Class 12 English Lesson 20 Play: The Bull Reference to Context and Reference beyond Text Literature Section

 Reference to the Context

a.      Discuss the late eighteenth-century Nepali society as portrayed in terms of the relationship between the king and his subjects as portrayed in the play.

The monarchy system was prevalent in Nepal during the late eighteenth century. Nepal was controlled by the Shah Dynasty at the time. Society at the time was rather strict. People lacked freedom in their daily lives. People had to live under the king's and his people's dominance. The play "The Bull" depicted a terrible society in which people were forced to live in terror of the kings and lords, Ordinary people's lifestyles were not ideal. Their masters treated them horribly. If they rebelled against their lords, they were severely punished. In this play, we may see a great example of people's miserable conditions.

The people were not given any fundamental rights. The general public has a poor level of political knowledge. In most societies, patriarchal rules and ideals existed. Women had to live under male dominance for their entire lives. Males were permitted to marry a large number of women. Laxminarayan is shown in the play with seven wives. He even appears to have taken on another wife. The kings of the lords had complete control over the lives of common people.

b.     What does the relationship between Laxminarayan and his wives tell us about the society of that time? To what extent has Nepali society changed since then?

Laxminarayan is a forty-year-old bichari (legal officer) and king Ranabahadur Shah's bull doctor. In his lifespan, he has married seven women. Even with seven women at home, he doesn't seem pleased. He has not dropped his plans to marry another woman. At home, he refers to his seven wives as flat-nosed, beautiful, butterflies, swallows, ugly faces, and so on. He gave his wives various nicknames, demonstrating patriarchal dominance as well as the state of women in the culture at the time. The practice of marrying a large number of women was very widespread at the time. Males were regarded as superior, while females were seen as their servants. Married women had to live their lives under the dominance and control of their husbands. They had to be reliant on their husbands and spend most of their time within the boundaries of their homes. Illiteracy, child marriage, poverty, feudalism, and a lack of understanding among the people were the major causes of all of these issues.

The Nepalese society has altered dramatically since then. The current state of Nepali women is significantly better than imagined. According to Nepal's constitution, Nepali women have gained a range of rights over time. Nepali women's consciousness and literacy levels have substantially improved in today's society. They aren't as reliant on their husbands as they formerly were. They're even on their way to earning the same as men. There is no masculine dominance in society. The Nepalese constitution has a provision for heavy punishment for individuals who mistreat women. Man organizations in Nepal seek to improve the well-being of Nepalese women, as well as their rights and empowerment. Both males and females in Nepal have equal opportunities under the Nepalese Constitution. In Nepal, the majority of females have been seen at the top in several sectors.

c.      Shed light on the practice of chakari as portrayed in the play. Have you noticed this practice in your society?

The concept of chakari was quite popular in Nepal during the kings' rule. During the royal system, the majority of people were involved in the chakari of their monarchs, leaders, and lords. Chakari was a type of practice by which individuals hoped to gain wealth and advancement in their life. To be good in front of their kings and lords, people had to do chakari of them all the time. They would face serious consequences if they did not do the correct chakari.

The idea of chakari appears frequently in "The Bull," a one-act play. The play's main protagonists, Laxminarayn Dahal, and two cowherds Gore and Jitman, are frequently seen doing the chakari of King Ranabahadur Shah. Due to his bad deed of speaking in a loud voice in front of the monarch, Laxminarayan has even been punished by the king. Both cowherds tell Laxminarayan of the bull's death. The monarch has become a source of great anxiety for all of them. They act as if they are very cautious around the bull. They begin rubbing the bull's feet and waving a fan at him to appease the monarch. In front of the monarch, they even call the bull "The Bull Sir." When the king personally announces the bull's death, both cowherds begin to cry uncontrollably. As a result, the play is filled with chakari.

d.     How does Laxminarayan outsmart Ranabahadur?

With his trickery, Laxminarayan outsmarts Ranabahadur. He is a doctor of the king's bull and a forty-year-old legal officer. He rushes to the king's palace as soon as Gore and Jitman inform him of the king's bull's death. He has a talent for flattering the king. He does not immediately inform the king of the bull's death since the king may become enraged by the news. Rather than telling the king the truth, he informs him of the bull's sickness. He even tells the cowherds to massage and waves a fan at the bull as they approach the cowshed to please the monarch and protect their lives. The king believes the bull died despite receiving excellent care and treatment right in front of his eyes. The king does not disbelieve them as a result of Laxminarayan's techniques, and they survive the king's severe punishment.

e.      Sketch the character of Laxminarayan.

One of the main characters in this one-act play is Laxminarayan Dahal. He is a forty-year-old legal officer as well as king Ranabadur Shah's bull doctor. He is married to seven different women. He has seven women at home, but he appears to be unsatisfied with all of them. He plans on marrying the eighth woman. When he learns of the king's bull's death, he makes good use of his intellect and moves quickly to spare himself and the cowherds from the king's punishment. He goes to the king's palace, but he does not immediately inform the monarch about the bull's death. He is well aware of the king's flattery (chakari), When the king arrives at Thulo Ganchar's cowshed to see the bull, he tells the cowherds Gore and Jitman to massage and wave fans at the dead bull to please the king. Laxminarayan's witty acts have contributed to the play's humor. They were saved from the king's heavy punishment due to his trickery. As a result, we may claim that Laxminarayan is the one who has outsmarted the king with his cunningness and chakari.

Reference beyond the text

a.      Write an essay in about 300 words on "The Nepali Society: Past, Present, and Future".

The Nepali Society: Past, Present, and Future

Society refers to a community of people living together and sharing the same social territory. Nepali society has been changed very much from its past and changing rapidly in the present. No doubt, it will be very different in the future. Nepal is known for its cultural difference and diversity. People in Nepali society follow different religions and have different ethnic as well as cultural backgrounds.

In the past, Nepali society was very different from today. People were divided into various classes and groups. The division of people led to social evils such as caste discrimination and untouchability. The then societal rules were very strict and common people were under extreme poverty and discrimination. They had to follow the orders of their kings and lords with their mouths shut. If not, they were severely punished and excluded from basic societal rights. The majority of the population was uneducated, and there was a general lack of awareness. Patriarchal ideals and standards were at their peak. Feudalism was a widespread idea throughout the nation. Under the feudalists, ordinary people had to endure a miserable existence. They were ignorant of the concept of human rights and opportunities. For the most part, people's lives were quite harsh. When it came to women's life during the period, they lived in deplorable circumstances. They were completely reliant on men to survive. In addition, child marriage was rather widespread.

Contemporary Nepali society is more open and modernized. Nepali society is progressing. Nepali society has transformed in terms of facilities such as electricity, drinking water, roads and transportation, education, and so on. People now enjoy a variety of rights in a variety of contexts. Women are given rights and are no longer completely dependent on their husbands for a living. People's rights are now guaranteed under the constitution. Discrimination based on caste and class is rarely seen as a thing compared to the past. People are not obligated to follow their kings or lords. People nowadays, however, are not completely free of the concept of chakari; they follow various politicians and strong people to achieve wealth and status. The major disadvantage of today's society is its dirty politics. In addition, culture and traditions do not appear to be maintained and preserved in today's society in comparison to the past.

Nepali society's future is entirely dependent on its people. In comparison to other developing countries, the rate of development is now quite slow. People have not yet completely gone free from patriarchal ideologies. Nepali society will be far better than the rest of the world's societies if the appropriate individuals are chosen as leaders, culture, and traditions are promoted and preserved, and patriarchal views are discarded.

b.     In his "Satire ", Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux says:

But satire, ever moral, ever new

Delights the reader and instructs him, too.

She, if good sense, refine her sterling page,

Oft shakes some rooted folly of the age.

Do you agree with the poet? Discuss the lines concerning Bhimnidhi Tiwari's play "The Bull".

Nicolas aims to convey to his readers in the above stanza that if the satire is moral and novel, it both entertains and teaches the reader about the issue. If the satire has an excellent reason and is created with a decent aim in mind, it has the potential to shake some of the era's underlying follies and blunders.

Yes, I completely agree with the poet because he wants us to recognise the power of satire. Positive satire can assist to improve the different negative features of society. In this 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 humans beings to such an extent that their existence depends on their deferential treatment towards the four-footed animals like bulls. Tiwari has supplied his readers with a wealth of information on the society of the time, both positive and negative with the help of satire.

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