Class 12 English Lesson 20 Play: The Bull by Bhinidhi Tiwari Literature Section

 

Lesson 3 One-Act-Play: The Bull by Bhimnidhi Tiwari

Click for Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfdDap_Vbys

About the Playwright  

Bhimnidhi Tiwari (1911-1973) is a well-known poet, story writer, and dramatist from Nepal. Tiwari established Nepal Natak Sangh (Nepal Drama Society) in 1949. Through this organization, he promoted Nepali plays by staging plays and encouraging Nepali writers to write plays. Tiwari won Madan Puraskar for literature in 1970. It was the late eighteenth century. Ranabahadur Shah, the grandson of Prithvi Narayan Shah, was the king of Nepal. Ranabahadur Shah was fond of bulls. In his one-act play “The Bull,” Bhimnidhi Tiwari dramatizes an incident related to Ranabahadur Shah’s craze for bulls to make a biting satire on the feudal system, which dehumanizes human beings to such an extent that their existence depends on their admiring treatment towards the four-footed animals like bulls.

Main characters of the play

a.      Ranabahadur Shah- The king, 23 years

b.    Laxminarayan Dahal (Jaisi)- Subedar with Samarjug Company, bichari of the Ita Chapali court, and bull doctor, around 40 years

c.      Jitman- Cowherd

d.     Gore- Cowherd

Summary of the Play

The play ‘The Bull’ is a one-act play written by famous Nepali poet and Dramatist, Bhimnidhi Tiwari. The play shows the strong love of Ranabahadur Shah towards the four-footed animals. He was fond of bulls. The play makes a satire on the feudal system which dehumanizes human beings in the 18th Century. The play turns around the death of king Ranabahadur's bull and the panic condition of the bull doctor and cowherds after that. The setting of the play is the yard of Laxminarayan. It takes place at dawn in the month of Ashwin of 1854 B.S. The two cowherds Gore and Jitman arrive there feeling so nervous and worried. They come there to inform about the death of the bull of king Ranabahadur Shah. Now, Laxmi, Jitman, and Gore are all very worried about the possible punishment from the king. He can ever give them the death penalty. Laxmi is afraid of saving them from the happening. Gore explains that the bull died because didn't get enough food (grass) and couldn't digest fine rice and soup of split gram. Laxmi suggests Gore and Jitman not tell "the bull has died".

He also says them to go to the bull and care for it and go to the palace to tell about the illness of the bull. Laxmi reaches the courtyard of Basantpur palace to inform about the ill health of the bull. Laxmi bows down to the king with full respect uttering Swosti and informs him that the bull is ill instead of saying the bull has died. He says "The bull doesn't wake up and eat breakfast. He doesn't speak or move. He is sleeping as if he is relaxed....". Laxmi describes the good habits of the bull and proposes to be taken to the hill to heal the health of the bull. due to climate change. Then the king himself wants to check the bull's condition and goes to the cowshed located at Thulo Gauchar on the palanquin with a convoy. Before the king reaches there, Jitman and Gore wait desperately to hear the decision of the king. They are in the cowshed beside the dead bull.

They even think of escaping to save their life but they think they will be arrested again and killed. Laxmi runs ahead of the convoy at Thulo Gauchar to tell Gore and Jitman to massage the back feet of the bull and wave the fan at the bull. They do as Laxmi has suggested. Laxmi grinds medicine for the bull. Ranabahadur reaches there and calls the bull but he doesn't get up. Laxmi tells the king that they have been caring for the bull since midnight. The bull is lying dead on the mattress. It is neither breathing nor eating anything. Its tail has loosened and ears have drooped down. Yet, the cowherds and Laxmi cannot declare their death due to fear. King Ranabahadur Shah himself says the bull is dead. After listening to the king, Jitman starts crying and says he has been an orphan after the bull's death. The King asks Dahal to console him. He also declares a tip of 400 rupees and tells us to be quiet. Gore also does the same as Hitman.

The king again declares the tip of 500 rupees to Gore. At last, Laxminarayan himself starts weeping and pretends to be in agony. The king scolds him to shut up and orders him to bury the bull with his own hands. He also asks him to manage the funeral rites and give offerings to the priest himself. At last, Jitman and Gore take a deep breath to be alive. In this way, the one-act play ends. The play shows the feudal society of that time. It also shows the condition of normal citizens how they are sucked by the kings and how their condition is.

Understanding the text: Answer the following questions.

a.      Why have Gore and Jitman come to see Laxminarayan?

Gore and Jitman have come to see Laxminarayan because they want to notify him of the death of King Ranabahadur Shah’s bull.

b.     What, according to cowherds, is the reason behind the death of Male?

According to cowherds, the reason behind the death of Male was caused by his eating less grass and being unable to digest fine rice and split gram soup.

c.      Why does Ranabahadur want to see the bull himself?

Ranabahadur wants to see the bull himself because he wants to examine its condition and does not want the bull to be transported to the hill if it can be cured or treated at Thulo Gauchar, Kathmandu.

d.     Why does Laxminarayan run ahead of the convoy at Thulo Gauchar?

Laxminarayan runs ahead of the convoy at Thulo Gauchar because he wants to send a message to the cowherds telling them to massage the bull's back feet and wave the fan at the bull to please the king, Ranabahadur Shah. If not, the king would become enraged and punish them. He wants to show the king that they care about the bull.

e.      Why do Gore and Jitman cry when the king declares that Male is dead? → Gore and Jitman cry when the king declares that Male is dead to display their supposed affection for the bull. Both begin to cry in a pompous manner, pleading for the king's forgiveness. They are hoping to be excused from the king's punishment. Otherwise, the king may punish them and hold them responsible for the bull's death.

f.       How do we learn that the bull is dead?

We learn that the bull is dead from the conversation between Cowherds, Laxminarayan, and the King. The words of the cowherds and the king are indicating that the bull is dead. The bull's tail has loosened and his eyes are motionless, according to both cowherds, and the king adds, "The bull does not breathe, his tail has loosened, his ears have drooped down, and he doesn't eat anything either.’’

g.     How does the play make a satire on the feudal system?

The feudal system and its horrific acts toward ordinary people have been shown in this play. The feudal system's oppression, dominance, and dehumanization of people can be seen here. The cowherds, who survive on the mercy and grace of their lord, have been presented in such a panic. These people live in terror because the lord's animal receives more comfort, respect, and care than they do. Both of them hide the reality of the dead bull to save their lives in front of the king. The play is a satire on the feudal system, depicting the feudal lord's dehumanization and oppression of his workers.

h.     Write down the plot of the play in a paragraph.

Bhimnidhi Tiwari, a well-known Nepali poet, and dramatist wrote the one-act play "The Bull." King Ranabahadur Shah was fond of bulls. He had reared many bulls. Once, the bull named Male died. Then, the cowherds and the bull doctor panicked because of the possible punishment from the king. They pretended to be sad and mourning the death of the bull. They weren't sad at the death of the bull rather they were afraid of the possible punishment from the king. To save their life, they wept and pretended to be heartbroken in front of the king. The king then gave them tips after seeing them crying. Finally, the cowherds were happy to be alive. The play makes a satire on the feudal society of that time i.e. the 18th century.

 

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Click for Reference to Context: https://limbuchandrabahadur.blogspot.com/2025/06/class-12-english-lesson-20-play-bull.html