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The Tiger King Summary
The Tiger King Summary- Class 12 English: Maharaja Sir Jilani Jung Jung Bahadur of Pratibandapuram was known as the ‘Tiger King’. Astrologers predicted that the king would be murdered by a tiger when he was just 10 days old. The child grew up like any other royal child, sipping white cow’s milk, being cared for by an English nanny, and viewing English films.
At the age of 20, he was crowned king and learned of the prophecy concerning his death. He began murdering tigers after that and made it illegal for anyone else in the state to hunt tigers. Even though he had slain ninety-nine tigers, the astrologer advised him to be cautious with the hundredth tiger.
When a high-ranking British officer came to visit his state, he expressed an interest in going tiger hunting. However, his request was denied, and in order to protect his state from the British officer’s anger, the Maharaja sent the officer’s wife 50 diamond rings valued at Rs. 3 lakh.
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In ten years, the Maharaja slaughtered seventy tigers, and Pratibandapuram was devoid of tigers. To meet his goal of killing a hundred tigers, the Maharaja planned to marry a girl from a royal state with more tigers. He used to kill 5-6 tigers every time he went to see his in-laws. In this manner, he was able to kill ninety-nine tigers but was unable to locate the hundredth tiger. The Maharaja became enraged after failing to locate the hundredth tiger and threatened the Dewan, who, in order to save himself, obtained an old tiger from the circus and placed it in the forest with extreme difficulty.
The Maharaja overjoyed and triumphant after shooting this tiger. The bullet, however, did not hit the tiger. Fear caused the tiger to collapse. None of the staff, however, were willing to take the risk of telling the Maharaja the truth. As a result, they murdered it and carried it away in a magnificent procession.
Finally, the Tiger King was content. On his son’s third birthday, he got him a wooden tiger as a present. But the toy was so badly made that, as the Tiger King was playing with it, a shard of wood penetrated his right hand, causing an illness. He underwent an operation and died during the procedure. As fate would have it, the hundredth tiger, the wooden tiger, exacted its vengeance on the Tiger King.
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Conclusion of Class 12 The Tiger King
The summary of “The Tiger King” highlights a key truth: no matter how strong or powerful someone is, they cannot control their fate. Death is a natural part of life that cannot be avoided, regardless of our actions. The story also uses a satirical tone to show how people with power can be vain and self-centered. The king in the story could have chosen to ignore the prediction of his death, as death is inevitable for everyone. However, he was unable to resist the temptation to use his power to challenge fate. Instead of focusing on this futile effort, he could have used his time and energy to govern his state.
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FAQs on The Tiger King Summary
The narrative is a parody of those in positions of authority and their arrogance. How does the author use dramatic irony as a literary device in the story?
The king was a proud man. He believed he could accomplish anything, including defeating death. He attempted to disprove the royal astrologer's predictions, who had foreseen that the king would killed by a tiger. Ironically, the king also killed the hundredth tiger and triumphed over death, but the tiger miraculously evaded the gunshot. He had killed real tigers, but his actual death caused by a wooden toy tiger he had received as a birthday present for his kid. The tiger king's hand injured by a small piece of wood from the toy, which eventually killed him. The great Maharaja ‘The Tiger King’ thus met his death.
What is the author's subliminal message about subjecting helpless animals to the whims of humans?
The author is implying that the king, being powerful, slaughtered a large number of innocent animals only to prove the astrologer incorrect or to overcome his anxiety, without recognising the gravity of his actions. He refused to accept fate, which had its ways when death came to him in the form of a lifeless, wooden tiger.
What would you call the Maharaja's minions' attitude toward him? Do you believe they are true in their feelings for him, or are they obeying him out of fear? Is there a parallel in today's political order?
The king's servants were afraid of him and strove to satisfy him. They spoke in a way that pleased the king's ears to keep him satisfied. Initially, the astrologer was hesitant to forecast the king's future. He only spoke when the king asked him to speak without fear. The minister did not advise the king not to slaughter so many innocent creatures; instead, he looked for a kingdom where the monarch could slaughter a large number of tigers. Since they feared losing their jobs, the royal hunters did not inform the monarch that the hundredth tiger was still alive. As he dreaded punishment, the shopkeeper sold the toy tiger to the king at a great price. We can see this happening in today's political structure as well when subordinates try to satisfy their superiors to keep their jobs.
