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The Tale by Melon City by Vikram Seth is the fifth chapter of the NCERT Class 11 English Snapshots textbook. This humorous poem tells the story of a city where a series of absurd events leads to the melon being crowned as king. This poem explores the themes of justice, governance and the absurdity of blindly following traditions. In this guide, you will find a summary, character sketches, themes, literary devices and moral lessons to help you revise this chapter. You can also download the free PDF of these notes for quick revision.
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NCERT Notes Class 11 English Snapshots Chapter 5: The Tale by Melon City
Here we have provided the NCERT notes for Class 11 English Snapshots Chapter 5: The Tale by Melon City, including author highlights, synopsis, character sketches, themes, and a detailed summary.
About the Author and Key Highlights
Vikram Seth, an acclaimed Indian author and poet, is known for his versatile writing style, blending humour, satire, and cultural insights. ‘The Tale of Melon City,’ adapted from a tale by Idries Shah, is a satirical narrative poem set in an unnamed city. It humorously critiques flawed governance, arbitrary justice, and the absurdity of rigid customs. The poem follows a chain of events triggered by a king’s order to build an arch, leading to a comical yet thought-provoking outcome where a melon becomes the ruler. The narrative highlights the chaos that ensues when blame is shifted and justice is applied without reason, ultimately reflecting on the principles of laissez-faire governance.
Synopsis of the Poem
The poem begins with a just and placid king ordering the construction of a triumphal arch to span the city’s main thoroughfare. The arch, however, is built too low, causing the king to lose his crown while passing under it. Infuriated, he demands the chief of builders be hanged, but the blame shifts rapidly—from the builders to the masons, then to the architect, and finally to the king himself, as each deflects responsibility. Seeking counsel, the king consults the wisest man, who is old and frail and suggests hanging the arch itself. When a councillor objects, the impatient crowd demands a hanging. To satisfy them, the king is measured and found to fit the noose perfectly, leading to his execution by his own decree. To maintain order, the ministers follow tradition, declaring that the next person to pass the city gate will choose the new ruler. An idiot, who habitually answers “a melon” to every question, passes by and inadvertently selects a melon as the new king. The melon is crowned, and the people accept it, valuing peace and liberty over questioning the absurdity. The poem concludes by highlighting the city’s adherence to laissez-faire principles, where the ruler’s identity matters less than the freedom it allows.
Check Out: NCERT Notes and Solutions Class 11 English
Main Characters in the Poem
Understand the key characters who drive the narrative:
- The King: A just but impulsive ruler who orders the construction of an arch and demands punishment when it fails. His placid nature is overshadowed by his hasty decisions, leading to his own demise.
- Chief of Builders: The person initially blamed for the low arch, he deflects responsibility to the workmen, showcasing the chain of blame-shifting.
- Workmen: They claim the bricks were the wrong size, passing the blame to the masons to avoid punishment.
- Masons: They shift responsibility to the architect, claiming he provided faulty plans.
- Architect: He defends himself by reminding the king of amendments made to the original plans, implicating the king himself.
- Wisest Man: An elderly, frail figure whose absurd suggestion to hang the arch reflects the flawed logic of the kingdom’s justice system.
- Councillor: A voice of reason who questions hanging the arch, but his objection only fuels the crowd’s demand for action.
- The Idiot: A simple-minded man whose habitual response, “a melon,” leads to the crowning of a melon as king, symbolising the absurdity of blind tradition.
- The Ministers: Practical-minded, they enforce the custom of selecting a new ruler to maintain order, accepting the melon as king without question.
Themes in the Poem
The poem explores several significant themes, explained below in simple terms:
- Satire on Governance: The poem mocks ineffective leadership and arbitrary decision-making, as seen in the king’s impulsive orders and the chaotic justice system.
- Absurdity of Justice: The rapid blame-shifting and the eventual hanging of the king highlight the flawed and irrational application of justice.
- Blind Adherence to Tradition: The custom of choosing the next ruler based on the first passerby, leading to a melon as king, critiques unthinking reliance on outdated practices.
- Laissez-faire Philosophy: The people’s acceptance of a melon as king, as long as it ensures peace and liberty, reflects a preference for minimal interference in governance.
- Power and Responsibility: The poem illustrates how those in power avoid accountability, passing blame to others, ultimately leading to absurd consequences.
Literary Devices in the Poem
Vikram Seth employs various literary devices to enhance the satirical narrative:
- Satire: The poem uses humour and irony to critique governance, justice, and tradition, exposing their absurdities through exaggerated events.
- Irony: The king’s demand for justice leads to his own execution, and a melon becomes ruler due to a senseless custom, highlighting situational irony.
- Hyperbole: The suggestion to hang an inanimate arch and the crowning of a melon exaggerate the absurdity of the kingdom’s decisions.
- Rhyme and Rhythm: The consistent rhyming couplets (e.g., “sing/King,” “there/thoroughfare”) create a light, ballad-like tone that contrasts with the serious critique.
- Symbolism: The melon symbolises an ineffective ruler, accepted only because it does not interfere, reflecting the laissez-faire philosophy.
- Alliteration: Phrases like “just and placid” and “rope and gallows” enhance the poem’s rhythmic flow and emphasise key ideas.
Chapter 5: The Tale of Melon City Summary
‘The Tale of Melon City’ by Vikram Seth is a satirical narrative poem that humorously critiques governance, justice, and tradition. Below is a detailed summary of the key events in a clear and concise manner:
- The King’s Order: A just and placid king orders a triumphal arch to span the city’s main thoroughfare to impress spectators.
- The Faulty Arch: The arch is built too low, causing the king to lose his crown while passing under it. Angered, he declares it a disgrace and orders the chief of builders to be hanged.
- Blame-Shifting Begins: The chief of builders blames the workmen, who blame the masons for using bricks of the wrong size. The masons point to the architect, who reminds the king of his amendments to the plans.
- The King’s Dilemma: Faced with his own involvement, the king, still just but frustrated, seeks counsel from the wisest man in the country.
- Absurd Counsel: The wisest man, old and frail, suggests hanging the arch itself for knocking off the king’s crown. A councillor objects, noting the arch touched the king’s head, making it sacred.
- The Crowd’s Demand: The restless crowd demands a hanging. To appease them, every man is measured against the noose, and only the king is tall enough to fit.
- The King’s Execution: By his own decree, the king is hanged, satisfying the crowd’s demand for immediate justice.
- Choosing a New Ruler: To maintain order, the ministers follow tradition, declaring that the next person to pass the city gate will choose the new king. An idiot passes by and, when asked, responds with his usual answer, “a melon.”
- The Melon King: The ministers crown a melon as king and place it on the throne. The people accept this, valuing peace and liberty over questioning the ruler’s absurdity.
- Laissez-Faire Conclusion: Years later, the people explain that their melon king suits them, as it allows them to live in peace and liberty, reflecting laissez-faire principles.
Moral of the Poem
Below are the key moral lessons from the poem:
- Blind adherence to tradition can lead to absurd and irrational outcomes.
- Ineffective governance and arbitrary justice undermine fairness and accountability.
- Peace and liberty are valued by people, even under an absurd or ineffective ruler.
- Shifting blame without addressing root causes leads to chaotic and unjust consequences.
Download more NCERT Solutions of Class 11 English ‘Snapshot’ here!
| Chapter 1: The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse Solution |
| Chapter 2: The Address Solution |
| Chapter 3: Mother’s Day Solution |
| Chapter 4: Birth Solution |
| Chapter 5: The Tale of Melon City Solution |
Explore Notes of Other NCERT Class 11 Subjects
| History | Geography | Political Science | Sociology | Psychology |
FAQs
The king orders the chief of builders to be hanged because the arch was built too low, causing him to lose his crown, which he considers a disgrace.
The wisest man, despite his age and supposed wisdom, gives an absurd suggestion to hang the arch, highlighting the irrationality of the kingdom’s decision-making process.
Following the king’s execution, tradition dictates that the next person to pass the city gate chooses the new ruler. An idiot, who always answers “a melon,” selects a melon, which is then crowned as king.
The laissez-faire philosophy reflects the people’s acceptance of a melon as king, as it does not interfere with their lives, emphasising their preference for peace and liberty over questioning authority.
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