Background of the Poem
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Author: Vikram Seth — a famous Indian writer and poet.
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Form: A story told in the form of a poem (narrative verse).
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Genre: Satire — a funny way of showing the foolishness in rulers and society.
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Context: The poem uses humour and irony to show how silly decisions and blind traditions can control a city.
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Moral: When power has no wisdom, it leads to foolish results, and people often accept it without question.
It is adapted from a folktale-style story, written in a modern humorous way.
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Vikram Seth uses simple language but creates a deep message about leadership and justice.
-
The poem reflects how systems become meaningless when people follow rules without thinking.
-
It also mocks how societies sometimes accept ridiculous rulers as long as life goes on peacefully.
Author: Vikram Seth — a famous Indian writer and poet.
Form: A story told in the form of a poem (narrative verse).
Genre: Satire — a funny way of showing the foolishness in rulers and society.
Context: The poem uses humour and irony to show how silly decisions and blind traditions can control a city.
Moral: When power has no wisdom, it leads to foolish results, and people often accept it without question.
It is adapted from a folktale-style story, written in a modern humorous way.
Vikram Seth uses simple language but creates a deep message about leadership and justice.
The poem reflects how systems become meaningless when people follow rules without thinking.
It also mocks how societies sometimes accept ridiculous rulers as long as life goes on peacefully.
Background:
Mappings is Vikram Seth's first book of poems, written when he was in his twenties and a student in England and California.
Vikram Seth's poem, "The Tale of Melon City," is based on a story by Idries Shah and appears in Seth's 1981 collection Mappings. The poem is a satirical tale of a king who, after a series of events stemming from a poorly built arch, ultimately ends up being hanged, leading to a melon being crowned the new, absurd ruler.
Brief Introduction
The Tale of a Melon City” tells the story of how the city ends up with a melon as its new king. It begins when the reigning King orders an arch to be built, but the structure turns out too low and knocks off his crown as he passes beneath it. Seeing this as an insult, the King commands that the chief builder be executed. What follows is a chain of accusations as each person shifts the blame to someone else. Eventually, a noose is prepared to determine who is truly guilty—but the only one who fits it is the calm and ‘just’ King himself. After his execution, the people choose a new ruler by selecting the first passerby under the arch, who happens to be a melon.
Character Descriptions
1. The King
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Calls himself “just and gentle”, but is actually foolish.
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Cares more about rules and formality than logic.
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Symbol of blind authority.
Calls himself “just and gentle”, but is actually foolish.
Cares more about rules and formality than logic.
Symbol of blind authority.
2. The Builder / Workmen / Masons / Architect
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They keep blaming each other.
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Show the bureaucracy, confusion, and corrupt system.
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Represent people who avoid responsibility.
They keep blaming each other.
Show the bureaucracy, confusion, and corrupt system.
Represent people who avoid responsibility.
3. The Wise Man
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Old and almost blind.
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His advice is meaningless, showing fake wisdom.
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Symbol of hypocrisy in justice.
Old and almost blind.
His advice is meaningless, showing fake wisdom.
Symbol of hypocrisy in justice.
4. The Fool
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Becomes king by accident.
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Shows irrational choices and blind acceptance.
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Represents the lack of intelligence in the system.
Becomes king by accident.
Shows irrational choices and blind acceptance.
Represents the lack of intelligence in the system.
5. The Citizens
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Obedient and passive.
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Do not question anything.
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Prefer peace over reason or good leadership.
Obedient and passive.
Do not question anything.
Prefer peace over reason or good leadership.
6. The Melon
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Becomes king because of a silly tradition.
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Symbol of absurd governance.
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Shows how the city lives in ignorance and stupidity.
Becomes king because of a silly tradition.
Symbol of absurd governance.
Shows how the city lives in ignorance and stupidity.
Key Words
· Satire
· Irony
· Foolishness
· Justice
· Tradition
· Blind obedience
· Absurdity
· Symbolism
· Melon (as symbol)
· Indifference
|
Device |
Example
/ Use |
|
Irony |
A melon becomes king in a “just” city. |
|
Satire |
Mocking blind justice and bureaucracy. |
|
Humour |
Ridiculous reasoning and chain of blame. |
|
Repetition |
“Just and gentle king” – emphasizes irony. |
|
Symbolism |
Melon = foolishness, people’s apathy. |
|
Personification |
The “arch” treated as if guilty. |
|
Rhyme Scheme |
Irregular; simple to enhance storytelling rhythm. |
Setting
- Place:
An unnamed kingdom (later called Melon City).
- Time:
Timeless — could be any period; symbolic.
- Atmosphere:
Comic yet ironic, showing foolish seriousness in governance.
Perspective
(Point of View)
- Told by a third-person omniscient narrator.
- The tone is objective, humorous, and detached,
as if recounting a historical legend.
Central
Idea
The poem exposes the ridiculous nature of blind
justice and mindless governance.
It shows how people, instead of questioning authority, accept even absurd
outcomes as “tradition.”
Themes
- Absurdity of Justice – Punishment without logic or reason.
- Satire on Governance – Foolish leaders and passive citizens.
- Irony of Tradition
– People accept whatever happens as “custom.”
- Power and Responsibility – Authority without intelligence leads to chaos.
- Public Apathy –
Citizens’ indifference toward injustice.
- Humour and Irony
– Used to criticize society’s blind obedience.
Message
- Real justice requires wisdom, not rituals.
- People should think and question, not blindly
follow.
- A society that tolerates foolish rulers becomes
foolish itself.
Title
Justification
- The title “A Tale of Melon City” is ironic.
- It hints at a fable-like story where the city
ends up ruled by a melon, symbolizing the stupidity and complacency
of its citizens.
- The absurd title suits the poem’s satirical tone
perfectly.
Tone and Mood
·
Tone:
Humorous, ironic, mocking, and detached.
· Mood: Amusing on the surface but deeply critical and thought-provoking underneath.
NCERT Summary of the Poem
The poem opens with a description of a King who ordered an arch to be built. However, when he rode beneath it, the arch was so low that it struck his head and knocked off his crown. Considering this an insult, the King commanded that the chief builder be executed. The chief builder then blamed the workmen, who in turn accused the bricks. The King next ordered the mason’s execution, but the mason shifted the blame to the architect. When the architect was brought before the Royal Court, he subtly suggested that the King himself was responsible for commissioning a poorly designed arch. This angered the otherwise placid King, who then demanded that the wisest man in the kingdom be summoned. The wise man, so old that he could neither see nor walk, declared that the arch should be hanged.
As preparations began to execute the arch, a minister objected, insisting that it would be shameful to punish something that had touched the mighty King’s head. The King and his court agreed. Meanwhile, the crowd grew impatient, demanding a hanging. To satisfy them, a noose was set up, and it was decided that whoever fit the noose would be executed. One by one, everyone was measured, but the only one who fit was the King himself. The ministers, relieved to have found someone to sacrifice, proceeded with the execution.
Following tradition, the next person to pass through the city gate was given the right to choose the new ruler. The passerby happened to be a simpleton who chose a melon as the new King. The melon was crowned with full ceremony, and the city continued to live peacefully, undisturbed by its unconventional monarch.
Summary in Points
The King orders an arch to be built.
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When the King rides under it, the low arch hits his head, knocking off his crown.
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Feeling insulted, the King orders the chief builder to be hanged.
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The chief builder blames the workmen.
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The workmen blame the bricks.
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The King decides to execute the mason, who then blames the architect.
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The architect implies that the King is at fault for ordering a poorly designed arch.
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The angered King summons the wisest man in the kingdom, who is extremely old.
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The wise man declares that the arch itself should be hanged.
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A minister argues that it is disrespectful to hang an object that touched the King’s head.
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The King agrees; however, the crowd demands a hanging.
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A noose is set up—whoever fits the noose will be executed.
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Everyone is measured; only the King fits the noose.
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The King is executed, and the ministers are relieved.
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Following tradition, the next person entering the city must choose the new King.
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A fool enters and chooses a melon as the next King.
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The melon is crowned, and the city lives peacefully under its passive ruler.
Flow chart
+---------------------+
| King orders arch |
+----------+----------+
|
v
+----------------------------+
| King hit by arch; crown falls |
+----------------------------+
|
v
+----------------------+
| King feels insulted |
+----------+-----------+
|
v
+--------------------------------+
| Chief builder ordered hanged |
+--------------------------------+
|
v
+------------------------------+
| Blame chain begins |
| Builder → Workmen → Bricks |
| Mason → Architect |
+------------------------------+
|
v
+-------------------------------------+
| Architect indirectly blames King |
+------------------+------------------+
|
v
+---------------------------------+
| Wisest old man consulted |
+------------------+--------------+
|
v
+-------------------------------+
| Old man says: Hang the arch |
+-----------------------+-------+
|
v
+---------------------------------------+
| Minister: Can't hang what touched King |
+----------------------------------------+
|
v
+--------------------------------------+
| Crowd demands hanging; noose prepared |
+--------------------+------------------+
|
v
+------------------------------+
| Only the King fits the noose |
+---------------+--------------+
|
v
+----------------+
| King executed |
+-------+--------+
|
v
+--------------------------------------------+
| Next person at gate chooses new King |
+------------------------+-------------------+
|
v
+--------------------+
| Simpleton chooses |
| MELON |
+---------+----------+
|
v
+--------------------+
| Melon becomes King |
| City lives calmly |
+--------------------+
Short Questions
Q1. What is satire?
Satire means making fun of something to show how silly, wrong, or unfair it is.
Writers use satire to criticize things like bad rulers, foolish people, or stupid rules but they do it in a funny or clever way.
How is satire shown in “A Tale of Melon City”?
In A Tale of Melon City by Vikram Seth, satire is used to make fun of how foolish and careless the government and people are.
Here are the simple points:
1. The King wants to look “just” but acts foolishly
He orders unnecessary things and ends up creating trouble.
This shows how rulers pretend to be fair but actually make silly decisions.
2. Everyone passes the blame
The king blames the workmen, they blame the designer, the designer blames someone else…
This makes fun of how people avoid responsibility.
3. The King is hanged by mistake
Because of their silly “justice rules”, the king himself is declared the guilty one.
This shows how stupid and illogical justice systems can be.
4. A melon becomes the king
People choose a melon as their king because it is “calm and gentle.”
This makes fun of how blindly people follow traditions without thinking, even if the result is absurd.
Q2. Satire in A Tale of Melon City shows:
Foolish rulers
Silly justice
People who don’t think for themselves
A system that is completely illogical
And all this is shown in a funny and light-hearted way, which is exactly what satire is.
Q3. What is Social Satire?
Social satire means using humour to make fun of the everyday behaviour, habits, and attitudes of people in society.
It exposes social flaws like blind obedience, corruption, laziness, and lack of critical thinking.
Q4. What is Political Satire?
Political satire means using humour and irony to criticize leaders, government systems, laws, and political decisions.
It shows how rulers can be selfish, foolish, or illogical, and how politics often becomes absurd.
In this poem:
It is social satire because it mocks the citizens who blindly accept a melon as their king.
It is political satire because it makes fun of the king, the justice system, and the useless advisors.
HOTS Questions (Short Answers)
1. Why is the ending of the poem considered humorous yet meaningful?
The ending is humorous because a melon becomes the king, which is completely absurd. But it is meaningful because it shows how blindly people follow traditions without thinking, and how foolish systems can lead to foolish results.
2. What does the chain of blame reveal about human nature?
It shows that people often avoid responsibility and quickly blame others to save themselves, even when the situation is clearly silly or unfair.
3. How does Vikram Seth use irony in the poem?
There is irony in the fact that the king, who wants to give “justice,” ends up being hanged himself due to his own foolish laws. The calm “Melon King” also ironically satisfies the people more than the real king ever did.
4. What does the poem suggest about leadership and governance?
It suggests that incompetent leadership and blind traditions can turn governance into a joke, making the system ineffective and meaningless.
5. Why did the people accept a Melon as their king? What does this show?
They accepted the melon because they only cared about peace and normal life, not about good leadership. This shows their passive, careless attitude and lack of critical thinking.
VBQ (Value-Based Questions)
1. What value is lacking in the king’s behaviour?
The king lacks wisdom, responsibility, and rational thinking. He follows rules blindly instead of using common sense.
2. What moral lesson does the poem teach about justice?
The poem shows that justice must be fair and logical. Blindly following rules without understanding can lead to harmful and unjust outcomes.
3. What human weakness does the public display in the poem?
The public shows passive obedience. They don't question authority or foolish traditions; they simply accept whatever happens.
4. How does the poem promote the value of critical thinking?
By showing the ridiculous results of thoughtless decisions, the poem encourages us to think before we follow rules or traditions, instead of accepting everything blindly.
5. What value does the story highlight about responsibility?
It highlights that everyone should take responsibility for their actions. Blame-shifting only creates confusion and injustice.
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