and irony from the poem ‘The Tale of Melon City’.   
 
Ans. The king takes the bumping off his crown by the arch as a disgrace and summons the builder to be hanged. They go on accusing one another which results in the hanging of the king himself. An idiot chooses the next king. He names a Melon. The crowning of a Melon with respect and ceremony sounds quite humorous and ironical. The irony is that the people care little if they were ruled by a foolish man or a Melon.

Q17. What message does it convey?
 
Ans. Vikram Seth gives a message that how by thoughtless action people choose irresponsible government and the whole kingdom would turn into a farce. People need to be wise and careful in choosing their governments which in turn should be responsible and transparent to the people.

Long Answer Type Questions

Q1. Describe the circumstances leading to the hanging of the king.
 
Ans. The king found himself in a difficult situation after hearing the architect’s argument. He said that it was an intricate matter and he needed someone’s advice. He ordered to bring to him the wisest man in the country. The wisest man was found and brought to the Royal Court. He said that the arch was the real culprit. It impudently hit the crown which fell off. So the arch must be hanged. Suddenly a councillor said that it would be a very shameful act to hang the arch that touched His Majesty’s head. It seemed true to the king. He was at a loss what to do. Meanwhile, he saw the crowd was getting restless and they wanted a hanging. So he declared that someone must be hanged. The noose was set up. It was somewhat high. Each man was measured turn by turn. But there was only one man who was tall enough to fit in the noose, and it was the king. His Majesty was, therefore, hanged by Royal Decree.

Q2. How does a melon become the ruler of the State?
 
Ans. After the hanging of the King, the Ministers are confronted with the problem of choosing the ruler of the state. They follow their old custom. They send out the heralds to proclaim that the next to pass the City Gate will choose the king. An idiot happens to pass the City Gate. The guards stop him and ask him to decide who should be the king. The idiot replies, “A melon”. Actually that is his pet answer to all questions since he likes melons. The Ministers crown a melon and place their Melon king reverently at the throne. So the melon becomes the ruler of the State. The people are quite happy with their Melon king because he does not interefere in their affairs.

Q3. Suggest a few instances in the poem which highlight humour and irony.
 
Ans. The poem is full of humour and irony from the beginning to the end. There is a king who has a triumphal arch built on the major road of his city. But the same triumphal arch bangs his crown off. The king wants to punish the guilty but in the end gets himself hanged. The king is dead but the ministers make proclamations in the name of the king. All these are examples of irony. And there is humour in the description of each character. The king, the ministers, the wisest man of the city, the councillor and ‘melon idiot’ are all fools. In fact, it is a kingdom of fools. Nothing could be more humorous than a melon being crowned and carried to the throne reverently.

Q4. What impression do you gather of a state where the king was just and placid?
 
Ans. It was a kingdom of fools. No one in the state had any sense. The king wanted to hang someone because his crown had hit against the arch and fallen down. The king wanted to consult a wise man. The ministers brought a man to the king. He said that the real; culprit was the arch and must be hanged. The king allows himself to be hanged because no other man is tall enough to fit the noose. The king is dead but the ministers make declarations in the name of the king. An idiot says that a melon should be the ruler of the state. The ministers crown a melon and set it down on the throne. Thus we see that it was truly a kingdom of all fools.