Question

summarize the central idea of the peom 'Melon City'

Answer 1

In the tale of melon city vikram seth lampoons the idiosyncratic and idiotic governance that is thrust on people sometimes. The bureaucracy and the professionals keep passing the buck in the poem. No one is ready to own up their folly. Seth also satirizes the lackadaisical attitude of the common people in choosing their rulers although the kind of the ruler they have directly affects the quality of their lives. The poem shows that law is not only blind it can also spell disaster if it is thoughtlessly implemented.

Answer 2

' The Tale of Melon City ' is a satire on the ' just and placid king '.In an amusing way the poet, Vikram Seth narrates the tale of the Melon city where the King ordered that an arch should be built and so the workmen built the arch but when the King came under the arch, his crown fell off as the arch was built too low. The King thought of it as a disgrace and ordered that the chief of builders be hanged. The chief of builders claimed that it was the workmen's fault but the workmen shifted the blame to the masons and the masons targeted the architect. The architect said he wasn't guilty because it was the King himself who made amendments when he saw the architect's plan, hearing this the King said that he needs some advice,so the wisest man was found and carried to the court because he was very old and thus very wise. The wisest man suggested that the culprit must be hanged.The King sensed the mood of the crowd and announced that a hanging must take place. The noose was set but it was set very high and only one man fitted it who was the King himself, therefore the King was hanged.Now, a new King was to be found,the Ministers announced that the first person to pass the City Gate will choose the new king. A mentally retarded man passed the City Gate and when the ministers told him that he has to name a King, he replied that a melon should be proclaimed the King, he said so because it was his standard answer to all the questions as he liked melons. Even years later, the people have no problem from their King, a melon, no constraint is imposed on them, that is, there is lawlessness in the State .