THE TIGER KING BY KALKI Prepared by L

THE TIGER KING BY KALKI Prepared by L. Das

POINTS TO REMEMBER n It is a story with a moral lesson. n It narrates the story of the Maharaja of Pratibandapuram in an ironical and satirical style. n Pride comes before a fall and death is the great equalizer. n Man should learn to respect life and take care of all the creatures of the Earth.

TITLE n Maharaja’s entire life revolved around tiger hunting and tiger killing. n He vowed to attend to matters of the state only after killing a hundred tigers. n Married the lady whose estate had the largest tiger population. n Hunted the hundredth tiger with great difficulty but did not actually kill it himself.

TITLE (CONT. ) Bought a wooden tiger for his soncarved by an unskilled carpenter. n Maharaja injured his hand. n The infection flared up and caused his death despite the best surgeons. n Destiny took its final revenge on ‘The Tiger King’. n The arrogance and power of man is so small compared to destiny and nature. n

INTERPRETATIONS n Story is a fable with a moral. It makes an appeal for the protection of the tiger and for all flora and fauna. n Man has ravaged nature for his own selfish purposes. However nature has a way of taking revenge. n The author believes in the dictum’Live and let live’. Killing for pleasure is a grave sin.

INTERPRETATION n ‘The Tiger King’ is a warning to man to stop his ruthless exploitation of Nature which has caused the extinction of innumerable wildlife species. n Story is more about the crime of thoughtless killing of tigers and its punishment rather than the power of destiny.

CHARACTER OF TIGER KING n Comical and eccentric character who behaves like an autocrat. n His subjects including the senior officers tremble with fear in front of him. n Moody and whimsical, he behaves in an irrational way throughout. n He resorts to bribery of the British officer’s wife to save his kingdom.