How do the narratives’ contrasting styles illuminate their shared themes?

Writing style

The narratives of “Andher Nagari” and “The Tale of Melon City” use contrasting styles to
illuminate their shared themes of irrational governance and societal absurdity.

* **”Andher Nagari”** employs a satirical and comedic style to expose the flaws of an
autocratic and nonsensical administrative system. The play uses exaggerated
characters, like the foolish king and the greedy disciple, Gobardhan Das, to highlight the
absurdity of the situations.

* The play’s dialogue is often farcical, with characters making ridiculous statements
and illogical decisions. For example, the king orders the arrest of a wall and decides to
hang someone based on their size rather than any crime. The use of a common price for
all goods, “taka-a-ser,” underscores the lack of reason in the city.

* The play’s structure, with a series of escalating absurd events, further emphasizes
the chaotic nature of the kingdom. The scenes progress from a seemingly comical
market to a bizarre court proceeding, eventually leading to the king’s accidental demise.

* The play also incorporates elements of social commentary, criticizing the

corruption and exploitation prevalent in society, as seen in the moneylenders and the
police.

* **”The Tale of Melon City”** uses a more understated, narrative style, characterized
by its simple language and straightforward recounting of events. The poem employs a
matter-of-fact tone to describe the absurd happenings in the city.

* The poem’s plot unfolds through a chain of blame, which is presented in a detached
and almost comical manner. The characters, including the king, are portrayed as
simple-minded, following customs and procedures without questioning their logic.

* The poem uses irony and dry humour to expose the absurdity of the situation. For
instance, the ministers are relieved to have found someone to hang, even though it is
their own king. The citizens accept a melon as their king simply because it is a
“customary choice,” highlighting the lack of critical thought.

* The ending of the poem, with the melon king ruling peacefully due to the citizens’
indifference, underscores the theme of the societal acceptance of nonsensical
authority.
Despite their contrasting styles, both narratives share several key themes:

Here’s how the two works reflect similar themes:

• Irrational and Incompetent Rulers: Both poems portray rulers who are far from wise or
just. In “The Tale of Melon City,” the king is initially described as “just and placid”, but his
actions demonstrate his foolishness. He orders the hanging of the chief of builders
simply because the arch was built too low, and he makes decisions based on impulsive
reactions rather than sound reasoning. Similarly, in “Andher Nagari,” the king is depicted
as a “dumb king” whose judgments are illogical, arbitrary, and often based on his own
whims. For example, he orders the arrest of a wall and then, when told that isn’t
possible, orders the arrest of a relative of the wall, and then finally the owner of the wall.

• Absurd Justice Systems: Both works highlight the perversion of justice within their
respective kingdoms. In “The Tale of Melon City,” the process of determining the guilty
party after the arch incident is a series of blaming and avoiding accountability. The
wisest man’s solution is to hang the arch, and then a random decision to hang the
person who fits the noose leads to the king’s execution. This absurdity mirrors the
situation in “Andher Nagari” where justice is similarly skewed. The king orders
punishments based on illogical connections (e.g., blaming a water carrier for a wall
collapsing) rather than a thorough investigation. In “Andher Nagari”, a man is selected to
be hanged simply for being fat because the noose was too large for the person who was
originally ordered to be hanged.

• The Downfall of the Ruler: In both narratives, the rulers are ultimately responsible for
the chaos and are brought down by their own irrational actions. In “The Tale of Melon
City”, the king is executed because he happens to be the only one who fits the noose.
This is the direct result of his impulsive decision to have someone hanged after the
crowd demanded it. In “Andher Nagari”, the king’s greed and foolishness lead to his own
demise, as he competes with a guru and his disciple for the “privilege” of being hanged,
believing it will lead him to heaven.

• The Role of Chance/Custom: In “The Tale of Melon City,” the next king is chosen by
chance—the next person to pass through the city gate, who happens to be an idiot who
wants a melon to be king. The people accept this bizarre outcome because it is
“customary”. Similarly, in “Andher Nagari,” the prevailing absurd customs, such as the
flat rate of “taka-a-ser” for everything, underscores the irrationality of the kingdom. The
acceptance of these customs leads to the ridiculous situations that occur.

• Satire of Autocratic Rule: Both stories are satires of autocratic and irrational
administrative systems. “The Tale of Melon City” satirizes the arbitrary nature of
autocratic rule where the leader’s whims and the desire to maintain order lead to
illogical and unjust outcomes. “Andher Nagari” is a satire on the autocracy and
irrational behaviour of the administrative system, and it critiques a system where
everything is illogical and decisions are not based on reason or justice.

• Social Commentary: While both works are primarily satirical, they also offer social
commentary. “The Tale of Melon City” highlights the dangers of blind obedience to
authority, and the acceptance of the status quo, even when that status quo is
ridiculous. The people of the Melon City are content as long as they are left in “Peace
and Liberty,” showing how easily people can adapt to even the most absurd of situations
if it doesn’t directly affect their lives. “Andher Nagari” comments on how corruption and
a lack of discernment can infect all aspects of a society and the importance of sensible
governance.

In summary, both “The Tale of Melon City” and “Andher Nagari” use humour and
absurdity to critique misrule, unjust systems, and the dangers of blind obedience and
irrational leadership. While the specific plots and characters are different, the
underlying themes are strikingly similar, reflecting a shared concern with the potential
for chaos and injustice when leaders are incompetent or autocratic. Both stories use
these themes to engage the reader or audience in a discussion about the qualities of
good governance and the dangers of accepting the status quo without question.

Characters

Both “The Tale of Melon City” and “Andher Nagari” present a cast of characters that
serve to highlight the absurdity and irrationality of their respective societies. While “The
Tale of Melon City” focuses on a smaller number of key figures, “Andher Nagari”
presents a wider array of characters, each contributing to the overall satire.

Key Characters and Their Roles in “The Tale of Melon City”:

• The King: Initially described as “just and placid”, the king is the central figure whose
actions drive the plot. His decisions, however, are far from wise. He is easily angered
and makes impulsive judgments, such as ordering the hanging of the chief builder for
the arch being too low. His lack of critical thinking is further emphasized when he
agrees to hang the arch itself. Ultimately, he is executed because he is the only one who
fits the noose, highlighting his role as a victim of his own irrationality and the absurd
system he presides over.

• The Chief of Builders, Workmen, Masons, and Architect: These characters are all part
of a chain of blame following the incident of the low arch. They represent the tendency
of individuals within a flawed system to avoid responsibility by shifting blame to others.
The chief builder blames the workmen, the workmen blame the bricks, the masons
blame the architect, and the architect indirectly blames the King. This cycle of blame
underscores the lack of accountability in the kingdom.

• The Wisest Man: Brought in to provide counsel, the wisest man is old and frail, and his
advice is absurd. He declares that the arch should be hanged, further emphasizing the
irrationality of the kingdom’s logic.

• The Councillor: This character briefly introduces a moment of sense by pointing out
that it would be shameful to hang the arch that touched the King’s head. However, this
moment of rationality is quickly dismissed, illustrating the kingdom’s inability to deviate
from its irrational course.

• The Idiot: The idiot’s role is significant as he is the one who chooses the new king,
which is a melon. His arbitrary choice and the people’s acceptance of it further highlight
the absurdity of the system. This highlights how easily the population accepts bizarre
outcomes so long as they have “Peace and Liberty”.

Key Characters and Their Roles in “Andher Nagari”:

• The Mahantha (Guru): The guru is a voice of reason and wisdom in the play. He
recognizes the folly of the kingdom and advises his disciples to leave. His warnings are
ignored by Gobardhan Das, leading to the latter’s predicament. The guru returns to save
Gobardhan Das, demonstrating his compassion and also his understanding of the
absurdity of the situation, using it to his advantage to eventually trick the king into
hanging himself.

• Narain Das: One of the guru’s disciples, he accompanies the guru and leaves the city
with him. His character serves as a foil to Gobardhan Das, as he heeds the guru’s advice
and avoids the city’s dangers.

• Gobardhan Das: This disciple is driven by his greed and desire for cheap sweets. He
ignores the guru’s warnings and chooses to stay in the city, where everything is sold at a
flat rate, ultimately leading to his arrest and near execution. His character embodies the
dangers of unchecked desire and the consequences of ignoring good advice.

• The King: The king of Andher Nagari is depicted as utterly foolish and irrational. He
makes absurd decisions based on whims, often contradicting his own orders. He orders
punishments based on illogical connections, such as blaming a water carrier for a wall
collapsing. His vanity and greed ultimately lead to his demise when he competes to be
hanged, believing it will take him to heaven.

• The Minister: This character is the king’s advisor, and is aware of the king’s foolishness
and the chaos of the kingdom, but is unable to do anything about it. He is also self-
serving, and concerned that the king will get him a co-wife.

• The Vendors: The various vendors in the marketplace (Kabab Vendor, Orange Seller,
Halwai, Kunjarin, Mughal, Churan Seller, Fish-selling woman, Jaatwala (Brahmin), and
Grocer ) showcase the bizarre flat-rate system of the city. They also show the absurd
value that is placed on things as the Brahmin is selling caste for a taka.

• The Policemen: These figures represent the blind obedience to the foolish orders of
the king. They are tasked with finding someone to hang because of the initial execution
failure, and they arbitrarily select Gobardhan Das because he is fat. This illustrates the
lack of justice and the dangers of an autocratic system.
• Kallu Baniya, Mason, Lime-worker, Bhisti, Butcher, Shepherd, Kotwal: These
characters are caught in the king’s nonsensical justice system. They are all blamed for
the death of a goat and represent the way the king makes arbitrary connections that
show he lacks any sense of justice.

Comparative Analysis:

• The Rulers: Both the king in “The Tale of Melon City” and the king in “Andher Nagari”
are incompetent and irrational rulers. However, the king in “The Tale of Melon City”
starts out as “just and placid,” suggesting a potential for good governance that is then
corrupted by his foolish actions. In contrast, the king in “Andher Nagari” is depicted as a
“dumb king” from the outset, representing a more blatant form of misrule.

• The Wise Figures: Both stories also include “wise” figures whose advice further
complicates the situation. In “The Tale of Melon City,” the wisest man’s solution is
absurd, and in “Andher Nagari,” the guru is wise but his advice is ignored at first. In both
cases, the wise figures highlight the irrationality of their societies.

• The Common People: In both works, the common people are generally passive and
accepting of the absurd situations. In “The Tale of Melon City,” they are primarily
concerned with order and are easily swayed by the promise of a hanging. In “Andher
Nagari,” the people are not directly depicted as a group but their actions in the
marketplace and their acceptance of the flat-rate system show that they are indifferent
to the irrationality around them.

• The Protagonists: Gobardhan Das in “Andher Nagari” and the various blamed
characters in “The Tale of Melon City” serve as the main characters that highlight the
irrationality of the systems. They are each victims of a flawed system.

In summary, the characters in both “The Tale of Melon City” and “Andher Nagari” are
carefully crafted to emphasize the absurdity of their respective societies. Wh

Themes
Both “The Tale of Melon City” and “Andher Nagari” use their narratives to explore
themes of absurdity, irrationality, and the consequences of flawed governance. While
both works share these common threads, they also offer unique perspectives on how
these themes manifest in different social contexts.

Absurdity and Irrationality:

• In “The Tale of Melon City”, the poem’s plot is driven by a series of illogical events that
highlight the absurdity of the kingdom’s decision-making processes. The construction of
a low arch, the subsequent blame game, and the eventual hanging of the king himself
are all examples of this absurdity. The climax of the story is the election of a melon as
king, which is an absurd decision that is accepted by the people. The people do not
seem to mind the irrationality of their leaders, as they say “If His Majesty rejoice / In
being a melon, that’s OK / With us, for who are we to say / What he should be as long as
he / Leaves us in Peace and Liberty?”. This also showcases the theme of apathy.

• Similarly, “Andher Nagari” is steeped in absurdity, with a kingdom where all goods are
sold at the same price, and justice is administered based on nonsensical connections.
The king’s illogical decisions, such as ordering the arrest of a wall and later deciding to
hang himself to reach heaven, underscore the irrationality of the governance. The flat
rate for all goods is absurd in itself, because it leads to people buying sweets instead of
vegetables. The play highlights the dangers of a system where logic and reason are
absent.

Flawed Governance and Incompetent Leadership:

• Both works critique the nature of leadership. In “The Tale of Melon City,” the king,
despite being described as “just and placid”, makes impulsive and irrational decisions.
His inability to think critically leads to a series of absurd events that ultimately lead to
his demise. The kingdom’s stability depends on the whims of a foolish king and
eventually, a melon.

• “Andher Nagari” presents a more overt critique of incompetent leadership through the
character of the “dumb king” who is depicted as utterly foolish and irrational. The king’s
decisions are based on whims, and he is unable to see any logic or reason. His
leadership is a caricature of bad governance, with the kingdom’s systems reflecting his
lack of intelligence. The minister is aware of the king’s foolishness, and is self serving,
but is unable to do anything to stop the irrationality.

Justice and Accountability:

• Both narratives satirize the concept of justice and accountability. In “The Tale of Melon
City,” justice is a series of absurd reactions to the low arch, where blame is shifted from
one person to another, until finally the king himself is hanged. There is no real justice, as
each character tries to avoid responsibility. The hanging of the king is the culmination of
the irrational pursuit of justice.

• “Andher Nagari” offers a similar critique of justice, with the king making arbitrary and
nonsensical decisions. The series of characters blamed for the goat’s death all show
that the system is corrupt and lacking in logic and reason. The selection of Gobardhan
Das for execution because he is fat is a mockery of justice. The police’s blind adherence
to the king’s orders highlights the dangers of a system that does not value fairness or
reason. The ending of the play shows that all that matters is that someone is hanged,
not who.

The Role of Wisdom and Folly:

• Both works feature characters who represent wisdom and folly. In “The Tale of Melon
City,” the “wisest man” gives an absurd solution that furthers the irrationality. The
councillor who questions the hanging of the arch is ignored.

• In “Andher Nagari,” the guru is a voice of reason whose advice is initially ignored by his
disciple. The guru’s wisdom allows him to understand the absurdity of the kingdom,
which he eventually uses to his advantage by manipulating the situation to his own
benefit and saving his disciple. Gobardhan Das represents folly, as he disregards the
advice of his guru and falls prey to his own greed.

Passivity and Acceptance:

• Both narratives explore the theme of societal passivity. In “The Tale of Melon City,” the
people accept the irrational decisions of the king, and then accept a melon as their
ruler. The people seem primarily concerned with maintaining order and are easily
swayed by the idea of a hanging.

• In “Andher Nagari,” the people’s acceptance of the flat-rate system demonstrates their
indifference to logic and reason. They are not directly depicted as a group, but their
participation in the flat-rate market highlights how they have come to accept the
irrationality of the system.

Satire:

• Both “The Tale of Melon City” and “Andher Nagari” use satire to critique social and
political systems. “The Tale of Melon City” satirizes the idea of absolute power and the
arbitrary nature of justice. The poem mocks the people’s unquestioning acceptance of
authority and their willingness to go along with absurd decisions.

• “Andher Nagari” is a more overt satire of autocratic rule, with the play mocking the
incompetence and irrationality of the king. The play critiques the blind obedience to
authority, the corruption of justice systems, and the dangers of a society where logic is
absent.

In conclusion, both “The Tale of Melon City” and “Andher Nagari” use absurdity,
irrationality, and satire to critique leadership, justice, and societal norms. While “The
Tale of Melon City” is a more concise and symbolic poem, “Andher Nagari” is a more
expansive and dramatic play. Both works, however, offer a critical look at the
consequences of flawed governance and the importance of reason and logic in society.

Fiction and Reality

Both “The Tale of Melon City” and “Andher Nagari” use fictional narratives to satirise
real-world issues, particularly those related to governance, justice, and societal
behaviour. The poets use absurdity and irrationality to highlight the flaws they observe in
real-life systems.
Here’s a breakdown of the commonalities between these fictional stories and real-life
situations:

• Critique of Incompetent Leadership: Both stories depict leaders who are either foolish
or make irrational decisions, reflecting real-world concerns about incompetent or
autocratic leaders. In “The Tale of Melon City”, the king’s impulsive actions and inability
to think critically mirror real-world leaders who act without reason. Similarly, the “dumb
king” in “Andher Nagari” represents the dangers of having a leader who is out of touch
with reality and makes nonsensical decisions.

• Flawed Justice Systems: The narratives satirise how justice can be administered
arbitrarily and illogically. In “The Tale of Melon City,” the shifting of blame and the
eventual hanging of the king highlight the absurdity of systems that do not follow reason
or logic. “Andher Nagari” shows a similar critique with a series of characters being
blamed for a single event, all culminating in the selection of a random fat man to be
hanged. These scenarios resonate with real-world situations where justice systems can
be corrupt, inefficient, or easily manipulated.

• Societal Apathy and Passivity: Both stories depict societies where people passively
accept illogical and unjust situations. In “The Tale of Melon City”, the citizens accept a
melon as their king without question, suggesting a critique of societies that blindly
follow authority. In “Andher Nagari”, the flat-rate system and the people’s general
acceptance of the king’s decisions reflect a similar apathy, and this speaks to how
people in real life might accept irrational systems without questioning them.

• Consequences of Greed and Folly: The character of Gobardhan Das in “Andher

Nagari” is a representation of folly, and how it can lead to negative consequences. His
greed leads to him ignoring the wisdom of his guru, and his subsequent near death
experience demonstrates the importance of valuing wisdom and reason over immediate
gratification. The king’s greed to get to heaven also demonstrates that folly in leadership
can lead to catastrophic outcomes.

• Satire of Power and Authority: Both narratives use satire to mock the idea of absolute
power and blind obedience to authority. “The Tale of Melon City” satirises the concept
of divine rule, where the ruler is beyond reproach, and can act with impunity. “Andher
Nagari” is a more direct satire of autocratic rule, highlighting how it can lead to chaos
and injustice. These satires serve as a commentary on real-world situations where
leaders abuse their power or act without considering the consequences.

• The Importance of Reason and Logic: These stories use absurdity to emphasise the
importance of reason and logic in governance and social structures. By showing the
chaos that results from irrationality, they imply that societies should strive for systems
that are based on sound reasoning and fairness. The guru’s wisdom in “Andher Nagari,”
contrasted with the foolishness of others, underscores the value of having an intelligent
and rational perspective.

In essence, the poets use these fictional scenarios to make a statement about the real
world. They convey that flawed leadership, unjust systems, and passive societies can
lead to absurd outcomes, and the importance of critical thinking, reason and ethical
behaviour. By using humour and satire, they make these critical points more accessible
and thought-provoking, encouraging audiences to reflect on the realities of their own
societies.