Snapshots: The Tale of Melon City · Class 11 · CBSE · Science English
How does The Tale of Melon City satirise both rulers and the people they govern?
Practice question from Snapshots: The Tale of Melon City (Class 11 · CBSE · Science English), with the correct answer and a step-by-step solution.
medium · Subjective · Q-5AAEEC
How does The Tale of Melon City satirise both rulers and the people they govern?
Answer: The poem presents the king and his officials as foolish rulers who replace reasoned justice with blame, punishment, and rigid custom. The citizens are also satirised because they passively accept a melon as their ruler instead of questioning the absurd system. Through exaggerated events and irony, the poem suggests that incompetent authority can continue when people value routine over responsible judgment.
Solution
The poem mocks the rulers' irrational decisions and the citizens' unquestioning obedience. Its irony shows that absurd government is sustained not only by foolish leaders but also by a passive public.
More from Snapshots: The Tale of Melon City
- Why did the king order that the chief builder be punished in The Tale of Melon City?
- Which feature of the investigation into the low arch best exposes the poem's criticism of foolish justice?
- What is most strongly suggested by the citizens' acceptance of a melon as their new ruler?
- In The Tale of Melon City, what immediate event causes the king to demand an investigation?
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