ABOUT
THE AUTHOR
THE AUTHOR
·
Kalki
Krishnamurthy
Kalki
Krishnamurthy
·
Born
– September 09, 1899, India.
Born
– September 09, 1899, India.
·
Died
– December 5, 1954, India.
Died
– December 5, 1954, India.
·
Pen
name- kali
Pen
name- kali
·
He
was known as a journalist, a cretic and writer.
He
was known as a journalist, a cretic and writer.
·
Notable
works.
Notable
works.
i)
Siva
gamiyin sabadhan
Siva
gamiyin sabadhan
ii)
Parthiran
kanavu
Parthiran
kanavu
iii)
Solaimalai
ilavarasi
Solaimalai
ilavarasi
iv)
Amara
thara
Amara
thara
·
Awards
– i) sahitya Akademi Award
Awards
– i) sahitya Akademi Award
ii)Postage stamp by the
Tamilnadu Governement
Tamilnadu Governement
Iii)Sangeetha Kalasikhamani award (1953)
The
Tiger king –
Tiger king –
A
satire to ruling class
satire to ruling class
‘The Tiger king’ presents humorous accounts
of the king’s assay to sweep out the tigers. He does so because of the prophecy
made by the astrologers about his death. Here the ruling class has been mocked
as the king though brought up in the most advance environment could not shun
the superstitious thoughts and be rational. The king’s being lunatic to kill
the tigers shows an irresponsible ruler. The pleasures of kings in most of the
cases never benefited the common mass and often resulted to be insensible.
of the king’s assay to sweep out the tigers. He does so because of the prophecy
made by the astrologers about his death. Here the ruling class has been mocked
as the king though brought up in the most advance environment could not shun
the superstitious thoughts and be rational. The king’s being lunatic to kill
the tigers shows an irresponsible ruler. The pleasures of kings in most of the
cases never benefited the common mass and often resulted to be insensible.
The
tiger king
tiger king
An
example of dramatic irony.
example of dramatic irony.
The story ends in a dramatic irony. The
story began with a prophecy that the king is supposed to die because of a tiger.
The story arouses our interest henceforth. A rigid king to prove the prophecy
to be a futile and wrong one launched himself into the expedition of hundred
tigers with daunting determination. Though he was successful to engrave ninety
nine tigers, he got stuck for the last one. Eventually the hundredth tiger was
also killed indirectly which took a dramatic twist at this juncture. The king
gifted his son a wooden tiger which was not skilfully furnished. It resulted in
infection which required the deadly operation resulting in the fulfilment of
the prophecy.
story began with a prophecy that the king is supposed to die because of a tiger.
The story arouses our interest henceforth. A rigid king to prove the prophecy
to be a futile and wrong one launched himself into the expedition of hundred
tigers with daunting determination. Though he was successful to engrave ninety
nine tigers, he got stuck for the last one. Eventually the hundredth tiger was
also killed indirectly which took a dramatic twist at this juncture. The king
gifted his son a wooden tiger which was not skilfully furnished. It resulted in
infection which required the deadly operation resulting in the fulfilment of
the prophecy.
The
tiger king –
tiger king –
a
reflection of the reason of the extinction of tigers.
reflection of the reason of the extinction of tigers.
Indeed, vivid is the portrayal, exposing
one of the reasons for the extinction of the tigers. The kings kept themselves
busy in fulfilling their personal pleasures and not the well being of the
subject. They took killing tigers as a sport and turned out to be the reason of
demise a lot of tigers leading to the extinction of tigers.
one of the reasons for the extinction of the tigers. The kings kept themselves
busy in fulfilling their personal pleasures and not the well being of the
subject. They took killing tigers as a sport and turned out to be the reason of
demise a lot of tigers leading to the extinction of tigers.
The
Tiger King –
Tiger King –
courtiers
are nothing but sycophants
are nothing but sycophants
The tiger king shows that a wacky king was
supported by a group of sycophants. They never tried to guide the king on
proper way rather thought of saving their life and job. They worked hand in
hand to fulfil the king’s pleasure of killing hundred tigers irrespective of
the fact whether it was rational or justified.
supported by a group of sycophants. They never tried to guide the king on
proper way rather thought of saving their life and job. They worked hand in
hand to fulfil the king’s pleasure of killing hundred tigers irrespective of
the fact whether it was rational or justified.
SOME
IMPORTANT LINES EXPLAINED
IMPORTANT LINES EXPLAINED
1. ‘’All those who are born will one day have to die. We
don’t need your predictions to know that. There would be some sense in it if
you could tell us the manner of that death”.
don’t need your predictions to know that. There would be some sense in it if
you could tell us the manner of that death”.
The
above quoted lines are a mock to the prophecy stated by the astrologers. The
infant king spoke out which made us feel humorous about the further proceeding.
This even spoils the very gravity of the story. The young king makes a folly to
what the astrologers said. The kid’s philosophical way of reflection that man
is mortal prepares us for some more goofy incidents.
above quoted lines are a mock to the prophecy stated by the astrologers. The
infant king spoke out which made us feel humorous about the further proceeding.
This even spoils the very gravity of the story. The young king makes a folly to
what the astrologers said. The kid’s philosophical way of reflection that man
is mortal prepares us for some more goofy incidents.
2.
‘’You may
kill even a cow in self defence”.
‘’You may
kill even a cow in self defence”.
Here
the king tried to vindicate this effort of killing tigers. He had decided to
bring an end to the tigers. This assay was of course to shield himself from a
superfluous damage from tiger. Extermination seemed to him to be the only way
to get rid of the possibility.
the king tried to vindicate this effort of killing tigers. He had decided to
bring an end to the tigers. This assay was of course to shield himself from a
superfluous damage from tiger. Extermination seemed to him to be the only way
to get rid of the possibility.
3.
‘’Your
majesty may kill ninety – nine tigers in exactly the same manner but …..”
‘’Your
majesty may kill ninety – nine tigers in exactly the same manner but …..”
This brings a new turn to the story. Tigers
are going to be the reason for the death of the king. This was what we got to
know in the prophecy. But how many? The chief astrologer presented a number
which ruled the king’s next a few years in expeditions. The astrologer chose
hundred, but it could have been more than that. However the king took this as
truth and ventured for hundred tigers.
are going to be the reason for the death of the king. This was what we got to
know in the prophecy. But how many? The chief astrologer presented a number
which ruled the king’s next a few years in expeditions. The astrologer chose
hundred, but it could have been more than that. However the king took this as
truth and ventured for hundred tigers.
4. ‘’Maharaja Jung Jung Bahadur killed five or six tigers
each time he visited his father in law.”
each time he visited his father in law.”
The king was desperate to kill hundred
tigers. To accomplish the number he employed another method i.e. marrying a girl
of neighbouring royal families. As a consequence he got opportunity to kill
tigers beyond his territory. He was carried to achieve his target of hundred
tigers. His marrying was not for the love of the girls but for the love of the
tigers.
tigers. To accomplish the number he employed another method i.e. marrying a girl
of neighbouring royal families. As a consequence he got opportunity to kill
tigers beyond his territory. He was carried to achieve his target of hundred
tigers. His marrying was not for the love of the girls but for the love of the
tigers.
5,
‘’I have killed the hundredth tiger. My vow has been
fulfilled.”
‘’I have killed the hundredth tiger. My vow has been
fulfilled.”
After a long search the king got his
hundredth tiger (though it was arranged by the Dewan). But out of excitement
the king did not even check whether he was really successful in killing the
hundredth tiger of not. He proclaimed in utter mirth about his being successful
over his vow. Here the author showed the trick of thoughts. Tiger no. 100 was
not killed by him and his demise was also not accomplished by any real tiger.
hundredth tiger (though it was arranged by the Dewan). But out of excitement
the king did not even check whether he was really successful in killing the
hundredth tiger of not. He proclaimed in utter mirth about his being successful
over his vow. Here the author showed the trick of thoughts. Tiger no. 100 was
not killed by him and his demise was also not accomplished by any real tiger.
6.
“The three surgeons who performed it came out of the
theatre and announced. ‘’The operation was successful. The maharaja is dead.”
“The three surgeons who performed it came out of the
theatre and announced. ‘’The operation was successful. The maharaja is dead.”
These concluding lines in the story are the
most incongruous one as the three surgeons announced the operation to be a
successful one. Though the operation was successful, they were unable to save
the king. And thus the author with a twist at the end justified the prophecy.
most incongruous one as the three surgeons announced the operation to be a
successful one. Though the operation was successful, they were unable to save
the king. And thus the author with a twist at the end justified the prophecy.
