Question

the tiger king summary class 12

Answer 1

When the king of Pratibandapuram and his queen had their first baby ten day old the astrologers made a prediction that the child would grow up and one day meet his death. While others heard them sadly, the baby prince asked a very wise question as to what was new in such a prediction as it is a universal truth that everyone should die. When the child grew up and became the new king, he was nicknamed The Tiger King because he went on a tiger hunt to kill the hundredth tiger to remove his fear of death. Gradually the tiger population in his country went dry. To hunt further tigers he married a princess whose father’s forest had tigers in it. The hundredth tiger was not very easy to hunt down. The king became furious and mad and dismissed many of the officers. Being a wise man, the devan knew the country would pass into the hands of Indian National Congress and that he too would lose his position, he decided to bring an old tiger from the People’s Park in Madras. Instances of Satire The courtier’s feeling sad on hearing that the child would one day die; the king’s marrying a girl for tiger-hunt; The king’s decision to hunt tigers; The king’s spending three hundred thousand rupees to please the British officer; The king’s doubling the land tax for the villagers. Finally, the king’s ultimate death just because of a wooden sliver and the doctors’ considering his death as a matter of no importance.

Characters

The King – The maharaja of Pratibandapuram deserves to be called a maharaja in every case. He was strong enough to kill the wild tigers with his bare hands. He was brave enough to think about killing not one, but hundred tigers. He was bold enough to stand against a British officer by refusing him permission to hunt in his forest. He was wise enough to please the officer by pleasing his wife and was rich enough to send fifty diamond rings to the good lady of the officer. He was even cunning enough to arrange his marriage with a princess whose father’s forest had the maximum number of tigers. Yet he appears to be the opposite of what he had done and what he was because this powerful king was finally killed by the sliver of a worthless wooden tiger! His death brought him great shame. His boldness, cunningness, strength and bravery failed miserably at the hands of an insignificant wooden tiger. He can also be laughed at for his blindly believing the astrologers, for the dereliction of duty as a king, for imposing tax on the villagers out of rage, for forgetting the sanctity and meaning of marriage and for dismissing his officers for no official reason.

The First Astrologer – A great astrologer (or very much fake!). He had deep knowledge in astrology and was a master at that. Logical but a little foolish at predicting people’s fate.

The Second Astrologer – Probably the son of the late astrologer. Equally great or fake as his ancestor was. He accepted a bet from the king and agreed to abandon his profession to become the most infamous insurance agent – a weird parallel for astrology.

Devan or Prime Minister – The Diwan, king’s chief minister, is the comedian in the story. He was a man of tactics and availed the benefits of his brain only under emergency such as the loss of his office. He was well aware of the king’s fury. While standing in front of the king’s brandished gun, the old man imagined a bullet piercing his heart and out of this fear he was thrown into a state of imbecility. The British Officer – No such a British officer as gentle as he could be met. You call him John Tigerwoods or Peter the Photographer, he was gentle and a peacemaker. Like tigers had their sway on him, his wife had powers on him.

Answer 2

The Maharaja Sir Jilani Jung Jung Bhadur was called “Tiger King”. When he was just 10 day old, he asked intelligent questions to the astrologers and was told that he would be killed by a tiger. He uttered “Let tigers beware!” No other miracle took place, the child grew like any other Royal child drinking white cow’s milk. He was taught by an English tutor and looked after by an English nanny. He watched English films. When he was 20, he was crowned as king. It was then the prediction of his death by the tiger reached the Maharaja’s ear and he in turn to safe guard himself killed a tiger and being thrilled he told the astrologer who replied that he can kill 99 tigers but should be careful with the 100th. He pledged that all other affairs of the state would be attended after killing the hundred tigers. Then he started killing tigers. None except Maharaja was allowed to hunt tigers. A high-ranking British officer visited the state that was fond of hunting tigers and his wish was declined. The officer requested for getting a photograph with a tiger killed by Maharaja and this request was rejected. So to please the officer’s wife, he sent 50 diamond rings expecting that she would take one or two, instead she kept all the rings costing 3 lakh rupees and sent ‘thanks’ to the Maharaja. But his state was secured. In 10 years, he killed 70 tiger and didn’t find any in Pratibandapuram so he decided to marry a girl from royal state which had more tigers to complete his target. Whenever he visited his in-laws, he killed 5-6 tigers. So he killed 99 tigers and was feverishly anxious to kill the 100th but couldn’t find. News about the presence of a tiger near a village proved disappointing. He asked his Dewan to find the tiger otherwise face his anger. Now the Dewan was afraid of losing his job so he visited ‘People’s Park in Madras’ and brought an old tiger and placed it in the forest and informed the Maharaja. The Maharaja took great care and shot the tiger and left the place with great triumph. The bullet did not hit the tiger but out of fear the tiger had collapsed. Now the staff killed the tiger and brought it in grand procession. It was the third birthday of the Maharaja’s son and he wanted to buy a present from the toyshop. He bought a wooden tiger which was poorly carved. While the Maharaja was playing with the prince, a tiny sliver of the wooden tiger pierced his right hand which later on caused his death. Thus the hundredth tiger takes his final revenge upon the “Tiger King”.