Exercise of The Bull [NEB English 12]

Bulls piqued Ranabahadur Shah’s interest. In his one-act play “The Bull,” Bhimnidhi Tiwari dramatizes a story of Ranabahadur Shah’s obsession with bulls to create a cutting parody on the feudal system, which so dehumanizes people that it depends on their deference to other four-legged creatures like bulls for their survival.

The Bull Exercise NEB English – 12

Understanding the text

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

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

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 hold them responsible for the bull’s death.

f. How do we learn 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 the bull is dead.

➜ The discourse between the Cowherds, Laxminarayan, and the King reveals that the bull has died. Cowherds and the king’s comments indicate that the bull has died. According to both cowherds, the bull’s tail has loosened and his eyes are unmoving, and the king adds, “The bull does not breathe, his tail has loosened, his ears have drooped down, and he doesn’t eat anything.”

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

➜This drama depicts the feudal regime and its injustices on normal citizens. The tyranny, domination, and dehumanization of people by the feudal system may be observed here. Cowherds, who rely on their lord’s mercy and kindness, have been presented in such a panic. These people are terrified because the lord’s animal is more comfortable, respected, and cared for than they are. To spare their lives in front of the king, they both conceal the actuality of the dead bull. The play is a parody on the feudal system, illustrating the dehumanization and mistreatment of his employees by the feudal lord.

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

➜ The one-act play “The Bull” was written by Bhimnidhi Tiwari, a well-known Nepali poet and playwright. The bulls were a favourite of King Ranabahadur Shah. He’d raised a lot of bulls. The Male, the bull, died once. The cowherds and the bull doctor are then frightened because of the king’s probable punishment. They claimed to be heartbroken and in mourning at the bull’s death. In fact, they were more concerned with the king’s prospective punishment than with the killing of the bull. They grieved and feigned to be distraught in front of the king to spare their lives. When the monarch saw them sobbing, he gave them advice. Finally, the cowherds rejoiced in their survival. The play is a parody of the feudal society of that time i.e. the 18th century.

 Reference to the Context 

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

➜ During the late eighteenth century, Nepal had a monarchy system. At the time, Nepal was ruled by the Shah Dynasty. At the time, society was rather tight. People’s daily existence lacked freedom. People had to live under the rule of the monarch and his people. The drama “The Bull” showed a dreadful society in which people were compelled to live in fear of monarchs and lords. The lifestyles of ordinary people were not perfect. Their lords were cruel to them. They were severely punished if they rebelled against their rulers. We may observe a superb example of people’s dreadful situations in this drama.

There were no fundamental rights granted to the populace. The average person knows very little about politics. Most civilizations had patriarchal norms and values. Throughout their whole lives, women had to contend with male supremacy. Many ladies were available for males to marry. In the play, Laxminarayan is depicted having seven wives. He even seems to have married a new woman. The lives of the common people were completely under the monarchs’ or lords’ authority.

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

➜ Laxminarayan is the bull doctor for King Ranabahadur Shah and a forty-year-old bichari (legal official). He has wed seven women during the course of his life. He doesn’t appear happy, even if there are seven ladies at home. He still intends to wed a different woman. At home, he describes his seven women as having flat noses, being gorgeous, butterflies, swallows, having horrible face, etc. His use of several nicknames for his wives served as a symbol of patriarchal power and the status of women in society at the time. At that time, it was fairly common to marry a lot of different women. Females were viewed as the servants of men, who were thought to be superior. Married women had to spend their lives under their husbands’ power and management. They were required to rely on their husbands and to spend the most of their time inside the walls of their houses. The main causes of all of these problems included illiteracy, child marriage, poverty, feudalism, and a lack of understanding among the populace.

Since then, the Nepalese society has seen significant change. The situation of Nepali women now is far better than anticipated. The constitution of Nepal states that women in Nepal have gradually acquired a variety of rights. In today’s culture, Nepali women’s awareness and literacy levels have significantly increased. They no longer rely on their spouses as much as they once did. Even now, they are close to earning the same as males. In society, there is no supremacy of men. People who abuse women might face severe penalties under the Nepalese constitution. In Nepal, a variety of organizations work to advance women’s rights, empowerment, and general well-being. The Nepalese Constitution guarantees equal chances for men and women. Most of Nepal’s population is 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?

➜ During the reign of the monarchs, the idea of chakari was very well-liked in Nepal. The majority of people took part in the chakari of their rulers, lords, and other authority figures throughout the time of the monarchy. Chakari was a form of technique used by people who wanted to get wealthy and improve their lives. People were required to consistently do chakari for their monarchs and lords in order to please them. They would suffer severe repercussions if they didn’t do the proper chakari.

The one-act drama “The Bull” has many instances of the concept of chakari. The three major characters of the play, Laxminarayn Dahal, Gore, and Jitman, are commonly shown performing the chakari of King Ranabahadur Shah. Laxminarayan has even received punishment from the king for his poor act of speaking loudly in front of the monarch. Laxminarayan is informed of the bull’s demise by both cowherds. For all of them, the monarch has grown to be a major cause of worry. They portray themselves as being extremely wary of the bull. They start stroking the bull’s feet and wave a fan at him to placate the king. Even the bull is referred to in front of the king as “The Bull Sir.” Both cowherds start crying hysterically as the king personally announces the bull’s death. The drama is therefore chock full of chakari.